Luciano Pavarotti

The Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti (born October 12, 1935), is one of the most famous living singers, not only in the world of opera, but across all genres.

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Italian - Tenor - October 12 - 1935 - Opera

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Luciano Pavarotti was born in Modena, Italy. His father, a gifted amateur singer, was a baker. Pavarotti made his operatic debut on April 29, 1961, as Rodolfo in La bohème, at the opera house in Reggio Emilia. This is his signature role.

Related Topics:
Modena - Italy - April 29 - 1961 - La bohème - Reggio Emilia

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His American debut came in February 1965, in Lucia di Lammermoor with Joan Sutherland in Miami.

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February - 1965 - Lucia di Lammermoor - Joan Sutherland - Miami

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His major breakthrough in the United States came on February 17, 1972, in a production of Donizetti's La fille du régiment at New York's Metropolitan Opera, in which he drove the crowd into a frenzy with his nine effortless high Cs in the signature aria. He achieved a record 17 curtain calls. From then on he began to make frequent television performances, such as in his role as Rodolfo in the first Live from the Met telecast in March of 1977, which attracted one of the largest audiences ever for a televised opera. He has won many Grammy awards and platinum and gold discs for his performances.

Related Topics:
United States - February 17 - 1972 - La fille du régiment - New York - Metropolitan Opera - March - 1977 - Grammy

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Pavarotti's pivotal step in becoming an internationally known celebrity occured in 1990 when his rendition of Giacomo Puccini's aria, "Nessun Dorma" (from Turandot) became the theme song of the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. The aria achieved pop status and has, to date, remained his trademark song. This was followed by the hugely successful Three Tenors concert held on the eve of the World Cup final at the ancient Baths of Caracalla in Rome with fellow tenors, Placido Domingo and José Carreras and conductor Zubin Mehta, which became the biggest selling record of all time. Throughout the 1990s, Pavarotti appeared in many well-attended outdoor concerts, his televised concert in London's Hyde Park being the first concert in the history of the park featuring classical music, drawing a record attendance of 150,000. In June 1993, more than 500,000 listeners gathered for his performance on the Great Lawn of New York's Central Park, while millions more around the world watched on television. The following September in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, he sang for an estimated crowd of 300,000. Following on from the original 1990 concert, there have been subsequent Three Tenors concerts held during the Football World Cups; in Los Angeles in 1994, in Paris in 1998, and in Yokohama in 2002. The recordings and videos of these concerts have out-sold those by Elvis Presley and the Rolling Stones.

Related Topics:
1990 - Giacomo Puccini - Turandot - 1990 FIFA World Cup - Italy - Aria - Three Tenors - Baths of Caracalla - Rome - Tenors - Placido Domingo - José Carreras - Zubin Mehta - 1990s - London - Hyde Park - June - 1993 - New York - Central Park - September - Eiffel Tower - Paris - Football World Cup - Los Angeles - 1994 - 1998 - Yokohama - 2002 - Elvis Presley - Rolling Stones

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Pavarotti also annually hosts the "Pavarotti and Friends" charity concerts in his home town of Modena in Italy, joining with singers from all parts of the music industry to raise money for several worthy UN causes. Past concerts have been held for Bosnia, Guatemala & Kosovo, the War Child and Iraq.

Related Topics:
Modena - Italy - UN - Bosnia - Guatemala - Kosovo

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In 2002 Pavarotti split with his manager of 36 years Herbert Breslin. The break up, which was acrimonious, was followed in 2004 with the publication of a book by Breslin entitled 'The King & I', seen by many as largely critical and sensationalist, of the singers acting (in opera), his ability to read music and learn parts, and of his personal conduct, although acknowledging their mutual success. In an interview in 2005 with Jeremy Paxman on the BBC Pavarotti rejected the allegation that he could not read music, although acknowledging he sometimes had difficulty following orchestral parts.

Related Topics:
2002 - Herbert Breslin - 2004 - 2005 - Jeremy Paxman - BBC

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He received Kennedy Center Honors in 2001. More recently he married his assistant, who bore him twins, one of whom (Alice) survives. He was a close friend to the late Diana, Princess of Wales. They raised money for the elimination of land mines worldwide. He was invited to sing at her funeral service, but declined, as he felt he could not sing well "with his grief in his throat". He started his farewell tour in 2004, at the age of 69, performing one last time in old and new locations, after over 4 decades on the stage.

Related Topics:
Kennedy Center Honors - 2001 - Diana, Princess of Wales

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