Backstage with Pavarotti and Other Egos

"The true measure of a man is the degree to which he has managed to subjugate his ego."

Albert Einstein

"If being an egomaniac means I believe in what I do and in my art or music, then in that respect you can call me that ... I believe in what I do, and I'll say it."

John Lennon

About the Author

John Duffus gained a first-class honours degree in music from the University of Aberdeen in 1969. After a short spell with the BBC in London and eight years with Scottish Opera, he moved to Asia to become General Manager of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra for a further eight years. Thereafter he decided to remain in Hong Kong to start his own company specialising in arts promotion, including the presentation around Asia of many of the world's finest musicians. He also took up posts in other companies including Managing Director of the Asian companies of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Company in Singapore and Hong Kong, and as Director of IMG Artists (Asia) based in Tokyo for Mark McCormack's global International Management Group.

In June 2001 he played a major role in engaging the Three Tenors for a concert held within Beijing's Forbidden City. This was to mark Olympics Day when the Committee recommending the city to be awarded the 2008 Summer Games was having its final meeting in Beijing. Three weeks later Beijing was awarded the Games.

He continued as Chairman and Managing Director of his own company in Hong Kong until retiring in Asia in 2017. His first book Scottish Opera's Golden Years: Thee Glitter And Why It Faded was published by New Generation in March 2022.

During almost 40 years based in Asia, John Duffus was an impresario presenting many of the world's finest classical artists. He witnessed up close the egos many had developed but which were mostly on display backstage behind the curtains. Many egos were bolstered by the group of often-outspoken managers, concert promoters, agents and presenters surrounding them, each with their own interests to protect.

Some of the artists he presented and worked with are prominently featured in this book, particularly Luciano Pavarotti but also Plcido Domingo, Jos Carreras, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Jessye Norman, Teresa Berganza, Isaac Stern, Itzhak Perlman, James Galway and Yo-Yo Ma. Among the others he worked with have included Rene Fleming, Christa Ludwig, Peter Schreier, Alfredo Kr...