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Opera Now's
Featured DVD of the Month
October 11 |
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Referenced Review |
"Two timeless stories of love, honour, justice and violence,
captured on just one DVD – a highlight for every opera lover.
Pietro Mascagni‘s “Cavalleria rusticana” and Ruggero
Leoncavallo‘s “Pagliacci” speak to one‘s heart and soul. They
are regarded as the most absorbing tragedies of Italian music
theater. Adultery, jealousy and betrayal are leading to
passionate conflicts that jointly connect both operas. The
impressively embellished stage waives exaggerated decoration to
underline the unflattering realistic brutality. Both operas are
supported by a musical variety of great arias, short duets and
amazing choir passages that add to the unveiled expression of
feelings. As a special guest the Argentinian Tenor José Cura
stands out with his fascinating singing and acting performance.
Besides him Soprano Paoletta Marrocu with her expressive
interpretation of Santuzza, Carlo Guelfi as Tonio or Fiorenza
Cedolins as Nedda can convince the audience with their great
voices. These atmospheric performances directed by Grischa
Asagaroff and conducted by Stefano Ranzani are capable to
fascinate every opera lover." Presto
Classical
“...the star here is
undoubtedly José Cura who offers himself up for
a taxing central assignment in both operas. He
plays a stern and nicely concentrated Turiddu in
Mascagni's Sicilian tragedy, vocally imaginative
if a touch idiosyncratic...an appreciable
achievement.”
BBC Music Magazine, July 2010
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Circle the dates on your Calendar!
La Rondine
featuring José Cura as director, set
and costume designer, and conductor
6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15 May
Posted 4 Sept 2011 |
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Even though the Concert for Japan in Nancy has past,
we thought we'd use the occasion of this oh-so-worthy
performance to remind everyone to circle some dates on
your calendar for early next year.
This year, Nancy Opera Passion has committed to
supporting young opera singers by co-producing, with
Opera National de Lorraine, Puccini’s La Rondine
in May. These young singers and the production will be
fully entrusted to José Cura, who will direct, design
both scenery and costumes, and conduct. It is because
of this commitment that Nancy Opera Passion, together
with José Cura, elected to stage a concert in support of
the Japanese people following the terrible earthquake in
that country. All profits from the concert, which was
held 4 September, will be sent to the Japanese Red
Cross.
José Cura has proven himself to be an innovative,
visionary director and, as demonstrated in his Karlsruhe
Samson et Dalila, an important new stage
designer. Join with thousands of others who will be in
the audience on
6, 8, 10,
11, 13, 15 May to watch the future of opera unfold.
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Congratulations to the 20th
Český Krumlov International Music
Festival
for
the biggest
success in the Festival's history!
“Overall, we presented 15
concerts and six opera performances, of which only three concerts
failed to meet their planned capacity, which means the others were
completely sold out,” according to festival spokeswoman
Lucie Johanovská.
One reason for the enormous success was the great interest in the
new staging of Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci at the
revolving Auditorium and featuring José Cura as Canio in five of the
performances.
Český Noviny, 21 August 2011
Bravo to both
the festival and one of its greatest stars, José Cura!
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Cura in
Olomouc |
Olomouc will hear a world-famous tenor as the town square grows into
a giant amphitheater
iDNES
6 May 2011 11:33
Olomouc will host the only concert of legendary tenor José Cura in
Central Europe in 2012. For the exclusive performance of the
successor to the great trio of tenors of the 20th century,
Carreras, Pavarotti and Domingo, the Upper Square will be
transformed into an to hold up to three thousand people.
Although cultural connoisseurs will have to wait almost thirteen
months for the 2012 gala, preparations for the performance between
the Argentine tenor who lived in Spain and the facilities are
already in full swing. The star will perform 2 June, accompanied by
the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, which will be under the baton
of conductor Argentine Mario De Rose.
"José Cura is one of the top names today. Olomouc Square is an ideal
location for this concert, "said Mayor Martin Novotny.
"We are still discussing the details but the amphitheater should
hold around three thousand students. The audience will watch the
concert from a raised semi-circle," says Kvapil.
According to him, the plan is to transmit the concert to a big
screen next to the podium so that all attendees will not only hear
well but see as well. “This tenor has thousands of fans around the
world. We especially expect great interest from people from Poland,
Austria and Slovakia. Fans will certainly not want to miss this
exclusive performance."
The price of tickets has not yet been determined but the mayor does
not want the cost to be excessive. "It makes no sense that such an
event became inaccessible or closed to a narrow circle of people,"
he said.
And what José Cura prepared for Olomouc? The tenor will sing some
of the most famous arias and duets from operas by Verdi, Puccini,
Mascagni, Bizet and others with the excellent Korean soprano Wonsin
Lee.
José Cura is in demand at the top venues and most prestigious
theaters in the world, primarily due to his extraordinary voice,
engrossing interpretation, the extraordinary emotional depth, but he
is not only an opera star; he is also a composer, conductor and
performer.
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Otello in Luxembourg
15 May 2011 |
News concerning the Otello production in
Luxembourg. Of course, with José Cura in the lead role, the Verdi
masterpiece takes on a special quality regardless of who the
director is, and perhaps that is not more important than when it
comes to this staging. For those of you who attended the
Berlin Otello last year, you will remember that
director
Andreas Kriegenburg took the opera in a surprising direction.
It
caused a sensation, with both cheers and protests, simply by setting
the action within a
refugee camp; for better or worse, that is the production that will
be on stage in Luxembourg.
Along
with Cura will be Lucio Gallo (Iago) and Kang Yosep; the
Desdemona will be Meagan Miller.
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New
Cover Story: Cura in Das Opernglas
May 2011
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Getting Ready for the Berlin Samson |
Tenor José
Cura (Samson) is acclaimed by the classical music world for
his interpretations of opera roles and is also famous for his
unconventional and innovative performances in concerts. In 2007, the
Argentine directed and starred in the world premiere of "La commedia
č finita" - a fusion of opera, prose and dance. The great success of
that effort led to a new facet of the career of this multifaceted
artist: his staging of "Samson et Dalila" at the Karlsruhe
State Theatre finally established him with audiences and critics as
a director. Cura is much more than "just" an opera star. He is a
gifted composer and director, a brilliant natural performer and
emcee who entertains his audience with the best music to entertain,
to touch and inspire. - Berlin Morganpost,
28 April
2011
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José Cura will participate in a
benefit concert on behalf of the people of Japan.
Check out a special video on the
Nancy web site:
http://www.nancyoperapassion.com/
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Concert in Support of Japan
Sunday, September
4, 2011 at 17h at the Opera National de Lorraine
Nancy Passion Opera is celebrating its fifth anniversary. On this
occasion, a concert was originally planned with Jose Cura and
students in master class editions 2007, 2009 and 2010.
The terrible earthquake in Japan
has led us to transform this anniversary concert in concert
"Solidarity Japan" that will allow Nancy Opera Passion, with the
support of numerous sponsors and the Opera National de Lorraine, to
send the all the benefits of this concert to the Japanese Red Cross.
The program includes famous opera arias sung by a dozen young
singers in master classes and two previous special guests: Hiromi
Omura, a young soprano Nancy Japanese whom the public can appreciate
the role of Countess Almaviva in The Marriage Figaro
in May at the Opera National de Lorraine and José Cura, who returns
regularly in September to work with the Nancy Opera Passion and who
will give us the pleasure of performing several numbers, including a
duet with Hiromi Omura. On this occasion, the Symphony Orchestra
will be led by its new music director Tito Munoz.
Madama Butterfly, Puccini-Bimba
dagli occhi pieni di malia- José Cura-
Hiromi Omura
Madama Butterfly, Puccini- Scuoti quelle Fronda…tutti
i fior- Hiromi Omura- Marie Kalinine
La Bohčme, Puccini- Quando men vo- Eva
ganizate
Rigoletto, Verdi- La donna e mobile- Avi
Klemberg
La fille du régiment, Donizetti- Ah mes amis-
Julien Dran
Don Carlo, Verdi- Son io mio Carlo…Per me
giunto- Marc Scoffoni
Turandot, Puccini- Nessun dorma-
José Cura
Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Rossini- Largo al
factotum- Ricardo Velasquez
La Somnanbula, Bellini- Vi ravviso, o luoghi
ameni- Josef Skarka
Alceste, Gluck- Divinite du Styx- Marie
Adeline Henry
Cavalleria Rusticana, Mascagni- Trio-
José Cura_ Marie Kalinine- Aline
Martin
Samson et Dalila, Saint Saens- Mon cśur s’ouvre
ŕ ta voix- Aline Martin
Werther, Massenet- Pourquoi me réveiller-
Vincent Delhoume
Romeo et Juliette, Gounod- Aria de Mercutio-
Benjamin Colin
Il barbiere di Siviglia, Rossini- Calumnia-
Jean Vincent Blot
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Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ)
Feuilleton
editors compile what we love to remember of the year 2010
31
Dec 2010
 THE
event of the opera year? The momentous occurrence as far as the
year's operas are concerned? All of a sudden, music theater (Musiktheater)
is once again performed with such marvelous credibility, such
convincing realism, so subtly, so touchingly- and in all of that
with such great musical sensitivity that it's a pleasure.In
these magic moments, the artificial art-form of singing seems
the most natural mode of expression in the world, music as our
most spontaneous, basic medium for communicating.
When was the last time one was witness to a meeting- a tryst-
between (two) singers, where love did not appear to be a
ready-made cliché of an emotion but rather would first be spun,
woven carefully and sensitively like some brocade from a tender
relational warp and woof of alternate and reciprocal advancing
and pausing?
