Luciano Pavarotti (1935-2007)

Pavarotti as Nemorino in L'Elisir d'Amore at the Met in 1998

My favorite Pavarotti memory is when he sang "It's a Man's World" with James Brown, but his greatest hit -- the aria "Nessun dorma" from the last act of Puccini's Turandot -- was pretty amazing, too. The words:

No one shall sleep! . . .
No one shall sleep! . . .
Nor shall you, O Princess
in your cold room . . .
Look, the stars that tremble
with love and hope!

But my mystery
it is locked in me,
my name no one shall know it!
No, no!
Only into your mouth shall I reveal it,
when dawn’s light will shine!
My kiss will break the silence
and then you shall be my own.

Vanish, o night!
Set, stars! Set!
Bring the daylight
and I shall conquer!

More here on the great tenor and his passing.

Photograph by Sara Krulwich/The New York Times