Pagliacci, Berlin, April 2005:
‘As
the jealous clown Canio, Cura
delivers his top notes with lingering relish, moves suavely and glosses over
details in the score. He is scorchingly intense in the dressing-room aria,
and a smoldering presence the rest of the time.’
Bloomberg, 26 April 2005
Pagliacci, Berlin, April 2005:
‘Cura
breaks the rule whereby all those deceived, cheated, victimized must love
Pasta Alla Norma. ... There is something about his vocal organ that
surpasses, transcends the average, run-of-the-mill power voice. The way he
takes the passaggio from middle to upper register in his desperation
aria is as hard and fast as Schumacher stepping on the gas pedal of his red
Ferrari in a curve. Cura would be the singer for a really big role.
His portrayal of the jealous Canio is intimation of that. We witness this
world-class tenor disdainfully making short shrift of the text of his role.’
Klaus Georg Koch, Berlin Zeitung, 25 April 2005
Pagliacci,
Berlin, April 2005: 'José Cura does
not only possess a phenomenal voice, he is also a media star (he may even
have inspired director Pountney to this production). His first appearance on
a Berlin stage was expected with great anticipation – and as is fit for a
true star he enters the stage in style at the beginning of Pagliacci:
in a black limousine – an elegant Beau who hurls out his greeting
powerfully, while constantly attacking Tonio and maltreating his wife. He
displays so much superiority that his despair later on seems surprising. But
the way he expresses these feelings vocally is absolutely terrific. He used
his warm-timbred voice, which can also shine on high notes, to great
effect... '
Käthe
Wegler-Heinze, Der Neue Merker, May 2005
Pagliacci,
Berlin, April 2005: ‘Then it is José
Cura’s turn--and he scores before he even opens his mouth. While
the designer, Robert Innes Hopkins, forces the German into a gaudy showman’s
Elvis costume, the Argentine-a cool, cigarillo smoking macho-is allowed to
taxi onto the stage in a shiny black old-timer. Just like his South American
soccer buddies, he starts to work magic immediately and moves around (hops,
skips and jumps) that it's a joy to watch. From shrill laughter, he plunges
into tears and lamentation, pulls himself up to soar with a tearjerker of a
melody, and then tops that with-how could you miss it?-a brilliant, daringly
sustained ‘firecracker’ of a high note. Bravo, Don José.’
Frederik Hanssen, Der
Tagespiegel, 25 April 2005
Pagliacci, Berlin, April 2005:
‘José Cura as Canio, a marvel of
a voice with tremendous stage presence, who even in his aria did not go for
a narcissistic vocal portrayal but integrated it –fast paced-completely into
the action on stage. [….]’ Tobias
Wolff, Leipziger Volkszeltung, April 2005
Pagliacci and Cavalleria
rusticana, Verona, July 2006:
‘The
savior of the country is José Cura,
who replaced Vicenzo La Scola as a result of his unexpected withdrawal in
the second part of the diptych and sang both roles. There were just two
predecessors in 84 years who did this: Placido Domingo in 1977 and Lando
Bartolini in 1993. But nobody has carried on his shoulders the performances
of this verismo pair the way Cura, the Argentine gladiator, did.’
Corriere della Sera, July 2006
Pagliacci and Cavalleria rusticana, Verona, July 2006:
‘....In this company the matador is naturally
José Cura, whether as Turiddu or
Pagliaccio. His line of singing is reliable, musical, occasionally suffering
a bit in the high notes, but always used with brilliance, according to an
interpretation of suffered emotional participation and immediate dramatic
evidence.’
L'Arena, July 2006
Pagliacci and Cavalleria
rusticana, Verona, July 2006:
‘After returning from Japan, where he starred in the title role of
Andrea Chénier, the Argentine tenor José
Cura opened the opera season in the Arena di Verona last Saturday
in a truly historic fashion, portraying both Canio and Turiddu in the
respective operas of Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) and Cavalleria
Rusticana (Mascagni), two masterpieces in the repertoire in which Cura
stands among the best in the world and in which he has built the reputation
as an outstanding interpreter. He is the first in more than thirty years to
sing both roles in the Arena.
The precedent goes
back to 1975, when Placido Domingo performed the feat at the famous Verona
theater. Only two other names belong in the same musical company, no less
than Mario del Monaco and Beniamino Gigli.’
