Tenor & Businessman

Beginning with a spectacular launch and throughout a successful international career that spans more than a decade, José Cura’s name has appeared alongside the greatest voices and most distinguished personalities in music today. It is no surprise that his agenda includes, to give just one example, the opening of the upcoming season at Covent Garden with “Fanciulla del West”; “Samson and Dalila” at the Met; “Pagliacci” in Berlin, Vienna and Piacenza; “Aida” and “Turandot” at the Arena di Verona; and “Otello” in Munich.

Not satisfied with this, the spirit of this man from Rosario continues expanding his talents, such as conducting, which was-he insists on emphasizing-his initiation into music. (“To singing, I came much later and because of the need to see quick results”, he explains). It is an area, in which he sees himself become more active all the time. (He will conduct two opera productions in 2006—at the Vienna State Opera, no less.) Five years ago, José Cura set up his own recording company and under the umbrella of the Cuibar-Productions Company, of which he himself is president; he recently incorporated another ambitious branch. As businessman, he is advertising a series of CD titles on his Cuibar.com website, among them a tribute to Dvorák, which has him both singing (the cycle “Songs of Love”) and conducting (the “Ninth Symphony from the New World”).

At the German State Opera in Berlin, he has just finished playing the leading role in a new production of “I Pagliacci”, with set and staging by David Pountney. “It may not be traditional, but it’s not hysterical garbage either, as is so common in Germany”, said the tenor. Playing the leader of a gang of Sicilian Mafiosi (instead of comedians)- who gets out of a car right on the stage in an elegant gabardine coat and with something like ten Louis Vuitton suitcases- Cura was cheered vigorously by the audience, just as the directing was (although in this case quite unjustly) booed as usual.

Going through a period of particular stability, his voice sounds more settled and even mightier in its dark and dramatic coloring, which is characteristic of the heroic tenor. During his stay in Germany, the famous Argentinean tenor spoke with LANACION.

-Why did you establish Cuibar Productions and how do you define your range of action?

In 2000, I started to notice that a crisis was approaching and that it was going to be pointless to force plans that were no longer working. I decided, together with my people, to utilize my image in order to try and go a new way. Today, we have a young business where we make our recordings, promote new artists, orchestras, etc. Cuibar Productions (http://www.cuibar.com/) is the parent company, and within it, it’s got Cuibar Phono-Video, which is the CD label, and for some months now, CuibArt, the branch that represents artists and produces events (which include orchestra, staging, directing, and singers). For 2006, we are planning a ten-day festival in Budapest, with classes, concerts and operas. We are particularly interested in finding and supporting up and coming talent. We are pioneers in having built a company like this.

-Your singing career continues to be of interest to the public. How do you feel about your voice?

Only now after thirty years on stage do I consider myself a mature artist. It took a long time, many blows and a lot of bad publicity. Vocally, I believe myself to be at my peak, although I hope to continue improving, because otherwise things begin to go downhill. In comparison with earlier years, I feel that I am finding maturity at 42.

-What are the concrete changes that have led to a greater uniformity in the vocal performance?

Before, I could not, for example, take the highest notes without ‘scooping’. Whereas now, I can take them by attack; that is to say that they are better ‘shod’; there is also greater security in the register. That is a result which is directly proportional to physical maturity. When one has a voice like mine, heavy/weighty in the middle and in the low register, it takes years until the high register obtains that same profound quality. With time, the high region comes to match the others, darkens like the low one, but in addition, one gains control.

-Based on that result, several characters have emerged….

I have indeed added some roles to those, which I used to run from, like the Calaf of “Turandot”, because it is essentially high. I sang that role in Verona, and now they’re asking me to sing it everywhere.

-Do you think that exposure, which involves an emphasis on image, turns into something detrimental to the very singer it is designed to help?

No artist builds a career like mine based solely on the fact that he has the looks. It is true, they sold me, placing emphasis on that, and I was among the first to be promoted as a sex symbol of the opera. Up to that point, it’s all part of the game. But after an international career of 15 years and after having survived 100 performances of “Otello” and so many others of “Samson…”, it is proven that I did not make my career based on my looks or physique. I have passed the test, but there are many people who have not, and who disappear not long afterwards. There is a risk. For many, it makes the difference between being nobody and being somebody. But if a singer does not have a good foundation, he turns into a victim of his own image. I survived because I have a sound preparation. To put it to you another way: It is like a process of natural selection, like a forest in the middle of the storm. The majority of the trees will fall, and only a few will remain standing; only those which are truly well planted---and good looking. (laughs)