BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Timeline: Luciano Pavarotti

One-Minute World News

News services
Your news when you want it

News Front Page

Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Middle East

South Asia

Business

Health

Science & Environment

Technology

Entertainment

Arts & Culture

Also in the news

-----------------

Video and Audio

-----------------

Programmes

Have Your Say

In Pictures

Country Profiles

Special Reports

RELATED BBC SITES

Last Updated: Thursday, 6 September 2007, 07:03 GMT 08:03 UK

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version

Timeline: Luciano Pavarotti

12 October, 1935

Luciano Pavarotti born in Modena Italy
LETTERSPACING0 KERNING0Luciano Pavarotti was born in Modena Italy to a baker and a cigar factory worker. The first boy born in the apartment block for 10 years he was doted upon by the neighbourhood women. LETTERSPACING0 KERNING0 LETTERSPACING0 KERNING0He has said he was "born to be a singer" he first sang in the town chorus with his father an opera lover and gifted amateur tenor.

29 April, 1961

Young tenor makes opera debut
The singer made his opera debut in one of the great tenor roles Rodolfo in Puccini's La Boheme at the Teatro Municipale in Reggio Emilia. This followed periods working as a teacher and insurance salesman while studying singing under maestro Ettore Campogalliani. Pavarotti's widelypraised performance led to engagements all over Europe.

24 August, 1963

First appearance on London stage
LETTERSPACING0 KERNING0The tenor made his first appearance in London's West End as a replacement for his idol Giuseppe Di Stefano who had fallen ill. LETTERSPACING0 KERNING0 LETTERSPACING0 KERNING0The London Palladium performance of La Boheme was broadcast to 15 million viewers and landed Pavarotti a recording deal with Decca to whom he remained exclusively bound throughout his 45year career.

22 June, 1965

US debut opposite Dame Joan Sutherland
In 1965 Pavarotti debuted both at Italy's La Scala and in the US. His first American appearance was in a Miami production of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor launching an historic partnership with Australian soprano Dame Joan Sutherland. Pavarotti remained forever grateful to Dame Joan for what she taught him about vocal technique and breathing.

17 February, 1972

Record curtain call in New York
In a performance opposite Dame Joan Sutherland in La Fille du Regiment at New York's Metropolitan Opera Pavarotti's nine high Cs in the signature aria earned a frenzied ovation that lasted a record 17 curtain calls. From that point his recordings became bestellers he won many Grammy Awards and made frequent television appearances.

12 March, 1977

Stars in Live from the Met TV broadcast
Pavarotti starred in the first Live from the Met broadcast which attracted one of the largest ever audiences for a televised opera. The broadcasts later renamed The Metropolitan Opera Presents have continued in the US and enable millions to watch complete performances from the New York opera house.

30 August, 1980

Sets up young singers competition
The star's interest in finding and guiding new tenors led him to launch The Pavarotti International Voice Competition which involved him giving training to young singers. The competition took place every threetofour years with the Italian maestro performing alongside the winners at home in Italy and overseas including China. Winners included opera star Roberto Alagna.

16 June, 1989

Chicago calls time on Pavarotti
In an industry rife with artistic temperament Pavarotti's unreliability and frequent cancellations became a talking point in the opera world. In 1989 having cancelled almost half of his scheduled performances with Chicago's Lyric Opera due to back problems the Lyric's Ardis Krainik vowed never to work with him again.

4 July, 1990

Three Tenors set the world alight
The 1990 World Cup in Italy brought Pavarotti to a whole new audience. His iconic performance of Nessun Dorma which he performed alongside fellow tenors Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras at the championship's closing ceremony at Rome's Baths of Caracalla has become a modern classic and remains synonmous with his name.

15 June, 1991

Pavarotti serenades princess in Hyde Park
Pavarotti's televised concert in London's Hyde Park the biggest outdoor music event in the park since the Rolling Stones performed there in 1969 proved a major success. Despite heavy rain the live performance drew 150000 spectators including the late Princess of Wales then UK Prime Minister John Major and Sir Michael Caine.

