On 16 July 2010, the prestigious gala Argentine tenor Jose Cura officially launched the 19th annual International Music Festival Czech Krumlov. The partners of the singer are Korean soprano Hye-In Kim and Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mario de Rose. This unique gala concert will be held in the Brewery Gardens in Czech Krumlov. Advance sale tickets for the gala begin Monday, the 7th December.

Organization of opera gala concerts, for which opera signers from all around the world are invited, is one of the key dramaturgy traditions of the festival. The director of the festival, Jaromír Boháč, said about it:
 
“This year our festival had a chance to welcome one of the greatest singer stars – soprano Renée Fleming. We are proud that world renowned tenor José Cura accepted our invitation for the next year and even agreed with our wish to become the face of the festival in 2010. I believe that his gala concert, which will start the entire festival, will belong to the best that we will offer to visitors next year.”
 
PROGRAMME:

The concert will bring arias and duets from Italian operas by G. Verdi, R. Leoncavallo, and G. Puccini, as well as original preludes and instrumental interludes. Jose Cura will thus present himself in his great roles such as Otello, Canio in Pagliacci, Kalaf in Turandot, and Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca. With Korean soprano In-Hye, he will also sing famous duets such as that of Cio-Cio San and Pinkerton from Madame Butterfly, Viene la sera.
 

José Cura

 Rich, velvet voice polished to perfection like a diamond, breath-taking interpretation of exceptional emotional depth, fascinating acting performance … highly appreciated by critics, loved by audiences … this is Argentinean tenor José Cura – free and easy artist of many faces and exceptional charisma.

This respectable continuator of legendary Three tenors has been successfully performing in top opera houses all around the world for many years. He finds his way to hearts of lovers of great singing especially thanks to his original, breath-taking interpretation of Otello, Samson, Canio in Pagliacci, Cavaradossi in Tosca, and Kalaf in Turandot.

Cura is however not only “the tenor of the 21^st century”, he is also a renaissance artist who is a master opera director, conductor, and composer. In addition, his personality does not lack a deep human dimension. Cura’s performance at the festival promises not only an unforgettable deep music experience but also a brilliant characterful show.

 José Cura was born in Rosario (Santa Fé, Argentina) and when he was twelve years old, he started playing the guitar and singing in a choir. Then he studied composition and conducting. José Cura started his solo singing career only after he moved to Europe when he was 29 years old. In 1992, he had a debut in Verona and successes in Torino, London, and Paris came soon. They opened doors of overseas opera houses for Cura. As a singer, he earned reputation all around the world thanks to his emotional and original interpretations of heroes of Italian and French operas as well as unconventional and innovative concert performances, thanks to his rich, velvet voice and fascinating stage expression. His intelligent, deep, sometimes almost controversial, yet always intensive and unforgettable performances have earned him a position of a star of leading opera houses including the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Royal Opera in London, Viennese State Opera, Great Theatre of Liceu, Zurich Opera, and La Scala. José Cura is exceptional also because of his ability to combine singing and conducting as well as due to his activities including opera directing, designing, and photographing, for which he has also earned significant media attention.