That's the
way it was done in Andreas Kriegenburg's staging of "OTELLO" at
the Deutsche Oper Berlin by José Cura as Otello and Anja
Harteros as Desdemona.
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Kammersänger
Kammersänger (or Kammersängerin for female
singers), abbreviation: "Ks.", literally means "Chamber
singer." It is an honorific title for distinguished singers.
Historically, the title was bestowed by princes or kings,
when it was styled Hofkammersänger(in).
The title is given in Germany and in Austria usually on
the recommendation of relevant national and local
institutions.
Argentinian tenor José
Cura was presented the prestigious title "Kammersänger" on
2 December in recognition of his outstanding career and
affection for the opera house of the Austrian capital.
In
a ceremony at the Tea Room at the Vienna State Opera, the
Austrian Minister of Education, Arts and Culture, Claudia Schmied, gave the title to Cura on behalf of the Austrian
President, Heinz Fischer.
At
the ceremony, the flamboyant director of the Opera, the
Frenchman Dominique Meyer, praised the "wonderful" Argentine
singer's career, and highlighted in particular his
performance as "Otello", the protagonist of the eponymous
opera by Giuseppe Verdi.
"On
the centenary of Verdi's death (on January 27, 2001),
everyone wanted Cura, but he decided to come to Vienna. The
Vienna State Opera has not forgotten," he said.
Cura
launched his career in Vienna in 1996 and his performance
[on 2 December as Chevalier Renato Des Grieux in Giacomo
Puccini’Manon Lescaut] will mark his 92th.
The singing
joins the list of prominent artists honored
with the title of
"Kammersänger",
including singers like Alfredo Kraus, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Caballé Monteserrat, Carlos Alvarez and Jaume Aragall.
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Jacques Delfosse
De la salle d’opérations au master-class
Pierre TARIBO • La Semaine • 03/09/2010
This is how Nancy Opera Passion and the
Master-Class, in which the Argentine tenor José Cura has given (us)
the opportunity to build him a 'nest', came to be. Jacques Delfosse
tells a little bit of this story with a combination of amazement and
satisfaction. It should be said that the gamble was not without
risks. "Why have thoughts of José Cura? He is one of the greatest
tenors of today." He is also a completely generous person, humble,
bathed in kindness, who immediately understood the meaning, scope
and impact of the initiative. "We went to hear him in Munich and
then in Switzerland. There, I had the nerve to wait for him at the
end of the show in order to announce our project which we
subsequently communicated (in detail) via the Internet. He arranged
to meet us in Zurich. We spoke of Nancy, which he was not acquainted
with. He told us: a free concert, such doesn't interest me. The idea
is to help young people work and practice (their craft). What's
original about our Master Class is that it takes place with an
orchestra while generally, there is (only) a piano. "
For this fourth Master-Class, the applications,
coming from around the world, have been pouring in. Jacques Delfosse
adds this with the pride of a godfather thrilled to introduce his
godchildren who have come to Nancy in order to acquire a different
dimension there. The program enjoys such a reputation that Jacques
Delfosse and José Cura are going farther down the path of
innovation. With the collaboration and the support of Laurent Hénart,
the president of the Opera of Lorraine, of Laurent Spielman, its
director, and of Valerie Chevalier, the artistic advisor, the
Association is undertaking a staging with novices of Puccini's "la
Rondine", reprised last year by Roberto Alagna at the Metropolitan
Opera in New York. "There will be six performances in the spring of
2011. The artists will be chosen after a public audition as soon as
this October. It's a great undertaking."
Translated by Monica B
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Masterclass with José Cura
03 - 04 - 05 septembre 2010 a l’Opéra National de Lorraine
Concert de clôture avec l’orchestre
symphonique et lyrique de Nancy direction José Cura
Liste des candidats retenus pour la master classes des 3 et 5 septembre
2010
Vincent Delhoume, ténor, France
Christos Kechris, ténor, Grčce
Florian Cafiero, ténor, France
Michael Spadaccini-Belgique
Igor Turcan-Moldavie
Miroslaw Witkowski, basse, Pologne
Josef Skarka, basse,République Tchčque
Marc Scoffoni, baryton, France
Ricardo Velasquez, baryton, République du Panama
Diana Croitoriu, soprano, Roumanie- France
Cristina Giannelli, soprano, Italie
Natalia Gospodinova, soprano, Bulgarie
Odile Heimburger, soprano, France
Audrey Kessedjian, mezzo soprano, France
Aline Martin, mezzo soprano, France
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Cura
Make The List:
ClassicFM's Opera Star Hall of Fame
posted July 2010
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Veszprém Summer
Festival’s plans
Budapest Times
Written by Alice Müller
Wednesday, 09 June 2010
World-class music
can be enjoyed in Veszprém at the end of July. Jazz, opera, swing
and world music will be performed on one evening each against the
magnificent backdrop of Veszprém Castle. The press conference in
Budapest last week was attended by the organiser of the festival and
the mayor of Veszprém, the director of main sponsor EON, Konrad
Kreuzer, and opera star Ildikó Komlósi.
“Even people from
provincial areas have the desire to experience world stars and not
everyone can afford to travel to Budapest for that,” Zoltán Mészáros,
director of the festival said. “Our aim is to present world-class
musicians from different genres in Veszprém.”
Last Thursday,
Komlósi, a great Hungarian singer at home and on the great stages of
the world, made a surprise appearance. The mezzo-soprano, who will
perform on 30 July together with the Argentinean tenor José Cura,
said of her joint performance with Cura at the Metropolitan Opera in
New York: “People were so enthusiastic that the house almost caved
in. I can only suppose that we both sang with so much passion that
it swept the audience off their seats.”
Komlósi also
performed with Cura at the last Opera Ball. It was there that the
two opera singers thought about their programme for the Veszprém
Summer Festival. “We want above all to perform various arias from
Bizet’s Carmen because we think that they allow our
passion to come across best.” The two opera stars were recipients of
the International Opera Prize in Verona in 2006.
The Veszprém festival has applied its “world stars for everyone”
approach to the pricing. Tickets are available for all concerts for
under HUF 10,000. Only two concerts have higher-priced tickets in
the top category. If it rains the concerts of the Summer Festival
will move into the Veszprém Aréna.
Lina Speaks
Radvanovsky on Cura
"That’s what I try to do. It’s very fulfilling for me as an actress. I was a
theatre major in college as well as a voice major, so I always try to bring
out what the character is feeling, and show what I would do if I were
feeling those things. I’ve never betrayed my husband, as Lina did, but we’ve
all had those thoughts about another person, or whatever, so how does it
make me feel and how would I react?
I have to be really on my toes with someone like
José Cura,
who is singing the role of my husband, Stiffelio. José is a real singing
actor. He’s magnetic, really. And we are both quite intense. So every night
we do things a bit differently. That’s exciting to me, because if it were
always, “Okay, on this beat I stomp my foot and on this beat I raise my
hand,” I’d be bored to tears. I don’t want to just stand there and sing.
People don’t go to opera just to hear beautiful music. They want to see
drama." 'The Point of
Lovely" from WholeNote, written by
Pamela Margles, 24 February 2010
Tenor José Cura Never Had Idols
EFE/Notirevista
Tomas Gomez
12 February 2010
The
Argentinian tenor José Cura, guest of honor Saturday at the Opera
Ball in Budapest, said today that he "never had idols."
When asked by reporters in Budapest about the "Three Tenors" (Luciano
Pavarotti, José Carreras and Plácido Domingo) Cura acknowledged that
there are "many people who I admire," including tenors, sopranos and
colleagues.
"You can learn a lot from every colleague and with them it is
possible to grow and if they are enormous artists, better still,"
said the tenor, emphasizing that "the Three Tenors have changed the
history of opera."
Cura will not only be present at the ball to sing
opera but to sing songs from Latin America by Carlos Guastavino and
Armando Manzanero.
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Budapest
Opera Ball gets a facelift for 2010
Tuesday, 26 January 2010 Viennese waltzes, the clink of champagne
glasses, ball gowns and white tie – this year’s
Budapest Opera Ball will include all the
traditional features, but with a number of
tweaks. The high point of the social calendar
once again takes place at the Hungarian State
Opera House, with the star guest this year the
world-renowned opera singer José Cura.
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Charity at the Opera Ball
Once again, the Budapest Opera Ball is putting the
emphasis on charity in 2010. A children's day will be held
under the auspices of the Budapest Opera House the day after
the Opera Ball so that hundreds of disadvantaged children
can also enjoy Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel in the
magnificent scenario of the Opera Ball.
Previous to the Opera Ball 1000 portions of
meal will be served to the homeless; free chest X-ray as
well as an aid centre were set up in Blaha Lujza Square in
association with the Hungarian Maltese Relief Organisation.
In this way the Budapest Opera Ball seeks to help and
lighten the lives of those in need.
Posted Feb 2010
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And the Winner Is ...
The
Gift: José Cura Helps Colombian Children in Need!
La Voz de Asturias
posted Dec 2009
José
Cura has shown the way to celebrate the Christmas season is with
gifts from the heart. Cura, singer, composer, conductor, and
director, has donated 2000 compact disks to support the work of
NGO
Padrinos Asturian, a charity group whose primary purpose is the
sponsorship of underprivileged children and their full integration
into society. The organization is headquartered in Oviedo and has branches in Colombia and the United States.
