Pavarotti funeral a home town tribute

MODENA, Italy, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- The home town of the late Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti was alive with applause Saturday as the singer's friends and family paid him one last tribute.

The BBC reported thousands of mourners were in the city of Modena Saturday to attend a Roman Catholic service for the fallen opera star and applaud the life he led.

During the ceremony, mourners listened to a famous recording of Pavarotti performing the aria "Nessun Dorma" and witnessed an honorary fly-over by the Italian Air Force.

The famed singer died Thursday of pancreatic cancer at the age of 71.

Among the mourners at Saturday's memorial service were opera tenors Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras, as well as U2 lead singer Bono.

Pavarotti's family also was on hand to remember the late singer Saturday with a private funeral ceremony and a letter from his 4-year-old daughter, Alice, at the public service.

"Papa, you have loved me so much, I know you will always protect me. I will hold you dear to my child's heart every tomorrow," the letter read.