José Carreras Retires From Opera

Bono, Kofi Annan plan to attend tenor's funeral tomorrow

(NEWSER) - Thousands lined up today to pay respects to opera superstar Luciano Pavarotti at the cathedral in his hometown of Modena, Italy. Though the tenor's family wants a private funeral tomorrow, an international array of celebrities and fans–among them Bono, Andrea Bocelli, and Kofi Annan–are planning to attend, Reuters reports. The tenor died of cancer yesterday at age 71. More»

Pavarotti had blend of talent, self-confidence to hit hard note

(NEWSER) - Pavarotti’s obits called him “King of the High C’s,” a nickname he earned for hitting a note that many tenors have to fake in falsetto. “It’s the absolute summit of technique,” says a coach. “More than anywhere else in your voice, you have to know what you’re doing.” The alluring note has made and ended operatic careers, and even helped drive one star to suicide, the New York Times reports. More»

Stupendous soprano had 'voice of the century'

(NEWSER) - Joan Sutherland, the soprano Luciano Pavarotti once called "the voice of the century," has died at her home in Switzerland at age 83. The Australian-born singer—known as "La Stupenda" or "The Stupendous One" to opera audiences—became one of the most celebrated opera singers of all time thanks to her warm, vibrant sound and ability to sing evenly over an astonishing range, the AP notes. More»

Late tenor too sick to sing live at Turin Olympics opening ceremony

(NEWSER) - Lipsynching isn't just for neophytes like Nikki Hilton—none other than tenor Luciano Pavarotti faked his way through his final public performance at the opening of the Turin Winter Olympics, the Guardian reports. In a new book, Pavarotti's conductor and pianist claims that he recorded the cancer-stricken tenor and the orchestra, and used video trickery to pull the ruse off before millions of TV viewers. More»

(NEWSER) - Modena's main piazza was filled with throngs of Luciano Pavarotti fans today as invited mourners gathered at the cathedral for the tenor's funeral. The service, which was shown on huge screens in the piazza and broadcast live, was attended by an ecclectic group of dignitaries and artists with whom the opera star had collaborated, including former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and U2 lead singer Bono. More»