The Chinese music circle and people from all walks of life were shocked by the death of Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti who passed away early Thursday at the age of 71, and paid respect to the late musician dubbed as "Old Pa" in China.

"The musician would always be remembered by Chinese," said Jin Tielin, president of China Conservatory. "His death is a loss to the global music circle. I would teach my students his vocalization techniques, which I think is the best way to commemorate him."

Pavarotti is the first symbolic figure that the Chinese music circle knew since Chinese began to enjoy the western classic music, said Li Yanhuan, a noted commentator based in Shanghai.

Pavarotti paid his first visit to China more than two decades ago and offered Chinese audience with Bohemian for the first time.

The Chinese people have dubbed Pavarotti as "Old Pa". Adding "Old" before one's surname is a Chinese way to show intimacy and respect.

Qian Shijin, art director of Shanghai Grand Theatre, still remembered Pavarotti's first concert in the city.

The concert in 2001 was a great success with some tickets being sold at an incredible price of 6,000 yuan, almost twice of a Chinese farmer's annual income, and the Shanghai Grand Theatre's 2,000 seats were all taken plus nearly 70 extra seats.

The audience gave Pavarotti passionate applause even though he did not sing "O Sole Mio" nor "Nessun Dorma" on account of dry throat.

"Shanghai audience understood music," Pavarotti told Qian Shijin at the end of the concert.

In 2001, Pavarotti joined hands with other two top tenors Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras to stage a performance in the Forbidden City in Beijing to support the city's bidding for the 2008 Olympic Games.

"Manufactured news?" was the reaction of Shi Chun, a female office worker in the northeastern city of Changchun.

"I heard the other day that he had been discharged from hospital, wasn't it?" asked Shi. "Old Pa's O Sole Mio was so classic!"

Wu Shuqi, a music fan in Beijing, was also shocked by the news of Pavarotti's death, saying he had been saving money for the concert of Pavarotti.

Pavarotti died at 5 AM Thursday at home in Modena, according to his manager Terri Robson.

Pavarotti underwent an operation for pancreatic cancer in July last year and was hospitalized last month, the Italian news agency ANSA reported, adding that a hearse had been parked in front of his villa in the northern town of Modena.

Pavarotti, hailed as the greatest tenor of his generation, had been staying at his villa in Modena in north-central Italy, with his wife Nicoletta Mantovani and their four-year-old daughter Alice before being admitted to hospital.

Pavarotti had been preparing to leave New York in July 2006 to resume a farewell tour when doctors discovered a malignant pancreatic cancer. He underwent surgery in a New York hospital and was forced to cancel concerts.

Pavarotti gave his last performance at the New York Metropolitan Opera on March 13, 2004.

Born into an ordinary family in 1935, Pavarotti showed his gift ever since he was a child. In 1955, he went to receive professional voice training and won his first prize in 1961. In 1972, he was baptized "King of Hi-C" for his marvelous talent for hitting the high notes.

(Xinhua News Agency September 6, 2007)