La Nacion, July 2006
Pagliacci and Cavalleria
rusticana, Verona, July 2006:
‘José
Cura was convincing, vocally well disposed, and in his best game
mode.’
Der Standard, July 2006
Pagliacci and Cavalleria rusticana, Verona, July 2006:
'....In
this company the matador is naturally
José Cura,
whether as Turiddu or Pagliaccio. His line of singing is reliable, musical,
occasionally suffering a bit in the high notes, but always used with
brilliance, according to an interpretation of suffered emotional
participation and immediate dramatic evidence.'
Cesare Galla, L'Arena, 2006
Pagliacci and Cavalleria rusticana, Verona, July 2006: ‘Without
question, the hero of the evening was José
Cura, starring in the double role of Turiddu and Canio. A
treatise could be written on the Argentine tenor’s unorthodox vocal
technique and lack of homogeneity of his timbre, but on this evening, his
voice shone with power and was notable for long-held high notes. And if we
add two intense and first rate interpretations, especially in Canio, his
stage presence and wise portrayal, all that is left for us to say is ‘Bravo
Cura!”’
Alessandro Cammarano, Opera Click, July 2006
Pagliacci and Cavalleria
rusticana, Verona, July 2006:
‘On
the vocal side, the performance was dominated by
José Cura, who was initially
scheduled only for Pagliacci, but then stepped in for Vincenzo La Scola, who
was ill, in Cavalleria as well. Cura has what one can call an
'arena-voice': sizable, clearly distinguishable; he has sung many times on
this extra-large stage and knows how to do it most convincingly....’
Opera Critic
Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci, Cologne, Oct 2007: ‘A
rollicking atmosphere, a full house, “Bravos!!” shouted for
José Cura, the guest star in the
return of Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana and Leoncavallo’s
Bajazzo in the Cologne Opera. […] By nature attractive in features,
voice and play, Cura sang with furor, passion and light...’
Gerhard Bauer,
Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, 28 Oct 2007
La Commedia é
finita, Rijeka, Jun 2007: ‘It
is undeniable that Cura’s directing is all about enhancing, all about
bringing out feelings as well as powerful and primitive passions; all about
taking advantage of the entire stage area (including the spaces on the sides
and the stalls), about dynamism and theatrical vitality. There is no doubt
that it kept the audience spellbound. On stage, we experienced a
José Cura who was more than ever
passionate and thrilling, immersed to the last fiber of his being in his
character, among other things undertaking the Prolog successfully (in
baritonal tessitura). There was show-stopping applause for “No, Pagliaccio
non son”; still, a certain understandable tiredness of voice could be
detected.’
La Voce del Popolo, June 2007
Pagliacci, Berlin, January 2007:
‘This
Evening is a Must for all Friends of Opera…
Deutsche Oper had to send José Cura
into the race after the interval with Leoncavallo´s Pagliacci to be
able to top the great performance of Cavalleria rusticana. Cura, who
was the Pagliaccio in the premiere in April 2005, offers the most possibly
refined and at the same time most natural tenor voice, he plays with it
artistically in all possible levels, and possesses immense resources. Add to
that his nearly agonizingly urgent stage presence and art of performing,
which leaves the audience frozen in admiration.’
Volker Tarnow, Berliner Morgenpost, 13 January 2007
Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci,
Mannheim, Nov 2008: ‘Quite
at the end of the fun, when the compelling murder [drama] becomes serious,
José Cura suddenly pulled out the
emergency registers and sang like a God. With more and more stress, with
more and more brilliance, with more and more strength his Canio demanded of
Nedda the name of her lover…before he stabbed them both. The national
theater orchestra under Alexander Kalajdzic carried Cura on the blazing
sound that forms the foundation of the horror and ends the festive opera
evening which began with an announcement from the director: “José Cura will
sing, although he was very sick with a cold.” During much of the evening
Cura was demonstrably ill. He was exhausted. Almost feverish. And yet he
sang well, and even better at the end….’Morgenweb,
Stefan Dettling, 25 November 2008
Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci,
Mannheim, Nov 2008: ‘The
good news: He came and he sang. The bad: Top singer
José Cura, cast in both the tenor
leads of Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana and Leoncavallo’s
Pagliacci at the Mannheim Opera Gala at the National Theater, had a very
bad cold. He fought, however, bravely. Cura sang and performed with
emotional intensity, unconditional will in expression and passionate stress
in diction, completely in harmony with the verismo style of both one-act
plays. Both of these stage characters, the fiery Sicilian village Don Juan,
the daredevil and macho Turiddu, and the hot-blooded and crude theater
director of the travelling troupe, received extremely distinct profiles and
worked convincingly in the representation offered by the Argentine singer.