Cura acted in response to a request for help
from the organization's founder, 84-year old Father Joseph Perez,
who is spending his 'retirement' years bringing compassion and
dedication to the barrios of Cali, and the organization's
president, Santiago Silva. The men met with Cura in his
dressing room following the concert of the famous tenor and
mezzo-soprano Elina Garanca in the Campoamor Theater in Oviedo on 24
June 2009. Some time later, the organization received a moving
letter from the tenor pledging support; the 2000 CDs reflect
that commitment.
The
CDs have special meaning to Cura, since the album, Aurora,
was produced in dedication to the land of his birth, Argentina.
The album includes arias by Bellini, Verdi, Meyerbeer, Boito,
Ponchielli, Mascagni and Giordano, along with the Song to the
Flag and Intermezzo Epic from the Hector Panizza's opera
that gives title to the disc; the works allow the intensity of
Cura's voice and personality to shine, as well as providing evidence
of his conducting skill in leading the Sinfonia Varsovia.
The organization is studying ways to
market the CDs but anyone who is interested in purchasing copy is
invited to contact
Padrinos Asturian directly at their
blog.
(http://elblogdepadrinosasturianos.blogspot.com).
The entire Cuibar staff were involved in working with the foundation
to make the donation happen. For their efforts, we can only
join with the Padrinos Asturians is saying ˇBravo, maestro! ˇBravo, seńor Cura! Y reiterar nuestra gratitud a
nuestro admirado don José, amigo ya para siempre.
Ugo Becattini Career Medal
José Cura was awarded with the Career Medal by the 'Fondazione Ugo
Becattini': "An intense and charismatic performer, José Cura brings a
natural stage presence to his excellent vocal skills. He has combined
vocal and symphonic interpretations into a new, difficult concert form.
A composer and conductor of internationally distinction, José Cura is
one of the most complete contemporary artists".
Climate Countdown
José
Cura joins the "TCK-TCK-TCK: Time for Climate Justice" campaign, an
initiative of the Global Humanitarian Forum.
Read more at the Official José Cura website; watch the
video; join the effort.
Read the
story on José Cura's website.
Watch the video (and get a preview of director / set designer
Cura's plans for his upcoming Samson!) by clicking
HERE! or
HERE!
Join the effort by visiting the Time for Climate Justice website
by clicking
HERE!
José Cura's supporting statement for the Campaign for Climate
Justice:
"Animals,
with a wisdom that goes beyond the glories of any technical
achievement that humans could ever vindicate, don’t do anything that
would jeopardize their future species. Why is it then that we,
animals above all animals – I am not very sure if this is a
compliment – don’t see beyond our noses and are pathetically
insisting on distracting international attention with the
narcotizing smoke of episodic nuisances instead of putting our hands
to work – for real, no more time for comedies, please – in those
problems that may well end by being, very soon, very unsolvable? Let
us keep running to catch up with the so worrying financial bubonic
plague of nowadays, so far so good , but let us not forget that it
may well be useless to fix the banking misadventures of the planet
if we don’t have a planet anymore. Oh, sorry, I forgot, this may not
happen in a long time, right? So f*** our grandsons! After all, we
may well never meet them…"
José Cura is a prominent operatic tenor from Argentina known for his
intense and original interpretations of his characters, notably
Verdi’s Otello and Saint-Saëns’ Samson, as well as for his
unconventional and innovative concert performances. He has received
numerous prizes and international awards for his performances.
(posted 6 Dec 09)
Every Year It Comes Again....
Nachrichten
Every year comes the Christ – and “Christmas in
Vienna.” This year it will be on 20 December at 1930 in the Vienna
Konzerhaus (22 hours on ORF 2).
Karel Mark Chichon, the husband of Elina
Garanca, will conduct the Radio Symphony Orchestra, the soloists,
Bernarda Fink, star tenor Jose Cura, Tamar Iveri and Boaz Daniel -
and, of course, the Vienna Boys' Choir.
For Bernarda Fink, born in Argentina with
Slovenian roots, this will be her the first appearance on "Christmas
in Vienna". For José Cura it is for the second time: "We have never
sung together - she thinks. But what we have. I was in the choir,
she was a soloist. That was about 25 years ago but it does not mean
that we are so old but only that we started very early."
"At Christmas,“ said Bernarda Fink, who lives
in Vienna, “In Argentina is it around 35 degrees. On Christmas Eve,
my parents shut the doors and windows to escape the noise from
outside. Then we sang Christmas carols and prayed before the
manger. Afterwards, we celebrated with the neighbors in their way.”
José Cura on his best Christmas present: "My
wife. Her birthday is on 24 December and we have been together for
30 years. "
Ticket sales on 2 November. VIP tickets, which
include an after-performance reception with the artists, are also
available.
Aún
hay divos
Lne.es
3 July 2009
The extraordinary recital last week at the Campoamor
Theater starring José Cura and Elina Carança and organized by Cajastur to
benefit the Fundación Banco de Alimentos of Asturias had the virtue of
reaffirming a few things that I cannot resist commenting on. First, to
mention again the wise and generous social and cultural policy of the
financial institutes of Asturias, who even in a time of crisis dares to
offer a spectacular opera spectacle of the highest order…[...] Third and last, I
am greatly pleased to see that in these surprising times in opera, where
continent seems more important than content, clothes more important than
authenticity, and spectacle more important than purely musical elements,
there are still musical artists who with just voice and art are able to
thrill and inflame those who are fortunate enough to hear them.
Ultimately, I
believe that as long as there are singers like José Cura and Elina Garança
fans still have hope that things will return to normal and the current
operatic ‘chaos’ will end. Divos are still there and they are the gravy of
opera.
Most romantic opera duets of 2008
Rupert Christiansen's pick of the
duos who brought the most romance to the stage.
Rupert Christiensen
18 Dec 2008
1 Anna
Netrebko and Jonas Kaufmann in Verdi's La
Traviata at the Royal Opera House
2 Alice
Coote and Danielle de Niese in Monteverdi's
L'Incoronazione di Poppea at Glyndebourne
3 Deborah
Voigt and Robert Dean Smith in Strauss'
Ariadne auf Naxos at the Royal Opera House
4 Anna
Christy and Barry Banks in Donizetti's
Lucia di Lammermoor at the London Coliseum
5 Sarah
Connolly and Marie Arnet in Bellini's I
Capuleti e i Montecchi at Opera North
6 Rolando
Villazon and Katie van Kooten in
Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann at the Royal Opera
House
7 Peter
Auty and Orla Boylan in Tchaikovsky's
Iolanta at Opera Holland Park
8 Angelika
Kirchschlager and Simon Keenlyside in
Lehar's Die Lustige Witwe at the Barbican
9 Eva-Maria Westbroek and José
Cura in Puccini's La Fanciulla del West
at the Royal Opera House
10 Patricia
Bardon and Christine Rice in Handel's
Partenope at the London Coliseum
Listen to José Cura on Puccini
From the BBC
150th Birthday Tribute Radio Program
Fanciulla
Turandot
Puccini
Modernist
Un ballo in maschera - Cologne
Opera Directorial Debut
Schwabische
Zeitung
February
2008
Hamburg (DPA). The Argentine star tenor and
conductor José Cura (45) is now working as an opera director. On 17
May 2008, he will make his directorial debut at the Cologne opera
with Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera (The Masked Ball)
“Of course, Germany is a marvellous place for
directors, because the audience is actually must more open here than
elsewhere,” said Cura in an interview with the magazine “Das
Opernglas.” However, this openness also allows for the risk that
the director ignores the balance between modernity and tradition.
“This for me is the big challenge,” said Cura.
Acting is a hobby of his, said the world-famous
singer. “Directing is the next step – like the famous actors who
sometimes change side of the camera after many years of experience
with good directors. In film this is not unusual and often is more
substantially appreciated than in the concert hall.”
His main focus will continue to be singing, assured
Cura. “For quite a simple reason: I pay my bills by singing.” As a
director he is a beginner and is paid appropriately. “My pay as a
director--for this whole production!--corresponds more or less with
what I earn in a single evening as a tenor.”
Philanthropic Cura
Salva Vita Charity Concert
‘The
cracking noise of dilapidated chairs, mind-shaking sneezes during the
intervals between the movements, tiny snorts, fidgeting, suppressed
coughs were always part of every, however remarkable, production. Even
if it was a masterpiece of the music literature by interpretation of any
big name musician, I have not had the luck to attend a concert without
these annoying distractions. On this occasion, there aren’t any
whatsoever. The good old Music Hall is packed to full capacity - Even a
whisper does not break the silence between the movements. Heavy, almost
palpable the silence in the auditorium, before the sounds of the dark,
pulsating, powerful, and passionate music chills us to the bone, and
José Cura puts us completely under his spell.’ Népszava Online, February
2008
Espontáneas: Photography by José Cura
is now available!
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"I got my first photographic equipment in 1973:
an old Kodak my mother had used to take family pictures and that I
still have [...].
Having dedicated the majority of the last 20 years to being a
professional musician has not taken away from the need to "seize the
moment". Being a lonesome nomad - due to the nature of my work - has
enhanced my capacity to observe; a funny irony for somebody who
earns his living by being observed." |
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Espontáneas:
Photography by José Cura.
160 p., 95 halftones. 12 x 8 |
Celebrated opera singer José Cura
sings regularly on the world’s great stages, from the Met and the
Lyric Opera to Covent Garden. But in addition to his prolific career
as a tenor, conductor, composer, and mentor to young singers, Cura
is also a gifted photographer. Espontáneas is
the first book to present his captivating images to the public.
 The
more than ninety photographs featured here document Cura’s
considerable travels around the world, as well as the people he
encountered along the way. The countenances captured by his lens
reflect the full gamut of the human condition: dignity, poverty,
old age, and loneliness. Accompanied by descriptions written by
Cura and other authors, this volume presents a panorama of faces
seen through the eyes of an extraordinary talent.
