Bravo Cura
Celebrating José Cura--Singer, Conductor, Director
Concerts - Hold
Temporary problem shooting page
|
|
|
The Pécs audience gave the fourth tenor, José Cura, a standing ovation Pecsma Eszter Madarász 9 September 2022
[Computer-assisted translation / Excerpt]
The world-famous Argentinean opera singer delighted the audience with his exhilarating concert on 8 September at the Kodály Centre in the framework of the Autumn Music Harvest and the 2nd International Tango Festival in Pécs. Of course we didn't miss the experience! The opening concert of both festivals, José Cura's concert, was a treat for lovers of classical music and lighter Latin tunes: the artist performed Argentinean romantic songs in his own transcription in the first half of the program, followed by excerpts from his favorite operatic roles – Pagliacci, La forza del destino, Otello. Szabolcs Szamosi, the managing director of Filharmónia Magyarország NKft., who also opened the Music Harvest Festival, welcomed the audience, and then José Cura welcomed the people of Pécs in Hungarian. He said (here in English) that it was very nice to be here, to perform for the first time in Pécs in the Kodály Centre with its wonderful acoustics. Laughing, he added that he did not want to sing anywhere else. He also told the enthusiastic audience that for him this was a family and intimate event, and that it was an honour to be able to sing the songs of his country and South America here.
Throughout the evening, the artist was very entertaining, direct and friendly, letting the audience into his (musical) world while singing and conducting - and most of the time at the same time. Not to mention his strong stage presence and powerful voice. Between each piece, he also revealed some interesting facts about the works, the instruments played, the composers and Argentina where, as he said, there are many nationalities and immigrants living, so the music often exudes nostalgia, a longing to return home. At the beginning of the second "act", José Cura told the audience of the sad news: just minutes before Elizabeth II, the Queen of the United Kingdom, had died. A minute's silence was observed in her memory. After the opera block, the singer finished his colorful and atmospheric show with Mexican hits, followed by the encore, which put the crown on the concert. After the line-up of several genres (a very difficult technical and artistic task), he returned to opera and finally sang the famous aria Nessun dorma from Puccini's opera Turandot. The audience in Pécs rewarded the fourth tenor's performance with a standing ovation.
|
|
José Cura's memorable evening with the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra at the opening concert of the Music Harvest Festival at the Kodály Center of Pécs, Hungary
8 September 2022 Report and Photos by Zsuzsanna Suba
The Hungarian audience never get tired of loving José Cura, whatever show or role he brings to the stage, success is guaranteed. Since his legendary performance in 2000 in Budapest, we know, that there is a special bond between him and his public here, which continues to revive and stir new waves on every occasion. This also happened in Pécs, but it was created in a particularly relaxed and natural way. After Cura’s many returning to Hungary through the years including the capital (Budapest) or most of the big cities of the country (Szeged, Veszprém, Miskolc, Gyula, Debrecen, Győr), he performed for the first time in Pécs. The town is located on the slopes of the Mecsek mountains and boasts of its unique Mediterranean atmosphere and very rich historical, natural, and cultural heritage. Among its other functions, the world-class building of the Kodály Centre is the home of the town’s orchestra, the Pannon Philharmonic. The Grand Hall of Kodály Centre is considered of being one of the best acoustics and most beautiful concert halls in Hungary. The last time I spent a longer time in the city was in the 90s, when I studied sedimentary-volcanic rock strata in the nearby Réka valley in the Mecsek Hills as a geologist student. How many things have changed in the city and in our life since then! On the opening night of the town’s recent Music Harvest festival, a full house awaited the excellently prepared and impressive program of the concert. The audience already started laughing at the beginning of the concert, when after a few minutes of patient waiting; José Cura took over the presenter's place at the microphone stand to share his enthusiasm with us. He was in a hurry to let us know, that the Kodály Center and its concert hall was such a wonderful place for him, that he didn’t want to go anywhere else, so let him stay and prepare his bed here. He advised us to imagine that we were participated in a family evening since they had known each other with the guest orchestra (Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra) and their guest conductor (János Kovács, permanent conductor of the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra) for more than 20 years now and we were ready to prepare an Argentinian Barbeque party together just at the rear part of the stage. Indeed, it happened that way in the first part of the concert, thanks to the wonderful Argentine songs which mostly conveyed melancholic moods, but also represented cheerful, ironic thoughts or serious meanings. Not only Cura’s incredible warm timbre, flexible voice and talkative performance enriched the songs, but he added his own precious orchestral arrangement to the songs too. It played by a carefully compiled, smaller orchestra. Two other excellent musicians, Dóra Bizják (piano) and András Csáki (guitar) were also contributed to the musical accompaniment or performed their instrumental solo parts.
PROGRAMME:
Herrera - Cura: Desde el fondo de ti
Apart from the two Argentinian songs of F. Herrera and M. E. Walsh and the 2nd movement of Cura's own guitar concerto, a dozen songs represented the “Argentinian Schubert”, Carlos Guastavino's brilliant musical legacy. All together they managed to wrap the songs with an amazingly created, natural harmony and charm also utilizing the individual variations and playfulness of the musical instruments including Cura’s vocalism. They also succeeded in preserving the symphonic richness and particular quality of the sound and music. While he was singing, José Cura performed the songs and conducted his orchestra with expressive hands, body languages and finesse paying great attention and emphasis in the painting of the various characters of the songs and maintaining the unity and accuracy of the sound. He radiated his caring fondness and extensive knowledge about Guastavino’s works, his text and music from the stage. He also acted as the most dedicated entertainer of the evening and took care of involving the audience in their common musical dialogue. While skilfully sharing small bits of information about the songs with us, he exploited every little situation to make his great sense of humour sparkle including his growing repertoire of Hungarian words. During the first four songs we listened to more nostalgic pieces of wonderful melodies which were already well-known from his Anhelo album. The beauty of the songs was highlighted even more by Cura's soft voice and charismatic performance. He handled the dynamics brilliantly. In addition to his tender and caressing rendition, he also vibrated his tenor in the passionate, sonorous lines. When one of the songs (“Préstame tu pańuelito”) followed about the handkerchief, he ensured us laughingly, that this had nothing to do with Otello. Then he introduced us one of the gem’s of Guastavino’s flower-poetry (“Violetas”). At half time of the first part, András Csáki performed the second movement of Cura’s own guitar concerto “Concierto para un Resurgir” which he wrote during the COVID lockdown in 2020. He was proud of showing at least part of his work for the first time in Hungary hoping that next time we could listen to the whole piece. András Csáki’s beautiful performance together with accompaniment of the orchestra and Cura’s conducting aroused our interest about the whole work and it earned a big round of applause from us. The last seven songs represented greater dynamics and emotional variations. Our rewarding applause became louder and more persistent too as his Latin temperament and full-hearted singing style prevailed among the lines. The last three sweet gems of the so-called “optimistic song” (“Cuando acaba de llover”), the one dedicated to the teachers (“Yo, maestra”) and especially the very playful “El albeador” crowned this part of the concert. We were ready to direct our first frenetic applause of true Hungarian style toward the stage. Our Maestro’s body language kindly indicated to us that we could produce an even bigger applause. When we did it, he accelerated our waves of love with his specific shaking/trembling choreography in receiving and thanking for this unique celebration. The second part of the concert consisted of a mixture of various genres including dramatic opera arias, orchestral overture, waltz, and romantic Latin American Love songs (Manzanero’s compositions from Cura’s Boleros album). But life intervened and when José Cura returned to the stage and started to tell us a kind story about a private concert, he gave Elizabeth II the Queen of The United Kingdom 22 years ago, some of us already knew that he would announce the sad news of her sudden death, which was revealed just minutes ago during the concert. He asked us to pay tribute to her memory with a minute of silence on behalf of the city and those who were here in the concert. Everyone stood up and remained in a silent shock for a while, then Cura thanked us for the joint action and the concert continued. János Kovács conducted the fully completed orchestra in this part of the concert. He proved why he is considered of being