Add to that the exquisite sound quality of Cura’s dramatic tenor. The
Argentine deftly hid the vocal difficulties caused by his illness.....’
Die Rheinpfalz, Gabor Halascz, 25 November 2008
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Pagliacci, San Diego, March / Apr 2008:
‘If you cannot think of any reason to go and see this production, you need
to consider this very important one: Argentinian tenor,
José Cura. This is his U.S. debut as
the sad clown Canio, which he has sung worldwide to justifiable acclaim. I
am not sure that I have enough adjectives at hand to describe his mastery of
this role, the thrilling richness, the resounding timbre of his voice and
the point perfect acting he delivered on the opening night. There was not
one flaw, nor misstep in his performance and he brought admirable complexity
to this part. Often what we hear of a singer performing live is dependent on
more than just the voice alone. Looks, stage presence, or prior publicity
can color what we perceive. Closing the eyes and listening to just his
voice, was nothing short of stunning. When presented with the entire
package, his tall, dark good looks, the passion that he gave to this
performance was magical. His delivery of the Vesti la giubba reminds us of
why this relatively short aria is so well loved. Never have violent, abusive
tendencies been so smolderingly sexy.’ Dawn
Southwick, Classical Voice, 22 March 2008
Pagliacci, Vienna, Feb 2008:
‘Purists raged that it made no sense to have Canio sing the Prologue since
the character is presumably dead by execution, and that the only survivors
of Pagliacci are Tonio and Beppe. To hell with them:
Cura, who has had surprisingly few
performances in America but here is an official Divo with a wide and
adventurous repertoire, entered on February 17 in a black jacket and white
shirt and poured out the most luscious rendition of this chestnut I can
recall, purposely darkening his already mahogany-hued tenor. Singing simply
without added histrionics, Cura soared over the most beautiful music in
Leoncavallo's opera with effortless, spine-tingling high notes that most
baritones can only dream of. Okay, it may not have been kosher, but it was
thrilling beyond belief, and this was just the start. Cura was a mercurial
Canio, joking with the contadini but suddenly turning explosive over
the merest jest about infidelity. His elegantly-phrased, introspective "Vesti
la giubba" was a match for his explosive "No! Pagliaccio non son!"’
Larry L. Lash, Opera News, 17 Feb 2008
Pagliacci, San Diego, March / Apr 2008:
‘Much
of the publicity preceding these performances concerned the appearance of
superstar tenor, José Cura, as
Canio. He did not disappoint. His easily produced rich tenor voice rolled
out over the audience like waves in the ocean. Not only was he vocally
powerful, he proved to be a committed actor as well. His 'Vesti la giubba'
was worthy of comparison with any of the great renditions of that aria heard
over the last thirty years.’
Maria Nockin, Music&Vision, 30 March 2008
Pagliacci, San Diego, March / Apr 2008:
‘Argentine
tenor José Cura, in his SDO debut,
effortlessly delivered a strong performance. His Canio was absolutely
charming when interacting with the village children in the opening scene,
sympathetically heartbroken at the revelation of his wife’s adultery, and
truly frightening as his pain rose to a terrifying conclusion and the dual
murder of his wife and her lover. He delivered a voice that filled this hall
with resonance and richness. His “Vesti la giubba” delivered anger as well
as anguish and was met with thunderous applause.’
Olga Hirsch, OperaClick, April 2008
Pagliacci,
San Diego, March / Apr 2008:
‘This time, one of the highlights was Cura's
vibrant company debut as Canio, the cuckolded clown. Small wonder it's his
signature role. Cura's blend of magnetic stage presence, distinctive
artistry and a strong yet supple voice brought out the contrast between
Canio's self-assurance as head of the traveling troupe and his crushing
despair as the husband of an unfaithful wife. Nowhere was he more compelling
than in the famous “Vesti la giubba.” As he applied his white makeup, he
sang with heart-in-the-throat fervor, accentuating the pathos of one of
opera's most famous (and wrenching) arias.’ Valerie
Scher, Union-Tribune, March 2008
Pagliacci, San Diego, March / Apr 2008:
‘San Diego Opera has promoted its current production of the one-act operas
"Cavalleria Rusticana" and "Pagliacci" as a double-bill, but a more apt
description of this "Cav/Pag" union would be as appetizer and main course.
