One of the most famous names in the music world died this morning. Luciano Pavarotti lost his long battle with pancreatic cancer and passed away at his home in Modena, Italy at 5am this morning. Although he never participated at the Eurovision Song Contest, his influence on the music world certainly did effect the event.

Pavarotti is credited with making opera music appeal to mass audiences around the world and is undisputedly one of the most influential and pioneering singers of the twentieth century. His ability to take what was once seen as an acquired taste and make the music commercially viable with concerts, CDs and public performances led to the possibility for Opera music to find a place in the modern popular music charts around the world.

The Eurovision Song Contest has reflected that change with the success of operatic songs in recent years. Malta's 2004 Eurovision Song Contest entry On again off again found success with a top ten finish and this year, entries from Slovenia and Latvia, both operatic in style qualified from the Eurovision Song Contest semi final. Many also classify Ireland's 1996 Eurovision Song Contest winning entry, The Voice by Eimear Quinn as a piece of opera music.

Pavarotti became a close friend of former Eurovision Song Contest winner Céline Dion. The pair recorded the duet I hate you then I love you and performing it together at the Children of Liberia Benefit Concert in 1998.

The esctoday.com team would like to express our sadness at the passing of such a wonderful music talent. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and the people of Italy, to whom he became a national hero.