ITALY: Venice's famous opera house flies flag at half mast over death of Pavarotti

Record ID: 1540238

  • Title: ITALY: Venice's famous opera house flies flag at half mast over death of Pavarotti
  • Date: 7th September 2007
  • Summary: FAMILY TRAVELLING IN A GONDOLA
  • Embargoed: 22nd September 2007 17:01
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Obituaries
  • Reuters ID: LVA14MERK3F5S8RZM7ZBYAXMLB5Z
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Venice's famous opera house flies flag at half mast and plans a minute of silence to mark death of legendary tenor Luciano Pavarotti.

    Venice's famous opera house La Fenice on Thursday (September 6) flew its flags at half mast to honour the death of legendary Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti.
    One minute's silence was also planned during a performance that night, Italian news agency Ansa reported.
    Pavarotti, who brought opera to the masses with his powerful voice and jovial personality, died on Thursday of pancreatic cancer, aged 71.
    His death comes as Italian and international film-makers gathered in Venice for its prestigious film festival.
    Davide Croff, director of the Biennale art foundation that oversees the Venice festival, said that Pavarotti was not only a loss for opera but for Italian culture in general.
    "I would say it is more a loss for culture and for our country. In fact, Pavarotti, with his extraordinary contribution to opera, which has a strong tradition in Italy and has been avantgarde, has also at the same time been a great ambassador of our country, of our culture, around the world," said Croff.
    His body will lie in state in Modena cathedral from late Thursday (September 6) until a funeral on Saturday (September 8) at 3 p.m.
    Venetians were upset at the news of the singer's death.
    In a restaurant located next the opera house, a waiter recalled how the singer would come and dine regularly after a night at the theatre.
    "Yes, Pavarotti used to come to this restaurant after going to La Fenice, like many of artists, singers and tenors, this is a popular place," said Fabio Pancani. "I am upset, he was a great figure."
    One woman also felt his disappearance was a great loss for Italy.
    "We are very pained at the news, he was a great figure, truly," said Eleonora . "A very huge loss."
    And as one of the world's greatest voices extinguished in Italy, the singing continued to fill the canals of the lagoon city.
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