A statue of world-renowned tenor Luciano Pavarotti erected in an Italian city became trapped during winter ice rink construction, prompting the mayor of that city to apologize and sparking ongoing controversy.

According to the French daily Le Figaro on the 3rd (local time), the city of Pesaro in eastern Italy installed an ice rink in the central square of the city for the winter season.

This square contains a life-size commemorative statue of Pavarotti, who died in 2007, and it has effectively been trapped because of the rink installation. From the knees of the statue downward, it was obscured by foundation works.

The statue was erected in April last year to honor Pavarotti, who had a vacation home in this city and spent summers there with his family until his death. Mateho Ricci, who was the mayor of Pesaro at the time, announced the installation, saying, “This statue is a gift to the city, but above all a tribute to Luciano Pavarotti.”

Andrea Biancani, the mayor of Pesaro, posted photos of the construction site on social media without anticipating the backlash and suggested that people visiting the ice rink should give the statue a ‘high-five’. The New York Times reported that afterward people gathered and even lined up to take pictures with the statue.

The wife of Pavarotti, Nicoletta Mantovani, who learned of the news belatedly, expressed her displeasure. She told Italian media, “I saw the photos, and it is an appalling and absurd decision by the city authorities,” and criticized, “On one side they claim to honor him, while on the other they mock him. This is not right.” She added, “It is not only a lack of respect but also a lack of common sense,” pointing out that installing an ice rink around the statue is dangerous.

She said, “If they truly wanted to make an ice rink there, they should have moved the statue or made a skating rink elsewhere,” adding, “Such a half-baked compromise only makes Luciano look ridiculous.”

Mayor Biancani apologized in response to the protest by the family, saying, “We made a mistake.” He said, “There was absolutely no intent to be disrespectful to him,” and added, “We considered altering the sculpture or moving its location, but it was technically impossible without structural damage. (The placement of the statue) was not intentional but a necessary choice.”