Italy: The mayor of Pesaro has apologized after the statue of Pavarotti was surrounded by an ice rink, generating criticism from locals and the artist's family.

The mayor of the city of Pesaro, Andrea Biancini, was forced to publicly apologize after the statue of the famous tenor Luciano Pavarotti was surrounded by an ice rink set up for the winter holidays. Images of the monument, made of bronze and depicting Pavarotti, sparked harsh criticism from locals and the artist's family, who believe that the situation is disrespectful.

Nicoletta Mantovani, Pavarotti's widow, stated that the setup is "very ugly" and "ridicules the memory" of the artist. The mayor shared a photo of the statue, encouraging skaters to give it a "high five," a gesture that generated even more negative reactions. Biancini admitted that he made a mistake and explained that, due to the official opening of the ice rink, dismantling it is not feasible, and the statue will remain in that position until the end of the season, despite the criticism.