Pavarotti takes operatic farewell

For 11 minutes, Luciano Pavarotti soaked up the bravos after Saturday night’s performance of “Tosca” at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.

At the end of what the 68-year-old tenor said was his final night of staged opera, he stuck out his arms, waved to the crowd, put his hands together and bowed his head in tribute to his fans. He touched his heart, and he blew kisses. His face, still stained near his right eye with fake blood from the performance, was filled with emotion.

The ovations could have gone on much longer. They stopped only because the hefty Pavarotti seemed to be having trouble walking onstage in front of the gold curtain. There were four solo curtain calls, plus two with soprano Carol Vaness and three with the larger cast, including conductor James Levine, who pushed Pavarotti back in front of the curtain for one more appearance after all the others had left.

It was the biggest farewell ovation at the Met since soprano Leonie Rysanek said goodbye in January 1996.

Pavarotti said he still plans to give concerts up until his 70th birthday on Oct. 12, 2005.