José Cura the Singer in Opera (1978 - 2018) 40 years of stage life The Argentinian José Cura represents the great hope of modern opera. Herald Sun, 21 February 1996 For music lovers, it is a rare treat to come across a singer whose distinctive voice is instantly and indelibly lodged in one's memory, an actor whose presence on stage breathes fresh life into tired characters, a man whose vision and in- tegrity set him apart from the rest. Such an artist is José Cura. 1978 2018 Born in Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina, on 5 December 1962, José Cura's musical talent matured quickly: at 12 he was playing guitar under Juan di Lorenzo's guidance; at 15 he debuted as a choral director; and at 16 he began studies in composition with Carlos Castro and piano with Zulma Cabrera. In 1982, he ente- !1 red the Escuela Superior de Arte de la Universidad Nacional de Rosario to continue his musical education; the following year he became assistant conductor for the university choir. At 21, he won a grant to study at Instituto Superior de Arte del Teatro Colón. Cura continued to sing in the school chorus while focu- sing on composition and conducting until 1988, when he began working with Horacio Amauri to develop his singing technique. 1991 – 1993 Determined to make a career in opera, José Cura moved to Italy in 1991. In Milan, he met tenor Vittorio Terranova, under who’s authority Cura polished his Italian singing style. In February 1992 he made his debut in Verona as the Father in Henze's Po- llicino and as Principe Mediano in Paolo Arca’s La gatta bianca, two children’s operas. In Genoa he played Le Remendado in Bi- zet's Carmen and the Capitano dei ballestrieri in Verdi's Simon Boccanegra. But it was in Trieste in March 1993 where he sang his irst leading role, starring as Jan in the Trieste production of Bibalo's Signorina Giulia. La Signorina Giulia, Trieste 1993: Jan, the servant, per9idious and cynical, was the young Argentinian tenor José Cura, ex- traordinary as a singer-actor. Trieste Oggi, April 1993 In the same year, he made his debut in the Straus operetta, Sogno d’un Valzer (Ein waltzertraum), also in Trieste, and at- tracted attention for his performance as Albert Gregor in Jana- cek's The Makropoulos Case, in Turin. 1994 On the way to stardom Cura began 1994 with a series of highly successful debuts: Is- maele in Verdi's Nabucco in Genoa and Don Alvaro in Verdi's La forza del destino in Turin were followed with Ruggero in the world premiere of the third version of Puccini's La rondine (also in Turin) and Roberto in the same composer's rarely per- !2 formed cirst opera, Le Villi (in Martina Franca); the latter per- formance is particularly noteworthy for providing Cura's cirst complete opera recording. La rondine, Turin: The future looks bright for the Argenti- nian tenor José Cura, who has a lyrical voice with brilliant top notes. The role showed off his considerable stage pre- sence. Opera, 1994 Le Villi, Martina Franca: The Argentinian tenor José Cura, a truly great performer with a vocal instrument beyond the common, very strong and expressive, imposed himself in the role of the main character, showing that he is an authentic spinto-drammatico tenor, a register today quite rare. Cura, besides a big and beautiful voice, has the stage power of a true actor. l Quotidiano, August 1994 In November, he made his US debut in Chicago as Loris Ipanov in Giordano's Fedora, opposite Mirella Freni; he subsequently reprised the role in Trieste in 1995, in London in 1996, in Vienna in 1997 and 1998, and in Tokyo, Zurich and Lecce, Italy, in 1998. This last production, with Katia Ricciarelli as Fedora, was recorded live and released on CD. Fedora, Chicago: May God bless the mother that gave you birth. Éxito, December 1994 1995 José Cura continued to add roles to his expanding repertoire in 1995. In February, he returned to Italy to star as Paolo il Bello in the Palermo production of Zandonai's Francesca da Rimini. In June Cura debuted in London's Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in the title role of Stiffelio on the opening night of the Verdi Festival. Stiffelio, London: What made last night particularly thrilling was the Opera House debut performance of Argentinian te- nor, José Cura, in the title role. His Stiffelio sucks the audien- !3 ce into a personality festering with piety, priggishness, hy- pocrisy, and irrepressible rage. Evening Standard, June 1995 Stiffelio, London: The Argentinian tenor is tall and imposing of stature, and the top of his voice is thrillingly free and se- cure. He has a nice line in 9lashing