Posted on 09/07/2007 10:15:58 AM PDT by nuconvert
Wife's tears for Pavarotti
September 08, 2007
MOURNERS in their hundreds yesterday gathered in the town square of Modena to pay their respects to the town's favourite son, the tenor Luciano Pavarotti, who died on Thursday, aged 71.
The crowd applauded as pallbearers carried the singer's white coffin into the cathedral, where a funeral today will draw dignitaries from opera, politics and culture.
On the Piazza Grande, hundreds gathered for the first evening of public viewing. Police on horseback stood at attention as mourners shuffled up the steps into the cathedral to view Pavarotti, dressed in his trademark white tie and tails, a white handkerchief and white rosary clutched in his hands.
His second wife, Nicoletta Mantovani, stood off to the side, chatting with well-wishers.
Ms Mantovani and Pavarotti's three daughters by his first wife, Adua Veroni -- Lorenza, 44, Cristina, 42, and Giuliana, 40 -- overcame past differences to comfort Pavarotti as he lay dying on Wednesday at his villa.
It is not clear whether Ms Veroni will attend the funeral.
In Los Angeles yesterday, Spanish tenor Placido Domingo said he never got to give a final goodbye to Pavarotti.
Domingo, 66, said the two last spoke about eight days ago. They expressed the hope they would be able to catch up when Domingo went to Europe next month.
"There wasn't a goodbye," Domingo said.
Domingo, Pavarotti and Jose Carreras became international superstars in the 1990s when they toured and recorded as The Three Tenors, taking opera to the masses.
"I think the career of Luciano was bigger because I was there, as a friendly rival," Domingo said. "And I think my career was bigger because he was there, also as the friendly rival."
He said he had not yet spoken with Carreras. Asked whether the two of them
(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.news.com.au ...
Affecting description.
The funeral is today?? Wow, that was quick! RIP.
To paraphrase Dennis Miller about Pavarotti's funeral, "Who do you get to sing at this gig?
LOL! That’s hilarious!!!
It’s tomorrow - Sat. The article is from Austalia - time difference
Funeral is at 3PM Sat.
Strange. The headline mentions ‘wife’s tears’, but there’s nothing in the story about his wife, present or ex, crying.
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