Born in 1935, Luciano Pavarotti was a celebrated Italian tenor whose crossover into beloved personality is unmatched in contemporary opera. But first and foremost, he remained an opera singer. Known for the brilliance and beauty of his tone, plus his famed “high C” note, mainstream stardom came to Pavarotti on the eve of the final match of the 1990 World Cup. This first Three Tenors concert teaming him with Plácido Domingo and José Carreras led to an audience well beyond the reach of opera culture - popular commercials and duets with pop royalty the likes of U2. He is the first and only opera singer to appear on “Saturday Night Live”. In the last decade Pavarotti’s increasing health issues due to weight gain and a resulting lack of mobility forced him out of the spotlight. Pavarotti reprised Nessun Dorma, the piece that brought him so much fame, at the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics. He was met with a thunderous standing ovation. It was his final performance. Pavarotti lost a battle with pancreatic cancer on September 6, 2007.

Official Pavarotti Website
Obituary in the London Times