I went to bed last night reading about how the most famous tenor of the 20th century, Luciano Pavarotti had worsened in health in the last day or so.

I got to work this morning to find my FT headlines already publishing his obituary.

While I may not be the greatest opera fan in the world, I’ve always understood the importance of those who make great contributions to the music artform.  No one would deny his beard and giant stature made him instantly recognizable, even if his voice was what brought fame upon him.

Lots of people say that he brought opera into the mainstream with his work in the Three Tenors, or their performance at the 1990 World Cup.  For me, it was his work on Sesame Street that got me to recognize him at such an early age.

Opera may not maintain the popularity it had 400 years ago, but Pavarotti made it relevant to today, both with his talent and his publicity.