Luciano Pavarotti. Luciano Pavarotti (Luciano Pavarotti) biography, photos, personal life, his family and friends

Luciano Pavarotti (1935-2007) - Italian opera singer, philanthropist, participant in the Three Tenors project. He became the first tenor in the world to flawlessly play all nine high C notes in the aria Quel destin. For this he was called the king. The artist spent more than 40 years on stage, since 1966 he has been a soloist at the legendary La Scala Theatre.

He also regularly gave master classes at conservatories around the world. Even those people who are not fond of opera have heard at least one of the works of this legendary musician. Solo concerts of Pavarotti gathered up to 500 thousand spectators. He helped young talents all his life, and also collaborated with the Red Cross organization.

Family and childhood

The future king was born on October 12, 1935 in the Italian city of Modena. His father Fernando was a baker, but he devoted all his free time to singing. It was he who instilled in his son a love of music from early childhood. In the evenings they listened to records of famous artists - Enrico Caruso, Toto Skipa and Beniamino Gigli. Fernando himself could become a professional singer, but stage fright, coupled with a complex character, prevented him.

Luciano's mother, Adele Venturi, supported her beloved men in everything. She worked in a cigarette factory. The family did not live well, but later the tenor warmly recalled his childhood. He enjoyed spending time with his parents and sister Gabriella. Already at the age of four he gave his first concerts in front of family and friends.

Pavarotti was the only little boy in a house of 15 apartments, so he regularly attracted the attention of his neighbors. He often climbed onto the kitchen table and sang arias from operas at the top of his voice. Some liked his singing, but more often the neighbors were tired and asked to stop the noise. During his school years, Luciano began to attend the choir, later he was sent to vocal courses with Professor Dondi.

There were other hobbies in the boy's life. He loved to play football and even considered becoming a goalkeeper. Pavarotti was the captain of the youth team of the city, he skillfully inspired the players and set them up for victory. Peers loved the young man for his cheerful and strong character.

Moving and changing interests

In 1943, because of the war, the family had to move to the countryside. There they lived in a small room, worked daily on the farm. Despite early rises and an abundance of work, Luciano enjoyed his new life. At the age of 12, he first attended a performance by Beniamino Gigli at the opera house. The teenager was impressed to such an extent that all other hobbies faded into the background.

After graduating from the Schola Magistrale, Pavarotti was still thinking about making a sports career. But his mother convinced him that being a teacher is more solid and interesting. As a result, the young man began to teach children music. He did not like the work, sometimes he had to shout at violent schoolchildren, breaking his voice. But it was two years at school that helped Luciano realize that he only wanted to do singing.

In 1954, the musician leaves the educational institution. He begins performing in the Coral Rossi choir with his father. Fernando was not impressed with his son's talents, so he advised him to get a "serious" profession. As a result, the men of the Pavarotti family agreed that the father would help his son financially until the age of 30. After that, Luciano will have to provide for himself by any means. In 1955, the choir in which he performed won first place in a competition in Wales.

Musical career

One day, Arrigo Paul accidentally got to a tenor performance. He was impressed by his voice and hearing, so he agreed to work with the young talent for free. Some time later, Arrigo moved permanently to Japan. Luciano leaves for another famous teacher, Ettori Campogalliani. He managed to take the best from all the vocalists, while maintaining his own original style of performance.

Until 1961, Pavarotti studied vocals, constantly improving his skills. In parallel with this, he worked in the insurance industry, gave several free concerts in small towns. In 1961, he won an international competition at the Teatro Regio Emilia, and then became a soloist in La bohème by Giacomo Puccini.

But soon after that, the singer fell ill with laryngitis. The result of the disease was a thickening of the ligaments, which led to a loss of voice. At a concert in Ferrara, the musician could not perform his part and firmly decided to leave singing. But two years later, he fully recovered from the failure, and the thickening miraculously resolved. After the illness, the tenor's voice became even deeper and more penetrating. This is what led him to success.

In 1963, Pavarotti's first solo concert took place in Ireland. Two years later in Miami, he meets Joan Sutherland, replacing another well-known tenor. The singer was delighted with the timbre and manner of the singer's performance, she offered him a joint tour. For two months, colleagues traveled to 40 cities with concerts.

In 1968, the musician performed at the New York Metropolitan Opera. The audience applauded him so much that the curtain had to be raised 160 times. This moment is captured in the Guinness Book of Records. After a stunning performance that forever cemented the singer's nickname "King", he signs a contract with Herbert Breslin.

Incredible Success

Since 1972, Luciano regularly goes on tour with solo concerts, although he does not forget about the opera. His repertoire included Italian songs and concertos, numerous classical arias. Pavarotti's performances were often shown on television, he became a media personality. In 1974, the artist first visited Moscow.

In 1980, Rigoletto was staged in a New York park. It was broadcast to 200,000 listeners around the world. A few months later, the tenor decided to found an international vocal competition. The winners got the opportunity to sing a duet with the star in Philadelphia, Beijing and Modena. They also went on tour together in China and America, performing excerpts from famous operas.

In 1984, the musician performed in front of Princess Diana, after which a friendship began between them. Luciano was very upset by the death of his girlfriend, he even refused to sing at her funeral.

In 1990, he gained notoriety among pop culture fans thanks to the BBC. Its representatives made Pavarotti's performance with the aria Nessun Dorma the headpiece of the broadcast of the world championship. During the final match, a joint performance of the "three tenors" - Luciano, Placido Domingo and José Carreras took place. The record was sold in millions of copies, it broke all records.

At the next three championships, the singers performed together again. In total, the team existed for 15 years. During this time, the musicians managed to popularize the opera, launch a kind of renaissance of this genre. The tenors have taken the liberty of making a modern twist on the classics. They were often criticized, but it was the new arrangements that made people listen to opera music again.

In 1992, Pavarotti's last operatic performance took place. The audience and critics criticized his singing in the play "Don Carlos", the musician did not appear in the theater anymore. He devoted a lot of time to his new project Pavarotti and Friends. Until 2005, the artist traveled the world with famous colleagues - Sting, Celine Dion, Bryan Adams, Andrea Bocelli, Lionel Richie and other musicians. The proceeds from the concerts went to charity. In 1998, the singer received the Grammy Legend Award.

Personal life

The tenor met his first wife back in 1955. He fell in love with the aspiring opera singer Adua Verone at first sight, and in 1961 they got married. It was this woman who made Luciano seriously think about a career in opera. In 1962, their daughter Lorenza was born, and later two more girls were born - Christina and Juliana.