one of the best operatic conductors in Hungary with the help of the beautifully performing musicians and his youthful spirit. Cura gave us three arias from his favourite operas, Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci and Verdi’s Otello and incarnated himself into the souls of the complex and tragic characters of Canio and Otello. During the Prologue of Leoncavallo’s opera, Cura completely disarmed us with the easy, natural way of his storytelling, his multi-coloured, sonorous voice, talkative acting, and incredible passion. This was the turning point where his operatic voice and committed performance immediately forced us to raise our appreciation and enthusiasm to a higher level. We showed him and the orchestra the wall-shaking intensity of our frenetic applause again, this time mixing it with whistles of joy and shouts of bravo. This happened again after his enormously touching and passionate tenor aria, “Recitar …Vesti la giubba”, where he displayed the characteristics features of his rich acting-singing repertoire, vocal emotions and high notes in Canio's painful confession. Then, the Hungarian National Philharmonic orchestra was able to conjure a magical performance of fire and subtlety in the long Overture of Verdi’s La forza del destino. When José Cura returned to the stage, he immediately signed to the musicians that he was also envious of this achievement! We were honoured to listen to the greatest Otello of our time when Cura displayed Otello’s death before us in his last aria (“Niun mi tema”). It represented a bravura acting-singing performance and an incredibly beautiful vocal rendition. Our tenor gave everything to us he gained in this role role during its 25-year evolution. In the closing block of the concert, ”lighter” music of great quality was offered to us in the form of Bernstein’s very airy orchestral Waltz and Manzanero’s three very popular Bolero songs, sung by Cura. He grabbed a microphone which was necessary for the singing of these songs in their fine, proper style, which was completely different vocal task from the previous operatic pieces. He showed us again his extraordinary musicality and the soft tones of his dark timbre creating heated mood and beauty in the concert hall. His endless vocal dynamic and passion perfectly culminated in the refrains of the last song of the official program (“Como yo te amé”). Cura confessed, that he couldn't decide which he liked better, the orchestra playing pop music or seeing our wonderful conductor conducting this pop music. We demonstrated the endurance of our crazy clapping and continued our unstoppable frenetic applause in more waves until the point where José Cura was forced to treat us with two wonderful encores. He called András Csáki to stage for the guitar accompaniment of Ginastera’s sweet song (“Canción del árbor del olvideo”). After more fight with the bows and celebration finally our Maestro announced the “last piece” of the concert and he delivered a glorious rendition of Calaf’s aria from Puccini’s Turandot (“Nessun dorma”). His soaring voice and high notes deserved and won the immediate and unconditional, “wall to wall” standing ovation of the audience.
|
|
José Cura and the Slovak Philharmonic will perform at the Symphony of Arts festival Pravda 12 July 2022
[Computer-assisted Translation / Excerpt]
Tenor José Cura and the Slovak Philharmonic (SF) will perform at the 2nd year of the multi-genre festival Symphony of Arts. The festival, which is brought by the Bratislava-Ružinov district, thus becomes international. It will take place from September 1 to 11. "There will also be visual and theater arts, exhibitions and workshops for children and adults," they add to the festival, adding that artists will be exhibited in Andrej Hlinka Park. Over 650 artists will perform during the festival. Among others Štefan Kocán, Aga Zaryan, Robi Botos, Cigánski Diabli, Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (SOSR), SF Orchestra, Hungarian National Choir, Gustav Brom Radio Big Band. "World star José Cura will perform for the first time in the open air again in Bratislava after an absence of many years," the organizers underline. The opening concert of the festival, called Elán je klasika, will belong to SOSR and will take place on the square in front of Pradiarňa 1900. It will feature the most famous hits of the legendary group Elán, arranged by composer Ľubica Čekovská. The world-famous tenor José Cura, famous for his interpretation of Italian and French operas, but especially Verdi's Otello and Saint-Saëns' Samson, will perform for the first time on the same stage with SF on September 3. "At the Bratislava concert, he will also sing together with his two guests, Eva Hornyáková and Polina Shamaeva, under the baton of the chief conductor of the Slovak Philharmonic, Daniel Raiskin," add the festival organizers.
|
José Cura: Classical music is elite art, not fast foodMojakultura Zuzana Vachová 5 August 2022
“Without art, as well as without many other human achievements —too long and complex subject to sort out in two lines, the human species would be reduced just to its negative side,” says the world-famous tenor, who will perform at the Symphony of Arts festival in Bratislava, in an interview for our website.
During your career you have been performing in a lot of places. Theatres that have intimate, almost family atmosphere (the audience size is about 800 – 900) or Metropolitan opera in New York with audience size of around 3 thousand. Which is closer to your personality? Where you as an artist feel better?
Definitively I feel better in the “short distances” because these allow a close interaction with the public. But then you have those incredible events in which 10.000 souls sing a song together, and that’s also an amazingly “close interaction”. So, is there a proper answer for your question?
In September you are going to come to Bratislava again, this time for the Symphony of Arts festival. Your concert will be open air. How about you and open-air festivals? Do you enjoy them? Especially after covid period…
I have just inaugurated a new festival, the Pelješac Festival Orebić —of which I am the General and Artistic Director—, and which main stages will be open air. Open air concerts are a different kind of enjoyment, more connected to entertaining people with good music, rather than pretending to be philological. I mean, we cannot expect that a score that has been “designed” by its composer considering a certain “space”, can be faithfully reproduced in an “ambiance” that’s so far from the one for which the piece was conceived, even performing many times under taxing conditions like humidity, wind, or mosquitoes!… There are a lot of factors to be considered too, on top of the technical ones, to begin with an old dilemma: if we only perform in small halls —some of them acoustic jewels—, the number of people we can reach is insignificant compared to the number people that wants to enjoy this “summits” of the human genius. Hence, the consequence is the common cliché that says “classic music is for an elite”… A cliché that is wrongly adjudicated to an economical factor, when the truth is that a ticket for some of the most exclusive performances (Scala or Met inauguration, for example), is infinitely less expensive than a sit in a stadium to enjoy a top football match!
Mr. Cura, maybe this question is going to be a personal, but I will never forget, how you started to conduct the orchestra during the rehearsal for the show (and there was another conductor, indeed). And yes, it was necessary for the right interpretation, better tempo and expression of that aria (let us not name the conductor and the orchestra – Slovakia is too small country). Of course, you are an opera singer, director, music composer, musician, set designer and conductor, so you have your imagination how it should sound, right? Are you usually consulting this way the interpretation?
I have a saying: if we are dancing partners and you guide, I let myself go because it frees me up from the responsibility of leading, allowing me to concentrate in just dancing as best as I can. But, if you step on my toes, I have to take the lead to protect my poor feet…
The audience still remembers how you threw away your bow tie during the concert. So, it is not the dress code that’s important for opera arias, but emotions? At least for the spirited artists coming from Argentina, right? Or maybe you could show us better expressions and feel yourself free?
I really don’t remember the episode you quote —more than 30 years of international career for almost 3000 performances makes it hard to recall every detail—, so I would rather answer your question about me “wanting to show better ways of expressing”: A true artist, a “sincere” artist, produces his art the way he believes he has to, regardless of what others think. One of my best critics —even if it was intended to be a negative one—, was after my Otello at the Met: “This damn habit Cura has of always doing what he wants instead of what we expect from him”… Amazing definition of what a true artist is, implied in a supposed to be bad review.
Now, I’m going to be serious, I promise. In Bratislava during festival, you are going to perform opera repertoire – famous arias, duets, but as well operettas and songs from musicals. Let’s start with opera. Did you choose for the audience something special? What opera repertoire will you focus on?
I didn’t choose the program. We discussed it with my singer partners and maestro Raiskin in order to come to a list that would suit us all, allowing also some interaction in way of duets, for example. The program will be a number of very well-known pieces of great music.
You will also have two ladies on stage – soprano Eva Hornyáková and mezzo-soprano Polina Shamaeva. Can you tell us what repertoire will you sing with these opera singers?
