Pavarotti widow 'deeply honoured' by return to event which was catalyst for star's dream

THE WIDOW of superstar tenor Luciano Pavarotti will be paying an emotional visit to Llangollen International Eisteddfod, the event that inspired his stellar career.

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Nicoletta Mantovani says she’s “deeply honoured” to be presenting a trophy to the winner of a competition to find an opera star of the future aiming to follow Pavarotti’s illustrious footsteps.

During her trip, she will also be marking several major milestones: the 70th anniversary of his first experience of the festival; the 30th anniversary of his triumphant return in 1995; and what would have been his 90th birthday on October 12 this year.

Pavarotti was just 19 and a trainee teacher when he came to the Llangollen Eisteddfod in 1955 with his father, Fernando, as part of Chorus Rossini, from their home city of Modena.

They left as the overall winning choir and Pavarotti went home determined to make music his career. He later said winning at Llangollen was the spark that ignited his dream.

When he came back as a global icon for a sell-out concert in 1995, he said: “I always say that to the journalists when they ask me what is a day more memorable in my life, and I always say that it is when I won this competition because it was with all my friends.”

Ms Mantovani is journeying from her home in Italy to hand over the coveted Pendine Trophy to the winner of the Pendine International Voice of the Future competition, the final of which is on the closing Sunday evening of this year’s festival.

Sharing the presentation will be Mario Kreft and his wife, Gill, owners of the arts-loving Pendine Park care organisation, which is once again sponsoring the award, and another megastar of the opera world, Sir Bryn Terfel.