Two tenors sing with mariachis in Pavarotti's absence in Mexico

MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) _ Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras sang without Luciano Pavarotti at a ``Three Tenors'' concert for the first time in 15 years, a show more about Mexican music than opera.

Monday, June 6th 2005, 9:51 am

By: News On 6

MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) _ Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras sang without Luciano Pavarotti at a ``Three Tenors'' concert for the first time in 15 years, a show more about Mexican music than opera.

Pavarotti announced on Thursday he was pulling out of the concert in this northern Mexican city for health reasons. The singer's voice specialist recommended 10 days of rest after a bout with laryngitis.

The two remaining tenors were joined Saturday by Mexican singer Alejandro Fernandez and two mariachi bands before a crowd of more than 40,000 people that included Mexican President Vicente Fox and Oscar Berger, president of Guatemala.

Domingo and Carreras opened the concert by singing ``O Souverain'' from Massenet's ``Le Cid'' and Cardillo's ``Core 'ngrato.'' But the first ovation of the night was given to Fernandez, who was accompanied by two mariachi bands and the Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon orchestra.

Domingo, Carreras and Fernandez then came together on stage to sing Mexican ballads and mariachi songs.

The concert, which began 45 minutes late, was interrupted at times by people who were left without chairs and shouted in unison ``Fraud! Fraud!''