With Polina I will sing the last duet of Carmen and a fragment of Samson et Dalila, and with Eva I will sing Otello’s love duet, a remembrance of our shared Otello performances in Prague many years ago.
Opera is considered an elite art in the world. I mean, not from the economic point of view, but from all the genres opera is shining the most. Why do you think it is during centuries always like that?
Classic art, in the sense we use the word “classic” today, is an amazing human achievement for everyone to enjoy, regardless of the economical solvency. There are tons of ways to reach classic art —not just music, but also ballet, sculpture, painting, literature, etc.— for little money or even for free. Nowadays more than ever. But classic art has a “sweet trap” embedded in its nature: it is not “fast food”. And here is where the “elite” confusion we mentioned above steps in: The enjoyment in classic art is in direct proportion with the time and effort invested in preparing yourself to “dive” into it. The better scuba you are, the more you will relish the magic of a great reef. But how many humans you know are willing to go through the demanding —before being rewarding—, process of learning how to dive? Just a few. Just an “elite”…
And then we have operetta – you will also perform some songs by Franz Lehár and his famous piece The Merry Widow. The genre of operetta is nowadays popular again and some people think of it, that is “light” and easy, but it is composed sophistically. Lehár was a very good composer. What is the main difference in singing of the operetta and opera? Because I noticed some singers sing operetta like opera arias, but I don’t really think it is correct…
Operetta as well as Zarzuela, are not minor genders. They are totally different styles to opera, and their challenge relies mostly in the performer’s capacity of mastering several different performance technics. Things that in opera performers are rare (even if they shouldn’t be) in an operetta performer are a must: dancing, acting, good diction, etc. The common confusion with “operetta” is born in the word itself that means “small opera”. But this semantic quid-pro-quo has nothing to do with the demanding skills necessary to properly stage an operetta. About the way of singing operetta you mention, we have to be careful: if we are singing without microphones, then the operatic way of projecting is a must otherwise the voice will never arrive to the audience. But there are not “dogmas” in this. If you perform an operetta of a lighter orchestration —some of the Johan Strauss’ pieces—, you can negotiate many things in terms of sound projection, but if you are performing Lehar’s works —for example “Giuditta”—, you have to put more “meet on the grill” since good old Franz loved larger orchestral palettes. Good professionals know this. Theoretical points of view are very welcome, but non very effective when it comes to the real thing that is to be on stage.
Why do you think operetta is nowadays popular again?
This question will be more of a personal guess than a verified opinion: Could it be that operetta, in its (generally) lighthearted approach to subjects that are less truculent than the operatic ones, finds a fresh new place in a World that is enough contorted already to enjoy going to the theater to witness yet more drama? I mean, even if I am considered one of the leading Otello of my generation, and the role has more than obviously helped me paying my bills for decades, I cannot deny that the devastating implications of a true-to-the-text approach to the Moor’s drama are everything but funny… Tosca, Pagliacci, Grimes, Traviata, Boheme, Butterfly, the list is long, are no precisely “a walk in the park” if you go to the theater just for the entertainment. Of course, there is the music factor that mainly prevails, and here is one of those points in which opera encounters paradox: some of the most disgusting human behaviors, shielded by the beauty of music, seem to be no so bad… Sorry, I let myself go.
You will also perform the song Como yo te amé. Do you realize all the women will fall in love with you and all the men will be jealous?
Just a beautiful song is not enough to seduce anybody. But if this beautiful piece by Armando Manzanero can ignite people’s romantic dreams, not towards myself but toward each other, then it would be “mission accomplished”… We need that today more than ever.
This is a really very special song about love; it has a special sentiment, because it is about unhappy love. When you perform this song, do you think about it how are you going to perform each word, phrase or it just an emotional process?
It is a beautiful text, dressed by a very sweet but intense melody. I just enjoy the hell out of it by singing without any background thoughts. In other words, I let Manzanero do the job for me!
Is it difficult for an opera singer to perform such a song – to find a compromise between an opera singing using your technique (for example in beautiful high notes) and “relaxed” singing?
If you master your voice, you can alternate between styles without problems. One dimensional technique is not a bad thing in itself if you stick to a single music gender, but if you alternate styles, either you adjust your performing or you will sound suspicious, to say the least. On the other hand, one doesn’t have to be so drastic. Of course it is better to do things as they should be, but here is where we step into the “slippery territory” of individual taste versus what it is “supposed to be correct”, a controversial still fascinating subject of discussion. In conclusion, that you sing a bolero like an opera aria or an opera aria by crooning, is not a great deal of a problem if you do it for fun in a concert, as far as you keep in mind that the real thing is a whole other story.
The Slovak Philharmonic will play under the baton of Maestro Daniel Raiskin. What is important for you according to the sound and the work of the conductor? The chemistry between the musicians and the maestro?
In such a short professional interaction —one day of rehearsal, performance and goodbye—, there is no time to create a deep human connection. But if the spontaneous chemistry is good and the “partner leading” factor explained above, works, the result is guaranteed. The public feels all is good on stage, relaxes and enjoys.
Let’s talk a bit about nowadays opera production. You are also an opera director, very good actor, set designer. You must notice that today there are many experiments in the world of opera. Lot of productions of operas are modern, minimalistic, often not following libretto. Do you think it is correct when Rusalka is dressed in latex costume and ends on the garbage dump? When there is just one table on the stage (does not really help the singers, right?) and singers are dressed like people from 23rd century? Should opera from 19th century look modern or historical?
Without experimenting, human kind would still be in the stone age. But one thing is to experiment in search of new paths and a totally different one is to “pretend” you are experimenting when the truth is you have no idea of what you are doing. The line is thin. However, performing again and again a classic piece wouldn’t be justified if not by the existence of different approaches, provided you don’t forget that “different” and “silly” are not synonyms.
Another thing is – big volume voices. Where did we lose the voice like you have? Like Peter Dvorský? Did you notice nowadays the opera houses prefer the new young generation with the “smaller” voices for the chamber, minimalistic, modern opera production? Do you think Verdi, Puccini and other composers would have accepted it?
You touch here a very complex subject of “plutarchian” connotations: What comes first, the egg or the chicken? Is the fashion of small voices an imposed phenomena, or is it an outcome of nowadays conformism, which is also the consequence of living in an era in which the need of quick results prevents the blossoming of maturity? Neither Peter, nor me or other singers of our kind were born with the voices we became known for. On the contrary, we are the result of years of hard work…
And the last question: why do we need art? And especially today?
Art is the living proof that humans have the potential to reach the sublime. Without art, as well as without many other human achievements —too long and complex subject to sort out in two lines—, the human species would be reduced just to its negative side, a side that we have to accept as part of us in order to be able to fight it back. An existential dilemmas since the night of times. My favorite way of illustrating this is imagining a flower shop, full of flower perfume, in which you hide a little piece of dog shit somewhere. The first thing the next customer will say upon walking in the shop is “smells like poop”, regardless the many flowers around. So let’s end with a positive quote: As long as there are more flowers than caca in the World, there is still hope. Art is one of those flowers.
José Cura Madrid, August 2, 2022 Questions: Zuzana Vachová Photos: Zoe Cura
|
|
|
|
Performance Magic
|
|
Charismatic tenor José Cura at the Symphony of Arts festival in Bratislava
Opera Slovakia Viera Polakavicova 6 September 2022
[Computer-assisted translation / Excerpt]
José Cura has been attracting opera-loving audiences to his events for over 30 years. He was in Bratislava for the sixth time, this time as a guest of the 2nd edition of the Symphony of Arts Festival, organized by the director of CULTUS Ružinov Andrea Kozáková with the support of the Bratislava-Ružinov Municipality, the Visegrad Fund and sponsors. The open air concert in front of the Pradiarna on 3 September 2022 featured the famous tenor and his partners, the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of chief conductor Daniel Raiskin, soprano Eva Hornyáková, soloist of the Slovak National Theatre Opera, and mezzo-soprano Polina Shamaeva, soloist of the Moscow New Opera Theatre and the Hungarian State Opera.
