With the "A Tribute to Pavarotti" concert, 5 p.m. March 9, State Theatre for The Arts, 453 Northampton St., Easton, the Teatro Lirico D'Europa production company pays homage to the music and voice of Luciano Pavarotti, the world-renowned Italian opera tenor.

Georgio Lalov, artistic director of "A Tribute to Pavarotti," believes that Pavarotti was "the most popular tenor ever.

"He had a wonderful vocal instrument," says Lalov, who himself is a trained opera singer, during a recent phone interview.

"Ever since I was a little kid, I knew who he was and admired him. He was the top of the top. There was no one above him. He was a machine that no one can copy."

With Teatro Lirico D'Europa, Lalov does his best to capture the spirit of Pavarotti. He has gathered together a full orchestra, chorus and soloists to perform Pavarotti's signature arias and Italian folk songs. As not many tenors have the wide vocal range that Pavarotti did, each soloist specializes in an aspect of Pavarotti's style.

"The concert is big," explains Lalov. "It showcases the most popular pieces from Pavarotti's repertoire. We are putting bits and pieces together. We took pieces from beautiful popular operas, and created a living breathing concert."

Pavarotti, a multi-Grammy Award winner, holds two spots in the Guinness Book of World Records: one for the greatest number of curtain calls (165); the other, held jointly with Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras, for the best-selling classical album of all time.

Lalov says that Pavarotti was popular with Americans, but Italian-Americans often had a special love for him.

"In the United States, Italians are known for opera and food," laughs Lalov. "And Pavarotti was known for both. He carried his own cook with him wherever he traveled so that he always had homemade pasta."

"Everybody remembers Pavarotti," says Lalov, "from his music, to 'The Three Tenors,' to the commercials for American Express. He was loved."

This marks the 14th consecutive season of tours in the United States for the Teatro Lirico D'Europa.

Lalov believes that Pavarotti fans will not be disappointed with the show at the State.

"After every concert, the people in the audience are so happy. They sing. They laugh. They go home with a big smile."