If the candidate city with the loudest supporting voice is chosen to host the 2008 Olympic Games, then what about the high Cs of the Three Tenors?

The three singers are set to cover the Forbidden City with their heavenly voices tomorrow night to express their support for Beijing's bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games.

Asked whether he wanted Beijing to win the bid, Luciano Pavarotti said: "Is it a question? It should not be a question. It's my purpose in coming here." "China is a very important nation in the world and has the ability to host the Olympics," he told more than 600 reporters from home and abroad at a press conference in Beijing yesterday, also attended by Jose Carreras.

Placido Domingo, the third tenor, did not attend.

Pavarotti said: "China has influence on world peace which is also what the Olympic Games promotes, so we'll do all we can to help Beijing win the bid."

Asked whether their concert in Seoul tonight and their tiring and long trip from Europe would affect tomorrow's performance, Pavarotti said: "we are confident that we will fully reveal the power and charisma of Western opera to the Chinese people."

"The Three Tenors have long awaited the chance to perform in China together, and have made very detailed preparations for the event," said Tibor Rudas, the Three Tenors agent.

Both of the singers said they were particularly impressed by the warm welcome from friendly Beijingers.

"Great changes have happened in China since I came here in 1985, but people's hospitality and warm-heartedness has never changed," said the King of the High Cs.

"I feel honoured to sing in this country with its rich culture and long history," Pavarotti said.

"It has been a dream for me to perform in the Forbidden City. When I came to China 15 years ago, I visited the grand imperial palace and I even hummed several songs while walking there. Now the dream has come true," Pavarotti said.

The two masters' honesty and humour set the tone for the conference, with plenty of laughter and applause.

"They are pretty and more than that they have pretty voices," Carreras said about Ma Mei, Yao Hong and Wang Xia, the three Chinese sopranos who will sing with the Three Tenors tomorrow.

Many people suspect the Beijing concert will be the last time the three men sing together. But Pavarotti said jokingly, "It must be Rudas who said that, for he always promotes our concerts as the last one."

(China Daily 06/22/2001)