ITALY: ALTHOUGH MICHAEL JACKSON WITHDRAWS , "PAVAROTTI AND FRIENDS CONCERT" GOES AHEAD TO RAISE FUNDS FOR WAR CHILD CHARITY

Record ID: 704946

  • Title: ITALY: ALTHOUGH MICHAEL JACKSON WITHDRAWS , "PAVAROTTI AND FRIENDS CONCERT" GOES AHEAD TO RAISE FUNDS FOR WAR CHILD CHARITY
  • Date: 4th June 1999
  • Summary: (REUTERS) KING PERFORMS 'THE THRILL IS GONE.' RICKY MARTIN AND PAVAROTTI PERFORMING MAMA PAVAROTTI AND FRIENDS SING SHOW FINALE 'WE ARE THE WORLD.'
  • Embargoed: 19th June 1999 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MODENA, ITALY
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Entertainment,General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA6A7B8YX111L8S1KRI00LXIX1W
  • Story Text: "The show must go on!" Despite the late withdrawal of superstar Michael Jackson, the 'Pavarotti with Friends' benefit concert went ahead on Tuesday (June 1) in Modena, Italy to raise funds for the War Child charity and its projects in Guatemala and Kosovo.
    Other performances included Mariah Carey, BB King, Ricky Martin, Boyzone and of course Luciano Pavarotti who offered an emotional prayer for Jackson's sick child before the concert.
    The sixth 'Pavarotti and Friends' benefit concert took place in Modena despite the last minute withdrawal of a 'devastated' Michael Jackson.
    Jackson pulled out on Monday (June 1) to reportedly nurse his sick son Prince.The two-year-old is said to be suffering from a seizure brought on by high temperatures and Jackson is constantly at his bedside, according to John Morrish from Sony Records.
    "Michael is an artist - he was loath to pull out of the concert - but he's a father too," Morrish said at a hastily convened press conference at Modena's Novi Sad stadium.
    "Luciano is very sorry for Michael and our thoughts are with him tonight,"
    said Nicoletta Mantovani, show organizer and Pavarotti's girlfriend.
    Jackson put off his decision to pull out of the show until the last possible minute, according to Morrish.At one stage, Morrish says, Jackson was planning to take an Air France Concorde from New York to Paris, traveling with his stage clothes and props on the supersonic jet if his son's condition improved.
    But on Monday Jackson decided against any travel plans.His planned finale - his anthemic 'We are the World' - duetting with Pavarotti was hastily rejigged to feature Pavarotti and the rest of the cast.
    As it was, Ricky Martin stole the show - with his rousing smash hit 'Living La Vida Loca' and his duet with Pavarotti, singing the old and much loved Italian ballad 'Mama.' Lionel Richie ran a close second with a wonderful rendition of his eighties hit, 'All Night Long,' and Zucchero rocked Modena with his 'You Make Me Feel Good.' BB King, Gloria Estefan, Joe Cocker, Zucchero, and Mariah Carey all combined to deliver a set mixed with Pavarotti's classical opera and duets - a set that looked uncomfortable on paper - but sounded wonderful to the ear.
    And finally, all the cast sent their regards to Jackson, wishing his son a speedy recovery.
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