Pavarotti could not become an exemplary father and husband. He learned about the birth of his daughters by phone, and missed significant dates due to parties with colleagues. The woman endured everything, wisely managing her husband's income. He, in turn, regularly asked her forgiveness with expensive gifts.

Among Luciano's mistresses were many famous singers. The longest-lasting affair was with his student Madeleine Reni. So that his wife would not interfere with their connection, he presented her with a bracelet worth 250 thousand dollars. The relationship with Madeleine lasted seven years, but then she unexpectedly got married to another man. The tenor suffered for a long time, he even tried to jump out of the window.

Often, Pavarotti had affairs with secretaries. The last of them was Nicoletta Mantovani, who was only 27 years old. At that time, the singer was 34 years older than the chosen one, but this did not interfere with their feelings. It was because of Nicoletta that Luciano decided to divorce his wife in 1996. Only after 6 years they managed to complete this process, after which the tenor immediately married Mantovani.

In 2002, the construction of a mansion for a new family was completed, but at the same time, a losing streak began. First, Luciano's parents died, then his wife was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. A year later, she gave birth to two twins, Ricardo and Alice. The boy died immediately.

In 2004, Pavarotti went on a farewell tour. The hall of the New York Metropolitan Opera was sold out. The audience accompanied the opera singer with a standing ovation for 11 minutes. The final performance of the artist took place two years later in Turin, he opened the Olympic Games.

In 2006, the musician was diagnosed with a malignant tumor of the pancreas. She was removed, but already in August 2007 Luciano returned to the hospital. He spent two weeks in the hospital with a high fever and suspected pneumonia. On September 6, the tenor died at home. He was buried in the Pavarotti family vault.

I PLEASE, no, I demand that this music not be played in my office! Luciano was furious. - I have nothing against rock, but THESE sounds piss me off!

Especially before a serious rehearsal!

The secretary grunted displeasedly and adjusted her glasses, which had slipped down to the tip of her nose. The maestro took a look at her: her long hair was gathered in an old-fashioned bun, a strict business suit was buttoned up with all buttons ... A real “blue stocking”!

You know, Nicoletta, - he said, disappearing through the door of his study, - sometimes I sincerely regret that I hired you! You probably got the wrong door. After all, Zucchero's office was nearby!

NIKOLETTA was already accustomed to such remarks, although the tediousness of the fat man infuriated her terribly: “Nicoletta, do not invite your girlfriends to the office, do not chat on the phone so often, do not be late for work ...” How much can you? It's time to put in place "Signora Nine Do" (Nicoletta assigned this nickname to the chef after she found out that he was the first tenor in history who took all nine "do" of the second octave in the aria "What fate" in Donizetti's opera "Daughter of the Regiment" ). Maybe come to his office, take off your glasses, squint threateningly and say, for example: “Signor Pavarotti, I’m not satisfied with the working conditions, look for another secretary”? If he fusses, apologizes or promises to increase his salary, then, casually throwing “I’ll think about it,” you can sedately leave the office ... Indulging in dreams of massacre, Nicoletta did not even hear the boss call out to her. Then another and another, and woke up only when she saw his red, angry face in front of her: “Dear girl, what do you allow yourself to do? I have a rehearsal in fifteen minutes and I haven't taken a sip of green tea yet! Your negligence goes beyond all limits!”

And then her dreams began to come true - the “girl” put on a hostile look and blurted out in one breath: “If I annoy you, maybe we should talk about my departure?” Luciano did not expect such a turn. As a secretary, Nicoletta is simply priceless! How many times she rescued him by whispering the right words during important meetings and contracts! Nicoletta remembered by heart all the dates, numbers, names of people with whom Luciano had ever had to deal. Without her help, real estate transactions around the world, the opening of an educational center for the poor in Guatemala, negotiations with businessmen and officials of all stripes would be impossible. No, he can't live without her. Luciano put on a conciliatory smile on his face.

Forgive me Signorita Mantovani. You know my hot temper... Please bring me some tea...

Nicoletta was jubilant. She beat the boss! Next time, he'll think twice before telling her something nasty! Maybe take advantage of the situation and hang a photo of Mick Jagger on the wall?

The genius and the blue stocking

“THIS happened on an early spring morning in 1998,” William Wright recalls in My World. - Luciano with a group of colleagues, including Nicoletta, descended the stairs of the Florentine Villa San Izhm hotel, where they had to spend the night. The maestro and his retinue were already leaving the hotel when the porter's voice was heard behind them:

I'm sorry, ladies and gentlemen, but you'll have to stay a couple of minutes. I just got a call from the maid saying she missed a handmade terracotta vase in one of your rooms. Have you heard anything about it?

Nicoletta immediately hid behind the chief. She knew what they were talking about. She liked this vase, and she could not resist. But who knew that the staff would be so agile! How many times did she grab either a towel, or a bathrobe, or another “memorial change” from the luxury hotels where they stayed! And no one caught her red-handed. And suddenly such a shame! And Pavarotti, meanwhile, was already saving the situation:

You can tell the press that Maestro Pavarotti took this vase for his home collection. I assure you, my friend, you can’t think of a better advertisement for a hotel!”

The next morning, when Luciano arrived at his office to check his mail and listen to his secretary's report on business calls, she met him at the door. Nicoletta's cheeks were red with excitement, and her eyes wandered in complete confusion. She brought him a traditional cup of green tea and ... a small package, which turned out to be a scarf made of prickly wool.

Did you buy it especially for me? Luciano was surprised.

Instead of answering, Mantovani only hiccupped. Pavarotti fussed - poured the girl a glass of water, patted her on the back, but thereby only aggravated the situation - Nicoletta's hiccups turned into sobs. At that moment, Luciano's personal chauffeur entered the office. The boss was never late, especially for the rehearsal, where Carreras and Domingo were already waiting for them. But the tenor did not even look at him - he was completely absorbed by the girl ...

Already in the car, Pavarotti lowered the side window (he had never done this before for fear of catching a cold), closed his eyes and began to eagerly inhale the intoxicating Milanese air. He wanted to stop the car, walk barefoot on the lawn of the park, drink wine, and maybe even play football with the boys ... And finally take off this stuffy tie that turned Adua's starched collar into a thick shell ... Adua! The name of the wife acted like ammonia. I wonder if she will notice this change in him?

