Pavarotti, Luciano (1935–2007)

Italian tenor. He was known for an impressive dynamic range. His operatic roles have included Rodolfo in La Bohème, Cavaradossi in Tosca, the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto, and Nemorino in L'Elisir d'amore. He achieved much in popularizing opera, performing to wide audiences outside opera houses, including open-air concerts in New York and London city parks.

With José Carreras and Placido Domingo he was one of ‘The Three Tenors’ (1990–2004), who achieved international success with their recordings of operatic hits for the World Cup soccer tournament in Rome, Italy, in 1990. Pavarotti's rendition of ‘Nessun Dorma’ from Puccini's Turandot was adopted as the theme music for the series. The Three Tenors in Concert (1994) continues to be the best-selling classical album ever.

Pavarotti raised millions of dollars to help build the Pavarotti Music Centre in Bosnia and the Berloni Foundation in Italy, which conducts leukaemia treatments and research, and he was also known for other charity work, especially for refugees. His reputation suffered during the 1990s when he was criticized for poor performances and tax evasion.