Year	Month	Performance Dates	*Title*	Composer	Theater	City	Notes	Country
2004	June	13	*Concert: Symphonic*	Beethoven	Zamkowy Square	Warsaw	9^th Symphony	Poland
2004	July	3	*Concert*	Various	Pavilhoa Atlantico	Lisbon		Portugal
2003	September	18	*Concert: Symphonic*	Handel, Brahms and Beethoven	Church of the Holy Cross	Jelenia Gora	Sinfonia Varsovia	Poland
2002	January	13	*Concert: Symphonic*	Grieg; Rachmaninov	Our Lady Queen of Peace Church	Wroclaw	Conductor / Peer Gynt Suite 1 (Grieg); Rach#2	Poland
2002	February	20	*Concert: Symphonic*		Polish Theater	Warsaw	Europe for Poland Concert / Conductor Televised	Poland
2002	June	2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15	*Concert: Symphonic*		Various		Japanese Symphonic Tour with Sinfonia Varsovia	Japan
2002	June	28	*Concert*		Dalhalla	Dalhalla	Tenor	Sweden
2002	June	29	*Concert: Symphonic*		Dalhalla	Dalhalla	Conductor	Sweden
2002	August	31	*Concert / Mixed*		Dąbrowski Square	Lodz	SV	Poland
2002	October	8	*Concert*		Pavilhoa Atlantico	Lisbon		Portugal
2002	November	24	*Concert: Symphonic*	Beethoven	Warsaw University	Warsaw	Conductor / 9^th Symphony	Poland
2002	November	29	*Concert*	Arias from Aurora/ Rach 2^nd Symphony	Konzerthaus	Vienna	Conductor + vocals	Austria
2001	November	25	*Concert: Symphonic*	Respighi, Ravel, Kodaly, Rachmaninoff	Warsaw Philharmonic	Warsaw	Conductor with Sinfonia Varsovia	Poland

Concert, Warsaw: After the first collaborative performance of José Cura and Sinfonia Varsovia at the National Philharmonic the skeptics must become silent. The temperament and charisma of the Argentinean tenor, combined with the ensemble's perfection, may bring many interesting artistic results. Wprost, November 2001

Concert, Warsaw: Sinfonia Varsovia played sensationally under Cura’s baton. The homogenous strains of the entire assemble was combined with the clarity of individual instruments' play. The polished solos, especially of the clarinet and oboe deserved the highest praise. Trybuna, November 2001

Concert, Warsaw: Yesterday the Sinfonia Varsovia inaugurated its co-operation with José Cura, the famous Argentinean tenor, in brilliant style. Gazeta Wyborcza, 26 November 2001

Concert, Sinfonia Varsovia: It would be difficult not to notice the excellent rapport that José Cura has with the Polish orchestra. Under his baton the instrumentalists play freely, there is this wonderful stress-free atmosphere. Slowo Polskie, January 2002

Concert, Sinfonia Varsovia: José Cura’s concert is no doubt going to go down as one of the most important musical events in this region. Wyborcza Gazeta, January 2002

Concert, Vienna: The evening at the Great Hall of the Vienna Konzerthaus showed Cura’s Janus-faced talents. After the intermission, Cura proved his first class, innate (conducting) abilities with a breathtaking interpretation of Rachmaninov's vigorous ‘Symphony No. 2.’ To summarize this enthusiastically received evening: a highly talented conductor who also sings opera for his own pleasure. Die Press, December 2002

Concert, Vienna: [Cura] proved to be a meticulous interpreter of Rachmaninov’s ‘Second Symphony.’ Without airs and graces, with sweeping gestures and precise entries he sketched an electrifying body of sound, in which each movement was followed by frantic applause. Kronen Zeitung, December 2002

Concert, Vienna: José Cura had already led the Sinfonia Varsovia in a well-paced overture of Verdi’s ‘I Vespri Siciliani’ and the prelude of Act II of Giordano’s ‘Siberia’ in the first part, but after the interval he provided the true surprise of the evening: he conducted Rachmaninov’s ‘Second Symphony’ very well, letting the music flow smoothly, phrasing beautifully. This performance was a highly professional achievement which made it clear why the Sinfonia Varsovia has named him principal guest conductor (after all, no less than Yehudi Menuhin was his predecessor). A performance which surpassed even CD versions under Previn or Janssons […] Der Neue Merker, January 2003

Concert, Poland: In describing the concert with José Cura, one cannot ignore the whole non-musical layer–the theater created around the music by the Argentinean. On one hand he draws attention to himself with his very presence and his every gesture. On the other hand, he cares for the orchestra all the time, showing with every motion that they are the most important element. Cura’s concert is no doubt going to go down in as one of the most important musical events in this region, in this season. Wyborcza Gazeta, January 2002

Concert, Sweden: A tenor who can conduct: José Cura together with the Sinfonia Varsovia presented classical music at its best. Cura’s work as a conductor was brilliant—he had the Sinfonia Varsovia eating out of his hand. The orchestra started off with Grieg's 'Peer Gynt Suite No. 1.’ Rachmaninov's ‘Second Symphony' made up the second part of the concert. It was a joy to see José Cura conducting this piece. The baton was abandoned and instead, he conducted with his whole body. With fingers and big sweeping arm movements, he danced with the different instruments. Again the delighted audience gave standing ovations. DD, July 2002

Concert, Sweden: As a tenor, José Cura has a feeling and love for the climax of the music. This he brings to the conductor's podium. He begins slow music very slowly, soft music is very soft. Cura underlines the rubati and changes in tempo. He has a sense of drama. When it is already heavy, he pours on a little more. This worked remarkably well with the orchestral pieces during the concert on Saturday evening. In the waltz in "Anitra’s dans," Sinfonia Varsovia presented itself as an exquisite symphony orchestra—exact with details and radiance. The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly Cura’s moving interpretation of Rachmaninov's powerful ‘Second Symphony.’ The strong adagio was a knock-out and the 1200-strong audience responded with a long standing ovation. Falun Kuriren, 29 June 2002

José Cura, conductor, Sinfornia Varsovia, 2002, Bydgoszcz.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

Cura's Magnetism

Express Bydgoski

Monika Zuchlinska

14 January 2002

[Excerpt]

He is an excellent and demanding conductor, a world famous tenor, and an extremely handsome man—José Cura visited Bydgoszcz on Saturday. He arrived to lead the best Polish orchestra, Sinfonia Varsovia, at a gala concert in the Pomeranian Philharmonic.

Prior to the concert, Cura met with Bydgoszcz conductor Michał Dworzyński, who had prepared the orchestra band for the Saturday performance with the Argentinean. The world-famous tenor began his musical career as a conductor, first leading an orchestra as a 150year old. Now he gives concerts with the best ensembles in the world, including Sinfonia Varsovia. The music lovers in the audience thanked the orchestra and its conductor with a standing ovation and thunderous applause. They did not allow Cura to leave the stage without an encore.

“I fell in love with Sinfonia like I fell in love with my wife,” Cura said in 2000 after he had sung with orchestra. The feeling proved so strong that the Argentinean became the main guest conductor.

Music lovers in Bydgoszcz have been waiting for this event for many weeks, with the atmosphere for the Sinfonia Varsovia concert heightened by the presence of the Argentine conductor. […] On Saturday, the handsome conductor and singer visited the city; along with the orchestra musicians, he arrived at the Bydgoszcz station by train from Warsaw. He had declined an offer to travel by limousine. When asked why he did so, he said, “I am an ordinary person. I walk. I take baths. And I ride trains like other do.” Hailed as one of the greatest singers of his generation, he does not consider himself a star. And just like everyone else, he sometimes suffers from health problems. And so it was during his visit to Bydogoszc—the artist had problems with his back.

“When I was a teenager, I practiced rugby, bodybuilding and kung-fu. Now my body is billing me for the sins of my youth,” he told reporters, dressed in sports pants and a sweatshirt. […] Fortunately, specialists from the military hospital were able to treat the maestro’s back. The unexpected visit to the doctor disrupted the artist’s schedule and forced him to abandon his planned hot meal at the Kaskada restaurant …[but] … the caring staff took care to ensure warm soup, duck with potatoes and a bouquet of salad waited for him in the conductor’s room. However, the maestro’s health problems ended any remaining hopes of the fans that the artist might sing in Bydgoszcz. Although not announced on the program, many had hoped to hear the tenor live. The concert organizers confirmed he would not sing. When asked about it at the press conference, he answered without hesitation: “Today? No.”

The answer, however, gave hope to lovers of the talented Cura would some day hear him at the Pomeranian Philharmonic. […]

And although the Argentinean did not sing this time, the fans did not hide their admiration for his conducting skills. Also satisfied were those who came to the Philharmonic primarily to see the handsome Latino. Known for breaking stereotypes in dress, the conductor presented himself in an unconventional outfit. The official tails and white shirt and tie was replaced with a black flowing shirt.

“We are an orchestra without a permanent conductor. Although we give concerts in halls around the world, having a famous conductor is an additional advantage to us. José Cura is such a magnet,” said Franciszek Wybranczyk, Sinfonia Varsovia's manager.

