Pavarotti began singing lessons seriously in 1954 at the age of 19. He met a singer called Adua Veroni. He married her in 1961. Pavarotti had to earn money, so he became a teacher, and then an insurance salesman. For several years he just gave a few recitals without being paid for them. Then he had problems with his throat and stopped singing for a short time, and, surprisingly, this helped his voice to become really good.