The audience could experience the artist in the roles that have captivated the opera world from the Metropolitan Opera to the Royal Opera House, the Vienna State Opera, the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, Zurich Opera to Milan's La Scala and which audience utters in the same breath as his name - Canio, Samson and Otello.
José Cura also performed in the Slovak National Theater in the past - at the Crystal Ball (5/3/2011), in Verdi's Otello ( 11/2/2 and 2/3/2012), in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci as Canio (18/9/2015) and at a full-length recital sang in Bratislava's AEGON Arena NTC (March 13, 2014).
[…]
The atmosphere was excellent and one of the most beautiful late summer evenings was enjoyed by the artists and the audience. Even though technically not everything was perfect there were many positive features. Hopefully, in time, funding will also be raised for a good quality program bulletin with artist biographies.
The programme of the opera concert was arranged by the artists into blocks of works by individual composers - Leoncavallo, Cilea, Bizet, Verdi, Saint-Saëns, Offenbach and Puccini - which allowed for the performance of iconic pieces of the main guest's repertoire. The conclusion of the evening belonged to the compositions of Mexican Armando Manzanero. These could perhaps have better been performed outside the official program as encores.
The Slovak Philharmonic took on its "summer" role with its chief conductor Daniel Raiskin, whose esprit, humour and unusual artistic intelligence enabled him to respond to [Cura’s] improvisations in a way that achieved artistic quality and did not exclude entertainment. Conductor, tenor, composer and, in turn, author and director, player of six musical instruments, indefatigable musician in body and soul, the Argentine José Cura is accustomed to success and immediately dominates the entire space.
The temperamental sixty-something loves the stage, where he loves to call the shots. He is a phenomenal musician who has come to everything through talent and honest work. The whole world knows him and we can enjoy him at in his mature sstage. He always seems to enjoy repeating his performances in Bratislava. He enjoys conducting his own performances and recordings of selected works. In "his" repertoire - Canio, Samson, Otello - he remains brilliant, although his voice has now taken on a darker color. However, he has acquired an even more dramatic expression. Singing with a microphone has its limitations but in an open-air space and with a television recording there is no other way to do it. On the one hand it helps but on the other hand it makes the sound sharper and the expression less flexible. However, all three singers handled this with distinction.
Cura began the performance with the prologue Si puň from Ruggiero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci and, after a short orchestral Intermezzo, continued with Canio’s aria Vesti la giubba, whose rendition still brings tears to the artist's eyes. Where the perfection of the musicianship already betrays the subtlety, his acting completes the expression. And this is what Cura prefers, a personal characteristic, so he is not only a master of singing, but also a master of drama.
In his case, everything turns to drama and no one knows in advance what will happen - whether he will accidentally ask the conductor to allow him to sing two measures again or whether he will change Dalila to Polina twice at the end... Raiskin, however, is an elegant, high-quality performer who knows humor and knows how to change into a lighter mode. I admired the orchestra and both singers. They all set themselves up for this evening to be José Cura's evening.
The duet didn't even need a scene. Cura dominated the situation, be it by joking, caressing or text exchange, but the audience's laughter was contagious, as it should be.
Cura treated the audience to Maurizio's aria L'anima ho stanza from Francesco Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur and a very impressive Don José in the closing duet C'est toi!... C'est moi! from Bizet's Carmen. His partner was the excellent Polina Shamaeva, a great singer and actress with an extraordinary stage presence and one whose temperament obviously suited the Argentine very well. It was as if the duet didn't even need a scene. Cura controlled the performance, whether with banter, caresses or exchanges of lyrics, but the gust of laughter from the audience was gracious.
In the second half, Bacchanalia from Camille Saint-Saëns' opera Samson et Dalila set the audience in the mood for another beautiful aria with Cura's minor entries - a beautiful duet Mon cśur s'ouvre ŕ ta voix, joyfully performed with the mezzo-soprano Shamaeva. Cura enjoyed the stage during this time and at the end decided to rename Dalila as Polina. I wonder if this was almost borderline tasteless, but who knows what avenues are used to win over the masses. Polina Shamaeva sang devotedly and highly professionally.
Very well-known, popular and proven blockbusters also came next. The ladies performed the barcarolle Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour from the opera The Tales of Hoffmann by Jacques Offenbach, and at the end came a reward from José Cura in the form of Cavaradossi's aria E lucevan le stelle from Puccini's Tosca. The artist remains a charismatic singer, enjoying the world of theater in his own way and winning over his fellow performers despite his unconventional behavior. Slovak television recorded the concert
Concert of the Symphony of Arts
R. Leoncavallo: Pagliacci // Prologue – Intermezzo – aria Cania Recitar!… Vesti la giubba
Samson and Dalila
Bacchanalia
|
|
José Cura: a concert stage full of real life
Moja kultúra SK Zuzana Vachová 10 September 2022
[Computer-assisted translation / Excerpt]
Concert performances tend to be full of pathos, gestures (sometimes even unnecessary), apparently so as not to bore the audience. José Cura, however, did not follow this path. He is a temperamental type of artist but at the same time he is the type of performer who studies the works in depth. He gave an unforgettable performance during the concert at the multi-genre festival Symphony of Arts.
José Cura is currently one of the tenor greats and his performances
in Slovakia are always associated with a holiday. Opera connoisseurs
always "book" such an evening, because this singer is a rare type
of renaissance artist. In addition to being a superb singer with
an unmistakable colour in his voice, he is also a conductor, a distinctive
type of actor in the operatic art (his workshops and the way he
is able to guide generations of young artists and pass on his experience
to them leave a deep mark) and a director of operatic works. José Cura is the type of artist who does not float on the surface of interpretation. He also experiences concert performances to the fullest and is extremely communicative with the audience. Slovakia has already experienced him on our main stage; this time he visited the multi-genre festival Symphony of Art to present himself in open air to our home audience for the first time, under the baton of the Slovak Philharmonic's chief conductor Daniel Raiskin. The compatibility of the two artists was evident even before we saw them on stage. Raiskin has spontaneity about him and as so he is not the type of conductor who follows established conventions - both of them are united by a strong natural musicality, which they are able to convey to the audience. The orchestra under his direction is always well prepared, which he proved also at the exclusive, sold-out concert with a soloist of Argentinian origin.
