Irish rock legend Bono paid a flying visit this week to his old friend Luciano Pavarotti, who is convalescing after undergoing surgery for pancreas
cancer in July.
The U2 lead singer called in on the tenor at his villa at Colle San Bartolo near Pesaro on Monday, but the visit was kept secret until Wednesday.
Bono and Pavarotti have been good friends for over 10 years and the duo have performed together for good causes many times.
They first sang together at the 1995 Pavarotti and Friends gig to raise money for victims of the war in Bosnia.
Pavarotti also sang on the U2 hit Miss Sarajevo.
He performed this track with U2 at the famous Sarajevo concert in September 1997 - the first gig by a major band in the city after the war.
The local press say that Pavarotti was visited by another illustrious pal a few days ago - Spain's Placido Domingo, one of his Three Tenors' partners, along with Jose Carreras. The villa at Colle San Bartolo is where Bono and Pavarotti first met to discuss the tenor's solo on Miss Sarajevo.
The singer is convalescing there with his wife Nicoletta Mantovani and the couple's young daughter Alice.
Pavarotti is making a strong recovery.
He has reportedly even given a few singing lessons to some of his students. The tenor's doctors found the tumour at the beginning of July. He had a successful operation to remove it at a New York clinic a few days later.
The health scare caused Pavarotti to suspend his open-ended farewell tour, which he recently said he hopes to finish next year.
Pavarotti's last appearance was at the Turin Winter Olympics when he sang his signature Nessun Dorma aria at the opening ceremony.
In retirement he intends to dedicate his time to teaching and opera direction. He has said he may still do occasional Three Tenors' concerts.
