His rendition of Nessun Dorma became the 1990 World Cup soundtrack and his Three Tenors concerts filled stadiums, turning opera singers into rock stars.

Now, more than a decade after his death, Luciano Pavarotti’s magnificent voice is to thrill audiences again . One of Hollywood’s most sought-after film directors is teaming up with a former artistic director of English National Opera to create an ambitious musical inspired by the Italian’s life and work.

The show, which is being created by Michael Gracey, will feature Pavarotti’s original recordings, but will not cast anyone in his role, said John Berry, who is producing the musical. “It would be impossible to find somebody who could play him,” he said. “As [Plácido] Domingo said, there was never a voice like his before him, and there probably never will be.”

Pavarotti’s widow, Nicoletta, has turned down previous approaches for stage rights to her husband’s story, but she is said to have been so impressed by this musical that she is giving its creators access to a vast private archive, which includes everything from letters and film footage to his clothes.

As a visual-effects artist whose 2017 film The Greatest Showman starred Hugh Jackman and made more than $430m at the box office, Gracey will use cutting-edge technology for the multimillion-pound staging. But how Pavarotti will be presented, or whether the show will involve his recreation through technology, is yet to be revealed. Berry, who was at ENO between 2005 and 2015, said: “This is a musical inspired by the voice of Luciano Pavarotti. His voice is one of the most thrilling sounds you will ever hear from anybody.

“There are so few singers, both in popular and classical music, who are as exceptional. The way he moved from the opera house to the big public arena concerts was extraordinary. The way he brought together so many iconic pop artists to perform with him …. This man had tremendous charisma. It’s hard to imagine now that any classical artist could reach … such a global audience.

“He also made an amazing humanitarian impact, raising hundreds of millions for charity, helping children in war-torn regions of the world.”

The son of a baker, Pavarotti grew up to become opera’s greatest showman, and once said he wished to be remembered “as someone who took opera to the people”. His Three Tenors concerts with Domingo and José Carreras introduced millions to the joy of opera.

At the height of his fame, Pavarotti performs in Hamburg in 2004. Photograph: David Hecker/AFP/Getty Images

The support of Pavarotti’s widow had been invaluable, said Berry. “The stage rights are owned by the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation and Nicoletta Pavarotti. Over many years, a number of producers were looking to obtain these rights. We made a pitch and Nicoletta was excited about our ideas.

“She knew about my producing experience of large-scale work at ENO, productions that travelled the world. She knew we had investors … and we managed to get the rights. Nicoletta is a fantastic source of information. She’s built up a very good relationship with Gracey.” The production also has the complete support of Universal Music Group, the singer’s record company. Discussing Gracey’s directorial appointment, Berry added: “This is not an opera, or for a niche market. This is for a wide popular audience. We really wanted someone who could bring something different to the stage, who had great flair, a really individual imagination and was at the cutting-edge of technology.” He added: “[Enrico] Caruso was the star of the gramophone age, Pavarotti was the star of modern-day media. The way he crossed between opera and popular music made him an incredible world superstar.”

The beleaguered ENO will no doubt be regretting the loss of its former artistic director. Berry is among several key figures who have left, and the Pavarotti musical is just the sort of extraordinary production the company would need to revive its fortunes. It does not currently even have an artistic director.

Pavarotti is among several projects that Berry is producing through Scenario Two, a company he co-founded about 18 months ago with Anthony Lilley, a digital and new-media entrepreneur. Their approach is based on Berry’s acclaimed ENO model of drawing on the best talent from across the arts. He worked with former Monty Python member Terry Gilliam on The Damnation of Faust and with film and theatre director Mike Leigh on The Pirates of Penzance, among others.

Scenario Two’s debut production was this summer’s London staging of the Tony-winning musical, The Light in the Piazza, starring world-renowned soprano Renée Fleming and Disney star Dove Cameron. It transfers to Los Angeles in October and will then travel worldwide.

While Berry’s advisory work involves international companies, including The Bolshoi, he also founded Opera Ventures, commissioning innovative contemporary productions. The latest – Breaking The Waves, staged by War Horse director Tom Morris – plays at this month’s Edinburgh International Festival. A music director, a writer and a designer will be joining the Pavarotti project in coming months, working towards a 2021 premiere.