José Cura has made a name for himself by interpreting great roles that have made him known to audiences in various parts of the world. In Verdi's Otello and Saint-Saëns' Samson, for example, his performances are unique and have been enjoyed by audiences at the Metropolitan Opera, the Vienna State Opera, the Opera Bastille, the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, the Zurich Opera, the Royal Opera House and La Scala in Milan. Cura has received numerous prestigious awards throughout his career. The prologue represents the premise in which (in the spirit of the tradition from the Greek theater) the singer introduces the story to the audience. Pagliacci recall this tradition, but in an innovative style. While in the past they used the Prologue to assure the audience that everything that happens in the theater is fake, unreal and played only by actors, Pagliacci tells us - this story is true, partly because it is taken from real facts that the author drew from of your memories, and also because you, the audience, have to remember that actors are human beings who have real feelings. The opening of the evening belonged to Leoncavallo and his Pagliacci - the opening Prologue showcased our orchestra in good, consistent sound. The prologue presents a premise in which (in the tradition from Greek theatre) the singer introduces the story to the audience. Pagliacci recalls this tradition, but in a novel style. Whereas in the past it was the Prologue that reassured the audience that everything that happens in the theatre is false, unreal, and only performed by the actors, Pagliacci tells us this story is true, both because it is taken from real facts that the author drew from his memories, and because you, the audience, must remember that the actors are human beings too, who have real feelings. We do not mention this connection casually. José Cura knows exactly that the Prologue represents a veristic work--exploring truth and real feelings—and his interpretation corresponded to that. The cantabile musicality of the Italian tradition was on full display in his beautifully constructed legato arches in the first work but he did not neglect dramatic, declamatory passages appropriate to the content of the text where it was necessary. When it comes to Pagliacci, of course the famous Canio aria, Vesti la giubba, could not be ignored. The suggestively sung theme under the sensitive baton of Raiskin who was able to capture the dramatic moments and was an excellent partner for the tenor, caused a buzz in the audience. It's such a familiar piece that even opera laymen know it so the response was immediate. Cura was fully aware that this aria requires a dramatic voice and a multitude of conflicting emotions that must be contained in a small space - from the dynamic beginning in the mezzoforte, in the first word he sang - Recitar - we could clearly hear the bitterness and loss of faith that the hero in the story is experiencing. From the mezzoforte and the nicely shaped legato, Cura got to the expected dramatic sforzato and laughter, which the composer also wrote in the score. It sounded exactly as it should have - a combination of sadness and at the same time disappointment, bitterness, the sorrow of life. There was also a resigned pianissimo full of color and great anger in the fortissimo - the tenor showed a wide range of expressions in this aria, which reeks of a truly harsh life, realism, even cynicism. […] The torturous love triangle from [Adriana Lecouvreur] was concluded in the program by José Cura with an aria from the second act. The tenor showed a combination of youthful fervor and lyricism - the character of Maurizio was able to come alive even in concert form thanks to his interpretation. What makes Cura special is that even during concerts he sings with passion, acting the role, adding movement even though limited by the static microphone. And, of course, by his communication with the audience. He is not the type of singer who can restrain his emotions and concentrate them within a single place on the stage - that is why we also saw improvisation (rather to the surprise by the conductor, the soloist and the orchestra players, and last but not least by the crew that filmed the concert). The audience of the Symphony of Arts Festival was able to experience the aria in an impulsive, hot-blooded southern form. Carmen and Don José's duet from the fourth act closed the first part of the concert. Polina Shmaeva technically mastered this demanding duet, although her expression lacked the necessary temperament that the character of Carmen possesses. In this duet José Cura clearly had the upper hand - in terms of expression and understanding of his role. It was obvious that he prefers an expressive type of acting, which he showed especially in this duet. A duet with the star of the evening awaited our soprano. Gia nella notte from Otello is definitely one of the most beautiful love duets ever written - the subdued strains of the cellos in the opening evoke a romantic atmosphere; Desdemona is accompanied by the harp. Both combine drama with despair. It's a beautiful theme close to Wagner's style. It has urgency and harmonic tension. It was at this point that Cura had already "shown his feelings for Desdemona" and confessed to the audience that it was frustrating to stand in just one place, at the microphone. He said that they were instructed not to move because the voice would then not reach the audience, but for him as a singer something like that is unthinkable. Anyway, there was a nice chemistry between the two singers on stage - despite the fact that it was a concert performance. It wasn't the kind of chill concert where arias, duets, overtures and intermezzi alternate line after line, but each number had a pulse and life - thanks in part to José Cura bringing that life to the stage. In an aria and duet [from Samson et Dalila], the evening's guest played sympathetically with Polina – during her aria he looked for a place in the orchestra from which he could sing. He finally found it. Apparently he was growing tired of the static position behind the microphone and this added not only acoustic but visual variety to the duet. The mezzo-soprano may have been concentrating too much on her demanding part but José wasn't paying attention to the libretto either, and we heard “Polina” from his lips instead of Dalila in the love duet. The relaxed second half of the concert also brought Offenbach and his Hoffmann stories. Barcarolle from the second act - it was again a space for the ladies and their intonationally pure duets. As usual, a relaxing number is usually followed by a serious one - and so it was at the concert. Cavaradossi's aria from Puccini's Tosca was a big hit. E lucevan le stelle, as performed by Cura, was full of sadness, but also of longing and regret and impending death. Puccini was able to accumulate all these emotions in a small space and the tenor is exactly the kind of singer who was able to sing them to the full. In doing so, he also concentrated on the words that capture his memories - the joy of life he felt when he was with his beloved, smelling the fragrance, hearing the sound of the door opening, her silent footsteps, but all of this is already gradually interspersed with the despair he feels about death. The tempo, which was variable in his performance, was consistently adapted by the chief conductor of the Slovak Philharmonic - his hands breathed together with the singer. It is perhaps a pity that the clarinet solo in the opening was not cleaner; this famous aria would undoubtedly have deserved it. The final numbers, with which the singer absolutely won over the audience, were two songs by Armando Manzanera. These are songs that touch you immediately - but if you look at the content of their lyrics, they are not simply sweet romances; on the contrary, there is often pain and tragedy, sadness of a break-up, but also hope. Cura has a special gift of singing them without an operatic touch - like songs, yet with feeling, with a pleasant dose of agony, inner sorrow, and infinite love, all at the same time. Extremely communicative, full of energy and temperament - in short, José Cura is an artist we don’t often see on our concert stages, but that is perhaps why we enjoyed his performance all the more.
|
Cura Announces the Peljesac Festival Oberic
This is a multi-year directorship of a new festival, starting in 2022 in Oberic and thereafter expanding across the Peljesac region
Argentinian opera singer José Cura is coming to Croatia as the director of the festival in PelješacJutarnji Lana Ribaric 27 The world-famous Argentinian opera singer José Cura announced his arrival in Croatia as part of the Summer Festival of the City of Captains, which takes place on Pelješac, and of which Cura is the current director. The festival will last from July 16 to 22. The sounds of music by Verdi, Dvořák, Beethoven and others are expected. This will not be Cura's first visit to Croatia or Pelješac. He has performed several times in Croatia, and he sang on the Orebić waterfront in September last year accompanied by the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra, according to the Tourist Board of Orebić. At the concert, he performed his new compositions and some of the most famous opera arias, and he was joined on stage by Kristina Kolar, soloist of the HNK Opera, soprano Marija Jelić and conductor Marija Ramljak. Cura also agrees with this judgment, claiming that music and art are spectacles that bring people pleasure. He admits that artists love applause and that anyone who denies this is lying. The musician, who claims that the voice is "the most beautiful instrument" revealed to El País that he does not want to blindly stick to tradition, but seeks his own interpretation, even under the threat of merciless criticism. Argentina's La Nación points out his "color and character of voice, energetic personality, charisma and impressive stage presence that make him ideal to embody the biblical hero (Samson)". In 1984, the (now) fifty-nine-year-old tenor moved from Rosario to the capital, Buenos Aires, where he sang in the choir of Teatra Colón. Since 1999, he has collaborated with the London Philharmonic, the London Symphony, the Vienna Philharmonic, the Warsaw Symphony, the Toscanini Orchestra and the Hungarian Philharmonic. La Commedia č finita marked the beginning of his career as a director and scenographer, which continued in productions such as Saint-Saëns' Samson et Dalila. As a director, he received praise for La Rondine of the Opera Nancy and for Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci of the Royal Opera of Wallonia. He also triumphed with Teatra Colón's production of Otello, La Bohčme, a new version of Puccini's classic set in Scandinavia, Turandot of the Royal Opera of Wallonia and Nabucco of the Prague National Opera. He also achieved success as a composer and from 2015 to 2018 he worked for the Prague Symphony Orchestra. In 2015, the Argentine Senate awarded him the Domingo Faustino Sarmiento Award for achievements in education and culture, and in 2017 he was named Professor Honoris Causa of the National University in his native Rosario.
