Pavarotti Gets Dizzy, Sits Out End Of Concert

Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti was forced to sit out the second half of a Metropolitan Opera benefit Sunday after he became dizzy while performing the first-act finale, Met general manager Joseph Volpe said.

Pavarotti “experienced an episode of light-headedness” while singing a trio from Verdi’s “Luisa Miller” with soprano June Anderson and baritone Dwayne Croft, Volpe told the audience as the second half of the concert began.

“He feels he can continue,” Volpe said. “I will not allow it. He has to find out what caused it.”

Pavarotti’s manager said a sudden spike in the singer’s blood pressure was responsible for the dizzy spell, but he recovered quickly.