While "Cav" has symphonic beauty, fine choruses and a standout soprano, it's
the "Pag" half of the evening that will resonate in the memories of local
operagoers. Argentinian tenor José Cura's
beautifully sung and ferociously acted performance as the sad clown Canio in
"Pagliacci" is what world-class singing is all about, and he's ably assisted
by a strong supporting cast, subtler direction and a more compelling story.
[Richard Leech’s] top range remained secure, but he was no match for Cura's
vocal richness, seemingly effortless control and sustained, ringing top
notes. Cura's a handsome, magnetic artist at the prime of his career, and
it's a gift to San Diegans to have him here, if only for one-half of the
"Cav/Pag" bill.’
Pam Kragen, North County Times, 26 March 2008
Pagliacci, San Diego, March / Apr 2008:
‘As the tormented clown Canio, José Cura
blew the production out of the water. Yes it's a signature role for the
Argentinean tenor, and yes I have heard of him, but nothing could have
prepared me for this man's voice and presence. The tenor commanded a voice
completely and uniquely his own. His interpretation of Canio's famous aria,
"Vesti la giubba," rivals Pavarotti's famous 1974 "Nessun Dorma." Cura's
rendition of Canio's anguish brought tears to my eyes.’
Molly Bettiga, Voice of San Diego, 31 March 2008
Pagliacci, San Diego, March / Apr 2008:
‘José Cura is a tornado that sucks
the breath out of the listener and creates howlers out of staid San Diegans
who theretofore tittered inappropriately at various moments in the rarely
experienced tragic melodrama of these verismo operas. [I]t was Cura’s
evening all the way. So assured is his performance it’s almost as if
intentionally casual. See me. I can do this. It’s easy. In “Vesti la giubba”
he tosses off high notes traditionally held by others because they're hard
to release. He holds other high notes ad infinitum, to the edge of
credibility and self-indulgence (one imagines the two maestros, Cura and
Mueller, duking it out over this), simply because he is able to and we are
willing to listen for as long as it lasts, hopefully forever. The same
applies to Cura’s dramatic interpretation of the jealousy-crazed clown,
thrilling, outrageous and ultimately heartbreaking.’
Charlene Baldridge,
La Jolla Village News, 27 March
2008
Pagliacci, San Diego, March / Apr 2008: ‘Maestro
Müller kept the show moving well from the orchestra pit, but set a rather
undramatically quick pace for the show’s most dramatic aria, Canio's
'Recitar!/ vesti la giubba'... A lesser singing-actor would have found it
harder to move the audience singing that thing at such a fast tempo, but
then it is for occasions like this that theaters heartily pay the asking
price to get an artist like José Cura
to star in their shows. From the moment he first entered the stage there was
no question who 'the boss' was. And then he started singing and I knew I was
in the presence of a sacred monster, a kind of stars who sell out the
biggest of opera houses just by being in a cast. What can I say? The guy has
a one-in-a-few-millions tenor voice... clear and beautiful with enough zing
in it to blow the roof off a skyscraper. And he knows how to act both
vocally and physically. There is so much of that irresistibly magnetic
'attitude' on the stage that the few high notes that were held indecently
long wouldn't bother anyone in their right mind.’
Epinons, 23 March 2008
Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci,
Mannheim, Nov 2008: ‘The
good news: He came and he sang. The bad: Top singer
José Cura, cast in both the tenor
leads of Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana and Leoncavallo’s
Pagliacci at the Mannheim Opera Gala at the National Theater, had a very
bad cold. He fought, however, bravely. Cura sang and performed with
emotional intensity, unconditional will in expression and passionate stress
in diction, completely in harmony with the verismo style of both one-act
plays. Both of these stage characters, the fiery Sicilian village Don Juan,
the daredevil and macho Turiddu, and the hot-blooded and crude theater
director of the travelling troupe, received extremely distinct profiles and
worked convincingly in the representation offered by the Argentine singer.
Add to that the exquisite sound quality of Cura’s dramatic tenor. The
Argentine deftly hid the vocal difficulties caused by his illness.....’