Fans appreciated the great cooperation. Those hungry for a musical feast and who managed to get tickets at the last minute didn’t mind sitting for an hour on the stairs. A perfect performance of the Edvard Grieg’s Peer Gynt orchestral suite and Sergei Rachmaninov’s Symphony No. 2 in E minor literally captured the audience. With a standing ovation and thunderous applause, the fans thanked the orchestra for the concert but would not let it leave the stage without an encore. The ensemble performed the overture to Gioacchino Rossini’s opera William Tell…without a conductor. The Argentinean announced the beginning of the song with baton in hand, then left the podium, sat in the stage steps and listened to the masterful Sinfonia Varsovia.

A gourmet dinner of Old Polish specialties and exquisite desserts awaited the guests following the concert. However, the team’s busy schedule did not allow them time to learn the delights of the table. Cura went straight from the conductor’s room to the concert bus to travel with the musicians to Wroclaw. On Sunday, they played for the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity.

José Cura, conductor, Sinfornia Varsovia, 2002, Bydgoszcz.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

The Concert in Bydgoszcz

Bydgoszcz Gazeta

13 January 2002

It was not in vain that after the worldwide TV broadcast of Verdi's 'La Traviata' in 2000 that critics praised the Argentinean tenor for his voice and acting. He uses this second skill with great success as a conductor. That is why each of his concerts is not only a feast for the soul, but an impressive spectacle as well.

Now one of the best tenors of his generation, Cura has come back to his roots. He has conducted orchestras before, during his recitals, but the concerts with Sinfonia Varsovia are in fact his debut in symphonic repertoire with a renowned orchestra. It was an impressive debut.

Sinfonia Varsovia is one of the best orchestras in Poland. Their playing was excellent and they showed their high standard on Saturday in Bydgoszcz. Now the additional attraction was also Jose Cura. Although he has been working with the Polish group for only a few months, they understand each other perfectly.

When you describe José Cura's concert, one cannot miss the whole non-musical layer--the theater, which is being created around the music by the Argentinean. The conductor, who looks like a Hollywood star, wears a long, black silk shirt and behaves all too modestly. Still, everyone focuses attention on him and his every gesture. He cares about his orchestra and he lets everybody know that his musicians are more important than he.

When the performance ended, José Cura hid himself among the musicians. With his actions he tried to show that the orchestra deserved the first round of applause. Then, with a gesture, he asked the musicians to rise by section for applause. He left the stage to sit on the stairs during an encore, allowing the Sinfonia Varsovia to play without a conductor. When they finished, he joined the audience in applauding them.

This concert has already become one of the most important events in our region's history. It took the organizers only a few weeks to prepare it. Although it was a very expensive concert, Bank Pocztowy, which was the sponsor, paid for it.

José Cura, conductor, Sinfornia Varsovia, 2002, Wroclaw.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

José Cura will play for the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity

Meloman

9 January 2002

The world-famous Argentine tenor and conductor José Cura will perform in Wroclaw on the occasion of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity. This concert will be one of the events of this year's Wratislavia Cantans festival.

"I have long been urging José Cura to perform in Wrocław for a long time. When it turned out that the artist had an available date in January, we offered him participation in the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity," festival director Wratislavia Cantans Lidia Geringer d'Oedenberg told PAP.

"The Argentinean is a curious and open-minded man, which is why he willingly agreed to this proposal," added Geringer d'Oedenberg.

José Cura and the Sinfonia Varsovia orchestra will perform on January 13 at the Church of Our Lady the Queen of Poland in Wrocław. The musicians will play at symbolic rates different from those of normal festival concerts. The total income from this event will be transferred to the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity foundation.

José Cura, conductor, Sinfornia Varsovia, 2002, Wroclaw.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

José Cura will Perform on January 13 in Wroclaw

ResPublica

09 January 2002

The world-famous Argentine tenor will perform in Wroclaw, in the church of Our Lady the Queen of Poland. The concert, which Cura will perform on January 13, will take place as part of the Wratislavia Cantans festival. Proceeds from it will go to the accounts of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity foundation. The musicians decided to play for symbolic rates only, much smaller than for other concerts of this festival.

The day before, on January 12, José Cura will visit Bydgoszcz. During the gala concert on the 500th anniversary of the Bydgoszcz Fara-Co-Cathedral, which will be held at the Pomeranian Philharmonic, Cura will perform the role of conductor, and under his baton Sinfonia Varsovia will perform works by Grieg and Rachmaninov.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

José Cura Performed in Wrocław

Koneser

14 January 2002

Gifted with flowers after a wonderful concert, José Cura thanks Wroclaw audience and the Sinfonia Varsovia orchestra. The world-famous Argentine tenor and conductor performed on Sunday, 13 January in Wroclaw on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity. This concert was one of the events of this year's Wratislavia Cantans festival.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

"Poland for Europe"

Muzyka

On Wednesday evening, an extraordinary concert "Poland for Europe" took place at the Polish Theater in Warsaw. The event, organized under the auspices of TV Two, gathered the cream of the Polish world of culture. The main attraction was the concert of the Sinfonia Varsovia orchestra, under the baton of Jose Cura, which performed songs by Moniuszko and Grieg (among others). Stanisław Drzewiecki, a laureate of the Eurovision Song Contest, also appeared and played several Chopin pieces.

We managed to talk to Jose Cura briefly. Why did the artist agree to be a guest conductor of Sinfonia Varsovia? His answer was short and concise: "Why not?" As we found out, the singer loves Poland. "Yes, yes! First of all, I really appreciate people who are extremely warm-hearted, hospitable. And these famous Polish dumplings ...” said the artist. “I remember with pleasure my cooperation with Ewa Małas-Godlewska and our joint concert. In general, every visit to Poland is a great experience for me," he added.

Immediately after the concert, a festive banquet took place, during which discussions and conversations about the state of Polish culture were endless. Among the guests were Prime Minister Leszek Miller, Małgorzata Potocka and Maria Fołtyn.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

Cura and the Promotion of Polish talent

Wiadomosci

20 February 2002

[Excerpt]

The "Poland for Europe" concert with the participation of talented young Polish artists and the Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra conducted by the star José Cura took place at the Polish Theater in Warsaw. The concert, under the patronage of Prime Minister Leszek Miller, was organized by the "Talent Promotion" Foundation.

The concert began with the performance of the brothers Marcin and Dawid Kupiński, winners of the Eurovision Song Contest for Young Dancers, which takes place alternately with the competition of Young Musicians. One of the winners of the Grand Prix for instrumentalists was the pianist Stanisław Drzewiecki - a 14-year-old who played a piano concert in E minor by Fryderyk Chopin. The Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra was conducted by José Cura, a world-famous tenor, and currently also the main guest conductor of the Polish group.

Organizing such concerts is very important for young, talented people - it shows them the path they should follow. "When I was 14, 15, when I was the same age as the young pianist, I learned to play and felt as strong as he now does. But I did everything on my own. So it's good that there are foundations like "Talent Promotion" to help young artists," said the tenor who appeared today as a conductor.

José Cura, conducto and singerr, Sinfornia Varsovia, 2002, Dalhalla, Sweden.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

Cura Dreams of a Film Role

Svenska Dagbladet

27 June 2002

Albert Ehrnrooth

Italian tenor [sic] José Cura is a singer who also likes to hold the conductor’s baton. He has been called "the fourth tenor" and comparisons to a young Placido Domingo are not entirely unfounded.

On Friday, Cura will sing, while on Saturday he will lead the orchestra Sinfonia Varsovia as its first guest conductor. The Saturday program includes Grieg's piano concerto and Rachmaninov's second symphony. The latter has also recently been recorded Cura. This time he will not attempt to sing and conduct at the same time, something that, in the past, has given rise to unintentionally comical situations.

José Cura: I sing around forty performances and concerts every year and conduct more than twenty. Since singing is a physical activity that lessens over the years, the relationship may be reversed in ten years. Singing and conducting is a perfect combination. It also means that in the future I can devote more to the intellectually more demanding activity.

Cura is a Renaissance man and is keen to point out that he is not "only" a tenor but also conductor, producer and composer. He has been called "the fourth tenor" and comparisons to a young Placido Domingo are not entirely unfounded, not least because both enjoy holding the baton.

José Cura had his international breakthrough after winning Domingo's singing competition Operalia in 1994. Domingo then also directed Cura's debut album of Puccini arias.

When I wonder if Domingo has had a special meaning for him, Cura understands that it is a leading question and in his response I can hear some irritation.

José Cura: Placido is a special person, but so too are Colin Davies, Zubin Mehta, Mirella Freni and other legends that I have worked with. You can choose for yourself who you want to learn from and how your style is influenced. Many people claim that I have Placido to thank for my career, but that is not fair, either to me or to him.

He was born in 1962 in Rosario, a million-city northwest of Buenos Aires. The guitar was his first instrument and he was said to have had good prospects of becoming a virtuoso n the instrument. He was only 16 years old when he starting studying composition and by that time he was already conducting choirs. At university, his singing talents were discovered by a choir leader.

