Pavorotti / The 50 Greatest Tracks

Luciano Pavarotti (1935 – 2007) was an Italian operatic tenor who became one of the most commercially successful tenors of all time and did notable charitable fund-raising, e.g., for the UN. He made numerous recordings, gaining worldwide fame for the brilliance and beauty of his tone—especially into the upper register—and was one of the finest tenors of the 20th century. As one of the Three Tenors, Pavarotti became well known for televised concerts and media appearances. He grew up in poverty, son of a baker who was an amateur tenor, and was influenced early by recordings of tenors including Caruso and Mario Lanza. He initially wanted to be a football goalkeeper. From the 1961 beginning of his career in Italy to his final performance of "Nessun dorma" at the 2006 Winter Olympics, Pavarotti was at his best in bel canto operas. All the works on these 2 CDs are beautiful, so select at random. Composers include Verdi, Puccini, Donizetti, Bizet, Leoncavallo, Bellini. Disc 1 tracks 1, 3, 5, 9, 13, and Disc 2 tracks 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 24 are quite popular.