09-06-07

71岁意大利歌剧明星帕瓦罗蒂去世 (Italian Opera Star Luciano Pavarotti Dead at 71)

意大利歌剧传奇人物、将歌剧带给公众的20世纪最伟大男高音之一的帕瓦罗蒂在意大利北部家中去世，终年71岁。帕瓦罗蒂的经纪人说，帕瓦罗蒂音星期四清晨在摩德纳自己家中过世。帕瓦罗蒂14个月前被诊断患有胰腺癌。

在他生涯鼎胜时期，这位以其黑胡子和欢快风度著称的身宽体胖歌手深受全世界歌剧评论家和观众的喜爱。帕瓦罗蒂通过在公园和体育场面对有时多达50万的观众歌咏，将歌剧带给从未观赏或听过歌剧的人。帕瓦罗蒂曾经说，他是他辉煌嗓音的奴隶，做一名男高音就跟做一名运动员一样，需要不断练习。

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.

美好莱坞影星推动缅甸反对派领袖获释 (Hollywood Actors Push for Release of Burmese Opposition Leader)

好莱坞名流敦促联合国帮助缅甸被拘押的民主派领导人昂山素季获得自由。超过25名美国演员在信函上签名，呼吁联合国秘书长潘基文争取昂山素季获释。他们还呼吁缅甸军政府结束外界指称的对平民的攻击。

这次名人公开信行动由设在华盛顿的人权行动中心以及美国支援缅甸运动两个组织发起。签名的影星中有达斯汀.霍夫曼、罗宾.威廉姆斯、詹尼弗.安妮斯顿以及欧文威尔逊。

昂山素季领导的全国民主联盟1990年曾赢得缅甸大选，但是政府拒绝承认选举结果，并在随后18年的大部份时间内，一直软禁昂山素季。

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.