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“Giů la maschera!
Personaggi a nudo”
Dissertations by José Cura
Publisher Maria Pacini Fazzi
Author
Serenella Gragnani
With
the participation of the author and Maestro José Cura, and with guest
speaker Maestro Alberto Paloscia
The innovative particularity of this
text consists in the comparison between psychology and stage art, with a
psychologist and an interpreter/artist engaged in the research of the possible
psychological motivations for the actions of characters as complex and at the
same time as “real” as Dick Johnson, Mario Cavaradossi, Calaf, Don Carlo,
Otello, Samson, Canio, to mention only some of them.
Thanks to the presence of Maestro Cura
the debate between the invited speakers and the public will be particularly
interesting and stimulating. The presentation will focus on the chapter of the
book dedicated to the male Puccinian characters, revealing a generally neglected
aspect of the great composer from Lucca: his capacity for in-depth analyse of
the masculine psychology.
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In viaggio con i personaggi di
José Cura
Cultura e Spettacolo : Libri
del 03/10/2008 di Silvia Cosentino
LUCCA
– Lunedě prossimo (6 ottobre) alle ore 17, presso la Sala Ademollo di Palazzo
Ducale, il grande artista argentino
José Cura illustrerŕ il libro
Giů la maschera! Personaggi a nudo, con dissertazioni di José Cura insieme all'autrice
Serenella Gragnani. Inteso come diario di bordo
di un percorso verso lo studio del personaggio, il volume č pubblicato da
Maria Pacini Fazzi .
Grande appuntamento per gli
appassionati della lirica e del teatro, il 6 ottobre a Palazzo Ducale. Oltre
al cantante, attore, direttore d'orchestra, regista (e tanto altro ancora)
José Cura e alla scrittice
fiorentina, per l'occasione interverranno il direttore artistico del
Teatro Goldoni di Livorno Alberto Paloscia e il presidente della Provincia
Stefano Baccelli.
L’eccezionalitŕ della presenza del tenore a Lucca, oltre che per la
presentazione del libro, č motivata anche dalla volontŕ di visitare la cittŕ
natale di Giacomo Puccini; recente interprete di Edgar al
Regio di Torino , Cura sarŕ uno dei
protagonisti del concerto che si terrŕ il 22 dicembre all'
Opera House di Londra: sarŕ nei
panni di Calaf ( Turandot ) sotto la direzione di un
altro illustre musicista lucchese, il
Maestro Nicola Luisotti .
Lo stesso Cura spiega i motivi
ispiratori del libro, nato a seguito di un'intervista da parte della psicologa
Serenella Gragnani nel 2000; al confronto, che avrebbe dovuto trattare
la questione dell’esperienza del cantante con gli uomini pucciniani,
ne sono seguiti molto altri: “La summa di queste – spiega il cantante
– č diventata quasi un’involontaria biografia, non nel senso anagrafico
del termine, bensě la testimonianza d’una testarda ricerca delle pulsioni
basiche dei personaggi, d’una imperativa necessitŕ di capire la loro essenza
psicologica per poterli ‘abitare e farmi abitare’ da loro”.
I personaggi maschili, tra cui
quelli pucciniani cari all'arista argentino, vengono analizzati sia negli
aspetti piů evidenti sia in quelli piů nascosti e contrastanti del loro
carattere; in particolare, la successione delle riflessioni presenti in
Giů la maschera! fa comprendere “quanto la cronologia degli
incontri riveli un processo di crescita come uomo: dai colori intensi, quasi
rabbiosi, di certe mie risposte nel primo capitolo alle parole altrettanto
intense dello spicodramma di Otello”.
"Ci sono molte chiavi d’accesso
per inoltrarsi nel mondo della lirica –
commenta nella prefazione il presidente Baccelli -: la musica, la
messa in scena, la qualitŕ vocale degli interpreti, la scrittura drammatica
dei libretti. Questo libro ne propone uno ancora diverso: un approccio che,
partendo dal criterio interpretativo che il cantante ha scelto di adottare
nel suo rapporto con alcuni dei piů famosi personaggio maschili della lirica,
indica i meccanismi psicologici profondi degli stessi. I loro sentimenti, le
loro 'ragioni di esistere'".
Edito da
Maria Pacini Fazzi
, il volume č arricchito da un’appendice con le schede
psicologiche dei ruoli analizzati, da Cavaradossi a Don Carlo,
da Otello a Calaf, da Des Grieux a Dick Johnson,
e impreziosito da affascinanti scatti e disegni.
JOSE CURA
Acclamato in tutto il mondo per le sue intense e originali interpretazioni
di personaggi d'opera (in particolar modo Otello di Verdi e Samson di
Saint-Saëns) cosě come per le sue performance
concertistiche innovative e poco convenzionali, José Cura č il primo
artista ad aver cantato e diretto contemporaneamente (tanto in concerto che
in studio di registrazione) e il primo a combinare interpretazioni vocali e
sinfoniche adottando una formula concertistica "metŕ e metŕ".
Nel febbraio del 2003 Cura ha
scritto un passo fondamentale della storia operistica quando, dopo aver
diretto Cavalleria rusticana , č salito sul palcoscenico a
cantare il ruolo di Canio dei Pagliacci all'Opera di Amburgo. Attore convincente e interprete carismatico, č stato
spesso protagonista di numerose trasmissioni televisive d'opera e di
concerti in prestigiose sale di tutto il mondo.
Dotato di una ricca e brillante voce
tenorile, nonché di una fascinosa e magnetica presenza scenica, ha catturato
ed entusiasmato il pubblico fin dal suo debutto sulla scena musicale
internazionale. Grazie alle sue intelligenti, perspicaci, a volte
controverse, ma sempre indimenticabili interpretazioni, Cura č diventato
ospite abituale dei principali teatri del mondo, tra essi ricordiamo il Metropolitan di New York, la
Royal Opera , l'Opera di Vienna,
il Gran Teatro Liceu di Barcellona, l'Opera di Zurigo e
naturalmente il Teatro alla Scala e l'Arena di Verona.
Nel 2007, José Cura si č avvicinato
alla regia presentando la prima mondiale di La commedia č finita
, spettacolo di opera, prosa e danza di cui ha personalmente curato
anche l'aspetto drammaturgico e scenografico. A seguito del grande successo
ottenuto, ha continuato a dedicarsi alla direzione della messinscena
presentando il verdiano Un ballo in maschera all'Opera di
Colonia. Cura ha giŕ in programma la regia di due suoi cavalli di
battaglia: il Samson et Dalila previsto per il 2010 e il
dittico Cavalleria Rusticana / Pagliacci per il
2011.
La Commedia e Finita Website Now Online!
Click the photo to enter the world of La Commedia
(8 Jan 2008)
Maestro Cura's Latest Gig
New Honor
Socio Fundador Honorario
Awarded by the
Associaçăo Portuguesa contra a
Leucemia (APCL) for his contributions to the
organization.
Opera Rara Presents Its
Fourth Bel Canto Competition
On Friday 4 May
2007, Opera Rara will present the final round of the
Opera Rara Patric Schmid Bel Canto Prize at the Royal
Academy of Music.
The competition is
dedicated to the memory of Opera
Rara's founder and the prize’s creator, Patric Schmid, and
is open to opera students at the college. Funded by the
Peter Moores Foundation, the Prize was created to
introduce students to the art of bel canto singing.
The chairman of
this year’s judging panel is José Cura and the panel
includes Patricia Bardon, Edward Gardner, Sir Peter
Moores and Peter Katona. Past judges have included John
Allison, Majella Cullagh, David Harper, Yvonne Kenny,
Sir Charles Mackerras, Jennifer Larmore, Donald Maxwell,
Sir Brian McMaster, Nelly Miricioiu, Patric Schmid and
Dame Joan Sutherland.
The prize money of
Ł2,000 for the winner and Ł1,000 for the runner up is
used to further the students’ performing skills and
knowledge of the bel canto repertoire.
Cura Returns to the Colón
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Samson et Dalila (Sansón
y Dalila)
(Concert Version)
Ópera en tres actos (1877)
Música
Camille Saint-Säens
Libreto Ferdinand Lemaire
Junio 24 (AV), 28 (GA), 30 (FE) /
Julio 3 (ANT), 5 (ANN)
Dirección musical: Rodolfo Fischer
Principales intérpretes
José Cura (Sansón), Cecilia Díaz
(Dalila), Luis Gaeta (Sumo Sacerdote), Carlos Esquivel (Viejo hebreo),
Ariel Cazes (Abimeleck)
Orquesta Estable y Coro Estable del Teatro Colón
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New Book on
José Cura Focuses on Samson |
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Letters and Music
The musical artist José Cura will display his
composer's side on 8 July in his home town of Rosario when,
accompanied by pianist Eduardo Delgado, he
premiers his cycle of songs based on the poems of Pablo Neruda.
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José Cura – El Titán De La Lírica – en Samson et Dalila
de
Camille Saint-Saëns
by Cecilia Scalisi & Maximiliano Gregorio-Cernadas
Supporting Fundación Teatro Colón
Book in Spanish
Catalogue: José Cura / Music/ Opera / History / Art
ISBN 978-987-05-2883-8
José
Cura Returns to Rosario
Entre Notas
María Josefina Bertossi
17 May 2007
Celebrating its Silver Anniversary, the
Rosario chapter of the Mozarteum Argentino
will pay homage to the city by presenting two of its sons, both
international artists: Eduardo Delgado and José Cura. The concert
was announced just minutes ago in a press conference at a central
hotel. The recital will by on 8 July and will coincide with the the
191st anniversary of our Independence.