Cura was 21 when his eyes were opened to opera but it was five years later when he decided to focus on a singing career. Cura moved to Italy in 1991, where he was taught by the tenor Vittorio Terranova, who taught him the finesses of the Italian singing style. He was almost 30 years old when he made his opera debut in Verona. In retrospect, Cura is grateful that his debut came relatively late.

José Cura: Thank God! This is a tough job that is less glamorous than people often think. Therefore, it is an advantage to be reasonably mature when starting out. I wouldn't have made it this far if I had started much earlier.

Between 1993 and 1999 he studied 35 different roles and sang in all major opera houses. The pace of work was murderous.

José Cura: In the beginning, I accepted all the jobs I was offered. In the first five years of your career, you cannot be overly selective, otherwise people stop calling. But now I only study one new role a year, which is normal.

This year he has expanded his repertoire as the gypsy troubadour Manrico in Verdi’s Il trovatore which he has sung so far in the Teatro Real in Madrid and in the Royal Opera House in London. A DVD of this opera is likely to be released in the near future.

Cura recently released a solo album with Argentine boleros (which is also the title of the album). He sings with a relatively natural voice to richly orchestrated arrangements of Argentinean songs. He categorizes this honey-sweet genre as "soft classics" and he describes the colors as "very sexy."

Inevitably, our conversation turns to the crisis in Cura's homeland. He says that many of his colleagues' concerts have been canceled due to the dismal economic situation in Argentina. He now lives with his wife and their three children in Madrid, but returns home regularly, though no longer to give concerts.

José Cura: No one is calling me from Argentina to book concerts. To get a coveted singer you have to book a few years in advance. But the lack of money means that they can no longer plan anything.

To lighten the mood, I ask if he still has any dream roles.

José Cura: I have been lucky and have already sung most of the major (Italian) roles. Therefore, there are really no dream roles left, but my own dream is to play theater or maybe do a movie role. I would love to perform in a play by Gogol, Tennessee Williams or a modern playwright.

Cura obviously needs new challenges and I wonder if he plans to sing in German (like Domingo, I intended to say but had second thoughts. Cura has an impressive physique that reminds me that in his youth he was a talented rugby player and semi-professional athlete).

He opens his dark eyes in me and explains: I do not speak German. How would I be able to sing in German? Should I mimic the language phonetically like a parrot?

He has sung in French and of course in Spanish, but on Friday he performs together with the young mezzo soprano Giuseppina Trotta in Dalhalla mainly from the pearls of the Italian repertoire.

Cheers for Sick Cura

Falun Kuriren

Jens Runnberg

29 June 2002

Nine out of ten artists would have cancelled. José Cura was that ill yesterday. But he sang. Dalhalla loved him for it. And Cura triumphed.

It's nearly impossible to compare his achievement on that magical night in June 1999 - José Cura and the London Philharmonic Orchestra were that good. The concert last night with the Sinfonia Varsovia had a different character. The weather made a big difference: the warm and beautiful summer evening of 1999 was this time damp and cold - pouring rain for the first 20 minutes. And for the total experience, the concerts in Dalhalla depend on the weather - it's the nature of the place. However, bad weather can, as we have learned in Dalhalla, create a pact between the audience and the artists - each determined to make the best of the evening.

- What are you doing here? Just look at you! You are crazy, Cura laughed, looking up at the sky and jumping ashore from Dalhalla's boat and onto the stage. He described the concert as "the most democratic one" he'd made during his career. He must have meant the easy-going atmosphere that he himself contributed to, walking around in a thick sweater and getting a thermos from backstage. But I doubt he was disturbed by people walking around in their squeaking raincoats while he was conducting Puccini's intermezzo from Manon Lescaut. Because Cura didn't want to be just the tenor, even though he would get more than enough conducting on the next evening.

Well aware of the liberties possible for a star, he stole some instrumental passages from Pietro Veneri and actually told the orchestra off while Veneri was conducting. Not very generous! Several times, Cura was so interested in the orchestra that he made the beginner's mistake of singing with his back to the audience. But as a conductor, it is clear that he creates a good atmosphere among the musicians and his way of conducting is light years away from the demon conductors. Cura builds on trust rather than control.

José Cura was really ill and made no secret of it. He was constantly blowing his nose and tried to hold back the strategically placed coughing. In view of this, it feels unfair to review the concert according to ordinary standards.

He sang a very fine interpretation of Corrado's recitative and aria from Verdi's Corsaro (never produced in Sweden). "Cielo e mar" was brilliant but he was too ill and insecure about his vocal capacity for the evening to do justice to "O Paradiso". Nevertheless, it is important to point out that it is doubtful if a finer version will ever be heard in Dalhalla. Cura is really in a class of his own. After the intermission, the concert became more than just a good concert with a brave tenor - it was something much larger than that.

The spark which flowed through the multi-coloured sea of people came from an unexpected source: the assistant conductor Veneri conducted a magical Bacchanal from Samson et Dalila and the dark alto-like mezzo Trotta delivered a wonderfully enjoyable seductive aria from that opera - with Cura sauntering on stage and surprising with a sweetly lyrical expression.

His flower aria was a wonder of nuances and credibility. The audience gave a standing ovation after the Carmen medley and he rewarded them. In spite of his illness, he found the strength for “Nessun dorma.”

Everyone is happy in Dalhalla.

I have never before witnessed such generosity and respect towards an audience.

Careless of Tengstrand

As a tenor, José Cura has a feeling and love for the climax of the music. This he brings to the conductor's podium. He begins slow music very slowly, soft music is very soft. Cura underlines the rubati and changes in tempo. He has a sense of drama. When it is already heavy, he pours on a little more oil. This worked remarkably well with the orchestral pieces during the concert on Saturday evening. Some of the works by Grieg came dangerously close to turning into elevator music but the dramatic interpretations by Cura nevertheless made it sound new. In the waltz in "Anitras dans", Sinfonia Varsovia really presented itself as an exquisite symphony orchestra - exact with details and radiance.

The pianist Per Tengstrand did not live up to expectations in Grieg's piano concerto. Perhaps he was confused by Cura's radically slow choice of tempo, possibly by the size of the venue, because on and off Tengstrand seemed to be taking part in the competition "How hard can a pianist really hit the keys?" That it is quite possible to play as usual in Dalhalla Jablonski proved last year. Tengstrand made an almost wild presentation which in the first part contained two minor but embarrassing mistakes. He was applauded and brought back twice. After careless playing, he surprised with a virtuoso encore - Grieg's "Trolltǻg" (which saves his general review to OK).

The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly Cura's moving interpretation of Rachmaninov's powerful second symphony. Not the least the strong adagio was a knock-out and the 1200-strong audience responded with a long standing ovation. During the encore, the overture to La Forza del Destino, the orchestra demonstrated their overwhelming joy in playing.

José Cura, conducto and singerr, Sinfornia Varsovia, 2002, Dalhalla, Sweden.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

José Cura in Lodz

Dziennik Łódzki

Lenarcian Michał

24 August 2002

The excellent tenor José Cura will perform on August 31 in Łódź on the stage in front of the Grand Theater. Admission is free - we invite all readers. The concert will be held under the auspices of Dziennik Łódzki and Express Illustrated.

History

Michał Lenarciński: Why did you decide to sing opera and not, for example, tackle popular songs or tango? For an Argentinean it is like a dream genre.

José Cura: I'm not just singing in opera and I’m not just singing opera music. If you delve into my biography and discography, you can see that I do a lot of music genres: from old music to baroque, from spirituals to jazz, from Beatles to "boleros," and of course opera. And by the way my last recording has just the title Boleros.

ML: But you sing opera most often, don’t you?

JC: I think so.

ML: And it is as an opera singer we know you best. How important is it for an artist to go down in history?

JC: It is not necessary in the literal sense: "I do not exist if I do not exist in history." But of course that is a dream that all dream. Maybe not every day, but they dream about it.

ML: You once admitted that you were interested in playing the guitar and developed this skill when you realized that it would help to quickly establish contacts with the opposite sex. How is it today?

JC: Don I need anything to help me now? (Laughs) It was quite natural for a teenager: in dealing with girls, I did not stand out as an original among my peers. The guitar and a few nice songs were an indispensable gimmick at the time, a trick. Today it is normal that society "designs a dream genre" by imagining someone performing certain activities. So you are defined by what you are, whether an actor or footballer or rock star or opera singer. And [by default] whatever conquests accompany the role. But this is only a stereotype even if it is the image that remains. What kind of person you are in reality – that remains known only to your closest friends. And today, the guitar is only an instrument.

ML: Talent, fame, money – all this you already have. What else do you need to be happy?

JC: Fame and money are not needed for happiness. They are useless for happiness, believe me, and sometimes they cause more problems than pleasure. Unlike possessions, talent given by God is a great feeling, the greatest pleasure. Happiness? It's a great word to write, but you can't do anything about it.

ML: You once confessed that you cry easily. Why? What moves you the most?

JC: You will never know. I would have to reveal my weakness, which I don't want to do. I also have enemies...

ML: Despite many activities, there is finally the moment when you have time for your children. Then what?

JC: You asked me if I will be part of history. So: my children are my only guarantee that this will happen. We love each other very much.

ML: Where is your home?