Pavarotti had a concert that evening. Luciano, as always, glanced at the audience and - oh, God! In the fifth row in the very center sat Nicoletta! Her eyes shone either from tears, or from the beams of spotlights. At that moment, the audience booed him for the first time: at the very beginning of the famous "Agnus Dei" Luciano "gave the rooster" - he sang past the notes in a trembling voice. Maybe cancel the remaining concerts and run away with a rock rebel wherever your eyes look? At night, Luciano could not sleep for a long time. The presence of Adua, the rustle of her curlers on a linen pillowcase was simply unbearable! Even the sweet rolls baked by her in the evening, which he, the son of a baker, used to adore, now seemed to him absolutely tasteless. As, however, and all the individual menu of this day! From now on, he will eat in restaurants! Down with the smell of heart drops that Adua has been taking before bed for a decade! Away with the body, touched by three pregnancies and clad in pajamas, as if in bulletproof vest! Quite another matter - naked Nicoletta! So what, that she reminds many of a hanger and did not come out tall? For him, she is still the most desirable woman in the world!

A few days later, the "yellow" press trumpeted the whole world about the failure of the first intimacy of lovers. According to newspapermen, as soon as Pavarotti undressed, the mutual desire for intimacy evaporated somewhere. It was as if Luciano saw himself for the first time - in the mirror it was not the Spanish macho that the singer used to imagine himself to be, but rather an old, flabby libertine! This is not only unlikely to give the girl pleasure, but what good will crush the baby! From that day on, Nicoletta began to actively monitor the maintenance of the shape of her lover. With a suspicious timbre of her voice, she forced Luciano to take herbal tincture. If the suit sat absurdly, emphasizing the obvious shortcomings of a heavy and loose figure, she immediately sent Luciano to a new fashion designer. Before meeting Nicoletta, Luciano liked to play pranks. Once he refused to perform, saying that he was not going to suffocate on the stage, where there is so much dust. And during the performance of Othello, he, sitting on a high leather throne, ate while his colleagues sang their parts. Now Nicoletta could scold the maestro, slapped him on the cheeks for the slightest offense. And Pavarotti loved it! At the same time, the wise Adua Veroni continued to behave as if she had no idea about anything, and naturally the “triangle” did not open. In fact, Adua had been building up her endurance for years, secretly suffering from her husband's romantic interests and often seeking the help of a psychotherapist. And Luciano looked at it simply: “I was always very guarded and constantly pampered. Still would! I am the first son born after six daughters - everyone was so happy! And now I constantly surround myself with women. I have eight or nine secretaries, if I had my way, I would let women rule the world. They are serious, very sympathetic and kind. But to understand them is the same as knowing the world to the end. I began to explore this world at the age of four and still have not known it. And I don't want to. Otherwise, it will be boring."

For all 35 years, Adua not only took care of the singer's comforts, but also of his finances. Pavarotti, earning about $ 2 million a year, had real estate in Modena, Monte Carlo, Paris and New York, eleven operating enterprises, a stable for 60 horses, was engaged in the perfume business ... Adua baked about all this and tried her best to save her family for the sake of a secure future for three daughters - Lorenza, Christina and Juliana ...

Luciano, meanwhile, dyed his hair and eyebrows: the black color gave his face an ominous expression and emphasized the sagging of pale skin. But the maestro did not care about this - he experienced an internal anguish and spiritual discord ...

Divorce in Italian

With the Spanish actress Ines Sastr. RETURNING together with Nicoletta from the Bahamas to Italy, Luciano announced to his wife that “all permeated with love”, and began to openly live with his mistress. “She is charming, sweet and so strong! She was created for me, ”the singer admired. "Doesn't he understand that he looks like an idiot - at his age, next to a girl who is younger than his own daughters!" - Adui's indignation knew no bounds.

Once, at a dinner party attended by high government officials, Placido Domingo patted Luciano on the shoulder and said loudly: “You look great, despite the fact that you have an adult granddaughter. I just forgot which of your daughters gave birth to her? Another time, Luciano booked a room at the Sheraton Hotel in Padua and arrived there in the evening in an embrace with Nicoletta. The administrator gave the comical couple an icy look and demanded Luciano's passport, which, unfortunately, he forgot. Pavarotti was indignant: “I stayed in the best hotels in the world, and no one ever asked me for documents!”

The rules are the same for everyone,” the administrator replied. - Our hotel is visited by famous people who always have an identity card with them. - And Pavarotti pointed to the door!

At another hotel, the porter accompanying the couple pointedly held out his hand, openly reminding them of a tip. Luciano sang him several passages from "O sole mio".

Is that enough? he asked cheerfully.

I need money, not the singing of a deceiver, - cut off the porter.

The last straw was the paparazzi pictures, which bypassed all the tabloids of the world. On them, Luciano hugged his mistress. Everyone was especially shocked by the reportage about the holidays of Luciano and Nicoletta on the exotic island of Barbados: an elderly millionaire, dressed in stupid shorts and a ridiculous panama hat, frankly hugged a young secretary. The first thing Adua did when she unfolded newspapers with pictures compromising her husband over morning coffee was tore off the Pavarotti nameplate from the gate of the family mansion. Then, through a lawyer, she handed over to her husband a long letter in which she tried to reason with Luciano, who had lost his head. “The fire of love,” she wrote, “burning you with happiness today, can turn into grief and disappointment. When night falls, the pain of loneliness, especially sad for people who have enjoyed resounding success, can only be relieved by another feeling, deeper, which has stood the test of time. And Nicoletta was happy - she no longer needs to hide her love for her boss! She shared with journalists with might and main that in recent years Luciano had only friendship with his lawful wife and that he was hungry for sex: “Luciano complained to me more than once about loneliness. He respects his wife, but he has not experienced the same attraction to her for a long time. They haven't had sex in years. It seems to me that this is sheer madness, because Lucianino is full of energy, he is so passionate in bed! He just needs a young, active person next to him, an inspiring muse. After all, he is an artist, he needs new, thrilling sensations, and not smoldering emotions and monasticism imposed by fate. At the same time, Nicoletta boasted of the jewelry that her lover systematically presented her with - emerald and diamond rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets - she loved to wear everything at once. Mantovani made far-reaching plans for legal marriage and future children. Luciano did not lag behind: “Of course, we will definitely have children, a childless marriage is like a pianist who does not play!” Adua, however, was not going to give up without a fight. If Nicoletta, in a conversation with journalists, sang the virtues of "her Lucianino", then Adua, on the contrary, did not get tired of practicing slander. The offended wife recalled the most unpleasant facts from the life of her husband. Nicoletta: “Luciano is a great good man. He is completely unselfish. Sometimes it seems to me that he came from another world, that his soul is woven from the sun's rays. Adua: “... He had to use special corsets so as not to look like a shapeless lump ...” The wife sent close family friends to Luciano, who conducted “explanatory conversations” with him, appealed to prudence and common sense. Everyone, without exception, warned him against marrying "that devil." Doesn't Luciano understand that the girl just needs his capital? Doesn't he see that this love of hers is just a cynical calculation? No, Luciano didn't see it. Or didn't want to see. He tried to explain to his friends who stood in defense of the humiliated Adua that his former life was no less beautiful. That Adua gave him many happy moments that will forever remain in his heart. But their love story, alas, ended ... It just ended. Nobody is to blame for this.

