It seems even the world’s most celebrated tenors can’t resist belting out a tune in the shower.

Ever wondered if opera’s legendary voices enjoy a sing-song while scrubbing up? Well, wonder no more—because they do.

In a delightful twist, a clip has surfaced of the incomparable Luciano Pavarotti effortlessly serenading his shower, performing ‘La donna è mobile’ from Verdi’s Rigoletto as he lathers up with a bar of soap. The clip is a true gem—showing that Pavarotti could hit those soaring, crystal-clear notes just as easily from the confines of an ordinary shower cubicle as he could in front of adoring  audiences.

But how did this extraordinary moment come to light? Turns out, it was captured as part of Ron Howard’s 2019 documentary Pavarotti, which offers an intimate look at the legendary tenor’s life through rare footage and personal interviews. The DVD is a must-see for anyone eager to get a closer look at Pavarotti’s world.

However, while this spontaneous shower performance may have been a rare occasion, it wasn’t something Pavarotti indulged in often. His widow, Nicoletta Mantovani, shared in a 2019 interview with Classic FM that the maestro always aimed to preserve his voice for performances. “He always tried to save his voice for the performance,” Mantovani explained. “For him, singing was really serious and something he dedicated his life to.”

Mantovani also reflected beautifully on Pavarotti’s approach to his craft, describing his devotion to opera not as a form of training, but as a lifelong commitment—truly, a devotion that went far beyond technique.