JC: Always, anywhere my family is.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

José Cura in Front of the Grand Theater

Gazeta Lodzka

Magdalena Sasin

25 August 2002

On August 31, the famous Argentine tenor will sing in Lodz during a charity concert

"I'm a singer by profession, I'm a conductor by appointment," says José Cura. The Argentine musician will come to Łódź and sing on the last day of August.

In front of the audience gathered on Dąbrowski Square, he will perform in a double role: as a vocalist and orchestra leader.

The famous 40-year-old Argentinean is considered one of the most talented tenors, believed to be the successor of the three legendary Italian [sic] singers. His reputation was cemented with his performance as Verdi’s Otello five years ago at the Teatro Regio Torino; Cura sang with the Berlin Philharmonic under the direction of Claudia Abbado. Since then Otello has become his signature role. The beauty of a film star, sex appeal and acting ability, features emphasized by admirers, make every performance a multidimensional spectacle; they also add splendor to the performances of Jose Cura as a conductor.

Interest in Argentine tenor in Poland increased significantly in 2000, after his performance in the television version of Giuseppe Verdi La traviata was broadcast to 125 countries around the world. In the same year her released a CD on which Cura sang with Polish soprano Ewa Małas-Godlewska. While working on this album, the singer came into contact with the musicians of Sinfonia Varsovia, and they convinced him to return for the conductor's podium. The first concert in which Cura performed as the main guest conductor of the ensemble happened last November.

This concert will be a free open-air recital; the artist was invited by the "Talent Promotion" Foundation in cooperation with the Grand Theater in Łódź.

Cura will perform on a specially built covered stage and will sing the greatest hits of opera. He will perform fragments of Georges Bizet’s Carmen in duet with mezzo-soprano Małgorzata Walewska - a dialogue between Carmen and don José. Georgina Tarasiuk, the 13-year-old winner of "Chance of Success," will accompany him in several songs. Sinfonia Varsovia and the choir of the Łódź opera will take part in the concert as well, all of which will be broadcast by Polish Television. The proceeds from the concert will be allocated to teaching art in children's orphanages in Łódź.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

Tenor in the Square

Gazeta Łódzka

Magdalena Sasin

30 August 2002

On Saturday, José Cura will sing for the citizens of Łódź. He will perform in front of the Grand Theater on a specially built stage. Everyone who will fit in front of the theater will be able to listen to it for free.

The famous Argentinean singer, considered one of the greatest tenors of the younger generation, was invited to Łódź by the foundation "Talent Promotion" by Ewa Czeszako-Sochacka.

The 40-year-old Argentinean is known to break conventions. He sings and at the same time conducts. During concerts, he talks with the audience. He sings classical music as if it were modern hits and interprets the greatest pop hits in a classical way. He does not hesitate to perform in the open air and sing arias from La traviata or Nabucco in front of the audience of thousands. In addition, he is deadly handsome and behaves with the nonchalance of a film lover. No wonder crowds are crazy about him.

A guest conductor

The concert in Lodz will probably attract thousands of people, especially since the repertoire is attractive: the greatest hits of opera music, Argentine songs and Beatles hits will be heard. As usual, José Cura will perform a dual role, that of vocalist and conductor - he will lead Sinfonia Varsovia. Reportedly, he will also present his own compositions and even play the guitar. He will be accompanied by mezzo-soprano Małgorzata Walewska, conductor Pietro Veneri, pianist Grzegorz Gorczyca, pianist and composer Piotr Rubik and 14-year-old Georgina Tarasiuk, winner of "Chance of success". The choir of the Łódź opera will also sing.

Cura made himself known to the Polish audience during the Era of Love concert, which promoted the album recorded with the Polish soprano Ewa Małas-Godlewska, as well as at the concert Poland for Europe. It was while working on the album that Cura first encountered the musicians of Sinfonia Varsovia. At that time, the idea arose for the Argentine musician to become the chief guest conductor of the orchestra—the musicians themselves chose him for this position. The official "marriage" of the bandmaster with the band, whose permanent artistic director is Krzysztof Penderecki, took place in November 2001. The concert, which performed works of world symphony, generally received very good reviews.

Since then, the Argentinean has come more often to Poland. He has a good opinion about us: “I appreciate people who have a positive attitude towards strangers and Polish hospitality. I have good memories of working with Ewa Małas-Godlewska. Every visit to Poland is a wonderful experience for me,” he said in an interview.

Thanks to his collaboration with the Polish orchestra, conducting regained an important place in José Cura’s activities; until now vocal art have been in the forefront. The conductor’s baton had been available to the artist only during his own vocal recitals. Cura himself has no doubt which kind of activity has priority for him. “I am a singer by profession, a conductor by vocation,” he has declared.

Singing guitarist

However, José Cura's artistic adventure did not begin with singing or conducting. He started with the guitar, learning to play the instrument in his hometown of Rosario, because he noticed that it makes a great impression on girls. At the age of 15, the future singer made his debut as ... a choir director. A year later he began studying composition and piano, then deepened his skills in conducting and composition at the university. It was there that he was encouraged to study vocals by the rector of the conservatory.

Having acquired basic vocal skills in Argentina, José Cura left for Europe in 1991. In a short time he mastered the Italian opera style and in February of the following year he made his debut in Verona, performing in the opera Pollicino by the little-known German composer Hans Wemer Henze. In March 1993 he sang Jan in Bilalo’s Miss Julie Trieste—his first major role.

Since then, the Argentinean career has developed rapidly. An important moment was his victory in the prestigious Operalia competition organized by Placido Domingo. Later, he debuted in Chicago alongside Mirelli Freni, offered performances in London, Paris, Vienna, and—finally—on the stage of Milan's La Scala.

The number of admirers of his talent grew after his participation in the television production of La traviata two years ago, which was broadcast by over 100 television stations around the world. The artist has also made many albums, including Anhelo (which includes two of his compositions), Puccini Arias, Verismo, and Verdi Arias. He also does not shun lighter music, saying that "music is not divided into classical and pop music. Music can only be good or bad."

José Cura is considered one of the few modern tenors who specialize in verismo. This realistic direction in the 19th century opera requires the artist not only possess vocal precision and thoughtful interpretation but also great acting skills. It is thanks to these skills that the parts created by Cura gain life and credibility. If we add this captivating masculine charm and great physique (Cura trains karate), it's no wonder that the singer is also great in video and television productions.

The most important operas in the tenor's repertoire include Nabucco by Giacomo Puccini [sic / Verdi], Norma by Vincenzo Bellini, Carmen by Georges Bizet, Samson et Dalila by Camille Saint-Saëns. However, he has received the most praise from critics for the role of Cavaradossi in Puccini's Tosca. Mario’s aria, sung as he awaits execution, recalls the happy moments of his life and for the last time expresses his love for his beloved Tosca; it allows the singer to demonstrate a full range of emotions.

There have also been some controversial moments in Cura's career. After his debut as Otello, some critics enthusiastically wrote, "A new Otello was born!" while others were in doubt, "Is it worth singing Otello if you have nothing to say?"

José Cura, as he says in interviews, reads all his reviews but does not care about any. Nor do the fans—and there are fans who travel with him wherever he performs. Devotees are not discouraged even by the fact that the singer is the loving husband of the beautiful Sylvia and the father of three children. At www.jcura-connexion.com you can visit the singer's fan club. Membership is associated with privileges - every year, Cura lovers receive a large photo and magazine, including list of performances.

Sow peace into hearts

Singer, conductor, composer, guitarist ... José Cura’s musical versatility is still not everything. He is also involved in photography and says about his two photo albums, “This is the music of images.”

Another area of art in which Cura is successful is cooking.

The artist considers himself to be professionally and privately satisfied. He takes his music activity very seriously: “If my art succeeds in planting the seed of peace within man’s heart so that it may grow there, then my life will have had some meaning.”

Much has been said about the place of the Argentine tenor in world’s musical culture. Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo and José Carreras belong to the older generation of vocalists, and their careers will slowly be coming to an end. José Cura can take their place, in spite of the critics. But I think that's not the point—it seems that the Argentine tenor has enough individuality not to be perceived through the prism of famous predecessors, but rather as an independent artistic personality. So far, everything points to the fact that he is moving in this direction.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

José Cura in Poland

Mlodzi

MaGiC, source: PAP

21 August 2002

The outstanding Argentine tenor Jose Cura will perform on Saturday, August 31, at an open-air concert on the square in front of the Grand Theater in Lodz.

The artist will lead the Sinfonia Varsovia orchestra, sing well-known opera arias and Argentine songs, and will sing and ... play Beatles songs on guitar.

"José Cura will arrive in Poland on Monday and that day will also be the first rehearsal in Warsaw," Ewa Czeriejko-Sochacka, whose foundation Talent Promotion is the concert organizer, told PAP on Wednesday.

Next to Cura in the concert will be the outstanding singer Małgorzata Walewska (mezzo-soprano) and 13-year-old Georgina Tarasiuk, scholarship holder of the foundation and the winner of the "Chance for success" program. The singers will be accompanied by the Sinfonia Varsovia orchestra, which will be conducted by Cura and Pietro Veneri, Piotr Rubik (piano) and the Grand Theater Choir in Łódź.