Die Rheinpfalz, Gabor Halascz, 25 November 2008
Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci, Zurich, June
2009: ‘José
Cura
was first the unfaithful farmer Turiddu and afterwards the betrayed Canio –
both creatures of animal instinct. He mastered the premiere admirably with
a singing / acting tour de force with a dark-timbre tenor rich in substance
and an extremely spirited attack.’
Torbjörn Bergflödt, Suedkurier, 8 June 2009
Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci, Zurich, June
2009: ‘The
premiere’s central figure was
José Cura,
who took on both roles, that of Turiddu as well as Canio. As Turiddu, Cura
was the ‘macho’ incarnate who, nevertheless, showed surprisingly much fear
vis-à-vis Alfio, a carter of higher social standing among the men of this
Sicilian village. He performed the Song to Lola so forcefully that his
intent seemed the assertion of a claim rather than exuding charm. As things
progressed, he found the way to ‘soft’ (piano) sounds which stood in
contrast to his ringing out (to his metallizarre i suoni), a
juxtaposition that fit in perfectly with the conception of the role. Canio
was even better suited to the Argentine tenor than Turiddu. Masterful was,
to be sure, how he kept balancing theatrical play and menacing seriousness
already as early as his warning about make-believe theater and life not
being the same, something he conveyed to an audience but actually addressed
to the unfaithful Nedda. With the sound of sinewy tension and a surprising
piano at the end, the tenor saw to a vocal texture and structuring of ‘Ridi,
Pagliacco’ that was spellbinding.’
Th. Baltensweiler, Das Opernglas, July / August 2009
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Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci, Zurich, June
2009:
'Opera right out of a picture postcard: Something clicks here---and
Asagaroff‘s skillful transformation of this story’s playfully comedic
surface into the eventually profound, existential tragedy is an
accomplishment that deserves respect. To an extraordinary degree, it is also
due to the acting talents of
José Cura,
who is singing the part of Turiddu as well as that of Canio. Dazzlingly
brilliant his voice in the sweeping melodic arches of Cavalleria, remarkably
vigorous and lively in the articulation of the drinking song "Viva il vino
spumeggiante". That has class and gives the impression of authenticity down
to the last inch. Perhaps even more awesome is his Canio: an
alcohol-dependent clown, grown old, who is living off what’s left of his
former assets, and, mind you, does so in magnificent voice. His slight
stagger as he exits the stage after the famous "Vesti la giubba" goes to the
quick, yes even more than that, it is heart-rending.'
Werner Pfister, Zürichsee-Zeitung, 8 June 2009
Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci, Zurich, June
2009:
‘This new production is especially noteworthy for the presence of
José Cura….His charisma and the force
of his interpretation reach full potential in the clothing of Canio, in
impressive dramatic crescendo. As everyone knows, the Argentinian is a true
stage animal…his ‘Vesti la giubba’ is staggering in its intensity and will
remain in the memory, as will his final words which end the opera, launched
not as a cry, as we often hear them, but as a nagging complaint, in
half-voice, spine-tingling.’
Claudio Poloni, Concerto Net
Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci, Zurich, June
2009:
'In the Wake of Infidelity: the Obligatory Knifing:
José Cura,
who lets Santuzza have the action in the first piece, turns into a
melodramatic anti-hero, driven by jealousy, in the second part, in
Pagliacci. The transition from play to reality is hardly noticeable with
him. The clown who has seemingly been joking just a minute earlier appears
dead serious the next; it’s of distressing ambiguity even for the spectator
with knowledge in the matter. Since Enrico Caruso’s interpretation at the
latest, the character of the clown is lachrymose, sentimental and full of
self-pity. Cura endows him with that also and seems doubly lost in himself
exactly because of his physical and vocal stage presence. And it is
precisely this ‘mismatch’ of weakness in character and brute violence that
logically, resolutely leads to tragedy.'
Thomas Meyer, Tagesanzeiger, 8 June 2009
Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci, Zurich, June
2009:
'Big Sound, Idyllic-Postcard Style: On Saturday, the Zurich Opernhaus
brought the so-called ‘Verismo-Twins’—Mascagni’s “Cavalleria rusticana” and
Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci”--to the stage. Star-tenor
José Cura
left his mark on both....The final quarter hour of “Pagliacci” was a
veritable José Cura show. Everybody got carried away by the Argentine
tenor’s intensity and presence: colleagues, chorus, orchestra and naturally
the audience. Cura’s portrayal of the jealous leader of the somewhat shabby
troupe of comedians, Canio, in his wounded male pride, in his despair and in
his deadly rage was a theatrical event. Canio, in danger of losing his wife
Nedda and nonetheless expected to perform in a comedy, a comedy which is
about to become his personal tragedy. This very same Canio is the clown
Pagliaccio, behind whose back the smart-looking Arlecchino reels in his
Columbina. In the end, two lie dead on stage right in front of the eyes of a
shocked audience.
