[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 708 Engrossed in House (EH)]


                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                     December 11, 2007.
Whereas Luciano Pavarotti was born on October 12, 1935, in the outskirts of 
        Modena, Italy;
Whereas Mr. Pavarotti first began singing in a church choir at the age of 9;
Whereas Mr. Pavarotti was trained as a teacher and taught second grade in Italy 
        before deciding to pursue his music full time;
Whereas Mr. Pavarotti began serious voice training at the age of 19 under Arrigo 
        Pola, a respected teacher and professional tenor in Modena, Italy;
Whereas Mr. Pavarotti made his operatic debut on April 29, 1961, as Rodolfo in 
        La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini, at the opera house in Reggio Emilia;
Whereas Mr. Pavarotti made his American debut with the Greater Miami Opera in 
        February of 1965 as a last minute replacement in Donizetti's Lucia di 
        Lammermoor;
Whereas Mr. Pavarotti's February 17, 1972, performance in Donizetti's La Fille 
        du Regiment at New York's Metropolitan Opera, included nine high C's 
        during the signature aria and helped him break through to American 
        audiences;
Whereas Mr. Pavarotti made frequent television performances which attracted some 
        of the largest audiences ever recorded for televised opera events;
Whereas Mr. Pavarotti, with Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras, made their debut 
        as ``The Three Tenors'' in Rome during the 1990 World Cup;
Whereas ``The Three Tenors'' recording from their debut concert became the 
        biggest selling classical record of all time;
Whereas Mr. Pavarotti earned five Grammy awards and a Grammy Legend Award;
Whereas on December 12, 1998, Mr. Pavarotti became the first and, so far, only 
        opera singer to perform on ``Saturday Night Live'';
Whereas Mr. Pavarotti organized and hosted annual ``Pavarotti and Friends'' 
        charity concerts in his home town of Modena in Italy, to raise money for 
        worthy United Nations' causes;
Whereas Mr. Pavarotti sang at numerous benefit concerts to help victims of 
        natural and manmade tragedies;
Whereas in 1998 Mr. Pavarotti was named the United Nations Messenger of Peace;
Whereas in 2001 Mr. Pavarotti received the Nansen Medal from the United Nations 
        High Commission for Refugees for his efforts raising money on behalf of 
        refugees worldwide;
Whereas Mr. Pavarotti received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2001;
Whereas on February 10, 2006, Mr. Pavarotti sang ``Nessun Dorma'' as the final 
        act of the 2006 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in Turin, Italy;
Whereas Mr. Pavarotti's immense talent, and passion for his art encouraged 
        people around the world to embrace opera; and
Whereas Luciano Pavarotti died on September 6, 2007 in a hospital in Modena, 
        Italy: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives honors the life and 
accomplishments of Luciano Pavarotti and recognizes the significant and positive 
impact of his astounding musical talent, his achievement in raising the profile 
of opera with audiences around the world, and his commitment to charitable 
causes.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.