The last words of Luciano Pavarotti
The Italian tenor Pavarotti (1935 – 2007) was both commercially successful and critically acclaimed. His rendition of Puccini’s ‘Nessum Dorma’ at the 1990 World Cup Finals in Italy has become probably the best-known operatic performance of our era.
His final words were:
I believe that a life lived for music is an existence spent wonderfully, and this is what I have dedicated my life to.
A press release issued by his manager soon after his death.
Background to Luciano Pavarotti’s last words
Pavarotti, already in poor health, gave a (pre-recorded) performance at the opening ceremony of the Turin Winter Olympics in February 2006. In July the same year, while touring his ‘Worldwide Farewell’ performances, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was determined to complete the farewell tour, but was unable to and died in August 2007. The words above were the last words that he spoke, to his manager, Terri Robson.
