Biography
Born in Modena, Italy, gained his first musical experiences with his city’s chorus, of which his father, Fernando, was also a member. The teenage Pavarotti and his father travelled with the “Chorus Rossini” to Wales, and went on to win first prize in the Llangollen international singing competition. He had originally trained to be a teacher, but, after first studying with Arrigo Pola and then with Ettore Campogalliani, he won the prestigious Concurso internazionale in 1961 and made his operatic debut as Rodolfo in La Boheme at the Teatro Reggio Emilia that year (April 29).
He’s been honored with an enormous number of international accolades and has received a huge number of awards, including (just to name a few); the Commendatore cross and grand Official Cross for services to the Italian Republic, numerous Emmy, Gramophone and Grammy Awards, including the 1998 Grammy Legend Award; he has been appointed Officer of the Legion d’Honneur, Musicares Person of the Year; he received Honorary degrees from the Philadelphia College of Performing Arts and the Universities of Pittsburgh, Oklahoma City, Parma, Urbino and San Martin of Lima (Peru).