The death of opera superstar Luciano Pavarotti yesterday has produced extensive coverage of his life and work.

 

The owners of the Terra Firma footwear store in Montreal, the Nicoghosian brothers, have been able to add what we must, inevitably, call a footnote.

On a visit to the city in 1997, word reached the tenor that Terra Firm stocked just the sort of shoe he liked, sensible lace-ups that were comfortable for standing and walking in, and sturdy enough to bear the singer's considerable bulk.

 

One of the owners, Raffi Nicoghosian , received a phone call asking him to go to Pavarotti's hotel suite. He was hopeful of a sale, but in his wildest dreams did not expect to return to Terra Firma with an order for 64 pairs of brown and tan shoes of exactly the right sort, made by Mephisto, based in Sarrebourg in eastern France.

 

Seventeen of these pairs of shoes were for the singer himself, but, having discovered the footwear, he also wanted to buy some for members of his family in Italy.

 

On a return visit to Quebec in 2002, Pavarotti called Terra Firma again and this time signed up for another 48 pairs of the Mephisto merchandise.

 

Mr Nicoghosian even received a bonus: a signed photograph of the great man and front-row seats for his performance.