Thursday, November 10, 2005

Kerry stage set for the great José Cura

 (excerpts)

FOR music lovers, it is a rare treat to come across an original, an artist whose talent, vision, and integrity set him apart from the rest.

Such an artist is José Cura who has been booked to perform at the INEC, Killarney on next Friday night with tickets selling at •85.

Cura was born in Rosario, Argentina on 5 December 1962 and at the age of 16, he began studying composition with Carlos Castro and the piano with Zulma Cabrera. In 1982 he started studying at the School of Arts at the National University of Rosario and a year later, he became assistant conductor for the University choir.

After winning a grant, he moved to the School of Arts of the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires where he studied composition and conducting. For several years, he also sang in the theatre chorus. In 1988 he met Horacio Amauri who taught him his singing technique and started him off on the road to success.  

To further his operatic career, Cura moved to Europe in 1991 with his wife Silvia and young son José Ben, settling in Verona, Italy. They now have three children and the family is based in Madrid.  

In 1992, Cura met tenor Vittorio Terranova who helped him to master Italian operatic style. The following year he made his debut in Verona playing the role of the father in Pollicino.  

His first big break came in March 1993 in Trieste when he sang the role of Jan in Bibalo’s Miss Julie. Since then his career has flourished not only in Italy but also in America, France, Australia, England, Germany, Tokyo and Ireland.  

His London debut was in 1995 in Verdi’s Stiffelio after which one critic wrote “Cura is a real find, an Otello in waiting”.  

In May 1997 he fulfilled that prophecy at the Teatro Regio Torino when he sang his first Otello with Claudio Abbado and the Berliner Philharmoniker in a performance greatly acclaimed by the critics and loved by the audience. Since then, he has performed the role at many world famous venues. In April 1999 he made his opera debut at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires as Otello [...].  

In 1999 José was awarded the distinction of Professor honoris cause at the CAECE University in Buenos Aires and was also made Citizen of Honour by the city of Rosario. 

His first two studio recordings, Puccini Arias and Anhelo, received very favourable reviews from critics around the world. His long awaited first opera recording, Samson et Dalila, with Olga Borodina, was released in 1998 and was very favourably received.  

Manon Lescaut was released in March 2000 and is a live recording from the Teatro alla Scala and also features Maria Guleghina.  

In July 2000, he sang in the extremely successful performance of La Traviata from Paris which was televised and broadcast in over 100 countries. 

As well as singing, José has continued his career as a conductor and was principal guest conductor of Sinfonia Varsovia in Warsaw.  [....]