|
|
'When I first saw Orebić, I was speechless and told my wife I want to die here!' Dubrovnik Herald Lorita Vierda 6 July 2022
[Computer assisted translation]
He didn't need a local herbalist from Pelješ to relax and sing; what he needed came two years ago in the form of a hated virus that shook his previously hectic life and world to its foundations. José Cura, a world star, a striking, expressive Argentine tenor and conductor whom we previously saw at the Dubrovnik Summer Games, fell in love with Orebić. He has founded a festival in the Pelješac city of captains that will gather the cream of the music world for a week and give the Pelješac region, as he likes to say, "the younger brother of the Dubrovnik Summer Games," the Pelješac Festival. He has a lot of plans involving fellow artists but, taught by the experience of the last two unpredictable years, he is preparing things step by step. As he says, he still doesn't understand our "a little bit" or "it will be," he lacks our Mediterranean experience where everything sort of comes together by itself, and in the scorching heat of 36 degrees and 60 percent humidity in Orebić, he didn't have too much strength to complain. "When asked why Orebić, I will answer - and why not? I will be 60 soon, my career has lasted for 40 years. I have been to all places on the planet. I have sung in front of all kinds of audiences and in my career it is difficult to rise any higher. I have done everything. Looking back, I know that such a way of life was really abnormal, with thousands and thousands of performances when everything is added up. There's been a lot of everything but what's important to me is what's ahead of me," says Cura, whom the people of Orebić greet with: "Oh, Jozo..." or "Adio, Joshua," but he has not yet become a household name. And he certainly plans to become one right here, in the most beautiful town in the world, Orebić. "When you're in such a grind as I was in for 40 years, you do nothing but pedal. You don't care about what else is happening in life and the world because everything goes by so fast. And then covid stopped everything. Little by little, after those dark months, I realized that I had stopped pedaling and that there was a whole normal world outside my bubble. Nature or God, whichever you prefer, gave us all a warning and I accepted it. Then I got an invitation to perform in a place called Orebić. I had never heard of it. We all know Dubrovnik but the world ends there," says Cura, who has performed at the Games and delighted the audience. But he is aware that the little pearl he is preparing in Orebić cannot be compared to the big, old festival that is well-known around the world. "Last year in September we landed in Dubrovnik and then drove for hours. I thought, 'Well, where are we going? How long is this drive? Man, is it some fictional place or are we ever going to get there...?' And then we rounded the last corner and a scene unfolded in front of me that shocked me. I thought I had arrived in heaven... I opened my mouth and said to my wife: 'I want to die here!' She looked at me a little strangely and said: 'Okay, but come on. It's not time yet' (he laughs). I performed with the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra and it was nice. But everything was still under covid-measures, with masks and few people dared to attend. I stayed behind for a couple of days, exploring the place. People seemed totally spontaneous and I began to imagine a future here. I was watching a match between Real and Barcelona one evening, around 11 p.m., when my phone rang and the prefect Nikola Dobroslavić was on the other end. He told me excitedly that he had heard from Fran Matušić and the team that they wanted to organize something in Orebić, and so, little by little, we made the decision that it would be great to make a festival, to start with that and then later create a cultural center for the peninsula to include the surrounding towns. That's how it all started." An open and strong communicator, Cura leaves no room for guesswork. His sentences are sharp and unambiguous, just like his performances. He can't believe how hot it is—he compares Orebić with Madrid and says, "Look, it's 40 there [Madrid] today, but with only 8 percent humidity, so it's reasonable. But this, this humidity with such a high temperature that kills, I didn't expect that. And what are we going to do? Everyone is sweating like pigs so I'm not embarrassed either!" We climb to the top of the hill above Orebić, to the monastery of Our Lady of Anđela. “I love the view,” Cura says. "We have to snap a few photos.” He says it's the most beautiful place he's ever seen. A light wind at almost 40 degrees Ceslius feels like a blowtorch but the ambiance makes us forget the heat for a moment. He mentions again how Pelješac somehow remained an orphan in spite of the numerous important festivals and events nearby. "We have to start from nothing. We are the youngest brother of the Games. We are starting something new, to be recognized, to start events for the entire Pelješac from Orebić. This year will only be Orebić, but we dream and plan to include the rest of Pelješac and Korcula. There will not be only classical music but also jazz, rock'n'roll, gastronomy and the photo scene, a million things to attract attention. We want people to return home afterwards and say, 'I had a great time at the annual...'." This is confirmed by the two main people in logistics - the mayor of the municipality of Orebić, Tomislav Ančić, and the director of the Orebić TZ, Mladen Đeldum, who are enthusiastic and excited about the upcoming festival. Over the last 40 hectic years Cura has proven who he is, he says, so there is no need to prove himself anymore. It's time for him to leave his experience as a legacy. "There is no elbowing, quite the opposite, I want us all to cooperate. I want to become part of the community, live here for at least half a year. We cannot be rivals, there is enough conflict in the world. Maybe I am an idealist..." There is no false modesty in José and I am reminded that this is often the case with artists who adore attention and stage lights. "I don't know if I consider myself a star. It's some expression that means a lot and nothing at the same time. If it means sharing some of my light, I would like to characterize myself as such," says Cura, adding that in his several thousand performances in his career he has seen and done everything. And he also includes mistakes, which, he says, were almost as many as the most important moments. "I don't regret that I worked and lived like that but now I wonder how I managed to do it in the first place?! My wife and work partner, Silvia, who has been with me for decades, now looks at me like I’m a Martian. But covid changed everything. The ‘old me’ is no more. When you stop the rhythm and the spotlight goes off, you begin to see some things. For example, I started walking my dogs. They looked at me strangely, like, 'Are you sure, do you how to do this?!'" Jozo, as he is called here, an artist who actually never wanted to be an opera singer, laughs fondly in Orebić. "I never wanted to be a singer. I studied composing and conducting, and one of my subjects was singing. You can't be a good maestro without that. Once I was working with a singing teacher, and the dean of the conservatory heard me while passing through the hall. He invited me immediately into his office and said to me: 'Do you realize what a voice you have? Are you aware that you are an untrained but rare dramatic tenor? You have to sing!' I hated opera. I was 19 years old and cocky. I told him, 'I don't want to go on stage in a cloak for the rest of my life'. And then he told me something that defined and directed me: 'OK, you don't have to be singer, but learn to sing because it will make you a better conductor.' I agreed. I started learning to sing and - here I am!" “There is no such event that really marked my career, but when you live so intensely for 40 years, there are a lot of important moments, as well as lots of mistakes. Mistakes make a person grow. I was often in the wrong place at the wrong time and made the wrong decisions, but I learned as a result. I'm still an idealist, but when I was younger I was a romantic idealist, shooting at everything that moved. Now I think carefully about whether anything is even worth a bullet. I'm still a romantic but now more of a stoic. And it's important to be surrounded by people who will point you in the right direction. Because when you have a career like I had, everyone nods and bows to you, not because they adore you, but because you bring them money. There are only a few people around me I trust and my instructions to them are always the same: 'If I'm wrong, tell me'. Silvia chides me non-stop, even at home, honestly and truthfully. I also ask them to tell me when I become pathetic on stage. It's especially difficult for someone like me who loves to be in front of the stage lights and in the center of attention to retreat elegantly." Cura points out his own objective. "Playing and singing someone who is 20 - and I am 60 - is really pathetic. Either I will be honest and withdraw from the stage rather than play characters that are not within my age range or I will be ridiculous and disappoint myself and the audience. How can I go through teenage dilemmas at this age? Stupid and unnecessary. You have to say 'enough' when the time is right. One of my dreams is to play the Emperor in Turandot and end my career like that, with dignity. “It's very difficult for a performing artist leave the stage. That's why he needs to be 'recycled' in other projects, like this festival. When we get it on its feet and set the standard, I'm looking forward to the artists being the main stars. My ego isn’t so big that I need to see myself on posters all the time. I'll be in the background and I'm really looking forward to that."
|
|
With Croatian Premier, Andrej Plenkovic (center)
and Secretary of State, Frano Matusic (left), in Hansa Media reception
at Sponza Palace (Dubrovnik) in occasion of the Pelješac bridge
opening last July 26. It is was nearly 40 degrees in the courtyard
and you can tell… Croatia has inaugurated two bridges this month,
one cultural in Orebić, of which I have the honor of being the Director,
and one of steel and concrete, for which Mr Plenkovic commitment
has been determining. Uniting people through infrastructures and
culture: what an amazing achievement in these so turbulent times!