"The concert was designed in the form of a show, with the participation of the audience partying with the star. Therefore, the performance will take place on a specially built and illuminated stage in front of the Grand Theater, and admission to the square is free," added Ewa Czeszako-Sochacka.

Classical and pop music will be heard during the concert. In the first part of the concert, José Cura and Małgorzata Walewska will perform famous arias and duets from the operas Tosca and Manon Lescaut by Puccini and Carmen by Bizet. In the second part, the tenor will sing hits of Argentine music—“Intermezzo Epico”, “Desde el fondo de ti” and “Postat de guerra”—and will sing and play on the guitar for the Beatles hits, "Yesterday" and "Let it be."

During the concert, Cura will perform a song by Piotr Rubik in a duet with Georgina Tarasiuk. The concert will end with "Nessun dorma" from the opera Turandot accompanied by choir of the Łódź theater.

Jose Cura, a 40-year-old singer, born in Rosario, Argentina, made his debut in 1991 at an outdoor concert in Genoa. A year later he appeared on the stage in Verona, performing the part of the Father in the opera Pollicino by Henze. He began the conquest of America with the Metropolitan Opera, where he sang the male lead in Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana. Since 1994, he has performed the main solo parts in operas at the world's leading opera theaters, from Milan, through Covent Garden, Vienna and Paris, to Melbourne and Chicago. His popularity is slowly beginning to match the fame of the big "three" tenors.

Critics emphasize not only the artistry of José Cura’s singing but also his sex appeal. The artist likes to experiment. His ideas include singing and conducting at the same time, which he will also present at a concert in Łódź.

He recorded his first debut album, Puccini Arias, under Placido Domingo. He became famous as the performer of the title role of Otello in Verdi's opera, and also in the lead male role in the television super-production of La traviata. Last year, the artist was appointed the main guest conductor of Sinfonia Varsovia and conducted the first concert with this orchestra at the Warsaw Philharmonic.

The organizers expect several thousand people to listen to the concert in front of the Grand Theater in Łódź.

The proceeds from the concert, with the honorary patronage of Prime Minister Leszek Miller, is to be used to pay for music lessons for pupils of Łódź children's homes.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

José Cura in Łódź

SERWIS INFo

28 August 2002

On Saturday in Łódź there will be a great concert starring the world-famous tenor, José Cura. The artist has already arrived in Poland and will devote the next few days to preparations for Saturday performance.

Cura flew to Warsaw from Spain, where he lives and where, he said, it was only 15 degrees. That's why he was surprised by the warm welcome in Warsaw - both in terms of temperature and the warmth of the welcome. In Warsaw the artist met with the main organizer of the concert. Ewa Czeszejko-Sochacka; he also saw a poster for his concert in Łódź, which he liked very much. José Cura is one of the most popular tenors in the world today and is considered the successor of the three great tenors. He became famous, in part, because of his role as Verdi’s Otello and as Alfredo in the televised version of La traviata broadcast to 125 countries. But in coming to Poland again, he turned out to be a very humble artist. He went to the concert hall directly from the airport where he met the musicians of the Sinfonia Varsovia as well as Georgina Tarasiuk, a 14-year-old girl with whom he will sing a song especially written for the event. Cura performed on guitar along with pianist Peter Rubikiem, the first rehearsal of the song "Yesterday" by the Beatles, which will be sung on Saturday.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

José Cura will Perform in Łódź

PAP

29 August 2002

The musical event of the year in the Łódź region will be the performance of Argentine tenor José Cura. On August 31, the artist will perform on a purpose built stage built in front of the Grand Theater in Łódź according to Lodz Magazine.

Practically everyone who can fit into the city’s Dąbrowski Square will be able to hear this excellent singer.

"We want to increase interest in opera in the largest group of Łódź residents and the region and return to the time when it was entertainment for a general audience," said Marcin Krzyżanowski, director of the Grand Theater in Łódź.

On the multi-level stage, next to the large screens, the Sinfonia Varsovia orchestra will perform with the choir of the Łódź theater - in total over 120 musicians. They will be led by José Cura himself, who will play a dual role on that day: as soloist and conductor. Many of our personalities from the world of politics, business and culture have announced their presence at the concert. Part of the evening with Jose Cura is to be broadcast by TVP, writes "DŁ".

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

The Concert of José Cura in the Role of Showman

Kamerton / CNT

Jacek Marczyński

2 September 2002

An Overload of Responsibilities

The right ingredients were selected to make the event of Jose Cury in Łódź an event: a world-famous artist, a noble goal in the undertaking, and thousands of spectators in the square in front of the Grand Theater. Even the rain stopped at the right moment just before the first song. The only thing missing was professionalism.

Open-air concerts so fashionable in the world are governed by specific rules: you should not count on sophisticated experiences and here you can perform simple and popular songs. However, music always remains the most important thing. On Saturday evening in Lodz one could have the impression that it was more about valuing numerous sponsors, especially the honorary patron, Prime Minister Leszek Miller. His name was mentioned almost as often as José Cura, his smiling face appearing now and then on the big screen. Was the concert the culmination of the initiative of the Ewa Czeszejko-Sochacka Foundation Talent Promotion, thanks to which the PKO BP Bank donated PLN 100,000 to the Łódź music school, or was it the beginning of the last stage of the election campaign in the city important for the Prime Minister?

The evening with Cura was recorded and broadcast by TVP and that had an impact on its shape. Because of that, for example, the hero of Ravel’s Bolero, the drummer, was placed in the foreground and the sound of the snare drowned out other instruments. The whole evening was led by Iwona Schymall, giving a rare display of incompetence. She can be forgiven for her tendency to abuse meaningless adjectives or to call the fragment of the opera Aurora by Argentinean Ettore Panizza (1875-1967) a popular song. However, it is difficult to explain why she did not say a word about a large part of the concert, although it contained little-known things in it (Manon Lescaut by Puccini). However, her stubborn determination to label the final duet in Carmen as a habanera and her clumsy translation of the English statements made by Jose Cura that had the audience suggesting whole sentences completely discredited her as the host of the evening.

Other performers, including Malgorzata Valevskaya as Carmen, were also invited to the stage. The artist who just a few years ago showed promise for an international career showed that today she has pronounced vocal problems which she attempts to conceal with pseudo-actor poses. The audience fairly judged her performance and received Georgina Tarasiuk much more favorably. The 13-year scholarship holder of the Talent Promotion Foundation with a strong, resonant voice sang a Piotr Rubik song in a duet with Cura.

The Argentinian tenor doubled and tripled all the time. He sang, conducted, played the guitar, chatted with the audience, sometimes even felt like dancing. The excess of duties meant that he did not perform all of them flawlessly. His Bolero was boring and expressionless and while he scored with the popular aria from Tosca, it was only with the second attempt, an encore, because in the first version there were a lot of ugly sounds. But the fragments from Manon Lescaut, "Nessun dorma" and "Let It Be" Beatles came out spectacularly. On this evening José Cura presented himself as a consummate showman. Had others not disturbed him, his evening would certainly have been more attractive and dynamic.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

After the Concert of José Cura

Lodziana

2 September 2002

José Cura sang for thousands of music lovers in the open air. The residents of Łódź crammed under umbrellas wanted to see and hear the famous José Cura live. Their persistence was rewarded - a few minutes after eight, along with the first bars of Bolero, the sky cleared. From the beginning, all eyes were on the hero of the evening. However, it was not immediately a favorable atmosphere for music. Cura, who started the performance as a conductor, had to silence the audience. In the role of music director, the Argentinian behaved with restraint, using primarily facial expressions and symbolic gestures. This is enough to communicate with Sinfonia Varsovia, although the artist had worked only briefly with the Polish orchestra. The musicians play under his baton with precision, but in the first track the conductor failed to "squeeze" intense emotions from them.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

José Cura Enchanted the Rain

NaszeMiasto

Renata Sas

2 September 2002

[Excerpt]

Many thousands of Łódź residents, ignoring the downpour, came on Saturday to Dąbrowski Square to listen to José Cura. It was crowded, both in the designated VIP areas and around the square. Video screens brought the happenings on stage closer but the sound system did not always provide a chance to listen to the concert ...

This evening was really a hit and a celebration. Although the city had been waiting to meet the expensive star (tickets to the Grand Theater in Warsaw were 700 zlotys each), admission to the concert was free.

The importance of the evening was emphasized by the guests’ dress: Aleksandra Miller in purple evening pants (her spouse the Prime Minister was dressed in classic style as usual) and Ewa Czeszejko-Sochacka, whose Foundation "Talent Promotion" prepared this evening, wore dark pink pants suit (plus a diamond necklace and long earrings). The hostess for the program, Iwona Schymall, will be remembered, above all, for the awkward inclusion of the announcement for the TV viewer at the beginning of the Carmen duet.

The 40-year-old handsome tenor, born in Argentina (until recently he wore a beard and mustache, now he is clean-shaven; he also changed his hair style, slicking it back) came straight from the audience as he ran onto the stage to first present himself as a conductor. The first bars of Ravel's Bolero enchanted the rain and the umbrellas completely disappeared from Dąbrowski Square. His southern temperament would seem to dictate that everything be fiery. However, atmospheric music flowed, sometimes slowly.

