Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness around the world.

Famous People Column ? An open Column for all writers

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September 20, 2007

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FAMOUS PEOPLE

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Luciano Pavarotti
Date of Birth: October 11,?1935, Modena, Italy
Date of Death: September 6, 2007, Modena, Italy. (pancreatic cancer)

Height: 6' 0?" (1.84 m)
Nicknames: Lucianone - Big Luciano - The King of the High C's - Big P?

Mini Biography
Luciano Pavarotti was born on October 12, 1935, in Modena, Emilia-Romagna, in Northern Italy. He was the first child and only son of two children in the family of a baker. His father, Fernando Pavarotti, was a gifted amateur tenor, who instilled a love for music and singing in young Luciano. His mother, Adele, worked at the local tobacco factory. Young Pavarotti showed many talents. He first sang in the Corale Rossi in Modena with his father and won the first prize in an international choir competition in Wales, UK. He also played soccer for his town's junior team.

In 1954, at the age of 19, Pavarotti supported by his father. Pavarotti took serious study with professional tenor Arrio Pola, who discovered that Pavarotti had perfect pitch, and offered to teach him for free. After six years of studies, he had only a few performances in small towns without pay. At that time Pavarotti supported himself working as a part-time school teacher and later an insurance salesman. In 1961 he married his girlfriend, singer Adua Veroni, and the couple had three daughters.

Pavarotti made his operatic debut on April 29, 1961, as Rodolfo in La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini, at the opera house in Reggio Emilia. In the following years he relied on the professional advise from tenor Giuseppe Di Stefano, who prevented Pavarotti from appearances when his voice was not ready yet. Eventually Pavarotti stepped in for Di Stefano in 1963, at the Royal Opera House in London as 'Rodolfo' in La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini, making his international debut. His American debut in February of 1965, was also the beginning of his legendary partnership with Joan Sutherland.

Pavarotti was known for his humanitarian work; he was the founder and the host of the "Pavarotti and Friends" annual charity concerts and related activities in Modena, Italy. There he sang with international stars of all styles to raise funds for several worthy UN causes. Pavarotti sang with Bono and U2 in the 1995 song Miss Sarajevo and raised $8,500,000 in his charity project "Concert for Bosnia". He also raised $3,300,000 in charity concerts for refugees from Afghanistan and $1,000,000 for refugees from Kosovo. Pavarotti holds two Guinness World Records: one is for receiving the most curtain calls at 165; and the other is for the best selling classical album of 'The Three Tenors in Concert' with 'Placido Domingo' and Josep Carreras.

In March 2004 Pavarotti gave his last performance in an opera as the painter Mario Cavaradossi in Giacomo Puccini's 'Tosca' at the New York Metropolitan Opera. In 2005 Luciano Pavarotti started a 40 city farewell tour. He sang his signature aria "Nessun Dorma" from 'Turandot' by Giacomo Puccini, at the 2006 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Turin, Italy, on February 10, 2006. Pavarotti survived an emergency surgery for pancreatic cancer. His remaining appearances for 2006 have been canceled. However, his management anticipated that his farewell tour would resume in 2007.

Luciano Pavarotti died of kidney failure on September 6, 2007, at home in Modena, Italy, where he was surrounded by his family.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Steve Shelokhonov


Spouse
Nicoletta Mantovani(13 December 2003 - 6 September 2007) (his death) 1 child
Adua Veroni(30 September 1961 - 2000) (divorced) 3 children


Trivia

Received Special Achievement Award for raising $8.2 million for the war children of Bosnia. [27 October 1997]

Married his assistant, Nicoletta Mantovani in 2003, who bore him twins in January 2003. Unfortunately due to complications at the time of birth only one child survived, daughter Alice. He also has three grown-up children with his first wife Adua.

In December 2004 announced a 40 city farewell tour. On February 10 2006, Pavarotti sang his signature aria "Nessun Dorma" at the 2006 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in Turin, Italy.

He was a recipient of the John F. Kennedy Center Honors in 2001.

Married his longtime partner Nicoletta in a song-filled ceremony held in the main theater of the tenor's hometown, northern Italy.

On March 9, 2005, he was admitted to Lenox Hill Hospital in New York to repair two vertebrae in his neck. He was discharged two days later after the routine operation.

As of his 70th birthday, October 12, 2005, he was the most famous living operatic tenor.

Mentioned in the rap-rock song "Mope" by Bloodhound Gang, along with personalities like The Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur, Falco, Tori Spelling, Bo Jackson and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Son of Fernando Pavarotti.

Became a teacher and then an insurance salesman. The latter job allowed him to take voice lessons.

Had an ordinary childhood with an interest in soccer.

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Hartson ?Dowd

hsdowd@telus.net