Tenors lead tributes to Pavarotti

(CNN) -- Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras, who memorably performed alongside Luciano Pavarotti as the "Three Tenors," have led tributes to the opera singer who died Thursday at the age of 71 after battling cancer.

"The great tenor, Luciano Pavarotti, died today at 5:00 a.m. at his home in Modena, the city of his birth," his manager, Terri Robson, said in a statement.

"The Maestro fought a long, tough battle against the pancreatic cancer which eventually took his life. In fitting with the approach that characterized his life and work, he remained positive until finally succumbing to the last stages of his illness."

Robson said Pavarotti's wife, Nicoletta Mantovani, daughters and sister, along with other relatives and friends were at his side when he died.

"I always admired the God-given glory of his voice -- that unmistakable special timbre from the bottom up to the very top of the tenor range," Domingo said in a statement from Los Angeles.

"They threw away the mold when they made Luciano. He will always be remembered as a truly unique performer in the annals of classical music."

Speaking to reporters in Sweden, Carreras said Pavarotti, whose vibrant high Cs and ebullient showmanship made him one of opera's most beloved performers, was one of the most important tenors in history.

""We all hoped for a miracle ... but unfortunately that was not possible, and now we have to regret that we lost a wonderful singer and a great man," said Carreras.

"We have to remember him as the great artist that he was, the man with such a wonderful charismatic personality, a very good friend and a great poker player."

Pavarotti, who once dreamed of being a soccer player, joined with Domingo and Carreras to perform during the 1990 World Cup in Italy.

His signature aria, Puccini's "Nessun Dorma" from "Turandot," was chosen as the theme music for the tournament. He also sang the piece at the opening ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.

Although critics complained that Pavarotti's vocal skills were waning, the trio performed together for 14 years. "The Three Tenors in Concert," recorded in 1994, remains the best selling classical album of all time.

"The whole world will be listening today to his voice on every radio and television station. And that will continue. And that is his legacy. He will never stop," said conductor Zubin Mehta, who directed "Three Tenors" concerts in Rome and Los Angeles.

The portly singer, who also appeared with singers as varied as opera star Dame Joan Sutherland, U2's Bono and Liza Minnelli, retired from staged opera in 2004, but was on a "farewell tour" of concerts when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2006 and underwent emergency surgery to remove the tumor. Watch a look back at the life of Pavarotti »

Although the remaining concerts of his tour were canceled, his management said that he hoped to resume the tour in 2007.

But in early August, Pavarotti was hospitalized in Modena with a fever and released 17 days later after undergoing diagnostic tests.

Opera great Mirella Freni -- also one of Pavarotti's childhood friends -- told The Associated Press: "The world has lost a great tenor, but I've lost a great friend, a brother. We grew up together, studied singing and God blessed us with great careers. I've lost a brother."

When cancer finally stopped Pavarotti from singing, it was only the second interruption of his career.

"I think I just stopped for one year when from a kid I become a man and the voice is changing," he said in 1991.

"I was an alto and became a tenor and that is the only time I think I remember to have stopped singing. Otherwise I have sung all my life." E-mail to a friend

Copyright 2007 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.

All About Luciano Pavarotti