Conducting is Cura's passion, because even when Pietro Veneri stood on the podium Cura joined in to lead the orchestra. But what the audience most wanted was his singing and it had the opportunity to listen to beautiful arias from Manon Lescaut, Tosca, Carmen, and Turandot. Cura has a powerful voice which he easily controls and he certainly knows how to use it to impress.

He also used this evening to present Argentine music - the famous "Aurora," which in that country has a rank close to a national anthem, and the song "Postal de Guerra." Accompanying himself on the guitar he also sang the Beatles - "Yesterday" and "Let it be" and encouraged the audience to sing with him. It's hard to believe that the artist allowed himself to be persuaded to such a diverse repertoire. Małgorzata Walewska tried to win the audience over as Carmen.

Georgina Tarasiuk, a 13-year-old from Biała Podlaska who won the "Chance of success" made a great impression. Cura joined her for the Piotr Rubik song "The Farthest of the Stars."

Cura had several encores. With each passing moment the concert ignited the performers and the audience.

The Grand Theater choir deserved great applause. But the great, dazzling collective star was the Sinfonia Varsovia orchestra …

José Cura was honored with the sculpture "Talent," which the Foundation awards to stars who work to promote young and promising musicians.

[…]

Cura seemed very satisfied with his first outdoor concert in Poland. After a few moments of relaxtion (and he was very hungry) he and his wife left for Warsaw. Soon he and his family will go on holiday but first he is scheduled for an outdoor performance in London. An audience of fifty thousand is expected.

Tenor with a Baton and Guitar

Trybuna

Teresa Grabowska

3 September 2002

[Excerpt]

The era of the big tenor three is passing away: Pavarotti has reached retirement age, Domingo is 60 and now is more involved in directing and conducting than singing performances.

The youngest of them (but also in his fifties), José Carreras, after a past albeit serious illness, no longer impresses with a voice as brilliant as before and devotes himself mainly to maintaining his foundation to help leukemia patients. However, this does not mean an absence of first-class tenors. One of them, perhaps the first in world ranking, is the 40-year-old Argentinean singer José Cura, well known not only to visitors of foreign opera stages but also to Polish music lovers. We remember him from his previous visit to Warsaw, where he performed at the Teatr Wielki with a concert of arias and duets with the soprano Ewa Małas-Godlewska, and later also for the large audience gathered in front of the theater in a lighter repertoire. Television viewers (and the audience was enormous) will also remember his very successful role as Alfredo in La traviata in a live, memorable Parisian performance of this opera.

Jose Cura is actually almost at home in Poland thanks to another role—he accepted the position as first guest conductor of our orchestra Sinfonia Varsovia some time ago. So now, when the Ewa Czszasza-Sochacka Foundation Talent Promotion organized this extraordinary concert by this excellent tenor in front of the Grand Theater in Łódź, Polish listeners knew they could expect a grand event. Even more, for an even larger number, because public television announced a direct transmission.

It is a pity that [the broadcast] was only the last 40 minutes of this beautiful evening, because during this part the great opera classics—in which our guest is an incomparable master—was limited to the dramatic final duet in Bizet’s Carmen, sung with the esteemed mezzosoprano Małgorzata Walewska—incidentally presented by the popular but unprepared presenter as ... "Habanera." But it was enough to delight in the truly extraordinary nobility of the sound and the great training of the voice of the great Argentine tenor, who used all his knowledge and art in an extremely natural way. In his singing there was no excessive expression just to show off but rather a desire to show the simple and sincere experiences of the hero: José Cura as Don José - the former lover of the unfaithful Carmen - is simply unbelievable!

We learned of the singer's versatile possibilities and music during the evening at the Dąbrowski Square thanks to the performance of his native country's song: sublime and patriotic as well as lyrical and intimate, in which he was able to create the right mood in a relaxed (not operatic) manner, accompanying himself on the guitar. A particularly touching "boy with a guitar" turned out to be Cura in “Postal de guerra” ("Postcards from the war") - a song dedicated to commemorating the anniversary of the outbreak of World War II.

He was also excellent in the Beatles repertoire; among others the very popular "Yesterday" gained a new wrapper, testifying to the class of this song. Cura also gave a great promotion to the scholarship holder of the Ewa Czeszako-Sochacka Foundation, 13-year-old singer Georgina Tarasiuk, singing with her "The Farthest of the Stars," a composition by Piotr Rubik, who accompanied them on the piano. The Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra was conducted by Piotr Veneri – and often by the tenor. The evening was also attended by the choir of the Grand Theater from Łódź, who accompanied the soloist in one of the encores – Calaf’s famous aria "Nessun Dorma" from the opera Turandot by Puccini.

The artistic values of this wonderful evening, which can be successfully called the revelation of the month (or maybe a year?), were complemented by the beautiful gestures of the sponsors: the president of PKO BP handed the Music School H. Wieniawski 100,000 zł.

An Evening of Arias and Beatles' Hits.

Gazeta

Magdalena Sasin

Note: We do not have the source article for this translation; it was sent to us in translation so it is what it is. J

Many music lovers came to Lodz to listen to José Cura last Saturday.

They braved the rain to see and hear Mr. Cura live. Their patience was awarded. The weather got better as soon as the Sinfonia Varsovia and Maestro started playing "Bolero.” It was as if he had even hypnotized the rain.

Everybody stared at the hero of this evening but the atmosphere wasn't good at the beginning. When the Prime Minister entered, some people started shouting. José Cura, who started the evening as conductor, had to calm the audience.

While conducting, Maestro remained restraint. He communicated to his musicians using facial expression and symbolic gestures only. Although he has been Sinfonia Varsovia's Principal Guest Conductor for few months only, the musicians already know how to understand his body language. They musicians played well for Maestro Cura; however they did not put their souls into “Bolero.”

José Cura has an interesting personality. He enchanted the audience with his behavior: he is not only a singer and conductor but also a real star. Last Saturday his energy exploded. Dressed in a long black coat, he joked and spoke often with the audience. Looking at the clearing up sky, he said: "God is Polish." Then he added: "And Argentinian."

Cura reacted more spontaneously than the audience. It was not an easy task for Mr. Cura to persuade the audience to sing The Beatles' tunes along with him.

José Cura's effective showmanship and outgoing personality has made it easy for him to become popular; however, if not for his musical talent, he would never be where he is now.

His strong and sonorous voice as well as his good vocal technique provide a wonderful basis on which to create remarkable operatic roles. Cura not only sang each aria but interpreted it, too, in the way he moved across the stage, in the way him moved his hands, in the way his expression mirrored the emotion. To experience the full extent of José Cura's talent, he should be heard in a staged opera without amplification.

This concert was entitled "José Cura Sings the Greatest Hits of Opera” and he did that and more. He sang such arias as “Tra voi belle" and "E lucevan le stelle." Even those who usually don’t listen to classical music know these popular numbers. Cura also performed some less known tunes, too, becoming focused and serious while singing an Argentinian patriotic song "Aurora." He dedicated "Postal de guerra" (War Postcard) to the victims of the World War II.

Other artists accompanied this wonderful tenor on stage. Pietro Veneri conducted Sinfonia Varsovia. The Choir of the Opera House in Lodz was on the stage as well. Mezzosoprano Malgorzata Walewska sang arias from "Carmen" but unfortunately did not sing well.

One other important person took the stage on Saturday. Thirteen-year-old Georgina Tarasiuk is a scholarship winner for the "Foundation for the Talent Promotion." She and Cura performed Piotr Rubik's very nostalgic song titled "Najdalsza z gwiazd" ("The Farthest of the Stars"), with Cura tactfully allowing the teen the leading line. Georgina has great potential but should study longer.

Music lovers could hear two The Beatles' tunes at the end of the concert. Mr. Cura performed them while playing on his guitar.

Opera stars usually put all their souls into singing popular music. This happened on Saturday, too. José Cura dedicated his version of "Let It Be" to the Prime Minister Leszek Miller and his wife, Alexandra. Mr. Miller was the Honorary Patron of the concert.

Maestro treated his performance in Lodz seriously. Although it was to be an artistic and social event, music remained the most important thing.

EyeWitness Report

Thanks to Zsuzsanna

José Cura in Lodz

as reported by Zsuzsana

Dear Kira,

We are back from our tour visiting to Krakow and Lodz in Poland. It was a great success, we had a wonderful time there and it was also very fine to meet with Iwona and Chikako.

The concert was magnificent, a wonderful adventure into José Cura’s musician world. He was in high spirits, filled with enormous energy and did an extraordinary job for the audience without much break during the concert. He sang a lot, loved to entertain us and to conduct his orchestra (Sinfonia Varsovia), who played wonderfully for him. José looked very elegant in his long, black suit, white shirt combined with his dark hair and smooth face. He fully kept his natural character and good sense of humour during the evening. It was hard to memorize the rich program and the encores he gave us at the end.