Adua could not stand such impudence and filed for divorce. At the same time, she managed to sue her ex-husband for $100 million, and she also told law enforcement agencies that Luciano hid $20 million from taxation! The "forgetful" singer had serious problems with the authorities. He faced a three-year prison sentence. And all of Italy discussed his connections with the mafia.

"Just think about it! - the singer was surprised in his book "My World". “It once took me six years to win over Adua. And now I'm spending almost as much time trying to divorce her. But I could spend it on my career! Everyone says that forty years flew by like one day, but not for me. It was a long time dedicated to a very demanding profession. Fifteen years are spent on becoming recognized, fifteen on winning their own place in the sun, and the rest of the time on its subsequent defense. I love to please the public, because, in fact, they are my bosses.

And Nicoletta echoes him: “Don't you understand what kind of person this is? Only the list of his merits should make you blush: more than 40 years of career, 315 solo concerts, 331 participation in joint performances, 1266 performances in 60 countries of the world, the main roles in 26 operas! This is the king! They say that women experience a real orgasm from his singing right in the hall! And you're treating him like a petty crook! »

Four times father

The wedding of Nicoletta and Luciano. PAVAROTTI and Mantovani settled on the top of a cliff in one of the singer's villas in the provincial town of Pesaro on the Adriatic coast. Inside the white and blue house, everything is painted in bright colors, and guests feel like heroes of fairy tales here. On the walls are paintings by Luciano, painted in poisonous green and burning blue colors. “These are my colors, the colors of my soul,” the maestro likes to explain to guests. "I'm trying to convey those same colors with my voice." A year ago, Luciano Pavarotti and Nicoletta Mantovani had opposite-sex twins. To prepare for the birth of the twins, Pavarotti postponed the Three Tenors concert, in which he participated with José Carreras and Placido Domingo. By the way, shortly before that, the mother of the singer Adele died, but he continued to work as if nothing had happened and dedicated his performance at the London Royal Opera House to her memory ...

Unfortunately, the birth was difficult - Nicoletta had to undergo an emergency caesarean section, and the boy died immediately after birth due to lack of oxygen to the fetus. The surviving girl was the first child of 33-year-old Mantovani and the fourth of 67-year-old Pavarotti.

Wedding

At the end of 2003, the 68-year-old tenor finally married his former secretary after 10 years of dating. Despite the significant difference in age - 34 years - they still get along well with each other. 1,000 guests received wedding invitations on behalf of their one-year-old daughter. The solemn ceremony, for which the bride was exactly half an hour late, was held at the theater, where Luciano made his debut in the role of Othello. Here, the newlyweds exchanged rings to the sounds of "Ave Maria". And the wedding itself was played in the park, where they met when Nicoletta was still working as an assistant at the maestro's stable. According to Nicoletta, now Luciano plans to lose weight and think about a second child. And Luciano himself dreams of October 12, 2005, when he will be 70 years old and he will finally leave the stage forever to devote all his free time to his wife, little daughter and think about the eternal. No, he is not afraid of death, since he suffered tetanus at the age of 12 and lay in a coma for 15 days. But it was then that he understood the meaning of existence, and for the first time thanked God for saving his life. Later, the singer survived a plane crash in New York, which he described in detail in his autobiography: “It was as if the Lord grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and said:“ You are so indifferent to life. Know what death is." The plane split in half, and in the next seven or eight seconds, my entire life from birth to that moment flashed before my eyes. And at that moment I realized that life should be accepted as it is, and enjoy it to the fullest. Give yourself to her with all your might. Now I am barefoot on the seashore, singing lullabies to Nicoletta, preparing scrambled eggs and spinach for her in the morning and listening to our favorite Rolling Stones with her. But mostly I listen to her. I enjoy hearing her voice. If I'm with Nicoletta, then I feel good everywhere, and I want to be with her forever! For the sake of his cherished dream, the singer has already begun a farewell tour around the world.

Luciano Pavarotti is an Italian opera singer with a lyrical tenor, soft and silvery timbre with great mobility and melodiousness of sound. Pavarotti is considered one of the most outstanding operatic performers of the second half of the 20th century. His vocal mastery is characterized by ease of sound extraction, high individuality, as well as boundless warmth and cheerfulness.

Luciano Pavarotti was born in 1935 in northern Italy in the city of Modena, his father was a baker and was fond of singing, and his mother worked in a cigar factory. The Pavarotti family was not rich, but the singer always spoke warmly about his childhood. In 1943, due to the war, the family was forced to move to a neighboring village, and here Luciano became interested in farm life.

Pavarotti's father had a small collection of recordings by popular tenors of the time - Enrico Caruso, Beniamino Gigli, Giovanni Martinelli and Tito Schipa. They became the basis for the formation of Luciano's childhood musical passions, who at the age of 9 began printing with his father in a local church.

After school, Pavarotti faced the question of choosing a profession, and the young man passionate about football wanted to become a goalkeeper, but at the insistence of his mother, he went to work as a teacher. Luciano worked at an elementary school for two years, but the craving for music made itself felt - he decided to become a singer. Pavarotti's father was not too happy with this choice, because the maintenance of his son until the age of 30 fell on his shoulders. However, the father and son came to an agreement - if Luciano is not able to build a career as a singer by the age of 30, then he will earn his living on his own, without the participation of his parents.

In 1954, Pavarotti began studying in Modena with the tenor Arrigo Paul, who did not charge for his lessons because he knew of the poverty of the student's family. In the process of studying, Luciano learned that he had absolute pitch. The result of the first 6 years of training were only a few free concerts in small towns. Due to the load on the singer's ligaments, a thickening appeared, and Pavarotti even thought about ending his career.

