Luciano Pavarotti's Mother Buried

MODENA, Italy (AP) - Adele Venturi's funeral ended Sunday with a recorded version of "Ave Maria'' sung by her son, Luciano Pavarotti.

The Rev. Mauro Campani praised Venturi for her "industriousness, simplicity, delicacy, prudence and faith.''
The funeral for Venturi, 86, brought the opera star back to his hometown of Modena.

The Italian news agency ANSA reported that Pavarotti sat in a front pew along with his father, Fernando, and sister, Gabriella. The tenor's ex-wife, Adua Veroni, and his current companion, Nicoletta Mantovani, sat farther back, along with other relatives, ANSA said.

Venturi died on Thursday while Pavarotti was in London rehearsing for "Tosca'' at the Royal Opera house. He flew to Modena to be with his family, then flew back to London to perform on Friday.

Pavarotti returned again for the funeral and was expected to be back in London for the second performance of "Tosca'' on Tuesday.

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