Program and World Premiere
The first part of the program will include
chamber songs and works for the piano by Fauré, Respighi, Tolsti,
and Chopin, as well as black spirituals. The second part will be
dedicated to the music of Argentina with works of Guastavino, Walsh,
Lopez Buchardo, Panizza and the world premiere of the cycle of
sonnets of Pablo Neruda with music by José Cura.
José Cura will be interpreting Saint-Saëns' Samson and Delilah at Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires and after his
four performances, there will be only this exclusive recital in
Rosario.
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The first of
Verdi’s two late Shakespearian operas stands as one of the great
masterpieces of grand opera. José Cura, ranked among the world’s leading
interpreters of Verdi’s music, takes the title role in Willy Decker’s
profound and intense production, recorded live at the Liceu, Barcelona
in 2006 in true surround sound and filmed with high definition cameras.
José Cura, Krassimira Stoyanova, Lado
Ataneli, Vittorio Grigolo
Symphony Orchestra and Chorus of the
Gran Teatre del Liceu - Antoni Ros-Marbŕ
Stage
Director Willy Decker
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Plus
Introduction
Illustrated Synopsis & Cast Gallery
Reviews:
‘Verdi’s wise, passionate score was served with precision, gusto and
a keen ear for drama by maestro Antoni Ros-Marbŕ and the solid,
malleable Liceu orchestra.’ Opera News
‘José Cura has the vocal colouring, the power and strength, but
above all the dramatic temperament that this colossal Verdi character
demands.’ El Pais
‘…the Bulgarian soprano Krassimira Stoyanova captivated with her
sensational Desdemona. Hers is a lyrical voice of great beauty, with
sufficient volume used with taste and transmitted with both sweetness
and firmness.’ El Pais
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CAT NO: OA 0963 D
FORMAT: All Formats
REGIONS: All Regions
PICTURE FORMAT: 16:9
LENGTH: 151 Mins
SOUND: DTS SURROUND / LPCM STEREO
SUBTITLES: EN/FR/DE/ES/IT/CA
RELEASED: 01/01/2007
NO OF DISCS: 2
'Cura’s Otello is a performance that the Liceu
audiences will remember for a long time: a profoundly felt, well
considered depiction of a man’s descent into madness, paired with a
true vocal tour de force. Cura’s ...technique and communicative
powers are astounding.' Opera News
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José Cura in Met Calendar
Not seen in the Metropolitan
Opera House since the spring of 2001,
Samson and Dalila made a
stunning return in the form of Denyce Graves and José Cura.
Both performers exuded more emotion and sensuality during
the opera than one usually expects. The results were
undeniably thrilling.
Carmen in Bucharest
In association with the
2007 "GEORGE ENESCU" International Competition
for Piano, Violin and Composition
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Saturday, September 8
Time: 18.00
Opera Nationala din Bucuresti
Choir and Orchestra of the National Opera from Bucharest
Conductor: MARIO DE ROSE
Soloists:
Don José – JOSÉ CURA
Carmen –
BEATRICE URIA-MONZON
Michaela – NICOLETA ARDELEAN
Escamillo –
STEFAN IGNAT
Programme: CARMEN by
Georges Bizet
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José Cura to Receive Zenatello Award
L'Arena
It has been announced
that the Fondazione Verona per l’Arena will award
José Cura the 22nd
International Prize for singing.
The Zenatello award, named for the great Veronese artist who produced
shows in the Arena in 1913, consists of a sculpture by master craftsman
Alberto Zucchetta and is given to an artist who has performed at the
Arena in previous seasons to great acclaim from both public and critics.
José Cura will receive the Zenatello prize
for his work at the arena as evidenced by his work in 2005 when the
tenor undertook the roles of Radames and Calaf. Ildiko Komlosi who
was 'tender and passionate' as Laura in Ponchielli's la Gioconda
will receive the award for outstanding debut.
The prizes will be delivered during the
interval at the Arena. (July 06)
José Cura, President of the Jury
As evidence of his ever-widening importance in
the world of classical music, José Cura served at President of the
Competition for the 9th Annual Concorso Internazionale 'Flaviano Labó'
Award for Voice, held in Piacenza from 27-31 May 2006 under the auspices
of the La Fondazione Arturo Toscanini and l'Associazione Amici
della Lirica di Piacenza.
The Jury was composed of renown musical figures:
José Cura
President
Beatrice Bianco
Artistic director,
Sassuolo
Musica Festival
Sergio Buonocore
President,
Amici
della lirica di Piacenza
Cristina Ferrari
Director of Vocal Activity,
Fondazione Arturo Toscanini
Giancarlo Landini
Musical critic,
“l’Opera”
Alberto Paloscia
Artistic director,
Teatro di Livorno
The competition was opened to singers aged 35
and younger and included bass, baritone, tenor, mezzo-soprano, and
soprano. Competitors had to be prepared to sing five arias in the
original language. First prize was 5,000 Euros. (June 2006)
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A Special Treat
for those in Vienna on
Sunday, 14 May
An Evening with José Cura
José Cura will be honored by Onda Latina for his brilliant
career and his untiring support of young artist on 14 May at 7
PM in the roof hall of the Wiener Urania.
Experience this exceptional artist and look forward to an
evening of entertainment with the duo Klaus Paier and Gerhard
Preinfalk and the concert “More than Tango”. During the
concert, Maestro Cura will honor us with a small musical
contribution: The “Sonetos de Amor y Muerte”, from the poem
written of the Nobel prize winner Pablo Neruda and set to music
by José Cura. He will be accompanied Italian pianist Speranza
Scappucci.
At the conclusion, a small reception will take place to honor
José Cura, at which time friends and fans will have the chance
of meeting the star.
*
José Cura, the
world-famous tenor from Argentina sings in Vienna!
The singer is world-famous for its original and passionate
interpretations of roles, especially Verdi's Otello and Saint
Saëns' Samson, and for his unorthodox and innovative concerts.
José Cura is also the first artist to both sing and conduct at
the same time (in concerts and on CDs). Cura wrote opera history
when he first conducted Cavalleria Rusticana and then,
after the break, returned to stage to sing Canio in Pagliacci
in Hamburg. A charismatic artist, José Cura has been in seen
in numerous opera and concert productions as well as on
television.
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PROGRAM
Konzert "More than tango“
Duo Klaus Paier (Bandoneón and accordian) and Gerald Preinfalk (Sax
and clarinet)
JOSÉ CURA "Sonetos de Amor y Muerte"
Text: Pablo Neruda
Music: José Cura
Maestro Cura with pianist Speranza Scappucci
Presentation by the Argentine Ambassador Eugenio Curia
Tango Dance Exhibition with Elizabeth and Christian from Buenos
Aires
Posted May 2006 |
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José Cura Receives Honor in Lledia!
José Cura Receives Honor!
The town hall of Lleida pays a tribute to José Cura
Terra
Actualidad
21 Feb 06
The
Association of Friends of Opera will present a golden award to José Cura
on 22 February. The award comes in recognition of Cura’s brilliant
career in the operatic world.
A
reception with the mayor of the city of Lleida will take place in the
afternoon, followed by a celebration held that evening in the Municipal
Hall, where Maria Ruiz, accompanied by piano player David Baron, will
present a concert in Cura’s honor. Cura will then receive the golden
insignia of the Amigos de la Ópera de Lleida from Xavier Sŕez, along
with the president of the Friends of the Opera of Lleida, Francesco
Brugnoli, and the secretary of the company, Joaquim Mora.
Cura
receives the award in recognition of his position as one of the greatest
vocalist of the past few years. He has performed on the main opera
stages of the world and is a conductor, composer, and guitarist.
The
Argentine tenor is performing at the Liceu de Barcelona this month,
starring in the title role of Otello. Cura will take advantage of his
stay in Barcelona to come to Lleida to receive his award.
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Congratulations to José Cura!
Winner -
2005
“City of Piacenza—Giuseppe Verdi” |
José Cura
Receives 2005 'Piacenza Musica' Award
First was Riccardo
Muti, an institution in the Italian music universe, but second comes José
Cura, the brilliant musical artist from Argentina.
During Cura's
concert in Piacenza on 13 December, Mayor Roberto Reggi will present the
musician with the City of Piacenza-Giuseppi Verdi award in recognition of
Cura's contribution to classical music as both singer and conductor.
The award itself, designed by Giulio Manfredi, is described as a stylized
boat on the river Po and is crafted in fine wood, gold, and silver inlaid
with precious stones, an homage to the twin worlds of Art and Culture and
the love of beauty that knows no borders.
The award will be
given annually to an artist of international significance who has inspired
critical approval and audience affection. That Cura receives the
recognition so soon after its establishment is tribute to his reputation as
one of the greatest tenors of the age, his artistry on the podium, his warm
relationship with fans, and his on-going activities in support of young
musicians. The award joins a growing list of honors that celebrate
this talented and charismatic man. (Dec 2005)
LIBERTA: Tuesday, December
13, 2005 / Anna Anselmi
Piacenza. “I am deeply moved and
flattered. And yet, in the theater, there is in fact no such thing as a
‘soloist’. No one does it all by himself, and that is why I consider
this an award given not only to me, but also to the musicians and the
Fondazione Toscanini, thanks to whom I have come to Piacenza and hope to
return in the future.”
