Luciano Pavarotti

Background and early life:

Luciano Pavarotti was an Italian operator tenor who later on also crossed over into popular music. He was born in 1935 in Modena, Italy and died in the same city in Septemer 2007 due to pancreatic cancer at the age of 71. The singer had a dream of becoming a soccer player but then found himself enjoying his dad’s recordings and decided to give singing a try, he began singing with his father in a small local church choir at the age of 9, and then at the age of 20 he traveled from his home town with a male choir from Modena called Corale Rossini to an international music competition in Wales, they won first place. His father Fernando Pavarotti was also a singer with a voice as beautiful as his son’s voice.

Beginning of his career:

Luciano Pavarotti started his career in 1961 when he was cast as Rodolfo in Puccini’s La Boheme, in a small regional Italian opera house. He then made his Royal Opera House debut in 1963 when he stood in for Giuseppe Di Stefano.

First debut and breakthrough:

In April 1965, Pavarotti maid his La Scala debut with his childhood friend Mirella Freni in the revival of the Zeffirelli production of La bohème. After he had a big success, his breakthrough in London and New York began, his first appearance took place at The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden in London. He performed Donizetti La fille du régiment and got the title of “King of the high C’s” because of his his nine effortless high Cs in the opera’s signature aria.

The TV and Movie star:

In march 1977, Luciano Pavarotti gave his first live performance “Rodolfo in La bohème”, which attracted one of the largest audiences ever for a televised opera.

Five year later, in 1982, Pavarotti starred in his romantic comedy movie “Yes Giorgio”, where he played Giorgio Fini the famous opera singer who loses his voice while on tour and then falls in love with the throat specialist who treats him.

The Three Tenors:

Since his childhood, pavarotti has always loved soccer. In 1990 he began to perform alongside Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo as The Three Tenors. Not only was a recording of his version of Nessun Dorma used as the theme for the coverage, but he also performed it at the 1990 World Cup.

Collaborations:

Pavarotti collaborated with so many bands and artists such as the Irish Rock band U2 and The Spice Girls.

Pavarotti’s last performance ever:

In February 2006, Pavarotti had his last performance ever where he sang “Nessun Dorma” at the 2006 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Turin. In the same year while he was taking his “Farewell Tour”, he got diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died the following year in September 2007.