eyes and 9laring nostrils, and neatly suggested the man's fundamentalist smugness in the early scenes. Above all there is an elemental power to his stage persona which is well suited to the role. The Times, June 1995 Stiffelio, London: [Cura is] a real tenore di forza, with a commanding stage presence and an unusually dark, bur- nished timbre, burgeoning unexpectedly into a brilliant rin- ging top. Cura is a real 9ind, an Otello in waiting. Indepen- dent, June1995 In July he sang his cirst Cavaradossi in Tosca at the Puccini Fes- tival in Torre del Lago. That September he made his cirst ap- pearance on stage in Paris in the Opéra Bastille's production of Nabucco and in November, he starred in Fedora at Covent Gar- den. Nabucco, Paris: The fascination arrives with the Argentinian José Cura, a Latin-burning Ismaele. This brilliant tenor, easy and natural, has a golden career ahead of him. Tribune de Genéve, September 1995 Fedora, London: Cura is a superb actor, a convincing-looking hero and an intelligent, spontaneous and gifted musician. I have no doubt that Cura, with his unusually distinctive sound and equally abundant talent, will also rise to the dreaded super-tenor status as special hero by appointment to the cognoscenti. Evening Standard, November 1995 Fedora, London: His touching portrait of Ipanov is matched all the way in this lavishly hypnotic revival by the superb performance of Maria Guleghina in the title role. Evening Standard, December 1995 Fedora, London: Cura has a vivid stage presence and shrewd dramatic intelligence which he used to add convincing dig- !4 nity and warmth to an essentially two-dimensional charac- ter. He also has a voice of real distinction—dry, slightly me- tallic, not always re9ined, but ardent and authentically he- roic, with ringing top notes. Ian Brunskill, November 1995 1996 In 1996, Cura built upon his burgeoning reputation and solidi- cied his position as one of the most promising tenors of his ge- neration. Following his portrayal of Osaka in Mascagni's allego- rical opera Iris at the Rome Opera in January (available on CD), he returned to London to star in Saint-Saëns' Samson et Dalila, a role for which he has continued to receive universal acclaim throughout his career. For his debuts in Los Angeles and San Francisco, Cura added two roles to his repertoire, Pollione in Bellini's Norma and Don José in Bizet’s Carmen. Iris, Rome: Daniela Dessi and José Cura, the Argentinian te- nor who already displays the color and style of spinto sin- ging that hasn’t been heard in quite some time, are excellent as Iris and Osaka, two roles which are by no means easy. El Pais, January 1966 Iris, Rome: The sights and sounds and the emphasis on ima- gination of all married with an understanding that rarely occurs: in my own case, this ‘Iris’ by Hugo de Ana will re- main one of the most important events in my lifetime. And there was the personality of José Cura, with a sometimes unevenness of tone but with the rare and solid timbre of a lyric tenor. Corriere della Sera, January 1996 Samson et Dalila, London: The young Argentinian never seems to put a foot wrong. His Samson is full of soul; a com- manding and vibrant tenor performance that captures the Hebrew leader's weaknesses with as much theatrical devo- tion as his god-like strengths. Evening Standard, January 1996 Samson et Dalila, London: The great thing is that he does sing softly, much of the erotic charge of the second act was the !5 result of his sensitive caressing of the vocal lines. The Times, January 1996 Samson et Dalila, London: There's superbly musical singing from the Samson of José Cura; with a handsome, 9irm, incisi- ve sound, Cura also makes a powerful presence on stage. The audience was ecstatic. Independent on Sunday, February 1996 Samson et Dalila, London: José Cura adds to his growing reputation and repertoire of roles with a charismatic and sexy Samson. He generates a powerful intensity and 9lashes enough calf and thigh to convince he is capable not only of leading the Israelites but of in9laming Dalila’s heart. His ar- dent and sensitive singing movingly projects Samson’s an- guished soul. “Vois ma misère” (Act III) was heartrending. The Stage, February 1996 Norma, Los Angeles: And yet it is because of a tenor that fans will be clamoring for tickets for ‘Norma,’ if not for any other reason than to say that they saw José Cura then. The young Argentinian, making his local debut Thursday, has been sin- ging professionally for only a few years. But Cura has it all. He has that special presence that causes you to never stop noticing him when he is on stage.