Tenor and conductor José Cura will
be presented the “City of Piacenza—Giuseppe Verdi” Award by Mayor
Roberto Reggi in the Municipal Theater at 9:00 tonight. Promoted by the
City Council, the trophy is designed by jeweler Giulio Manfredi. But
already yesterday, at the City Council Hall, the Argentine artist wanted
to express his gratitude to the city, which selected him this year as
champion of the international music scene/stage.
This second awarding of the “City
of Piacenza” prize will take place at the beginning of the evening,
before José Cura is to take the podium and conduct the orchestra of the
Toscanini Foundation in a performance of Kodaly’s ‘Dances of Galanta’,
of Rachmaninov’s ‘Concerto No.2 in C minor’, op.18, for piano and
orchestra (at the piano Giuseppe Albanese) and of the ‘Symphony No.2 in
E minor’, op. 27, by the same composer.
This very evening, the audience at
the Municipal Theater will get to appreciate the conducting talents of
José Cura. Yesterday, it was his powerful voice that could be applauded
in a concert organized on behalf of a fund-raising Telethon. Actually,
Cura alternated between opera conducting and singing, ‘parallel careers’
he intends to pursue also in the future. In January, he will star in Andrea Chenier
in Bologna, and he will probably be seen on June 24 in Pagliacci for the opening of the Arena in Verona, “a city, to which I
am very attached and which I am very fond of because it welcomed and
accepted me in 1991.”
Mayor Roberto Reggi reaffirmed the
motivation for the ‘Prize of the City of Piacenza’ thus: “To give living
proof of our love of music, which has continued uninterruptedly for 201
years, that is since the Teatro Municipale came into existence.” The
first time the prize was given, it was awarded to Riccardo Muti. To see
the sculpture, a special design by Manfredi, one will have to be in
attendance this evening. Every year, in fact, the jeweler creates a
unique, original work, inspired—it was explained—by the personality of
its recipient. For José Cura, the ‘leitmotiv’ is going to be one of
movement: the motion “of music, of rhythm, of dance and of the waters of
the River Po, the symbol of Piacenza.” A pedestal made of fine solid
wood (a ship?) will hold a staff of silver and gold, in which the notes
are the color of precious stones alluding to the preferred special
materials of (various) musical instruments. The designer, from Piacenza,
is also the creator of the ‘Magic Baton Award’, a music prize handed out
for the 15th time last October in Beverly Hills. It is a
prize for which Manfredi created a sculpture of the conductor’s baton in
gold, silver and diamonds.
Also present at the press
conference yesterday were: Councilmember Giovanna Calciati, Carlo
Alberto Civardi and Giuseppe Nava, who are organizing the Piacenza
Telethon, and Cristina Ferrari, who is responsible for the musical
assets of the Fondazione Toscanini. (13 Dec 2005
By Anna Anselmi // translation:
Monica B.
Telethon
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José Cura serves as
host and performer in the annual Muscular Dystrophy telethon
in Italy, 12 December 2005
Cura was accompanied
by pianist
Giuseppe Albanese, who was also engaged to
perform in concert on 13 December 2005.
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José
Cura Becomes Patron of New Devon Opera
It is our great pleasure to announce that
Chevalier Maestro José Cura has agreed to become Patron of New Devon
Opera.
Maestro Cura accepted an invitation to become
Patron during his recent performance at Covent Garden where he met NDO's
chairman, Linda Hughes.
“The one
thing that immediately convinced me to accept my role of Patron, is the
social commitment of the company, which will not hesitate to use any
available resource in order to bring the message of beauty and harmony
that good music carries, to every corner of Devon”.
Linda said "Maestro Cura wants to be involved
with the company as much as his international commitments will allow, we
have been discussing ideas for future events and ways in which,
together, we can help to promote opera in our region….especially for
singers starting out on their professional careers. And we are
enormously pleased and proud that he feels able to take on the Patron’s
role.”
The renowned opera singer, conductor and
composer, who was singing the lead tenor role in October in Puccini’s
“La Fanciulla del West” at Covent Garden, sprang to international fame
in the 1990’s and is now in demand at all the world’s major opera
houses. Maestro Cura is well-regarded within the opera profession not
only as one of the world’s outstanding tenors, but also as a committed
teacher willing to share his skills with young singers.
Linda says everyone in NDO is delighted that
Maestro Cura will bring his formidable talents to help develop the
company into a national force. (6 Dec 05)
José Cura
Accepts Role of a Vice President of BYO
BYO is
delighted to announce that José Cura has accepted
the position of Vice-President of the Company. In
recognition of his outstanding contribution, the
great privilege of working with him on the
masterclass last month, and in appreciation of his
support for British Youth Opera, the Trustees of
British Youth Opera have invited him to take this
honorary position. His acceptance not only
acknowledges BYO’s gratitude to José Cura, but it is
also an inspiration to BYO’s young singers to know
that he endorses the work of this unique Company.
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The
appointment follows Maestro Cura's hugely successful masterclass with the
BYO in September and a charity performance on 22 September which raised
10,000 GBP for BYO. As the maestro said at the time:
“I enthusiastically congratulate British Youth Opera's goal and I am happy
to offer a continuous contribution to their activities. Only one who, like
myself, has carved his way relying on his own “fingernails” can fully
appreciate how much it means for a young artist to be backed-up by an
institution that gives both spiritual confidence and realistic opportunities
to the beginners.”
With this announcement, Maestro Cura's name is added to a truly
distinguished group of supporters of classical music and of the singers of
tomorrow:
Dame Janet Baker
Richard Baker
José Cura
Dr Jane Glover
Dame Felicity Lott
Valerie Masterson
Rt. Hon. Baroness Perry of Southwark
Bryn Terfel
Richard Van Allan
Patron: HRH the Prince of Wales
Our congratulations to José Cura, a star who shines bright on the stage, at
the podium, in the classroom and in every-day life.
(November 2005)
Enjoy International Talent
27 July
2005
University
of Plymouth
International opera star José Cura will conduct the Ten Tors Orchestra –
sharing the podium with conductor Simon Ible – at a spectacular Gala Opera
Concert at the Plymouth Pavilions from 7.30pm on Tuesday 6 September.
New
Zealand-born Samoan baritone Jonathan Lemalu and British soprano
Alison Buchanan will also appear as guest soloists at the concert. The
programme will include arias, duets, overtures and dances from Mozart’s
Don Giovanni, Tchaikovsky’s Eugine Onegin, Gounod’s Faust
, Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, Dvorak’s Rusalka and Kern’s
Showboat.
The
concert will be followed by a Grand Festival Dinner at the Moat House Hotel
that will be attended by José Cura and Sir Tim Rice, Patron of the
Plymouth International Festival of Music. They are the invited guests of the
University of Plymouth and Plymouth City Council.
Opening Ceremony - World Games
2005
Duisburg, 14 July 2005
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The
world famous tenor and conductor, José Cura, was another highlight of this
year’s World Games opening ceremony in the MSV-Arena on July 14. Besides
Nena, the World Games 2005. Critics herald Cura as “The tenor of the 21st
century”, combining magnificent voice, charisma and stagecraft at its best.
Singer, composer, conductor, photographer, impresario, José Cura is
considered to be one of the most accomplished artists of his generation: a
true renaissance man, some have called him.
World-famous for his intense and original interpretations of opera
characters, notably Verdi’s Otello and Saint-Saëns’ Samson, as well as for
his unconventional and innovative concert performances, José Cura was the
first artist to sing and conduct simultaneously (both in concert and on
recordings) and the first to combine singing with symphonic works in a ‘half
and half’ concert format. Cura made operatic history when he first conducted
Cavalleria rusticana and then stepped on stage after
intermission to sing Canio in Pagliacci at the Hamburg Opera
in February 2003. A compelling actor and charismatic stage performer, Cura
has been featured in numerous telecasts of opera and concert productions
from venues around the world.
This charismatic artist credo may be summarised in his own introductory
phrase to one of his records: "I pray God that my mission as artist will
bring some peace to the souls of whoever come across my work."
José Cura is a Critics' Choice
Labeled a 'Legendary Performances,
Essential Recordings' and a 'Key Recording from the Penguin Guide to
Compact Discs' and 'A recording of legendary status' from the Classical
Good CD Guide, José Cura's version of Pagliacci has been
re-released by Universal as part of a series called Critics Choice.
All recordings included in this exclusive
series have received high critical recommendation from such
authorities as the Penguin Guide and Gramophone Magazine.
If you don't have this recording, now is a
perfect time to ask your local CD seller for a copy.
Sample rave:
'Finally, a relative drought of new 'Pagliacci' recordings is ended, and
in rather spectacular fashion. Leading the excellent cast, José Cura
makes a strong and thoughtful Canio, never out of control, but intensely focused
throughout, while Barbara Frittoli1s Nedda is a model of sensuous singing and
dramatic delicacy. This is certainly the finest and best sounding digital 'Pag'
yet and would seem destined to become a classic in its own right.' CDConnection
(June 2005)
José
Cura Included in Classic FM Great Singers CD
'Stunning performances by the world's favorite voices'
José Cura joins a select group of immortal singers, including Enrico
Caruso, Maria Callas, Beniamino Gigli, Bryn Terfel, and Cecilia Bartoli,
in a compilation album.
'Although the Argentinian tenor José Cura was a relatively late
starter to singer--his professional career began aged 26--he soon made
up for lost time, singing numerous lead roles in all the world's major
opera houses, becoming one of his generations greatest stars. His
brilliant upper register and powerful, supple voice are superbly
captured in this rousing Verdi aria.' (Celeste Aida)
(May 2005)
José Cura as Photographer
José Cura has
announced that a Swiss editorial has approached him about being part of its
catalogue with his photo book. Negotiations are on the table and they may
lead to the publication of the art-book very soon. Expect to read more
information on José Cura's website. (March 2005)
José Cura returns to the Liceu in
Il corsaro
January 31 is the first performance of one of the few operas
by Verdi that had not yet been heard in the Liceu, Il corsaro,
which will be presented in concert version. The plot is based on the
popular poem El corsari by Lord Byron. The opera, which was first
performed in 1848, is an important show of Giuseppe Verdi's romantic drama
(with the proven presence of epic and lyrical scenes), conceived to be
performed by great singers and large choirs.