We were very surprised to see José rehearsing with the orchestra very hard on the spot just with few hours before the concert started. Despite of the rain, people were walking to the square in rows to enjoy the concert. The stage was well placed in front of the theatre and lighted beautifully in the dark night. A smaller section of the place was reserved for guests with chairs in front of the stage while the other parts of the square was filled by the people. They were very disciplined and did not mind standing there in silence for more than two and a half hours. They even kept some “pathways” at the edges of the square for those who wanted to move around during the concert. We could see the stage on big screens and enjoy the excellent pictures and movements of the camera.

The concert started in rain with Ravel’s Bolero conducted by José Cura. He began it very softly and managed to follow the growing dynamic and atmosphere of the music. Then the rain stopped and we fully enjoyed two light arias from Manon Lescaut listening to his familiar, burnished voice and warm tone. We immediately knew it was worth coming to the concert. His voice filled the big square and caught the audience. He continued the concert with his moving performance (“E lucevan le stelle”) from Tosca. One of the best sections of the concert was the next wonderful aria set from Bizet’s Carmen. It started with the popular, dynamic and fresh orchestral piece, followed by a nice Carmen solo (Malgorzata Walewska) (conducted by José) and finished with a very strong, unforgettable duet. I could not take my eyes off the big screen enjoying how deeply they were absorbed into the music and the characters.

Then José continued the concert with a block of beautiful songs including the magnificent, heroic piece from Aurora and a gentle duet with the young Georgina Tarasiuk. In the latter, he kindly stepped back and let her dominating the melody. José performed the next two, very tender argentine songs beautifully sitting on the podium and accompanied himself by a guitar. He did it with the next two Beatles songs (Yesterday, Let it be) as well, even more brilliantly than you could imagine. This was the second highpoint of the concert. We were totally enchanted. José’s simple and very intelligent singing fit well to the songs emphasising their melodies. It also let him to show us the real beauty of his dark timbre and his free, natural vocal skill. Finally – if this was not enough for you – José gifted us with a brilliant “Nessun dorma” with a memorable, blazing voice as usual.

After this, he simply did not want to finish the concert and joked a lot keeping the audience entertained with a series of encores. He played and sang the Beatles songs and asked us to join with him, while coupled the melody (“Let it be”) with improvisation and a finishing very big high note. After persuading the audience, then the Prime Minister to choose the next aria (from Carmen, Tosca or Aurora), he gently decided to perform the duet with Georgina again (after asking us “Who do you want to listen to, me or Georgina?”). Finally he gave us the wonderful Cavaradossi solo again singing and conducting at the same time. After this, people started to leave the square, when suddenly the orchestra repeated the dynamic Carmen piece. Then José kindly gave the deserved acknowledgment to all the sections of orchestra and finally said good by to us, as the concert finished. It was a truly memorable evening.

Best regards,

Zsuzsanna

Lisbon - October 2002

José Cura and Sinfonia Varsovia, 2002, Lisbon.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

José Cura, Sinfonia Varsovia, Rui Veloso, Luís Represas and Ala de Namorados Together on Stage

Diário Digital

Filipe Rodrigues da Silva

7 October 2002

[Excerpt]

The Portuguese Association against Leukemia will offer a charity concert (October 8, 9:30 pm, at the Pavilhão Atlântico, Lisbon) with tenor José Cura, attended by Sinfonia Varsovia and featuring Rui Veloso, Luís Represas and Ala de Namorados. At the press conference held Monday, the speakers asked the public to attend and participate in this noble and vital cause for the health of thousands of people.

The purpose of the show is to raise funds and promote the creation of a national registry of bone marrow donors.

Tuesday’s show is the first of its kind promoted by the institution and hopes are high for its success, especially considering the names of those involved in the project. And judging by what was heard during rehearsals, this will be something unusual for Portugal.

Luís Represas alluded to this fact: “This is an unprecedented and unique spectacle. With a group of artists from different areas coming together to support a noble cause.”

[…]

Considered to be one of the most notable artists of his generation, Argentinean José Cura has become famous for his interpretations of the French and Italian operatic repertoire.

In this program, Cura, who will also conduct the Sinfonia Varsovia, will highlight well-known music and composers from classical music—such as Tchaikovsky, Puccini and Verdi—as well as boleros and pop themes.

“I have two commitments tomorrow [Tuesday]: one as a musician and the other as a man. Two honors. It is a pleasure to perform in such an impressive venue as Pavilhão Atlântico and share the stage with such renowned musicians in your country,” he said.

Cura jokingly pointed out that the presence of Rui Veloso, Represas and Ala dos Namorados could be a risk. “They can steal my night,” he said with a laugh.

Asked about the content and form of the concert, Cura hedged a bit. “As has been said, it will be a unique spectacle. I hope to see a full auditorium. Each ticket sold means another person, more help for the cause. It won’t just mean one more person to applaud the artists. Tomorrow it will mean more than that,” he said.

The show will last two hours, with a break in the middle. The invited national artists who have been invited will take action in the second half of the concert. Each will play three songs of his own, one of which will be performed together with the Polish orchestra.

The end will be a presentation of the Beatles song “Yesterday” and John Lennon’s “Imagine,” which will include all the singers involved in the performance.

For José Cura's, this this will be the ideal ending. "These are two themes that are already identified as representative hymns of the twentieth century and that make perfect sense today."

José Cura and Sinfonia Varsovia, 2002, Lisbon.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

Atlântico Received Voices of Hope

Correio da Manha

Vanessa Fidalgo

Under the baton of Argentinean tenor and conductor José Cura, who had as guest “friends” Rui Veloso, Luís Represas and Ala dos Namorados, the Atlântico Pavilion in Lisbon hosted a show on Tuesday that celebrated the values of solidarity and compassion for others.

In an event where the audience played a role as—or even more—important than the performers on stage, about six thousand people attended to call attention to the newly-created Portuguese Association against Leukemia, which promoted the concert and to whom all proceeds will be given. The funds raised are aimed at building the first national bank of bone marrow donors, which will save many of the people facing the terrible disease.

The concert started in a solemn tone, with the first part filled with Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov symphonies and arias from Puccini and Verdi operas, with a competent performance by the Sinfonia Varsovia and the Lisboa Cantat Choir. “Sui generis” master of communication with the audience, often punctuating his comments with humor, José Cura showed his skills as conductor, tenor, pianist, and guitarist according to the occasion.

But the most emotional moments of the night would turn out to be the performances of Luis Represas, especially in the “Feiticeira” duet with José Cura, Ala dos Namorados and Rui Veloso, the longtime friend of the Argentine tenor with whom he shared vocals on “Porto Sentido.”

After playing an acoustic version of the Beatles' “Yesterday,” Cura called his guests onstage to sing the quintessential John Lennon song of hope, “Imagine,” which closed the night in front of a standing ovation.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

Influenza "Overshadows" Night at the Pavilhão Atlântico

Digital Diary

Filipe Rodrigues da Silva

9 October 2002

[Excerpt]

It went well, but it could have been better. This was the gala night that marked the launch of the Portuguese Association against Leukemia with a concert held in Pavilhão Atlântico that included the performance of a remarkable group of national and foreign artists, including the Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra, the tenor and conductor José Cura, Luís Represas, Rui Veloso and Ala dos Namorados.

The format did not break new ground: adding classical music to pop / rock music is something we have become accustomed to seeing and hearing in recent years, especially thanks to the adventures of Pavarotti and Friends.

What made the night special—beyond the noble cause that surrounded it, the vital launch of a bone marrow donor record base—was that the initiative was carried out in Portugal with national artists having the support of an orchestra as remarkable as the Polish ensemble.

The problem was that an unexpected illness affected both José Cura and Rui Veloso. In the case of the latter—apparently the most ill—the voice was affected. In the case of the tenor, Cura was naturally concerned about his vocal chords (these are the instruments that professional singers paid in the weight of gold do not mess around with) and so was torn between surrendering body and soul and being able to last through a spectacle scheduled to last three hours.

So Cura wasn’t kidding when around midnight he told those who were leaving the Pavilion they would miss the best of the show. Only then did the Argentinean tenor fill the huge Lisbon room with his extraordinary voice with an interpretation of the aria “Nessun dorma” from Puccini’s Turandot.

There were other memorable moments, such as the interpretation of Feiticeira by Represas and Cura and the irreproachable execution of the Polish orchestra (both in the Tchaikovsky opening, conducted by Cura, and in the Puccini works) and the Choir Lisboa Cantat.

But not everything was positive. In a concerted dominated by Latino tones, including boleros and versions of "Fado do Ladrão Enamorado" (by Rui Veloso) and "Canção de Edite" (by Ala dos Namorados), it seemed superfluous to include songs by the Beatles and John Lennon. It would have been better to explore [the works of the native singers]. Maybe next time.

Warsaw - November 2002

José Cura and Sinfonia Varsovia, 2002, Warsaw, Beethoven 9th.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

European Concert 'Stars for Europe'

Imagina

14 November 2002

[Excerpt]

José Cura, the world-famous Argentine tenor and conductor, will lead a concert entitled “Stars for Europe” on 25 November. He will conduct Beethoven’s 9^th Symphony for the first time.

"For the first time I will conduct the Ninth Symphony—my debut. Performing it is a milestone in the career of every artist. It is a similar challenge for a singer in the role of Otello," said Cura during a press conference on Tuesday.

