Late opera star Luciano Pavarotti had one unfulfilled career goal: he always wanted to perform in the city of Petra, Jordan. He passed away from complications due to pancreatic cancer last year and was unable to make this dream come true. But a collection of Pavarotti’s famous friends performed in the ancient city as a tribute to him over the weekend, to commemorate what would have been his 73rd birthday. The concert was co-organized and hosted by his good friend Sting, who collaborated with Pavarotti several times on various benefit concerts.

Sting and his wife Trudie Styler were among the stars who paid tribute to the late opera singer Luciano Pavarotti last night.

The Police frontman took the stage at the private memorial concert in the ancient red rock city of Petra in Jordan to commemorate the Italian tenor’s music and humanitarian work.

Speaking before the event, held on what would have been Pavarotti’s 73rd birthday, Sting said: ‘He had a big appetite this man, he had a big appetite for everything. He had an appetite for life but it was matched by a huge generosity with spirit.

‘Luciano was a big man, he had a big heart and that generosity was transformed to his voice – and when we heard his voice, all of us were richer.’

Opera stars Placido Domingo, Andrea Bocelli, Roberto Alagna and Jose Carreras, Italian rock singer Zucchero and hip-hop star Jovanotti also paid their respects to Pavarotti, who died from cancer aged 71 in September 2007, at Sunday’s concert.

Other events marking the first anniversary of the singer’s death have been staged in New York, Rome and Paris.

Jordan’s Princess Haya, a United Nations Messenger of Peace, and Pavarotti’s widow, Nicoletta Mantovani, helped organise the Petra concert.

[From The Daily Mail]

It’s still hard to believe Pavarotti has been gone for a year. If you recall, just weeks after the singer’s death last September, his daughters from his first marriage and his current wife were embroiled in a dispute over his estate. He left half of his estate to his new wife and daughter, and the other half to his three adult daughter. They weren’t happy with the division. Earlier this year, that dispute was finally settled “fairly” among the parties. Since then, anything associated with Pavarotti’s memory has been pretty peaceful. It sounds like this concert was an emotional celebration for his friends and his widow. His friends must have really loved him to put this concert together. It’s a testimonial to the kind of guy he was.

Luciano Pavarotti performing in France in 2003. Photo Credit: Bauergriffinonline
Sting performing with The Police in Manchester, England July 2008. Photo Credit: Bauergriffinonline