Italian officials have found themselves in a slippery situation following the installation of an ice skating rink encircling a bronze statue of the esteemed tenor, Luciano Pavarotti. Passersby were even encouraged to “high-five” this iconic figure, sparking controversy over the perceived lack of respect.

This unusual setup is located in Pesaro, a city in northern Italy. The statue portrays Pavarotti in his classic tailcoat, clutching his signature handkerchief, an image familiar to many who admired his work.

Nicoletta Mantovani, Pavarotti’s widow, has voiced her disapproval regarding the ice rink’s placement. She considers this arrangement around the life-sized tribute to her late husband, who succumbed to pancreatic cancer at the age of 71 in 2007, to be distasteful.

The situation intensified when Pesaro’s mayor, Andrea Biancani, found himself at the center of the controversy. On November 23, he shared a digitally altered image on Facebook, depicting the renowned tenor skating with a hockey stick, using the hashtag #daiUnCinqueAPavarotti, which translates to “high-five Pavarotti.”

In response to Mantovani’s initial complaint, Biancani defended his post by highlighting the positive qualities of the tenor. “The smile, the humour, the ability to see the bright side of things. Let’s never lose it,” he wrote, suggesting a lighter perspective on the situation.

“The smile, the humour, the ability to see the bright side of things. Let’s never lose it,” he wrote on the post after Mantovani first complained.

Biancani explained that the city decided to inaugurate the rink to kick off the holiday season as planned despite the bad tone.

The mayor’s post, which is still online, garnered several critical comments, with concerns about safety, should people try and high-five the statue, as well as concerns about poor taste.

‘No intention of disrespect’

Biancani has now formally apologised to Mantovani and a spokesman for the city hall told CNN that it was not their intention to offend the singer’s family or his legacy.

The spokesman said that the installers mistakenly built the rink around the statue, instead of next to it.

“There was no intention of disrespect,” the spokesman told CNN on behalf of the mayor.

He added that the presence of Pavarotti embedded in the ice was not part of the original plan for the Christmas rink.

“I was assured that Pavarotti wouldn’t be touched or incorporated into the ice rink floor,” he told local media.

While officials say it isn’t possible to dismantle the rink or move the statue at this stage, they have built a short wall around it, separating it from the rest of the rink.

However, skaters can still touch the monument if they pass close to the edge.

The Pavarotti statue was inaugurated in April 2024 to honour the late singer and his wife who had a holiday home on the Adriatic Coast nearby.

Pavarotti is considered one of the greatest tenors of all time and sold more than 100 million records worldwide.

His collaboration with Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras as The Three Tenors produced the biggest-selling classical album in history.

Pavarotti’s last public performance was during the 2006 winter Olympics in Turin.