Hundreds pay tribute to opera star

Italian singer Andrea Bocelli was among hundreds of mourners paying homage to tenor Franco Corelli, one of the top opera stars of the 20th century, at his funeral in a Milan church today.

Corelli, whose career took him from La Scala to New York’s Metropolitan Opera and other great stages, died this week aged 82.

The funeral in San Carlo cathedral drew a crowd of opera buffs who had admired Corelli’s voice.

Colleagues have praised Corelli as one of the best tenors of his time.

Fellow opera great Luciano Pavarotti described him as “a sensational, wonderful, beautiful tenor-maestro.”

Another famed tenor, Placido Domingo, said Corelli "was the most impressive tenor I have heard live".