Often called the “New Pavarotti,” tenor Salvatore Licitra died Monday from head and chest injuries he sustained in a motorbike crash.
Licitra was not wearing a helmet when his Vespa crashed into a wall in the town of Modica on 27th August.
The singer was rushed to a hospital in Catania in a coma, but he never regained consciousness. Licitra was declared brain dead and his family made the decision to donate his organs.
Licitra made his debut in 1998, but quickly rose to fame after stepping in for Pavarotti in 2002 in Puccini's Tosca at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. A talented classical singer, his discography includes Il Trovatore and Tosca, both directed by Riccardo Muti, and two solo albums with arias from operas by Verdi and Puccini.
Licitra’s family will hold funeral services at the Vincenzo Bellini Theatre in Catania.
