Luciano Pavarotti: Career in pictures

Luciano Pavarotti's recent announcement that he is to retire in 2005 - on his 70th birthday - heralds the end of an extraordinary career as an operatic tenor.

Pavarotti, here in a recent production of Tosca, has lost some of his vocal range in recent years

He has made a career of both recitals and operatic roles

With the Three Tenors he brought operatic arias to millions of new fans

Duets with pop stars like Elton John have earned him popularity - and criticism

He was devastated when his mother died, and attended the funeral with his brother Ferdinando (left)

The Three Tenors are to hold their final concert, at the 2002 World Cup