09-06-07

71歲義大利歌劇明星帕瓦羅蒂去世 (Italian Opera Star Luciano Pavarotti Dead at 71)

義大利歌劇傳奇人物、將歌劇帶給公眾的20世紀最偉大男高音之一的帕瓦羅蒂在義大利北部家中去世，終年71歲。帕瓦羅蒂的經紀人說，帕瓦羅蒂音星期四清晨在摩德納自己家中過世。帕瓦羅蒂14個月前被診斷患有胰腺癌。

在他生涯鼎勝時期，這位以其黑鬍子和歡快風度著稱的身寬體胖歌手深受全世界歌劇評論家和觀眾的喜愛。帕瓦羅蒂通過在公園和體育場面對有時多達50萬的觀眾歌咏，將歌劇帶給從未觀賞或聽過歌劇的人。帕瓦羅蒂曾經說，他是他輝煌嗓音的奴隸，做一名男高音就跟做一名運動員一樣，需要不斷練習。

Italian opera legend Luciano Pavarotti, who brought opera to the masses as one of the greatest tenors of the 20th century, has died at his home in northern Italy. He was 71 years old. The tenor's manager says Pavarotti died early Thursday at his home in Modena. He was diagnosed 14 months ago with pancreatic cancer.

In his prime, the portly singer known for his black beard and cheerful demeanor was a favorite of opera critics and audiences around the world. He is credited with bringing opera to people who never saw or heard one by singing in parks and stadiums before crowds of up to a half-million people. Pavarotti said he was a slave to his remarkable voice and that being a tenor is like being an athlete, requiring constant training.

美好萊塢影星推動緬甸反對派領袖獲釋 (Hollywood Actors Push for Release of Burmese Opposition Leader)

好萊塢名流敦促聯合國幫助緬甸被拘押的民主派領導人昂山素季獲得自由。超過25名美國演員在信函上簽名，呼籲聯合國秘書長潘基文爭取昂山素季獲釋。他們還呼籲緬甸軍政府結束外界指稱的對平民的攻擊。

這次名人公開信行動由設在華盛頓的人權行動中心以及美國支援緬甸運動兩個組織發起。簽名的影星中有達斯汀.霍夫曼、羅賓.威廉姆斯、詹尼弗.安妮斯頓以及歐文威爾遜。

昂山素季領導的全國民主聯盟1990年曾贏得緬甸大選，但是政府拒絕承認選舉結果，並在隨後18年的大部份時間內，一直軟禁昂山素季。

Hollywood celebrities are urging the United Nations to help win the freedom of Burma's detained pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. More than 25 U.S. actors have signed a letter calling on U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to secure Aung San Suu Kyi's release. They also are calling for Burma's military government to end its alleged attacks on civilians.

The celebrity letter campaign was launched by the Washington-based Human Rights Action Center and the U.S. Campaign for Burma. Among the signatories are movie stars Dustin Hoffman, Robin Williams, Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson.

Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party won elections in 1990, but the government has refused to recognized those results and has kept her under house arrest for most of the past 18 years.