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Tributes have been paid to the opera singer Luciano Pavarotti, who died today at the age of 71.

Pavarotti at the 2006 Winter OlympicsClassical music critic David Mellor said the Italian tenor had a "wonderfully honeyed, natural voice - a gift from god that came just once in a generation."

He told Sky News: "What he managed to do was bring probably one of the most radiantly beautiful voices of our time and project it way beyond the stuffed shirts of the opera house and get it out amongst the people."

The world-famous singer had been suffering kidney problems and bouts of losing consciousness in the months before his death.

He underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer in July 2006.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly forms of the disease, though doctors said the surgery offered improved hopes for survival.

At the time of the operation, Pavarotti had been preparing to resume his farewell tour.

The singer had surgery last yearPavarotti is most widely known for having been one of the Three Tenors - along with Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo - and for his interpretation of Nessun Dorma, which became the theme tune to the 1990 World Cup.

Classic FM presenter Henry Kelly told Sky News: "He not only popularised opera, he was a showman - he said this is for everyone."

His big break came thanks to another Italian opera great, Giuseppe di Stefano, who dropped out of a London performance of "La Boheme" in 1963.

Covent Garden had lined up "this large young man" as a possible stand-in and a star was born.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1282954,00.html