In 1961, Luciano Pavarotti shared the victory at the International Vocal Competition with bassist Dmitry Nabokov, at the same time he made his debut - the part of Rudolph in Puccini's La bohème. In 1963 he performed the same role at Covent Garden (London) and the Vienna Opera, and in 1965 he made his US debut at the Miami Theater. Since 1971, regular performances at festivals and tours began; in 1974, Pavarotti came to Moscow with the La Scala Theater.

In 1990, a new wave of world fame began for Luciano Pavarotti - he performed an aria from Puccini's "Turandot", and it became the theme of the broadcasts of the football world championship, which was then held in Italy. The recording of the performance of this aria in Rome during the final match of the championship became the best-selling melody in the history of music - this fact was included in the Guinness Book of Records. This is how one of the main achievements of Pavarotti manifested itself - he brought opera music to the street to the people. In London, 150,000 people came to listen to the "three tenors" (Luciano Pavarotti, Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo) in Hyde Park, and 500,000 people in New York's Central Park.

With incredible popularity, Pavarotti also gained fame as the “King of Cancellations” - the tenor had a fickle nature characteristic of many artists, so he could mark performances at the last moment, which caused the organizers to suffer big losses.

In 2004, Pavarotti performed for the last time at the Metropolitan Opera in New York with the part of Mario Cavaradossi from Puccini's Tosca, after which he said goodbye to his audience. It was a full house, and although the tenor's voice sounded weaker than usual, the audience gave an 11-minute standing ovation. The tenor last appeared on stage in 2006 in Turin, when the 20th Winter Olympic Games opened.

Luciano Pavarotti died in 2007 in his hometown of Modena from pancreatic cancer, he is buried in the family vault, along with his father, mother and stillborn son.

Luciano Pavarotti (Luciano Pavarotti) is a world celebrity, an Italian opera singer with exceptional hearing and a voice of a wide range. A member of the Three Tenors project, he has performed on stage for over 40 years, giving master classes at several conservatories around the world.

Luciano Pavarotti was born on October 12, 1935 in the Italian region (Emilia-Romagna), in (Modena).

Family

The head of the family Fernando (Fernando) worked at a bakery and passionately loved music, mother Adele Venturi (Adele Venturi) was a worker in a cigarette factory. The family lived in poverty, occupying a small two-room apartment, but Luciano's childhood and his younger sister Gabriella (Gabriella, 1940 - 2013) were remembered with warmth. The boy was the only male child in the house of 15 apartments where they lived, and was used to special attention.

Fernando Pavarotti had a good tenor, but a bad character and therefore did not become a popular singer, although he was a member of the Modena choir "Coral Rossi" ("Coral Rossi"). In his collection there were many records with records by Beniamino Gigli (Beniamino Gigli), (Enrico Caruso), Toto Skipa (Attilio Schipa), which he listened to every day with his son.

Childhood and youth

The boy, like all Italians, loved music, sang all the time and dreamed of becoming famous. Using the kitchen table instead of a stage, he climbed on it and loudly sang the Duke of Mantua's aria "La donna è mobile" ("The Beauty's Heart") from Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Rigoletto" ("Rigoletto"). Luciano's first listeners, neighbors of the apartment building, did not want to listen to these cries and demanded silence.

But for now, the little boy was more interested not in making music, but in catching lizards and frogs and playing football.

During the Second World War, difficult days came and the family decided to change their place of residence. In 1943, they settled in a nearby village, renting a small room for everyone and starting work on a farmstead.

While studying at school, Luciano, at the request of his parents, began to go with his father to sing in church. But the love of football took its toll and the young man became the captain of the youth team of the city. His cheerfulness and faith in victory were transferred to the whole team, leading to victories.

Finding yourself

After graduating from the Scuola Magistrale, Luciano wants to enter the Sports Academy and seriously considers becoming a goalkeeper. However, the parents did not share their son's intentions and convinced him that being a primary school teacher is better and more serious. For two whole years, the young teacher taught children at school. Pavarotti did not like this work, the children sometimes did not obey and had to shout at them, breaking their voices. And he wanted to sing.

At the age of 19, in 1954, Luciano began to sing with his father in the Coral Rossi choir. The head of the family said that his son – not Caruso and he needs a more serious profession. At the request of his son, the father, with difficulty, but still agrees to help him financially until the latter reaches the age of 30. Then Luciano had to earn his living by any means on his own.

The future star begins to attend the lessons of the tenor Arrigo Pola, who, noticing Luciano's voice of extraordinary beauty and amazing hearing, agrees to free classes with the young man, due to the difficult financial situation of the family.

In 1955, a small-town choir wins a prize at the Eisteddfod singing competition in Wales, Luciano is inspired by the success achieved and makes the final decision to become a singer. At the same time, he meets his future wife. – aspiring opera singer Adua Veroni (Adua Veroni) and soon they announce their engagement.

In 1956, A. Paula left Italy and went to permanent residence in Japan. Ettore Campogalliani becomes Pavarotti's mentor.

While studying music, Luciano continued to teach at school, then moved into the insurance industry. 6 years of study were not marked by any bright events of a musical career. Pavarotti gave several concerts with free admission in small towns and that was it.

One of these concerts in Ferrara (Ferrara), was a failure: a wrinkle appeared on the tenor's vocal cords and he decided that he would no longer make music. But his future wife persuaded Luciano not to do this. After a while, the crease went away, and the singer's voice sounded even stronger and better.

Career

In 1960, the aspiring singer became a participant in the competition of the Main City Theater – Teatro Reggio Emilia. He wants to get the lead role in a new opera, but a sore throat has prevented him from pulling out all the notes.

In 1961, Luciano tries again, wins and gets the part of Rudolf in La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini.

Together with him, Dmitry Nabokov, the son of Vladimir Nabokov, participates in the competition. The father responsibly captured the performance of his son for posterity, Pavarotti was also on the film.

Pavarotti spends the entire fee from the first premiere on the wedding with Adua.

Opera theater soloist

In 1962, Pavarotti performed at the National Theater of Belgrade in Yugoslavia as Alfredo from La traviata by Giuseppe Verdi.
In 1963, the singer made his debut at the Covent Garden Theatre. Tenor Giuseppe Di Stefano was unable to sing the familiar part of Rudolf due to illness. Luciano successfully and with pleasure replaces the patient.
In 1963 he performed for the first time with the same aria at the Wiener Staatsoper.
In 1963, the 1st solo concert of Luciano Pavarotti was organized in Ireland.