‘Vesti la giubba-ridi Pagliaccio” is Leoncavallo’s greatest aria and a
cornerstone of the tenor repertory. Cura charged it with all the drama
imaginable. But also elsewhere, also as Turiddu in Mascagni’s “Cavalleria”,
did he show the bright side of his magnificent and powerful voice- a voice
of substance and foundation, which also has a smooth, rich flow- in
conjunction with the complex and intelligent employ of vocal resources: Not
only loud and extroverted, but differentiated in the service of two very
different roles. Thus Cura downgraded everyone to supernumerary
status-conductor Stefano Ranzani included…. Compared with Cura, the other
singers had a hard time.' Reinmar
Wagner, Die Suedostschweiz, 08 Jun 2009
Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci, Zurich, June
2009:
'…then Pagliacci: Here
José Cura
was now really in his element. Even his initial entrance onto the stage with
Un grande spettacolo was already incredibly powerful and intense,
followed by a keen and haunting interpretation of the cantabile Un tal
gioco. To the most famous scene of this short opera Recitar…Vesti la
giubba ultimately, Cura gave shape with thrillingly poignant vividness
and forcefulness. As impotent alcoholic, Cura was also a totally convincing
actor.'
Kaspar Sannemann, Art-tv, 6 June 2009
Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci, Zurich, June
2009:
'The star’s real triumph comes only in the last part. Despite murder
over honor and tragedy over jealousy: In Zurich there is rather a gap
between “Cavalleria rusticana” and “Pagliacci” in spite of guest star
José Cura…
The Argentine star tenor fashions the title role into a character portrait
of the very highest order with both his singing and his acting. His
cuckolded Canio is from the very start a ruined clown, a wreck, who drowns
his disappointment that Nedda, whom he had picked up out of the street as an
orphan at one time, has now turned away from him, in alcohol. Fascinating,
how the voice assumed a darkly glowing color as it increased in radiant
intensity with the eruption of true feelings in the (middle of) the
Commedia-dell’Arte play.'
Fritz Schaub, Neue Luzerner Zeitung, 9 June 2009
Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci, Zurich, June
2009:
'A fireworks display of emotions: The star of the evening was
clearly
José Cura.
The Argentine-born tenor had taken on the risky venture of interpreting an
all too recklessly acting Turiddu in “Cavalleria rusticana” as well as Canio
in the opera “I Pagliacci” after the intermission. His outstanding
performance, with regard to singing as well as acting, was one of the most
impressive factors in a show rife with emotion.'
Walter Joos, Schaffhauser Nachrichten, 8 June 2009
Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci, Met, Mar & Apr 09:
'‘Cavalleria rusticana
and Pagliacci showcased their second casts March 30, notably slowly
led by Pietro Rizzo, one of several young new Met conductors this season.
The ever-puzzling Argentine tenor José
Cura took over the evening's double
duty - Mascagni's Turiddu and Leoncavallo's Canio - from Roberto Alagna.
Cura fared better in the Mascagni work, tapping into the self-hatred that
most Turiddus miss, creating an interesting portrait of a somewhat weary
village playboy fatally caught between duty and the call of one last fling.
His method remains an odd one, but he managed good sound and gave the
oft-shouted-through "Addio alla madre" a dynamic variety that made it the
more moving. The almost-improvised-seeming Canio, for which Cura has all the
assets, just didn't add up as a unified character and rarely sparked
excitement.
Ildiko Komlosi enjoyed warranted exposure this year as Herodias and (now)
Santuzza. If not a dewy-fresh teen, neither was Cura's seducer; together
they made something more complex and real of their long duo scene than I've
seen in this staging for years.’
David Shengold, Gay City News, 30 March 2009
Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci, Met, Mar & Apr 09:
'On
Friday, I caught the final performance of the season revival of Zeffirelli's
production of "Cav/Pag," a double-header of the Puccini-esque one-act operas
"Cavalleria Rusticana" and "Pagliacci." The roles of Turiddu in "Cav" and
Canio in "Pag" were shared between Robert Alagna for the past few
performances and later José Cura....
