Celebrating a Legend: Farewell to Luciano Pavarotti

Today the world mourns the passing of a titan of music.

Luciano Pavarotti, the man who introduced opera to a wider audience than any other before him, lost his battle with pancreatic cancer on 6 September 2007. He was 71.

There are many tributes on the web, including a Life in Pictures on bbc.com, reaction from his Three Tenor partners Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras (also from bbc.com), a reaction from residents of Modena, Pavarotti’s birthplace, and, at last count, more than 2,000 articles about his passing. Indeed, he will be missed.

So, what’s the best place to celebrate the big man’s work? Go to the opera, of course!

To honor the memory of the legendary tenor, consider taking in some musica lirica at some of Italy’s famous opera houses and arenas. Those include the Sferisterio in Macerata (Le Marche); the Arena in Verona (Veneto); and, of course, La Scala in Milan and La Fenice in Venice.

To get a sense of the power of Pavarotti’s voice and on-stage charisma, watch this 1994 video of him performing “Nessun Dorma” from Puccini’s Turandot:

Post first published on September 6, 2007