World-famous Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti "knows he will die soon," his daughter Giuliana says in an interview to be published in Italian magazine Diva e Donna this week.
"He knows he's going to die soon and often speaks of his greatest desire: to meet his parents again and finally find peace," she says.
Pavarotti, who was operated on a year ago for a pancreatic tumour, is pictured in his Modena home in a wheelchair, 30 kg lighter than in his last concert appearances.
"Papa is very strong," Giuliana adds, explaining that her 71-year-old father is doing physiotherapy in his efforts to recover from the operation.
During the day he gives singing lessons and plays cards with childhood friends, she said.
Much of the rest of his time is spent playing with his four-year-old daughter Alice and entertaining dinner guests with his second wife and former secretary Nicoletta Mantovani.
As well as Giuliana, Pavarotti has two other daughters by his first wife Adua.
The pancreas operation in New York last July interrupted Pavarotti's two-year worldwide farewell tour, which may not now be completed.
Pavarotti gave his last performance in an opera at the New York Metropolitan Opera on March 13, 2004 for which he received a 12-minute standing ovation for his role as the painter Mario Cavaradossi in Giacomo Puccini's Tosca.
On February 10, 2006, Pavarotti sang his trademark "Nessun Dorma" aria at the 2006 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in Turin, Italy.
The final act of the opening ceremony, his performance received the longest and loudest ovation of the night from the international crowd.
