Luciano Pavarotti has made an immense impact on the world of classical music, broadening its horizons and attracting countless fans. Thanks to his thrilling voice and unique personality, the name "Pavarotti" has become synonymous with the highest standards of performance.

He was born in Modena, ltaly, on October 12, 1935, the first child and only son of a baker. He first sang in the Modena chorus with his father, a fervent opera lover and a gifted amateur tenor. When the chorus won first prize in an international competition, the young student was hooked.

His debut came in April 29, 1961, as Rodolfo in La Boheme, at the opera house in Reggio, Emilia. That success led to engagements throughout Italy and the world, where he conquered audiences in Amsterdam, Vienna, Zurich and London. His American debut came in February 1965, in a Miami production of Lucia di Lammermoor with Dame Joan Sutherland. However, it wasn't until February 17, 1972, that the Pavarotti phenomenon was born, in a production of La Fille du Regiment at New York's Metropolitan Opera.

Maestro Pavarotti's recordings, each and every one a bestseller, include collections of arias and recital programs, and anthologies of Neapolitan and other Italian songs. He consistently draws record-breaking audiences in the great public parks of the world. In June 1993, more than 500,000 fans gathered to enjoy his performance on the Great Lawn of New York's Central Park, while millions more around the world watched on television. llIuminated by his radiant personality and propelled by his lust of life, Luciano Pavarotti's golden voice transcends the limits of the opera house to reach inside every human heart and mind.