Pavarotti to pay tribute to mother

Pavarotti has pledged to dedicate his concert to his mother

ROME, Italy -- The world's most famous tenor Luciano Pavarotti will perform in London at a sell-out concert 24 hours after his mother's death.

Pavarotti said he will carry out the engagement as a tribute to his mother Adele Venturi who died on Thursday following a long illness.

She died at Modena in northern Italy, aged 86, a spokeswoman for the singer said.

Pavarotti's mother was one of the prime movers behind Pavarotti's decision to embark on a singing career.

Opera goers at London's Royal Opera House have paid up to £175 ($250) to attend Friday's concert, which is Giacomo Puccini's "Tosca." It will be Pavarotti's first visit to Covent Garden in seven years.

Pavarotti is set to return to London on Friday after flying out to Italy on a chartered plane immediately on hearing of his mother's death.

A spokeswoman for the singer in London told Reuters: "He has spoken to his father who said his mother would definitely have wanted him not to cancel.

"On being told the news, Luciano Pavarotti returned immediately to Modena to be with his father Fernando, his sister, daughters and family.

"He and his partner, Dr Nicoletta Mantovani, will return to London late this evening and the maestro will dedicate his performance tomorrow to the memory of Adele Pavarotti."

Pavarotti's four-night run in "Tosca" sold out virtually overnight as fans took advantage of one his increasingly rare appearance which have been restricted partly because of his impaired mobility. The maestro has had hip and knee replacements.