In the version presented at the Liceu, the cast of
Il corsaro will be led by one of the most prestigious modern
tenors, José Cura, who achieved a great success at the Liceu when he led
(2001) Samson and Delilah by Saďnt Säens. Il corsaro will also have, amongst many others, the voices of Susan Neves (Gulnara)
and Marina Mescheryakova (Medora). The musical arrangement will be the
responsibility of master Marco Guidarini.
The performances will be on the coming Monday 31st
January at 8.30 p.m., Thursday 3rd February at 8.30 p.m. and Sunday 6th
February at 5 p.m. (posted Jan 05)
José Cura Raises Awareness of Leukemia in Lisbon
Four
thousand fans applauded enthusiastically as José Cura demonstrated once
more why he is one of the most complete artists in the world. Moving
easily between the classical repertoire as both singer and conductor to
popular songs sung with favorite Portuguese artists, Cura rallied the
crowd to support leukemia research and encourage donors to help in
treating this cancer of the blood. It was an evening that couldn't
miss: great music with a great stylist for a great cause.
Bravo to all associated with this endeavor, but especially for José Cura
for once more showing his kind and generous heart. (Nov 2004)
José Cura Runs
the Olympic Torch
"It is said that at the time of the first Olympic Games, Pythagoras was
one of the athletes as was his son-in-law, Milon the Krotonian, who was a
mathematician and a musician at the same time! Consider me, then, a
descendant of Pythagoras." José Cura
José Cura in
Concert
Next stop for the Olympic torch relay is the small island of Oinousses,
next to the island of Chios. Thus, the "Yannis Diamanti Lemos" Foundation
organizes a series of events to celebrate the lighting of the Olympic
Flame that takes place on the 15th of July. Great Argentinean tenor José
Cura arrives at Oinousses for a recital, which includes extracts from
operas, while Greek painter Dimitris Mytaras presents a painting
exhibition that is programmed to last from July 15 to 25.
José
Cura gives a concert on the 15th of July, accompanied by the Feminarte
Orchestra. Being a tenor, a composer, a conductor and a former athlete,
Cura is highly esteemed by the critics and the audience. As for the Greek
painter Dimitris Mytaras, he presents a collection of paintings, including
the one that he created on the occasion of the Olympic Torch Relay at
Oinousses.
The events take place at the "Stadium and Amphitheatre of Oinousses," that
was established in 1998 by the "Yannis Diamanti Lemos Foundation," aiming
to contribute to the cultural life of both the island and the Aegean.
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José Cura Returns to US in Cav/Pag
San Diego Opera / 2008 Season
San Diego Union-Tribune
July 13, 2004 / Preston Turegano
Argentinian
tenor Jose Cura has been contracted by the San Diego Opera to make
his company debut in SDO's revival of the one-act operas Cavalleria
rusticana and Pagliacci in the 2008 season.
Considered quintessential verismo operas,
"Cav/Pag" (as they are known among opera fans) were last done by
San Diego Opera in May 1979. In demand at opera houses around the
world, Cura will perform the role of Turiddu in Mascagni's
Cavalleria Rusticana and Canio in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci.
Also a composer and conductor, the 41-year-old Cura is
scheduled to be one of the torchbearers in the current global
relay of the Olympic Torch.
Congratulations to José Cura on his Platinum CD
Song of Love has reached
platinum status! It is also the 5th best selling classical album ever in
Poland. (28 March 2004)
José Cura Conducts Butterfly in Vienna - 2006
In recognition of his
growing reputation for excellence on the podium, the Vienna Staatsoper has
asked José Cura to return in 2006 to conduct Puccini's beloved opera, Madame
Butterfly.
Directing a cast of outstanding
singers, headlined by Ms. Cristina Gallardo-Domâs, José Cura will bring his
usual passion, musicality, and insight to bear on what is certain to be one of
the musical highlights of the international opera season. Mark your
calendars--it's only two years away! :)
Butterfly, Vienna, May
2006: 'Something else of great
importance: José Cura and the orchestra. The (singer)
conductor offered up a first-rate reading of the composition and
proved that the expression of sensitive, tender emotions does not
need either sentimentality (schmaltz) or sugary sweetness. The
members of the (philharmonic) orchestra were totally committed,
accepted him without reservation and also followed him willingly.
Cura drew clear distinctions in the orchestral rendition, in that
strong dramatic outbursts were followed by the most delicate and
soft lyricism in the blink of an eye. To the singers he was an
optimal guide and accompanist. After his singing career, the doors
of a conducting career are going to be wide open for him; that much
was proven.'
Der Neue Merkur
José
Cura in Parma for Verdi Gala
THE REGIO CELEBRATES WITH VERDI
The 2004/2005 season has yet
to arrive, but yesterday evening had the atmosphere of an “opening night” (“in
the spirit of a gala rather than with the stress of debuts” as superintendent
Rubiconi mentioned) thanks to the second “Happy Birthday Maestro Verdi”
celebration.
“Stitched” together through passages recited by Olga Gherardi and Giancarlo
Giannini, arias from operas of the “galley years” took their turn. And the
audience got excited right away over Adriana Damato and José Cura--there were
lots of Bravos for him—who were first in order of appearance among a great
cast that sparked the enthusiasm of the fans again and again
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Photo from
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José
Cura Defends the Honor of Tenors in Visit to Indiana University
Classical
By Peter Jacobi
January 15, 2004
"It is
certain that they are a race apart, a race that tends to operate reflexively
rather than with due process of thought."
So
said the late music critic of the New York Times, Harold Schonberg, about
tenors, adding that they "are usually short, stout men (except when they are
Wagnerian tenors, in which case they are large, stout men) made up
predominantly of lungs, rope-sized vocal chords, large frontal sinuses,
thick necks, thick heads, tantrums and amour propre."
For
the defense comes José Cura. He undoubtedly has good lungs and strong vocal
chords. But he's Exhibit A that all tenors are certainly not short (or large
and stout, for that matter). Cura cuts quite the heroic figure. And they say
he has brains aplenty, which account for his ability to imbue whatever role
he sings with appropriate emotional weight and also his recognized
capabilities as a conductor and teacher.
Tenor/conductor/musician/teacher Cura visits IU's School of Music in the
coming days to share knowledge and advice, first with the public, then with
students of voice. He'll offer a lecture/demonstration entitled "Singer and
Musician, Antonyms," Sunday evening at 7 in Auer Hall, then spend Monday
working with selected students in master class situations.
Cura has made his mark as one of the era's most accomplished tenors, scoring
successes in many of the world's leading opera houses. He's recorded widely.
You should be able to locate some of his CDs in area record stores. To get a
full sense of his persona, you might try to find a Kultur video, "A Passion
for Verdi." It stars Cura, along with soprano Daniela Dessi. Cura not only
sings but, when not doing so, conducts the London Symphony Orchestra. You'll
hear overtures, arias, and duets from Nabucco, Il Corsaro, Ernani,
Sicilian
Vespers, La forza del destino, Don Carlo, Aida and Otello. He conducts with
finesse and vigor. He sings with power and understanding. As a visitor to IU,
he might well prove his value, this tenor, and never mind Harold Schonberg.
José Cura Announces
New CD on Cuibar Label
José Cura is currently in
Prague where he is recording his latest CD for his Cuibar label. The album
will consist of Mr. Cura singing Antonín Dvorák’s love songs cycle and
conducting the Czech composer's 9th symphony, “From the New World.” The record
is due to be release next spring.
José
Cura to Conduct Un ballo in Maschera
José Cura will add to his
conducting laurels when he takes the podium to conduct the Orchestra of
the Fondazione Arturo Toscanini in a new production of Un ballo in
maschera at Teatro Municipale di Piacenza. Dates for the
performances are 20, 22, and 24 February 2004.
José
Cura Does Carmen in Korea
José Cura will star in a large-scale
production of Bizet's Carmen in Seoul's Olympic Stadium next spring, the news agency Europa Press reports.
The producers of the opera, which will
be presented in May 2004, are going to great lengths to present a spectacle with
sabor espańol: numerous Spanish performers, including an Andalusian
dance company and Andalusian horses, are being imported.
Gian Carlo del Mónaco will direct the
production and Marco Armiliato will conduct. Mezzo-soprano Marina Domashenko
will sing the title role, with baritone Marco Vrotogna as Escamillo;
negotiations are currently underway for tenor José Cura
to take the role of Don José. There will be an orchestra of 100, an
orchestra of 200 and 50 dancers. More than 50,000 spectators are expected
for each of four performances. The
stadium will be equipped with giant screens and high-tech amplification
equipment so that the audience can see and hear details of the staging on the
120-meter-long stadium field. The entire production is budgeted to cost 12 million
euros.
The Olympic Stadium Carmen will
follow productions in the arena of Turandot (May 2003), which was staged
by celebrated Chinese film director Zhang Yimou, and Aida (September
2003), which will involve a cast and crew of 1,500 as well as horses, elephants
and camels and for which the top ticket price is the equivalent of $500. (Matthew
Westphal/ 29 July 2003/Europa Press)
José Cura
Wins Sirmione Catullus Prize
José
Cura was on RAI UNO Wednesday (2 July 2003) night, sang Nessun dorma in Sirmione at
Lake Garda, and got a special prize at the "Premio Sirmione Catullo",
honoring him as one of the great singers of opera today.