#pelješac
#visitorebic
#brige
#peljesacbridge
#orebic
#dubrovnik
|
|
JOSÉ CURA...JULY 31, 2022
As I said in my previous post, the week that goes from July 20th to 26th, Croatia became an example for the World when in the country two bridges were inaugurated: one that physically connects two sides of the country —spanning the sea channel between Komarna on the northern mainland and the peninsula of Pelješac—, and other that spiritually connects the peninsula to the World through the only “language” every human in Earth understands: Music. I strongly believe this picture in which (from left to right) Municipal Major of Orebić Tomislav Ančić, State secretary for Political Affairs Frano Matušić, the Dubrovnik-Neretva County Prefect Nikola Dobroslavić, (myself) and Ruling HDZ Party Whip and Member of Croatian Parliament, Branko Bačić declare the “Pelješac Festival Orebić” inaugurated, will become iconographic in the years to come. Thanks to the four of them for their relentless support —a support that became even stronger when we received the Congratulations and encouragement of the Prime Minister himself. There is still a huge work to be done, but I hope one day —not so far from today—, every inhabitant of Pelješac, beginning with each and all of my new brothers, the Orebić citizens, will be proud of our cultural “crusade”. See you all in 2023! #peljesacbridgeconstruction #peljesacbridge #peljesacpeninsula #orebic
|
|
|
|
José Cura and the birth of a new classical music festival in Croatia, with invited Romanian musicians Interview with the conductor, composer and initiator of the festival Adevarui
Oltea Şerban-Pârâu
[Computer-assisted translation] The Pelješac Orebić Festival, a brand new festival, will be held on the Dalmatian coast between July 20-22; it has been organized and artistically supervised by the famous Argentine tenor, conductor and composer Jose Cura, with the contribution of numerous Romanian musicians. In the opening concert on July 20, Cura will introduce the Pelješac Orebić Festival as well as the artists who will take part in it: the Bucharest Metropolitan Orchestra, the Children's Choir of the Orebić Primary School, the Artists' Choir of the Bucharest National Opera and guest soloists Teodora Tchoukourska (soprano), Ester Pavlu (mezzo-soprano), Boris Lukov (tenor) Emil Zhelev (bass), Barbora Kubiková (guitarist) and conductors Viliana Valtcheva and Daniel Jinga. The second evening - July 21 - will have as its central event a “Rockappella” concert that will include the Artists' Choir of the Bucharest National Opera (conductor Daniel Jinga) and continue with the 9th Symphony From the New World by Dvořák, with the Bucharest Metropolitan Orchestra with José Cura at the podium. On Friday, July 22, Verdi's Messa da Requiem will be offered under the baton of Cura. I spoke on this occasion with the organizer and soul of the festival, José Cura. Oltea Şerban-Pârâu: Audiences in Romania had the opportunity to discover you during the George Enescu Festival in September 2021 through an impressive interpretation of your work Ecce Homo. Tell us, please, a few words about the collaboration with the Romanian musicians and about this special composition. José Cura: That orchestra was the London Philharmonia, but as for the choir, we collaborated with the Romanian Broadcasting Choir and the Radio Children's Choir. I had a very pleasant musical and human collaboration with them. OSP: Did you have the opportunity to work with Romanian musicians before this summer festival in Croatia? JC: In over 30 years of international career, I have worked with Romanian musicians many times, not only with orchestras, but also with singers. It was always a very intense experience, a combination of technical prowess and passion. OSP: This summer festival in Croatia, the Pelješac Orebić Festival, is the first festival that you serve as general director after a long international activity as a musician. JC: I’ll repeat here what I wrote in the presentation of this festival. People ask me "Why Orebić? Why not Vienna or Salzburg?" Well... there are already at least four festivals in Salzburg, not to mention Vienna, which, from a musical point of view, is the most effervescent city in the world. What would be the point of starting another cultural project in places where there are already a lot of such projects? In my long and fruitful career I have had the rare chance to reach the heights within my profession. I have performed in the most prestigious opera houses of the world, from Australia to Moscow, from Los Angeles to China, from Buenos Aires to Europe. I have given my art to the most eclectic and demanding audiences, including heads of state and members of royal houses worldwide. My name appears on the covers of more than fifty international magazines and in almost eighty audio recordings and/or films. And on 9 June 2022, my long compositional activity - the one for which I chose to become a professional musician - was crowned with the world premiere of the Requiem, a monumental work for triple choir, soloists and orchestra. So what else could have I have done that I have not? I had an extremely intense artistic occupation when the pandemic stopped the entire planet. And suddenly I had an epiphany: at almost 60 years of age I had already "spent" three quarters of my existence on Earth and, although I had been part of the most impressive "artistic structures" in the world, I felt the need build a different type of structure, to create something from scratch so that when I retire my legacy can be associated not only with the life of the performer but also with my developmental activity. In my profession, this is the pinnacle. So, I thought, how about doing something really new. And, like a miracle, fate came to my aid... When I was invited last year to do a short concert in Orebić, I never imagined that I would fall in love with this region. The concert was a great success, and I left deeply impressed by the beauty of this place. A few months later, Frano Matušić, musician and secretary of state, sensed my desire to return to Orebić and a few days after our telephone conversation Governor Nikola Dobroslavić confirmed my invitation with great enthusiasm. But it wasn't until the mayor Tomislav Anćić – Tomi, as we all call him – contacted me to give me the official invitation to become an active member of the community that things started to get really serious. The objective was to create on the Pelješac peninsula, under the administration of the city of Orebić, a brand new frestival. So, here we are now, launching this promising project, full of enthusiasm and confidence in the future. Dear citizens of Orebić, dear citizens of the Pelješac peninsula, dear citizens of Croatia, dear international spectators, citizens of the world, with your love and support, what we can do in this amazing dream of ours has limits we do not know yet. Shall we discover them together? OSP: In July 2022, you will collaborate, as a conductor, with maestro Daniel Jinga, general director of the Romanian National Opera in Bucharest. When did you meet him for the first time and what were the general criteria for choosing musicians for this festival? JC: I was appointed general director of the Festival in May 2022, which means that I only had two months to prepare a series of events that, in our profession, we prepare at least a year in advance. In such cases, there is only one way to find solutions and that is to ask for the help of friends. By chance I happened to be in Bucharest, where I conducted Ernani for the Ruse Opera at the invitation of my old friend Ivan Kyurkchiev. After a few weeks, Ivan became an adviser to the Bucharest Opera House. When I told him about the Festival, he immediately told me that he would talk to Master Jinga. I had met Daniel Jinga in the spring when I conducted Ernani and I felt an immediate connection with him, both musically and humanly. Since then everything has fallen into place. Jinga, Kyurkchiev and I have a close collaboration, day by day, to solve all the problems that arise when you organize such an event in just a few weeks, but this would not have been possible without the extraordinary efficiency of Miruna Postolache's secretariat and without the tenacity of the tournament manager, Pavel Ionuţ, both ready at any time to solve any problem. Last but not least, none of this would have been possible without the dedication of these musicians – singers and instrumentalists, as well as the technical team – who will participate in the Orebić Pelješac Festival. Contrary to the negative attitude of those who tried to undermine this tour because they did not understand the spirit of creating a new festival in these difficult times, those who come to sing for me do so with love and respect. I am deeply grateful to them. OSP: Dvořák's 9th Symphony