In 1965, Pavarotti was invited to take the stage at the Florida Grand Opera in Miami., where he again replaces the tenor, singing Edgar's aria in the opera Lucia di Lammermoor by composer Gaetano Donizetti. Soprano Joan Sutherland became his stage partner. The Australian singer liked the voice of Luciano Pavarotti so much that she invited him to organize a joint tour. In 2 months they performed at 40 concerts, which allowed the growing tenor to gain huge vocal and performance experience.

In 1966, Pavarotti achieved his cherished dream, he was accepted as a soloist of the world center of opera culture in Italy – (Teatro alla Scala or La Scala), performing the part of Tybalt in the opera I Capuleti ed i Montecchi by Vincenzo Bellini. Prior to that, he was not accepted into the theater twice, but conductor Herbert von Karajan ensured that Pavarotti was taken as a substitute. Karajan would later call him the best tenor in the world.

In 1967, the part of Tonio (aria "Quel destin"), performed by Pavarotti in the opera "The Daughter of the Regiment" ("La figlia del reggimento") by the composer Gaetano Donizetti (Domenico Donizetti), came to listen to the "Covent Garden" the entire city beau monde. From that day on, Luciano received the title of "king of the upper do": he easily, easily and naturally performed all 9 upper "do" in a row. The hall froze, no singer could do this before.
In 1968, Luciano Pavarotti performed for the first time at the New York Metropolitan Opera. He repeated the success of the aria "Quel destin" and was applauded so wildly that the theater was forced to open the curtain 160 times. This moment did not go unrecognized and was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.

So, starting with the lyrical arias (Elvino in "La sonnambula" ("La sonnambula") and Arturo in "The Puritans" ("I puritani") by the composer Bellini, the Duke of Mantua in "Rigoletto" ("Rigoletto") by Verdi), Pavarotti gradually comes to dramatic arias (Riccardo in Un ballo in maschera, Manrico in Il trovatore and Ramades in Verdi’s Aida, Cavaradossi in Tosca ( "Tosca") Puccini). But there comes a time when the walls of theaters are not enough for the tenor.

worldwide fame

In 1970-80s. Pavarotti becomes a media personality. He is always shown on television, he gives solo concerts in concert halls and parks, participates in mixed numbers. Luciano becomes a regular participant in the Arena di Verona festival and performs at.

In 1974, the tenor visited Moscow for the first time with the theater "La Scala".

In 1980, a concert production of Rigoletto in Central New York Park is broadcast to an audience of 200,000 listeners. After that, the Italian is the founder of the international competition for unknown vocal talents ("The Pavarotti International Voice Competition"). The finalists of the competition are given the opportunity to sing along with the maestro in Modena, Beijing and Philadelphia.

In 1984, Luciano Pavarotti performs at Covent Garden in front of the royal couple Diana and Charles, after which their friendship begins. However, at the funeral of Diana, the Italian refuses to sing, as he took the tragedy to heart.

In 1988, the tenor breaks his record by performing at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. “Love Potion” (“L’elisir d’amore”) by G. Donizetti with his participation was so brilliant that the curtain was opened 165 times!

Three tenors

The aria "Nessun Dorma" from "Turandot" by G. Puccini again brings him fame in 1990, but not theatrical, but in pop culture circles. The song was performed at the opening of the FIFA Cup, after which it became a hit.

At the final match of the tournament, the 1st concert of the "Three Tenors" was given: Placido Domingo (Plácido Domingo), José Carreras (José Carreras), Luciano Pavarotti. The background for their performance was the old Roman (Terme di Caracalla).

The recording of the performance broke all world records for music sales, which is also noted in the Book of Records. The trio performed several more times at football championships: in the USA in 1994, in France in 1998, in Japan in 2002. The Three Tenors project lasted 15 years and was a resounding success around the world. Opera singers were able to bring serious music to the masses, leaving the walls of the theater.

In 1992, Luciano Pavarotti sang for the last time at La Scala in Don Carlo by composer Franco Zeffirelli. This is the only case when neither the audience nor the critics liked the performance.

Pavarotti and friends

Performances with famous pop and rock musicians at the Pavarotti and Friends charity concerts began in 1992 and continued until 2005.

Singing with tenor: Zucchero, Brian May, Sting, Roger Taylor, Celine Dion, Bryan Adams, U2, Mariah Carey (Mariah Carey) and other celebrities.

The proceeds from the concerts went to help refugees around the world. Album concert recordings came as a surprise to music lovers and sold in huge numbers.

Farewell to the stage and life

In 2004, the tenor officially said goodbye to the stage. Cavaradossi's aria from the opera "Tosca" by Luciano Pavarotti was performed after informing the guests of the New York Metropolitan Opera about the last appearance of the Italian. There was a full house in the hall, and the honored singer was given a standing ovation, which lasted 11 minutes.

In the same year, Pavarotti was diagnosed with a malignant tumor on the pancreas. He underwent surgery to remove the neoplasm. On August 8, 2007, the tenor was hospitalized with a temperature, he has been in the hospital for 2 weeks.

September 6, 2007 at 5 am Luciano Pavarotti died at home. According to his will, he was buried in the Montale Rangone cemetery in the family crypt, where Pavarotti's parents and son from his second wife were.

Family

Adua's first wife was Luciano's guardian angel, faithful companion, helper and keeper of the hearth. The birth of the first daughter Lorenza (Lorenza) in 1962, the newly-made dad missed, because he did not spend the night at home. He and his friends spent the whole night celebrating their successful debut at Rigoletto. In 1967, Adua gave birth to Christina (Cristina), in 1967. – Giuliana. And the father of the family learned all this news by phone. He also did not become an exemplary father.

After the divorce, Adua lamented that her ex-husband could spend the whole night in the manger of a sick mare if she was unwell, but he would never do this for any of his daughters.

Numerous novels of a loving husband did not anger his wise wife. While her husband was earning millions, she invested them: in real estate, in stocks, in enterprises. She knew everything about his income. At the same time, Luciano made amends for his depraved behavior with expensive gifts.

So that his wife would not interfere with his affair with his secretary Madeline Renee (Madeline Renee) for 7 years, he presented his wife with a bracelet worth 250 thousand dollars. Subsequently, Madeleine found herself another man and they got married, and Pavarotti almost jumped out of the window when he found out about it.

