Pavarotti will perform with both the Melbourne and Sydney Symphony Orchestras.

Melbourne, according to the paper, is special to the tenor, because he arrived there as an unknown in 1965 to sing with Joan Sutherland.

"Melbourne is always going to be my true love because I came here to be a real singer," Pavarotti has said. "I spent one month here in preparation at the beginning of my profession. So coming back, there is a lot of memory."

Pavarotti said at one point that he would retire by his 70th birthday, October 12, 2005, but his web site lists tour dates as late as July 2006.