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
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: ‘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
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
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.'
.jpg)
Carmen, Bucharest, Sept 2007: 'What [...] was there to see, in the
first show hosted by the Bucharest National Opera in this edition of the "George
Enescu" Festival? Jose Cura himself – a handsome, temperamental, sensitive
singer – the kind we hadn’t seen on our stages for a very long time – a
high-class and intelligent artist, who knows that "characters should be solid,
because the stage is merciless and you can fall as fast as a meteorite...". A
man who probably creates a magnetic field around him, wherever he goes, and
naturally attracts appraisal, due to the mysterious force of his celebrity....A
new triumph for Jose Cura!' Luminita Arvunescu, Radio
Romania Muzical - 10 September 2007.jpg)
Fanciulla del west, London,
September 2005: '
Pagliacci,
Decca, 2000: 'Cura has the right voice, vibrant,
heroic, Otello-like, for the Canio and he sings most of his role with the
requisite passion.'
Alan Blyth, Opera News, December 2000