Pavarotti sends open letter after Met cancellation

Luciano Pavarotti has issued a statement to his fans explaining why he pulled out of performing at New York's Metropolitan Opera season finale.

The tenor was to have performed in Puccini's Tosca but pulled out at the last minute blaming flu.

In his statement he says flu is a common disease "which would mean nothing were I not a tenor".

He added that from some of the newspaper reports "it seems almost as if my cancellation were considered something of a betrayal or a weakness, not to show up on that stage and undertake the profession to which I have dedicated almost my entire life".

He said: "A proper vocal condition is the basic rule for any singing performance; without it, no matter how much willingness, talent, discipline or passion there is, it is simply impossible to offer the public the performance for which they have paid. With influenza, your vocal skills are dictated to and you have no control over it.

He said he was looking forward to Tosca "with so much excitement and, as always, with a little trepidation".

The 66-year-old stated he had performed the role of Cavaradossi an endless number of times, adding: "Every performance is like a box where you discover a unique treasure of emotions, leaving invaluable memories."

He went on to say: "The media seems to imply that the New York opera public will not forgive my cancellation. But forgiveness assumes that one has made a mistake; no matter how much I regret with a passion not being able to sing at the Met on this occasion, catching the flu was certainly not a willful mistake I made."