'Sirmione, the jewel of Lake Garda, will host the 22nd awards presentation of
the "Sirmione Catullus Prize", which will be televised in prime time
over RAI 1 on July 2 at 8:55 PM under the direction of Carlo Conti and moderated
by Serena Autieri. ... Special plaques/awards will be given to Lino Banfi and
José Cura, considered the greatest tenor in the world, who is starring this
year in Turandot, the lyric opera slated to open the music festival at the Arena di Verona.'
(July 2003)
José
Cura and Ewa Malas-Godlewska Record Second Album
Bowing to
the demand of fans around the world who fell in love with his previous
pop-flavored mini-album, Era of Love, José Cura
has returned to Poland to record additional easy-listening tunes with Ms. Ewa Malas-Godlewska. The finished product,
Song of Love, is scheduled
to be release world-wide within the next few weeks.
The
CD contains 11
crossover tunes; five tunes were recorded
in English, four in French and two in Italian. Sinfonia Varsovia provides
the music. It is scheduled to be release in twenty countries,
including Poland, France, UK, Japan, Korea, Taiwan,
Singapore, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands
and South America (including Argentina). (11 May 2003)
José Cura
Wins Best Artist Award
On 8
April 2003, José Cura was in Barcelona to receive an award from the Liceo for
best artist of the 2001/02 season. Cura's win for his phenomenal
performance as Samson (Samson et Dalila) was even more impressive, given
that he stepped into the role at the last minute to cover for an ill colleague
and performed the role only once.
Joan
Matabosch, artistic director of the Gran Teatro, presented José Cura the award
in the Hall the Mirrors. Cura subsequently announced a new partnership
with the theater which will bring him to its stage in 2005 (Il Corsaro), 2006
(Otello) and 2007 (Andrea Chénier). (16 April 2003)
José
Cura is a hit at the 2003 Vienna Opernball
"The
highlight of the opening was the 'Tritsch-Tratsch Polka' sung by the
children of the opera-school's choir. After that, the official guest star
of the evening, the tenor, composer and conductor José Cura dazzled with a
brilliant rendition of the 'Canzion a la Bandera'." (AP, 4 May 03)
José
Cura Conducts Cavalleria rusticana, Sings Canio
José Cura became the first
tenor to conduct a one opera and sing in a second on the same evening:
first conducting Cavalleria rusticana, Cura then stepped into the
costume of Canio to sing the lead role in Pagliacci.
Cavalleria rusticana, Hamburg, Feb 2003: And conductor Cura? He modestly
stayed in the background during the final applause, but the approval and
appreciation of the audience extended to him as well. In fact, his musical
direction was largely responsible for the success of the highly emotionally
charged musical performance: the orchestra hadn’t played with such precision
and motivation in a long time in Cavalleria...The extraordinary attention
the conductor paid to the choir also deserves special mention and praise, even
more so as it reflected in the quality of the rhythmically tricky passages. (Opernglas)
[H]e
inspired the orchestra to give a voluptuous, sensuous performance that at times
had an almost Latin flair and spirit. At the same time, he accompanied his
excellent colleagues with sensitivity... (Hamburger
Abendblatt) (Feb 2003)
José Cura’s Boleros CD Nominated for Grammy
THE
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF RECORDING ARTS & SCIENCES, INC.
Final Nominations List
45th Annual GRAMMY® Awards
(For recordings released during the Eligibility Year October 1, 2001
through September 30, 2002
Esta Tarde Vi Llover
Jorge Calandrelli, arranger (José Cura)
Boleros
[Warner Classics]
José
Cura Uses Art to Heal
On
October 25, 2002, a press-conference with world opera star
José Cura was held
in Moscow. "[J]ust before leaving for the Russian capital, he learned of
the terrible events taking place in Moscow. The first reaction of his wife and
children was to ask him not to go. But the musician said: "I must go."
An artist, he said, "is somehow like a doctor, who cures people's
souls." People particularly badly need a doctor when they feel miserable.
"I shall be glad to give theconcert in Moscow and am confident ...
that people will get a charge of kindness and beauty from the music we have
prepared for them," said José Cura.
(Pravda,Oct 2002)
Lisbon Fundraiser
José Cura's concert in
Lisbon on 8 October 2002 was a fund-raiser
for the newly-created Portuguese Leukemia Association. This is the first
time acclaimed Argentine
tenor Cura performed in concert in Portugal, and he planned to sing well-known
arias and conduct the orchestra. Other special guests included Portuguese blues guitarist and singer Rui
Veloso, rock star Luís Represas, and
Ala dos Namorados, featuring the amazing voice of Nuno Guerreiro. This was the
charity's first such event; its aim is the setting up of a national register of
bone marrow donors.
(8
October 2002)
José
Cura Composes
José Cura will be
singing a brand new song when he performs in recital on 16 October. He set another Neruda poem to music (during his
performing break in August) and the lucky Taiwanese will be the first to hear
it.
'Cura
will sing at a chamber recital this evening at the National Concert Hall in
Taipei. The program will include a song he composed in August, using lyrics
penned by Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. This will be a premiere performance.
Cura intends to complete a cycle of sonnets on love and death and
record them eventually.'
José Cura Voted a Best-Loved Stars
The FANS have
spoken! The newest issue of
Classic FM has the results of the fan poll which asked us which artist has made
the biggest impact in our lives over the last ten years. Mr. Cura ranked ninth!
'The men and women who make
the biggest impact are not always the ones who endear themselves most to the
music-loving public. So below, we list the stars best-loved
by you and voted for by you...'
These
were:
1.
Lesley Garrett
2. Andrea Bocelli
3. Cecilia Bartoli
4. Kiri te Kanawa
5. Russell Watson
6. Luciano Pavarotti
7. Nigel Kennedy
8. Andreas Scholl
9. Jose Cura (yeah!)
10. Simon Rattle
José
Cura Sings in Łódź
Gazeta Wyborcza
May 14, 2002.
The
concert's organizers call José
Cura "a great performer and a handsome man." He will sing in
Łódź on August 31st, on a
special stage situated in a square in front of the Opera House.
This musical performance was initiated by Ewa Czeszejko-Sochacka's "Foundation for the Talent Promotion" in
cooperation with the Opera House of the city of Łódź. José
Cura will sing some of the greatest hits of opera; the Argentinean will also
conduct Sinfonia Varsovia and a choir. He will be accompanied by Georgina
Tarasiuk, a 13 years old girl who won "A Chance for Success" TV
contest.
All
income will be donated to orphanages in Łódź. (19 May
2002)
Cuibar Announces First Recital Release
José Cura began recording his next vocal recital
disc on Monday, 18 February, this time with the Sinfonia Varsovia. The program includes arias from Giuseppe Verdi,
Pietro Mascagni, Vincenzo Bellini, Giacomo Meyerbeer and
Umberto Giordano.
In the tradition of his last
two discs,
José Cura will assume the dual role of singer and conductor.
Andrzei Sasin, who was the sound engineer on the Sinfonia Varsovia Rachmaninov
disc (due for release later this year), returns for this disc.
The disc is
scheduled to appear in the market by mid year.
(24 Feb 2002)
José Cura Conducts for Charity
José Cura, the world famous Argentinian tenor, conducted the Sinfonia
Varsovia in Matki Bozej Krolowej Pokoju (God's Mother and Queen of Peace)
church in Wroclaw to kickoff the 37th Annual Wratislavia Cantans
Festival. The audience heard Peer Gynt Suite #1 op. 46 and
Rachmaninov 2nd Symphony.
Maestro Cura and the Sinfonia Varsovia received a standing ovation by an
enthusiastic crowd at the conclusion of their first performance as musical
partners. As one listener wrote, ’At the end the audience exploded –
applauding and applauding. The applause was tremendous.'
Income
from this concert will be donated to Jerzy Owsiak's The Great Orchestra of
Christmas Charity. The charity was established 9 years ago and has
collected more than 31 million dollars which has been spent on medical
equipment for children hospitals in Poland. (2 Dec 2001)
In
Sympathy
José
Cura's friend and musical partner in great operas like Otello
and Il Trovatore at the Teatro Real, Luis Antonio Garcia
Navarro, died in Madrid on 10 October 2001 after a long illness.
Maestro Navarro, 60, was credited with reviving Madrid's opera house after
its 1997 reopening and bringing it international fame. Born in Valencia,
Spain, in 1941, Garcia Navarro studied music in his native city before
moving on to academies in Madrid and Austria. He conducted the opera in
Stuttgart, Germany, and the Barcelona orchestra and was a guest conductor in
New York, London and Vienna. Since 1997, he had been the artistic and
musical director of the Teatro Real.
We
send our sympathies to Maestro Navarro's family and friends. (Oct 2001)
La
Traviata a Paris
Wins 2000 Special Jury Prize
La
Traviata a Paris
was awarded the 2000 Nombre d'Or Special Jury Prize for performance. The
film was produced by RAI/Rada Films, Italy, and broadcast live around the
world in Spring 2000. (17 Aug 2001)
José Cura Accepts Position as Principle
Guest Conductor
of Sinfonia Varsovia
In early 2001, José Cura was appointed as principle guest conductor for
the Sinfonia Varsovia (Poland). This position was previously held by the
great violinist, Yehudi Menuhin. (12 May 2001)
©
Copyright:
Kira
Last
Updated:
Sunday, January 29, 2012
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