Legendary tenor Luciano Pavarotti will begin a farewell tour of 40 cities next year (05) before he ends his 43-year career.

The 69-year-old Italian credits British producer HARVEY GOLDSMITH with the idea of celebrating his status - as the most successful classical artist in the history of the recording industry - with a global tour, taking in Buenos Aires, Argentina; London, Paris and New York, before he retires.

The portly singer explains, "When they are finished, I am finished. The tour is long but I never perform like a rock star night after night. I shall do a maximum of two or three concerts a month.

"It is exactly 43 years I have been going around here and there. Sometimes I don't know which bed I am waking up in.

"I would very much like to be remembered as a very serious opera singer."

01/12/2004 17:12