Pavarotti, Luciano 1935–2007

OBITUARY NOTICE—

See index for CA sketch: Born October 12, 1935, in Modena, Italy; died of complications from pancreatic cancer, September 6, 2007, in Modena, Italy. Opera singer and author. Pavarotti's greatest contributions to the world of opera may be the clarity and range of his tenor voice and his dramatic interpretation of the roles he performed. Or, as his critics have suggested, it may be his stunning success at popularizing a form of entertainment that had formerly been appreciated mainly by a small, cohesive following of serious music lovers. As a classical performer, Pavarotti reached his zenith in the mid-1960s, according to some critics, when he could reach the high notes consistently and command the stage with energy and vigor. He had appeared throughout Europe and toured Australia with acclaimed soprano Joan Sutherland, who introduced him to Chicago audiences in 1965. Though he went on to perform in New York City at the Metropolitan Opera House and Madison Square Garden, and elsewhere around the country, Pavarotti's U.S. base for many years was the Lyric Opera of Chicago. It was a televised performance of La Bohème on Live from the Met in 1977, however, that catapulted him from the opera world's "king of the high c's" to a musical superstar with a fan base of a size and diversity that no opera singer had ever been able to attract before. Pavarotti's larger-than-life charisma and energy captivated fans of all ages and musical tastes. Sales of his recordings and concert tickets soared, and he became a frequent television guest. If his musical talents had begun to wane, his new fans did not seem to notice. He crossed over to popular music, singing with Frank Sinatra, James Brown, Eric Clapton, and other top-selling recording artists. In 1990 Pavarotti reportedly was the moving force behind the creation of The Three Tenors, performing in a benefit with Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras in a partnership that would become permanent and extremely lucrative for all concerned. It would also raise the popularity of the opera to new heights. In 1993 Pavarotti created an annual charity event of his own, Pavarotti and Friends, in his hometown of Modena, Italy, welcoming the talents of a wide range of musical artists. By then his own health and stamina had begun to lag, and his performances diminished in number. He began his last international tour in 2005 and ended it prematurely in 2006, but Pavarotti's legacy will likely endure as long as ordinary people thrill to the power of the opera. Pavarotti told his own story (with William Wright) in the autobiographies My Own Story(1981) and Pavarotti: My World(1995).

OBITUARIES AND OTHER SOURCES:

BOOKS

Breslin, Herbert H., and Anne Midgette,The King and I: The Uncensored Tale of Luciano Pavarotti's Rise and Fame by His Manager, Friend, and Sometimes Adversary, Doubleday (New York, NY), 2004.

Contemporary Musicians, Gale (Detroit, MI), 1998.

Pavarotti, Luciano, and William Wright,My Own Story, Doubleday (New York, NY), 1981.

Pavarotti, Luciano, and William Wright,Pavarotti: My World, Crown (New York, NY), 1995.

PERIODICALS

Chicago Tribune, September 7, 2007, sec. 1, pp. 1, 6.

Los Angeles Times, September 6, 2007, pp. A1, A18.

New York Times, September 7, 2007, pp. A1, C12.