Prague Philharmonia with stars at Pavarotti Tribute

Prague Philharmonia with stars at Pavarotti Tribute

The audience of some 500 people, including Pavarotti's friends and family, Queen Rania and other members of the Jordanian royal family, UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres, diplomats and other fans from around the world, were treated to a magical night of music on what would have been the singer's 73rd birthday. The event was organized by Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein and Pavarotti’s widow Nicoletta Mantovani.

"It was a very special night. I feel I am in another dimension… it was wonderful that the dream finally came true," Nicoletta Mantovani told Reuters.

Contemporary musicians such as Sting and Italy's Zucchero, Jovanotti and Laura Pausini, performed alongside a Who's Who of opera stars, including Andrea Bochelli, Roberto Alagna, Angela Gheorghia, Cynthia Lawrence and Sherrill Milnes as well as the Spaniards Carreras and Domingo, who formed such a memorable trio with Pavarotti. The Prague Philharmonia conducted by Eugene Kohn accompanied not only the opera singers but also Sting in a duet with Angela Gheorgiu. The orchestra also performed the overture to Il barbiere di Siviglia.

With the rose-coloured, rock-hewn monuments of Petra as a backdrop, the three-hour concert started with Carreras performing "Chitarra Romana", a favourite of Pavarotti's. He was then joined by Domingo for a duet before other artists, many of whom had sung in a series of "Pavarotti and Friends" concerts that raised money for UNHCR and other causes, came on stage.

Sting, accompanied by an oudh (lute) player, sang his hit song, "Fields of Gold." The British musician had paid a verbal tribute to his friend here on Saturday. "He had a big appetite this man; he had a big appetite for everything. He had an appetite for life, but it was matched by a huge generosity of spirit," Sting said. "Luciano was a big man, he had a big heart and that generosity was transformed to his voice – and when we heard his voice, all of us were richer."

Princess Haya, like Pavarotti a UN Messenger of Peace for her work helping the needy, said the great tenor had long dreamed of singing at Petra. "The choice of Petra goes back to a dream that was shared by my late father and the maestro and they both celebrated a love of music and also a love for humanitarian work and helping people who were less fortunate, so it was an honour for us when I was approached by Nicoletta Pavarotti," she said.

And at times, Pavarotti was present – footage of him in full flow loomed over the stage on huge screens. At one stage, the popular Italian singer Zucchero performed an uncanny duet with the image of the old master, who died of pancreatic cancer aged 71. "I can feel his magic power in this place," the great American baritone, Sherrill Milnes, sang to the audience.

Proceeds from the concert will generate funds for projects in Afghanistan by the UN refugee agency and the UN World Food Programme, as well as for the Petra archaeological site 180 kilometres south of Amman. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said they supported the concert because Pavarotti was a symbol of tolerance in "a world that was seeing growing conflict."

"Pavarotti was a living legend who helped to highlight the plight of refugees and those in need. His spirit brings people together, even now," Guterres said.

The event was covered by world media, including the  Reuters, BBC News, USA Today, Sky News, ABC News and the UK's Daily Mail.