It is with great sadness, today, that I write of the death of the tenor Salvatore Licitra, the man hailed as "Pavarotti's heir" and a great favourite at many major opera venues worldwide.
On August 27th Salvatore Licitra, who was aged 43, was critically injured in a motorcycle accident in Donnalucata [Ragusa] where he was on holiday. He was treated first at Modica's Ospedale Maggiore before being transferred to Catania, where he remained in a coma for nine days. Mr Licitra was pronounced dead yesterday morning.
Mr Licitra's organs have been donated for transplant and three lives have already been saved: his liver was given to a 53-year-old man from Catania and his kidneys to a 57-year-old from Palermo and a 37-year-old man from Pizzo di Barcellona [Messina]. Mr Licitra's corneae have been donated to an eye bank. Mr Licitra's brother said today that the singer had always been generous and would have wanted this.
Salvatore Licitra was born to Italian parents in Bern, Switzerland and his family originates from Acate in Ragusa Province. On September 3rd Mr Licitra was awarded the Ragusani nel mondo prize in absentia.
I know that your thoughts, like mine, will be with Salvatore Licitra's family at this sad time.
