Tenor in the desert. (New Business).

Luciano Pavarotti has been booked to participate in Mexicali's centennial celebration in October. The world-famous tenor will headline an open-air concert expected to attract 40,000 spectators to what is essentially the middle of the Baja California desert.

Pavarotti's trip to Laguna Salada marks his fourth visit to Mexico.

Although he has performed at such exotic locations as the steps of the Great Pyramids in Egypt and the Acropolis in Athens, this will mark a rare time singing tunes in the desert. Perhaps something from "Aida" would be in order?

The concert will cost 20 million pesos to set up, and tickets, which went on sale June I, range in price from 100 to 6,000 pesos a head. Proceeds will go to charity via Fundaci6n Televisa.

The event is scheduled for Oct. 18. However, Pavarotti has developed a reputation--particularly in recent years--for canceling his participation in major productions at the last minute. Most notable was his failure to appear at the close of NewYork's opera season in May 2002. At the time, the New York Post lampooned the overweight Italian on its front page with a headline, "Fat Man Won't Sing."