Lexidiem: Word of the Day

Luciano Pavarotti (October 12, 1935 – September 6, 2007)

Ciao, Maestro...

Pavarotti annually hosted the "Pavarotti and Friends" charity concerts in his home town of Modena in Italy, joining with singers from all parts of the music industry to raise money for several worthy UN causes. Concerts were held for War Child, and victims of war and civil unrest in Bosnia, Guatemala, Kosovo and Iraq. After the war in Bosnia, he financed and established the Pavarotti Music Center in the southern city of Mostar to offer Bosnia's artists the opportunity to develop their skills. For these contributions, the city of Sarajevo named him an honorary citizen in 2006.

He performed at benefit concerts to raise money for victims of tragedies such as an earthquake in December 1988 that killed 25,000 people in northern Armenia.

He was a close friend of Diana, Princess of Wales. They raised money for the elimination of land mines worldwide. He was invited to sing at her funeral service, but declined, as he felt he could not sing well "with his grief in his throat".

Pavarotti was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July 2006 and required emergency surgery to remove the tumor. Shortly after surgery he was reported to be "recovering well." His remaining appearances for 2006 were canceled because of his ongoing cancer treatment; however, his management stated that it was anticipated that his farewell tour would resume in early 2007.

On September 5, 2007, it was reported that Luciano Pavarotti's health had deteriorated and the 71-year-old singer was in a "very serious condition". He was reported to be in and out of consciousness multiple times, suffering kidney failure.

Luciano Pavarotti died in the early morning of September 6, 2007 at home surrounded by his wife and four daughters. In an email statement, his manager wrote, "The Maestro fought a long, tough battle against the pancreatic cancer which eventually took his life. In fitting with the approach that characterized his life and work, he remained positive until finally succumbing to the last stages of his illness."