Rome – Luciano Pavarotti, whose vibrant high C’s and ebullient showmanship made him one the most beloved tenors, has died, his manager told The Associated Press. He was 71.
Pavarotti had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year and underwent further treatment in August. His manager, Terri Robson, said Pavarotti died at his home in Modena, Italy, at 5 a.m. today local time.
“The Maestro fought a long, tough battle against the pancreatic cancer which eventually took his life,” the statement said. “In fitting with the approach that characterized his life and work, he remained positive until finally succumbing to the last stages of his illness.”
For serious fans, the unforced beauty and thrilling urgency of Pavarotti’s voice made him the ideal interpreter of the Italian lyric repertory, especially in the 1960s and ’70s when he first achieved stardom. For millions more, his charismatic performances of such standards as “Nessun dorma” from Puccini’s “Turandot” came to represent what opera is all about.
Instantly recognizable from his charcoal black beard and tuxedo-bursting girth, Pavarotti radiated an intangible magic that helped him win hearts in a way Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras – his partners in the “Three Tenors” concerts – never quite could.
Pavarotti performed five times in Denver. Four of the performances were in the 1970s before crowds of several hundred. His last Denver performance was in March 2001 before a crowd of more than 17,000 at the sold-out Pepsi Center.
In reviewing the concert, Denver Post fine arts critic Kyle MacMillan wrote that “the years have undoubtedly taken their toll on The Voice … but even if Pavarotti is no longer at his absolute best, the magic persists.”
Pavarotti “was even generous enough to donate concert tickets to raise money for Rocky Mountain PBS in 2001,” said James Morgese, Rocky Mountain PBS president and general manager at KRMA- Channel 6. “We were given front row seats to a world- class concert. It was truly an unforgettable night.