and Verdi's Messa da Requiem? Do you think this program might be too difficult for an audience coming to an outdoor concert? JC: I might be but if you want people to know that we are not joking when we talk about a Festival that could become very important for the future of the region, then we have to offer them everything from the first day. In the following years, we will include in the program other genres of quality music, not just classical. Anyway, the Symphony From the New World is one of the most famous of all the symphonies, and we will dedicate Verdi's Requiem to all those who died during these very difficult years. This is our message from Orebić to the whole world. OSP: Do you have future plans involving Romanian musicians? Maybe the Bucharest National Opera or the George Enescu Festival? JC: I cannot reveal future plans that have not been confirmed, but I can confirm that we are in discussions with both mentioned institutions. OSP: At this point in your career are you more interested in conducting and composing than singing? What are your musical priorities for the future? JC: I have been involved in over 3000 performances in my career, starting in 1978, when I was a child, until now. Most of these performances were made in the last 30 years—a very intense artistic career as a singer, conductor and director, and since 2015, back to my career as a composer, the one that brought me to music. I can't say I'm more interested in singing than directing or doing anything else because I love everything I do, but I can certainly talk about the priorities, which are creating projects for future generations as well as working with opera theaters as musical or artistic director, since, after all these decades of nomadic life, I feel this need for "attachment" in my next years of artistic life. |
|
The first Pelješac Festival Orebić has opened: Top music, excellent soloists and a carefully selected program
Jutarnji.hr 21 July 2022
[Computer-assisted translation] The general and artistic director of the three-day festival is maestro and world-renowned Argentine tenor José Cura
Pelješac Festival Orebić was opened last night. As emphasized in the official announcement, more than a thousand visitors on the summer stage of Mlinica in Orebić enjoyed great performances by soloists and choir artists of the National Opera from Bucharest, accompanied by the Bucharest Metropolitan Orchestra and conducted by Vilijana Valtcheva, Danijel Jinga and José Cura. Maestro and world-renowned Argentine tenor José Cura has multiple roles in Orebić. He is the general and artistic director of the three-day festival and Pelješac has big plans for this place. He is already announcing an even bigger spectacle for next year. The performance of the choir and soloists - Ester Pavla, Boris Lukov, Teodora Tchoukourska, Emil Zhelev – was full of emotions and the positive energy spread with the people of Pelješče and their guests most touched by the choir of the Orebić Elementary School, which performed at the beginning and end of this unique evening. "With beautiful beaches and top-quality wine and food offerings, starting this year we have even more reason to visit Orebić and Pelješac. Pelješac Festival Orebić is an event not to be missed. This year we brings famous musicians and conductors to our place, and in the next edition performances of top stars are expected. Small Orebić now finds itself alongside the biggest summer festivals," says Mladen Đeldum, director of the TZ of the municipality of Orebić, inviting all lovers of good music to come tonight and tomorrow to the Mlinica summer stage with a reminder that tickets are free this year. Tonight, the Chorus of Artists of the National Opera in Bucharest will perform well-known melodies such as Bohemian Rhapsody, Mamma Mia, Proud Mary..., and the Bucharest Metropolitan Orchestra, under the baton of maestro Cura, will perform Dvořák's Symphony From the New World. Tomorrow, the famous Verdi's Requiem is on the repertoire, and maestro Cura points out that this monumental work will be performed for the first time on the Pelješac peninsula as a special recognition by Orebić to all those who have passed away in the world during the last two extremely difficult years.
|
| World-renowned Argentine maestro José Cura is performing at
the Pelješac festival in Orebić. This will be three days of top
music, 20, 21 and 22 July at 9 p.m., when Orebić turns into the
most beautiful summer stage. Alongside the famous maestro, the Bucharest
Metropolitan Orchestra, choir and soloists of the National Opera
from Bucharest will perform, with the youngest citizens of Pelješac
gathered in the Orebić elementary school choir as the special guests. A great prelude to the music festival is the performance of guitarist Barbora Kubíkova on 18 July at 8:30 p.m. in the Parish Church in Orebić. Admission to all concerts is free.
|
| 18 | 7 | 2022 | MONDAY | 20:30 h | PONEDJELJAK
PARISH CHURCH IN OREBIĆ
Barbora Kubiková | Guitar Recital Temptations of the Renaissance – Štěpán Rak Suite castellana (Fandanguillo, Arada, Danza) – Federico Moreno Torroba Recuerdos de la Alhambra – Francisco Tárrega Asturias – Isaac Albéniz La Catedral (Preludio, Andante religioso, Allegro solemne) – Agustín Barrios Mangoré Milonga – Jorge Cardoso Adiós Nonino – Astor Piazzolla Elogio de la Danza (Lento, Obstinato) – Leo Brouwer Variaciones sobre un Tema de Fernando Sor op. 15 – Miguel Llobet
|
| 20 | 7 | 2022 | WEDNESDAY | 21:00 h | SRIJEDA
PARKING MLINICA José Cura & Friends Host José Cura introduces the Pelješac Festival Orebić as well as the artists that will take part of it: theBucharest Metropolitan Orchestra, the Children Choir of the Orebić Primary School, the Choir of artists of the Bucharest National Opera, and guest soloists Teodora Tchoukourska (soprano), Ester Pavlu (mezzo-soprano), Boris Lukov (tenor), Emil Zhelev (bass), Barbora Kubiková (guitarist), conducted by Viliana Valtcheva and Daniel Jinga. Eternal flame – Susanna Hoffs Como yo te amé – Armando Manzanero Cavatina – Stanley Meyers Chiquilín de Bachín – Astor Piazzola Overture of Guglielmo Tell – Gioachino Rossini La calunnia – Gioachino Rossini Don Giovanni, duet La ci darei la mano – Wolfgang Mozart O mio babbino caro – Giacomo Puccini E lucevan le stelle – Giacomo Puccini Prelude of Carmen – Georges Bizet Habanera – Georges Bizet Seguidilla – Georges Bizet Somewhere – Leonard Bernstein Yesterday – Paul Mccartney Imagine – John Lennon Nessun dorma – Giacomo Puccini 9th symphony, 4th movement – Beethoven
|
|
|
|
21 | 7 | 2022 | THURSDAY | ČETVRTAK PARKING MLINICA | 21:00 h Rockappella The Choir of artists of the Bucharest National Opera, with their conductor, Daniel Jinga, will seduce us with a beautiful combination of songs from the World repertoire. Bohemian Rhapsody – Freddie Mercury, Arr. Mark Brymer Mamma Mia – Benny Andresson, Stig Anderson, Björn Ulvaeus Proud Mary – John Fogerty, Arr. Kirby Shaw Java Jive – Ben Oakland, Milton Drake, Arr. Kirby Shaw The lion sleeps tonight – Hugo Peretti, L. Creatore, G. Weiss, Arr. Roger Emerson La Bamba – Ritchie Valens Les Champs Elysées – Mike Wilsh, Mike Deighan, Arr. Claude Poletti Elijah Rock – Spiritual, Arr. Jester Hairston Joshua fit the battle – Spiritual, Arr. Anders Öhrwall Chae shukarie – Gipsy Trad., Arr. Dragan Šuplevski Estrella e lua nova – Trad. From Brazil, Arr. Heitor Villa-Lobos The way we were – Marvin Hamlisch, Arr. Chuck Cassey Chindia – Alexandru Pașcanu New World Symphony - Antonin Dvořák The Bucharest Metropolitan Orchestra conducted by José Cura, brings to Orebić, the wonderful melodies of this most famous of symphonies. |
|
|
| 22 | 7 | 2022 | FRIDAY | PETAK PARKING MLINICA | 21:00 h Giuseppe Verdi | Messa da Requiem Guest soloists, the Choir of artists of the Bucharest National Opera and the Bucharest Metropolitan Orchestra, conducted by José Cura, will perform for the first time ever in the Pelješac peninsula this monumental piece of the repertoire, as a special tribute from the City of Orebić to all of those who have died in these last two difficult years for the World. |
|
|
José Cura among the stars at 61st Music Festival in Łańcut
21 May 2022
|
The 61st Music Festival in Łańcut will start on May 21. The management of the Subcarpathian Philharmonic in Rzeszów has announced the program of the event. This year, José Cura, a world-famous Argentine singer, and Basia Trzetrzelewska, one of the most famous Polish singers, will perform.
As in previous editions, there will be many world-class names and
references to the war in Ukraine. A "Evening of Solidarity with
the Ukrainian Nation" has been planned. For the first time in two
years, the Music Festival will have no pandemic limitations. It
will take 9 days.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Last Updated: Sunday, September 25, 2022 © Copyright: Kira
