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Samson et Dalila, London, January
/ February 1996: “Due
to the sterling efforts of José
Cura, the young Argentinean who
never seems to put a foot wrong.
His Samson is full of soul; a commanding
and vibrant tenor performance that
captures the Hebrew leader's
weaknesses with as much theatrical
devotion as his god-like strengths.”
The Evening Standard, January
1996
Samson et Dalila, London, January/February
1996: “At full throttle
the sound is thrilling and this
big, handsome man certainly brings
a Victor Mature dimension to this
portrayal of Samson, flaunting as
much lower limb as the dancers in
the Bacchanale. (And not all of
it that low--I have not seen so
much tenor rump on the Convent Garden
stage since Peter Hoffmann accidently
exposed himself in Parsifal.)”
The Times, January 1996
Samson et Dalila, London, January
1996: “And there’s superbly
musical singing from the Samson
of José Cura, the young Argentine
tenor who has made his reputation
at the Garden. It’s a handsome,
firm, incisive sound, and Cura makes
a power presence on the stage. The
audience was ecstatic.”
Independent on Sunday, 4 February
1996
Samson et Dalila, London, January
1996: “José Cura adds
to his growing reputation and repertoire
or roles with a charismatic and
sexy Samson. He generates a powerful
intensity and flashes enough calf
and thigh to convince he is capable
not only of leading the Israelites
but of inflaming Dalila’s heart—no
wonder she is cross he ditched her
after a single day of passion. His
ardent and sensitive singing movingly
projects Samson’s anguished soul.
‘Vois ma misère’ (Act III) was heartrending.”
The Stage, 8 February 1996
Samson et Dalila, London, January
1996: “José Cura looks
and sounds the part of Samson, strongly
athletic and in very robust voice,
he makes the part come alive completely.”
What’s On London, 7 February
1996
Samson et Dalila, London, January
1996: “Argentinian tenor
José Cura, singing Samson for the
first time, gives a superb performance
in the opera by Camille Saint-Saëns
and proves that he is surely one
of the up-and-coming top tenors
of the Nineties.” The Lady,
6 January 1996
Samson et Dalila, London, January
1996: “The great thing
is that he does sing softly, much
of the erotic charge of the second
act was the result of his sensitive
caressing of the vocal lines.”
The Times, January 1996
Samson et Dalila, London, January
1996: “José
Cura proved a sensitive and touching
Samson. His top notes in the
love duet were luminous, almost
falsetto, tender, and he sang a
long, expansive lyrical line;
yet in his final scene he managed
to summon up almost raucous determination.
The single greatest scene of the
opera was his extended solo, pushing
the grinding wheel to which he's
manacled around the harshly lit
circle of the threshing floor;
pity and savagery blended in this
complete portrayal of a man--just
a man, not a hero; a man torn
between emotions, brooding, [as]
obsessive as the music. (Taking
his curtain call, he seemed still
stunned by the emotions of the role.)
Moshinsky's production did not
make the best of the potential of
the design, failing to mass his
chorus with enough power.
The most dramatic moment of the
betrayal is muffed. Moshinsky
stand rebuked, in my mind, by the
power of Cura's solo scene--so
much more convincing than any of
the traffic directing the rest of
the production.” Our World,
February 1996
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