Many of Luciano's secretaries have not only been in a working relationship with their boss, but none of them have publicized it as much as Nicoletta Mantovani. She was 27 years old, Pavarotti 61 and their photos from Barbados were replicated throughout Italy. Luciano openly said that he was happy with a girl who is younger than his youngest daughter. Nicoletta, in turn, told everyone and everyone that she wanted to give birth to his son.

In March 1996, the Pavarotti couple announced that they were no longer together. Adua kicked Luciano out of the house. The divorce was loud and officially took place after 6 years. There were many difficulties with the division of property, since the marriage was concluded on the basis of separate ownership.

At the age of 65, Pavarotti completed the construction of a new house, where he planned to live with his young wife. But a streak of trouble began: Nicoletta was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Luciano's parents died in 2002 from cancer. In 2003, Mantovani gives birth to two opposite-sex twins - Ricardo (Ricardo) and Alice (Alice). One boy dies immediately.

Nicoletta and Luciano are married. But the young wife was not an angel. She was unable to build a warm relationship with her husband after he was diagnosed with cancer. Luciano, because of his wife's disrespect, wanted to divorce her, but his 4-year-old daughter became an obstacle to such a decision.

At the same time, Pavarotti began to improve relations with his first wife. In the last days of his life, he radically rewrote his will, dividing all his inheritance (houses, a collection of paintings, a perfume business, 11 working enterprises) between four daughters and a sister.

Friends and colleagues jokingly called Luciano "Big P". According to the tenor, he comes from the "city of gluttons" and is not able to go on a diet, no matter how much he pays his nutritionists. His 150 kilograms of weight once on the stage of the Paris Grand Opera (GrandOpéra) crushed a chair under him during the opera Tosca, although the furniture was reinforced in advance with metal.
Luciano missed the birth of all three daughters with Adua. He learned about it by phone.
Luciano's first woman was a neighbor, Sandra. The young man at that time was 15 years old, and the girl – 20.
Pavarotti's love for football went so far that he could cancel a concert if he was afraid to miss an important match.
At a vocal competition in 1961, the tenor's mother wished him good luck and put a nail in her son's jacket pocket, hoping that the metal would not allow envious people to spoil her son's performance. For many years, Pavarotti carried this nail with him to all performances, believing that he brings success.
Luciano himself admits that he did not know the notes and uses his signs to memorize the music.
Once in Bali, a snake crawled into the tenor's room, but Nicoletta saved Luciano from death by kicking her out.
Since 1973, Pavarotti has worn a handkerchief in all his solo performances. He first appeared on stage with a handkerchief in Missouri, where he was very nervous and sweating.
The singer was very superstitious: he did not pass under the stairs, did not perceive the purple color, believed that the spilled salt – not good.

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The great tenor Luciano Pavarotti died at the age of 72 in his house in Modena, RIA Novosti reports with reference to the performer's manager. "Luciano Pavarotti died an hour ago," the artist's spokeswoman Terry Robson sent to agencies. Later, the manager clarified that the singer's death occurred at 5:00 local time (at 7:00 Moscow time).

"Luciano Pavarotti fought pancreatic cancer to the last, he was always a strong and positive person," the official statement says.

As early as Wednesday morning, Pavarotti personally commented on the fact that he had been awarded a special state award for merit in the field of art. “I am grateful to the Minister of Culture of Italy, Francesco Rutelli, for the fact that I was awarded this highest award,” said Pavarotti. “I have a brilliant opportunity to pass on my knowledge to talented students. I have always been sure that in the enthusiasm and devotion that we share with the younger generation is our strength."

The farewell ceremony for the great Italian tenor will take place on Saturday in the central cathedral of his hometown of Modena, said Modena Mayor Giorgio Pigi. Pavarotti's funeral will take place in the cemetery of Modena.

We will note, earlier it was reported that the state of health of the opera singer has deteriorated sharply. According to Italian television, citing unnamed sources, Pavarotti was unconscious and had kidney failure. It was noted that the singer's condition is "very serious."

At the bedside of a 71-year-old patient, oncologists from the local clinic were on duty, where Pavarotti was from August 8 to 25, 2007 with suspected pneumonia. A year ago, the tenor was operated on in the USA for a pancreatic tumor.

In his will, Luciano Pavarotti asked to be remembered as an "opera singer", ITAR-TASS reports. “I hope that I will be remembered as an opera singer, or rather, as a representative of the art world who was able to express himself in his country,” the document says. “I hope that love for opera will forever remain the central line of my work.”

According to Pavarotti, "fortunately, life is so diverse that you can expect anything here." “Like my numerous predecessors, including the great Caruso, I love the variety of sounds,” the testament says. “Music allows you to express emotions and experiences more colorfully. For a tenor, in every performance, the “language” of music, the whole gamut of emotions is concentrated” .

Recall that in August Pavarotti was taken to the Modena hospital with a high temperature. The official reason for hospitalization was a cold. Note that before hospitalization, the singer was resting in a villa in the suburbs of Modena with his wife and little daughter. Earlier in the media, with reference to Pavarotti's daughter, information appeared that the maestro's state of health causes serious concern.

The article, accompanied by photographs of Pavarotti at his villa in Modena, reports that after an operation in New York to remove a pancreatic tumor, the singer lost 30 kilograms and moved only in a wheelchair.

However, the next day, Juliana stated that her words in the interview were taken out of context and misunderstood. She said that Pavarotti, on the contrary, is on the mend. In turn, the singer's manager, Terry Robson, said from London that she doubts the authenticity of the article, noting that Pavarotti is currently working on a new album and teaching students. The 71-year-old singer himself laughed when he heard reports of his imminent death.

Biography of the great tenor

Luciano Pavarotti was one of the most popular and critically acclaimed operatic tenors in the post-Caruso era. Among the merits of Pavarotti's singing are an excellent high voice setting, perfect vocal skill and ease of sound production. The combination of such qualities with extraordinary charisma made the singer one of the superstars of the opera stage of the 20th century.

Pavarotti was born on October 12, 1935 in Modena. After graduating from the Modena school, he began to study vocals in Mantua with Campogaliani. He made his debut in 1961 as Rodolfo in Puccini's La bohème. Five years later, he was already prepared for his debut at the Milan theater "La Scala" (the party of Tybalt in the Capulets and Montecchi Bellini).