I thought that Cura was in excellent voice and gave a strong performance in
both operas. I always recommend this double bill of realismo melodramas for
newcomers to opera.'
Matt Windman, AM NewYork/New York City Theater, 13 April 2009
Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci, Met, Mar & Apr 09:
'The spotlight on the curtain just before it rose on Franco Zeffirelli’s
almost too-accurate Sicilian mountain village drew from us soft gasps of
alarm, but it was just an announcement that
José Cura, though suffering from a cold, would be singing both
leading tenor roles in any case. In the event, his opening serenade did
indeed sound labored — but when was the last time you heard any tenor, even
in the pink of health, sing that aria of sated love with an easy, leggiero
line? For the rest of the night he was fine.....'
John Yohalem, Opera Today, 7 April
Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci, Met, Mar & Apr 09:
'Double duty in Leoncavallo's "Cavalleria Rusticana" and Mascagni's
"Pagliacci" has become common at the Metropolitan Opera. [...] Before this
year, the only tenors to sing both "Cav" and "Pag" leads at the same Met
performance were Kurt Baum, Placido Domingo, Frederick Jagel, Salvatore
Licitra, Ermanno Mauro and Thomas Salignac. Now both Roberto Alagna and
José Cura have performed the verismo
doubleheader in the very same month. [...] Cura is not ideal but is far
closer, with a baritonial timbre but a big bright side. He combined for
thrilling duets with mezzo-soprano Ildiko Komlosi (Santuzza) in "Cavalleria"
and soprano Nuccia Focile (Nedda) in "Pagliacci." His "Vesti la giubba" was
penetrating [...] ' Ronald
Blum, AP, 1April 2009
Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci, Vienna Feb 2010: 'It
was
José Cura's
Vienna debut in the role of Turridu, and his first time to sing both
Turridu and Canio at the Vienna State Opera in the same evening. The
evening turned into a very personal, entirely individual triumph for
him, deservedly so. Had one not been aware of it already, here it was
confirmed --José Cura is the King of Verismo.
Whoever expects him to be in "line" with beautiful singing and
belcantesque languishing will always be disappointed. When it's a matter
of dedicating personality and voice totally and completely to a highly
dramatic role (which also makes him into one of the best Don José of our
stages), however, he can hardly be topped by anyone at present. In these
two roles, his singing was certainly not flawlessly clean, but always
gripping, captivating with its unsparingly trumpeting, unwavering high
notes and remarkable power.
Cura's Canio is driven by aggressive restlessness and anxiety;
he lives with his suspicions about his wife, determined to find them
verified. He is not an elevated-heroic-tragic but rather a seriously
affected, wild-suffering man, who avoids big scenes-- also one, who
does not break down in despair at the end, but rather looks at the
dead almost disaffectedly astounded, asking himself what it is he
has done. The audience was wildly enthusiastic, and as far as Cura is
concerned, rightly so. On this evening, "Pagliacci" sagged
hopelessly whenever Cura was not on stage. In short-had it not been for Cura's triumph as Primo Uomo
of Verismo, one would have dealt merely with
average repertoire once again, the kind which appears to be
prevalent these days.'
Renate
Wagner,
Der Neue Merker, 20 Feb 2010
Pagliacci, Milan, Jan 2011: 'Tenor José
Cura was devastating as Canio, the jilted lover-clown.' Pia
Catton, Wall Street Journal, 24 Jan 2011
Pagliacci, Milan, Jan 2011: 'The character
of Canio, as interpreted by
Cura,
brought out the heart of all the feelings in ' Vesti the giubba ' with
interpretive firmness......'
Renzo Bellardone,
Una voce poco fa,
26 Jan 2011
Pagliacci, Milan, Jan 2011: 'On
stage a group that is up to the task, starting off with the charismatic José
Cura, portraying a superbly intense Canio. As has been known all along, the
Argentine tenor's singing technique is highly personal and definitely
unconventional, but in this repertoire he is absolutely a winner and
unlikely to be matched. Devastating and enthralling as an actor, Cura uses
his burnished timbre for baritonal nuances in order to extract every
element, every effect out of a part he knows inside out. The high notes are
burning and authoritative, the phrasing is pounding and measured. His Canio,
aching and wounded, raging, violent, and actually very fragile is a
character that does stay with you. […]' L'Opera,
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