21 August, 1993

Launches fundraising concert in Italy
The Pavarotti amp Friends concerts in Pavarotti's hometown of Modena were founded in 1993. The annual fundraising concert saw the tenor joined by major stars from the rock and pop world including Sir Elton John Mariah Carey Bryan Adams and Bono. He later recorded a duet with U2 Miss Sarajevo in 1995.

24 June, 1994

Tenors collaboration confirms superstar status
The success of the Three Tenors' 1990 World Cup collaboration was followed by further concerts to celebrate the World Cup in Los Angeles 1994 Paris 1998 and Yokohama 2002. Despite criticism from opera purists event concerts became a lucrative earner for the Italian tenor during the mid1990s earning Pavarotti up to 1m per concert.

11 March, 1998

Health concerns fuel weight loss
Amid ongoing concerns about his health Pavarotti had hip and knee surgery and lost more than 50lb 23kg. Critics claimed his newfound ease of movement dramatically improved his opera performance which had been criticised of late. Many attributed his successful weight loss to his ongoing relationship with Nicoletta Mantovani his former assistant 35 years his junior.

13 September, 2001

Pavarotti dodges tax charges in Italy
The opera star appeared in court in Italy on charges of evading £13.3m of tax but the case was thrown out. The singer was previously fined £2.4m in 1999 and in 2000 he agreed to repay the Italian government more than £5.7m. In the same year he was recognised for helping to raise more funds for the UN refugee council than any other private individual.

9 May, 2002

Tenor hints at retirement from world stage
In May 2002 ill health lacklustre performances and the death of his beloved mother prompted talk of Pavarotti's imminent retirement. The following month he announced that he planned to retire in 2005 on his 70th birthday. The singer also confirmed his plans to marry Nicoletta Mantovani following the end of his 35year marriage to wife Adua in 1999.

13 December, 2003

Pavarotti weds former secretary
Pavarotti married his 33yearold former personal assistant Nicoletta Mantovani in a starstudded ceremony. The couple fell in love after she began working for him when she was still a student in 1994. Pavarotti split from his wife of 35 years Adua Veroni after his new relationship became public. Ms Mantovani had twins in January 2003 but only one Alice survived.

20 March, 2004

Pavarotti gives final opera performance
Pavarotti gave his final opera performance at the Met in New York in March playing the signature role of Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca. That December he announced a 40city farewell tour taking in Europe the Middle East and the US.

10 February, 2006

The last stage appearance
Luciano Pavarotti gave what would be his final vocal performance at the opening ceremony of the 20th Winter Olympics in Turin. He performed what had become his signature tune Nessun Dorma. His last fullscale concert was in Taipei in December 2005.

7 July, 2006

Classical music icon diagnosed with cancer
After health problems including laryngitis and neck surgery which forced Pavarotti to pull out of a series of concerts the tenor was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Shortly after surgery he was reported to be "recovering well" and planning to resume his farewell tour in 2007.

5 December, 2006

Award show appearance cancelled
In December 2006 Pavarotti cancelled his first public appearance since having cancer surgery. He had been due to receive the Donizetti Prize in recognition of his interpretations of the opera composer's works at the Bergamo music festival.

4 July, 2007

New material announced
Pavarotti's manager announced he was recording an album of classical religious music to be released in 2008. The star was "feeling stronger" and had also resumed teaching students said Terri Robson.

8 August, 2007

Pavarotti admitted to hospital
Pavarotti was admitted to hospital in Modena with a "fever" and a spokesman said he would be released within a few days. But he stayed in to have more tests related to his cancer and was in hospital for twoandahalf weeks in total. He was discharged on 25 August with doctors saying he would "continue to convalesce in the serenity of his family surroundings".

6 September, 2007

Opera legend dies aged 71
Manager Terri Robson said the tenor died at 0500 local time 0300 GMT on Thursday. "The Maestro fought a long tough battle against the pancreatic cancer which eventually took his life" she said. "In fitting with the approach that characterised his life and work he remained positive until finally succumbing to the last stages of his illness."