Luciano Pavarotti was an Italian tenor and one of the best known contemporary vocal performers in the world of opera and across multiple musical genres. His vibrant high C’s and ebullient showmanship made him the most beloved and celebrated tenor since Caruso and one of the few opera singers to win crossover fame as a popular superstar. He was the first classically trained singer to become identifiable to a mass audience, a feat he achieved most memorably during the 1990 football World Cup, which adopted his rendition of Puccini’s “Nessun dorma†as its signature song.
But today (Sept 6, 2007), the great tenor has died at age of 71.
Farewell, Pavarotti