But only the part of Tonio in Donizetti's Daughter of the Regiment (sung first at the Covent Garden Theater in 1966, and then, in 1972, on the stage of the New York Metropolitan Opera) brought Pavarotti international fame and the title of "King of the Upper C" ( up to the second octave). He became the first tenor in the history of opera to sing all nine high Cs in the aria Quel destin.

Although Pavarotti's main specialty is lyrical bel canto parts (Elvino in Bellini's La sonnambula, Arturo in his own Puritans, Edgardo in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, Alfred in Verdi's La Traviata, the Duke of Mantua in his own Rigoletto), over time, the singer began to turn to more dramatic roles , such as Riccardo in Verdi's Masquerade Ball, Cavaradossi in Puccini's Tosca, Manrico in Verdi's Troubadour, Radamès in his own Aida.

Pavarotti's success with the public gained momentum during the 1970s and 1980s, supported by the singer's frequent appearances on television and his desire, giving recitals and performing in mixed concerts, to bring the art of opera to people who rarely visit the opera house or never crossed it threshold. In the 1990s, the singer gathered hundreds of thousands of listeners to his concerts in stadiums and parks.

In 2002, Pavarotti almost disappeared from the opera stage after he canceled his farewell performance at the Metropolitan due to illness. Since then, the master has performed opera parts only 5 times - four times in January 2002 in London and in June 2003 in Berlin.

In 2004, the great tenor made the final decision to leave the stage, performing in farewell in 40 cities around the world, and the program of all concerts consisted exclusively of works by Italian composers. The reason that prompted Pavarotti to end his career was not so much age as excess weight, which prevented him from singing and moving around.

Luciano Pavarotti's performance at the Metropolitan Opera in 2004 was to be the last appearance of the legendary tenor on the stage of the famous New York concert hall. In an interview before the performance, the tenor said that this would be "the last performance on stage" not only at the Metropolitan, where he sang for the 379th time, but "everywhere". “I think the time has come,” said the master then.

In July 2006, Pavarotti planned to resume his world farewell tour. Before leaving New York, the great tenor underwent a medical examination, during which doctors discovered he had cancer. Pavarotti was to visit Finland, Norway, Austria, Switzerland and Portugal. However, all concerts scheduled for 2006 were cancelled.

Musicians mourn the death of Luciano Pavarotti

Tamara Sinyavskaya and Muslim Magomayev hoped to the last that Pavarotti would overcome the disease

Famous singers, People's Artists of the USSR Tamara Sinyavskaya and Muslim Magomayev are shocked by the news of the death of Luciano Pavarotti. “We knew that he was unwell and not too young, but, given his strong character, we hoped that Luciano would still defeat the disease. Therefore, today's news sounded like a terrifying surprise,” Sinyavskaya said.

Once she was lucky enough to sing along with Luciano Pavarotti. “It was more than 40 years ago,” the singer shared her memories. She was very young when she entered the Bolshoi Theater in 1964. Then there was the practice of exchange: aspiring singers from the Bolshoi Theater went on an internship to Italy, and young Italians from La Scala came to Moscow on a return visit, and joint concerts were arranged. Tamara Sinyavskaya once became a participant in such a Soviet-Italian performance.

“The meeting took place on television. I am from the Bolshoi Theater, and Luciano Pavarotti and Margareti Guglielmi are from La Scala,” said Tamara Ilyinichna. “We performed Sole Mio together, however, this trio turned out to be very peculiar, because I sang in Russian, and they - in Italian. Luciano looked so plump, but not fat. And his voice was unusually gentle, then he became much stronger. " This memory, according to Sinyavskaya, she kept for life. And although she no longer had the opportunity to sing with Pavarotti, she always listened to the great tenor with pleasure.

"The concert of the magnificent trio: Pavarotti, Domingo, Carreras, which we visited during the tour in America, made an indelible impression on us," Muslim Magomayev noted. Like his wife, he also highly appreciated the talent of an outstanding artist and a high professional. “I felt how a piece of precious metal broke off from a huge block of our life,” Magomayev said.

Zurab Sotkilava called the death of Pavarotti a terrible loss for all mankind

The death of Luciano Pavarotti is "a terrible loss not only for the opera world, but for all mankind," said Zurab Sotkilava, People's Artist of the USSR, Bolshoi Theater soloist. "He carried a piece of great music into every soul; it is very bitter that Luciano is no longer with us," the singer said.

According to Sotkilava, he was well acquainted with Pavarotti. “We sang together, joked together, ate spaghetti together,” the artist said. “I visited his house several times and we always met when he came on tour to Russia.”

“He was very charming, open, good-natured and, most importantly, he always tried to help people,” Sotkilava believes. “It was very easy to talk to him, you didn’t feel at all that you were communicating with a truly great artist. so frightening that a serious illness nevertheless defeated him.

The last time Pavarotti sang in Moscow was on December 21, 2003. Then he was already seriously ill and was not in the best shape. However, they received it enthusiastically. “I remember this concert very well,” Sotkilava said. “I came to him backstage and he said: “Lord, what an amazing audience in Russia! They feel everything, they perfectly understand that my performance is not very successful, and at the same time they welcome me so well. At home in Italy, I would have been booed. Still, the kindness of the Russian soul is unique."

Elena Obraztsova: Pavarotti was "the highest standard of the world opera art" of the 20th century

The great tenor Luciano Pavarotti was "the highest standard of the world opera art of the entire twentieth century," People's Artist of the USSR Elena Obraztsova said today. She learned about the death of a colleague and friend in Salekhard, where she opened the School of Arts.

“We were friends with him for 40 years,” Obraztsova told reporters. “He was a man of genius in every sense.” All performances with Pavarotti on the stage of Milan's La Scala theater, according to Elena Obraztsova, were "the most significant" in her life. The singer is sure that now the great tenor "sees and hears us, and understands how we treat him."

Jose Carreras shaken by news of Luciano Pavarotti's death

Famous Spanish tenor Jose Carreras was shocked by the news of the death of his Italian colleague Luciano Pavarotti. "I am very saddened by this tragic news," he said. "I considered him one of the great tenors of our time." According to him, Pavarotti has always "been a sensitive, cheerful and friendly person."

The great "trio" of modern tenors - Luciano Pavarotti, Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo - has lost its former power. "We must remember him not only as a great opera singer, but as a man of extraordinary charisma," said Carreras. "He was the best friend of his many friends," he stressed.