MODENA - 10 September 2007 - 300 words
Arrivederci Luciano!
Thousands gathered for the funeral Mass of opera singer Luciano Pavarotti, which took place in the cathedral of his home town Modena, in northern Italy, on Saturday.
Pavarotti died last Thursday aged 71, after a long battle against cancer.
Besides his family, his first and second wives and four daughters, among the 800 mourners were U2's Bono, tenors Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras, former UN secretary Kofi Anan, Italian Prime Minister Roman Prodi, director Franco Zefirelli, and members of his favourite football team, Juventus.
An estimated 50,000 people watched the Requiem Mass on a huge screen in Modena's main piazza. The service was also broadcast live on Italian television.
The chief celebrant was the Archbishop of Modena, Benito Cocchi. The Mass began with a moving rendition of Verdi's Ave Maria by Bulgarian-born soprano Raina Kabaivanska who had worked with Pavarotti. This was followed by a tribute from Archbishop Cocchi. who said: "The death of Pavarotti has made us feel poorer."
Pope Benedict sent a message of sorrow at the loss of "a great artist who, with his extraordinary talent honoured the divine gift of music."
Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli sang Panis Angelicus, a hymn sung at the cathedral by Pavarotti with his father Fernando in 1978.
The service ended with a recording of Pavarotti's famous rendition of Nessun Dorma and a fly-past by the Italian air force.
Pavarotti's coffin was covered in his favorite sunflowers. As the funeral procession, made its way to the cemetery, drivers got out of their cars and applauded.
The singer was buried in a private ceremony, alongside members of his family, including his parents and stillborn son Ricardo.
Source: VIS/BBC
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