Pavarottis biography images

Luciano pavarotti last photo

He then made his international debut at the Royal Opera House in London in , and, two years later, made his American debut in the Miami production of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor. Pavarotti went on to become a hugely popular and internationally known opera star, achieving a large following due to his recordings and television appearances, and ultimately helping expand the popularity of opera worldwide.

Luciano Pavarotti, known for his larger-than-life showmanship that helped expand the popularity of opera, was born on October 12, , on the outskirts of Modena in north-central Italy. The son of a baker and amateur singer, Pavarotti's family was crowded into a two-room apartment. By , World War II had forced the family into a rented single room in the countryside.

Pavarotti wanted to be a soccer star, but found himself enjoying his father's recordings, featuring the popular tenors of the day such as Bjoerling, Tito Schipa and his favorite, Giuseppe Di Stefano. At around the age of 9, he began singing with his father in a small local church choir. He also studied singing with childhood friend Mirella Freni, who later became a star soprano.

At age 20, Pavarotti traveled with a chorus from his hometown to an international music competition in Wales. The group won first place. Pavarotti abandoned a career in school-teaching to dedicate his life to singing.