Legendary baritone Leo Nucci has announced that he is set to retire from the stage.

Per Platea and a number of other sources, the baritone announced that he would no longer perform onstage after receiving the Pavarotti d’oro on Oct. 17, 2019.

I had already decided to let the curtain drop, but in honor of the memory of my friend Pavarotti I will make an exception,” he stated. “After tonight, I will retire from the stage.”

In September, Nucci canceled a series of performances of “Rigoletto” at the Ópera de Tenerife in November due to personal reasons. He was also set to sing “Nabucco” at the Teatro Reggio di Torino; the theater has yet to find a replacement.

Throughout his legendary career, he was one of the great interpreters of the Italian repertory, with the title role of “Rigoletto” signature; he sang the role for over 46 years.

Of his recent performance of “Rigoletto” in Valencia this past May, OperaWire’s review noted, “Being in possession of an expressive and potent voice with a dark timbre, secure high notes, and fluent phrasing, he gave a lesson of vocal longevity and health, as his voice sounded beautifully strong and the high notes were well-projected and sustained.”

He made his stage debut in Spoletto and made his solo debut at La Scala in 1975. Other prominent debuts came over the course of the next decade, with the 77-year-old baritone holding the stage in prominent engagements through this year.

Nucci is still set to direct “La Bohème” and “Un Ballo in Maschera” in Genoa and Piacenza.