The concert is one of the events of the Warsaw University festival celebrated from 12 to 27 November. The organizers of the event are the University of Warsaw, University of Warsaw Academic Choir and the agency M.V.I.

The conductor noted that he did not know the Polish choirs and therefore didn’t know what to expect from them. “I will find out only after the first rehearsal. But if the Warsaw choir is half as good as I have heard, it is very good,” the artist said.

The basic premise of the event is to popularize the idea of the European Union, hence the main point of the concert will be the performance of the Ninth Symphony in D minor by Ludwig van Beethoven, which is the anthem of the Council of Europe. The artists will also perform the song "Gegenliebe," "Mit einem gewalten Band" and "Fantasy in C minor" by Beethoven.

During the press conference, Cura spoke very warmly about the working with Sinfonia Varsovia in the Warsaw Philharmonic Sinfonia Varsovia. November 25 marks the one year anniversary of their first concert. Since then, they have released two albums and played concerts in Sweden and Portugal. At the end of November they will perform in Vienna's Konzerthaus and then will tour Spain.

He describes his work with the Grand Theater-National Opera as “pleasant” and “fully professional.” Cura will be performing as a guest in the role of Otello.

The artist emphasized that he considers himself a “singing conductor” and not a “conducting singer.”

“I started conducting as a 15-year-old, so I have been doing it for 25 years. I have been singing for only ten years. I decided to become a singer because the check is much bigger,” he joked.

The musician has not yet seen Warsaw. “All I have seen is the opera and my hotel. I have so much work that I don’t have time for tourism,” he said. When asked about the impression of his stay in Poland, he replied briefly: “Cold and damp.”

Cura, 40, was born in Rosario, Argentina, and made his debut as a singer in 1991 at an outdoor concert in Genoa. A year later, he performed on stage in Verona, performing the father's part in the Henze opera Pollicino. He began the conquest of America at the Metropolitan Opera, where he sang Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana. Since 1994, he has performed the major solo parts in the world's leading opera theaters, from Milan, through Covent Garden in London, Vienna and Paris, to Melbourne and Chicago.

His popularity is slowly beginning to match the fame of the three great tenors—Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras. Critics emphasize not only the craftsmanship of Cura but also his sex appeal. The artist likes to experiment. His ideas include singing and conducting at the same time.

"We are pleased that such a great artist as José Cura will take part in the University festival. His arrival emphasizes the cultural role of Poland in Europe," said the director of the European Center, Alojzy Nowak.

[…]

José Cura and Sinfonia Varsovia, 2002, Warsaw, Beethoven 9th.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

José Cura for Readers of "Kujona"

Gazeta

Marek Kozubal

27 November 2002

The maestro suddenly appeared among the many musicians from the orchestra. Not even the autograph hunters awaiting the opportunity for a signature noticed him.

More than 1500 students watched the rehearsal yesterday for the “Stars for Europe” evening concert. José Cura conducted the Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra and the Krakow Choir of the Jagiellonian University, the Choir of the University of Wrocław "Gaudium" and the University of Warsaw Academic Choir.

The rehearsal was organized in the Congress Hall by the editors of "Kujon Polski." During the rehearsal, the orchestra and choirs played and sang fragments of the Ninth Symphony in D minor by Ludwig van Beethoven.

Hunters in attack

The first students came to the Congress Hall at about 9, although the rehearsal was scheduled to start an hour and a half later. Teens counted on autographs. “For my students [an autograph] is a huge prize,” said a teacher from Junior High School No. 18 at Świętokrzyska.

Another teacher reprimanded students. “Remember, you are going to a concert, not a field. You have to behave correctly.”

Even before the rehearsal, while the musicians were still bringing in instruments, a group of girls stood at the steps leading to the stage. Most of them were junior high school students dressed as Spice Girls. They kept notebooks and diaries, on one of them was the pink inscription "I Love." “José Cura is deadly handsome!” they sighed.

Maestro in jeans

However, anyone who thought that the Maestro would stand behind the podium punctually at 10:30 am was terribly wrong. The students were taking part in a real rehearsal and such begins with chair arrangements and sound system checks. José Cura appeared from behind the orchestra when almost everything was ready. “Good morning kids!” he shouted in Polish. “Good morning, orchestra, and good morning, choir!”

“He looks like a nice guy, doesn’t he? But I have it in my head that he will have to yell a lot this morning, no, Hania? As long as he doesn’t get too upset, because we are going to be bad!” Klaudia Szymańska from Private Elementary School No. 41 winked at her friend Hania Magierska.

The conversations ceased once the Maestro asked for absolute silence: “I will hear the slightest murmur, even if it is a whisper in Polish, I will understand everything. Careful!”

Tenor's loud voice

Then the melody of “Ode to Joy” flowed. The conductor kept interrupting, correcting the musicians, inspiring the orchestra. He didn’t just stand at the podium; he occasionally from into the audience to hear how the music sounded.

He spoke with the students, something that would be unthinkable during a real concert. He sat on the stairs and said, “Beethoven, when he wrote Symphony No. 9, was deaf. Imagine, he heard nothing and yet he created this wonderful work because he was a real genius. Modern composers only write three minutes of music that are endlessly repeated.”

Then he hummed fragments of “Ode” because José Cura owns and exceptional voice. However, he raised it only once, after nearly two hours of rehearsals, when some students began to talk. “Silence! Whoever speaks will have to leave the room!”

But by then, it was almost the end of both the lesson and the rehearsal.

José Cura and Sinfonia Varsovia, 2002, Warsaw, Beethoven 9th.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

'Every Audience is a Good One'

Życie Warszawy

Katarzyna Gardzina

November 2002

Katarzyna Gardzina: On Monday [25 November] you will conduct ‘Stars for Europe’ in Teatrze Wielkim. How did you find time to participate in this venture?

José Cura: As I am a conductor for the Sinfonia Varsovia, it is natural that I be invited to lead them in this concert. It was lucky I had the time to undertake it. It is usually not so easy because I am very busy but I had exactly the right number of days free.

KG: We understand you will be performing Beethoven’s 9^th for the Concert for Europe. Have you conducted this work before or will this be the first time? It has been recorded by Sinfonia Varsovia by the great Yehudi Menuhin. Do you not fear comparison?

JC: Yes, this is the first time I have conducted this work and no, I don’t fear comparisons. Why should I? Yehudi Menuhin was a legend. I am only a young conductor. Anyone who compares a young musician with a legend is being silly. And if it is silly, I don’t waste time worrying about it.

KG: In the concert, in addition to Sinfonia Varsovia you will be working with Polish singers as soloists and choir. What can you tell us about working with them?

JC: My experience working with Polish singers has been very short—only two or three days. That’s not enough time to know enough to say much. However, I can say that here in Poland there are many talented singers and musicians. This country is rich in musical talent. You are lucky.

KG: You recorded a Rachmaninov CD last year with Sinfonia Varsorvia. When will it appear? Do you plan to record the Beethoven as well?

JC: We will record the concert but I do not know when it will be issued. Probably within a year or two but I don’t know. But we will record it and then see what happens. The recording will be live, in a studio and not during the Monday concert.

The Rachmaninov #2 disc will appear in England next week. The rest of the world will have to wait until spring.

KG: Let’s turn for a minute to your recent performance in Otello at the National Theater. What are your thoughts about the opera?

JC: I have to admit I had some problems with the direction initially but after two days of rehearsals we were able to compromise on a professional level and see good results. I’m happy to be going to Japan with the National Opera to perform Otello.

KG: But as you evaluate the audience in Poland after several performances, can you compare our audiences with those of other countries yet?

JC: Every audience can be a good audience. The reaction of the house does not depend on the audience but on the artist. If you give them something, the audience will respond. If you don’t, they won’t.

For example, in my Warsaw Otello, I was very ill. I coughed all the time. Any other artist would have cancelled. I didn’t, because I knew that my performance was an important part of the evening, not only for myself but for the theater and the people who were attending. So I coughed. The audience understood and accepted what I offered and all were happy. The audience knew I was ill but also that I was still trying to give them a memorable performance. The problem came with the reviews. The critics wrote without knowledge and expressed themselves poorly, perhaps as a way of promoting themselves. What can I say?

KG: But can you evaluate audiences after several projects in Poland with those is other countries yet? You have sung and Poland and conducted Sinfonia Varsovia. Have you had lots of invitations to take on other conducting jobs?

JC: Enough. More than I have time for. I have worked sometimes with London Symphony. I had a concert in Taiwan and with the Moscow Symphonic Orchestra in Moscow. But I haven’t done a lot because I don’t have time. If I have time to conduct, it makes sense that I would do it with my orchestra first.

KG: Where will you be performing operas next?

JC: Oh, in too many places to remember right now. You can check my calendar on my web page.

KG: What would you like to say to music lovers who did not manage to get to Otello?

JC: The message would be a good one. Soon I will be meeting with Jacek Kaspszykiem and we will be talking about future plans—me and the Teatrze Wielkim—so maybe I will have good news after the meeting for everyone.

José Cura and Sinfonia Varsovia, 2002, Warsaw, Beethoven 9th.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

The Ninth Under Cura?

Kamerton

November 2002

[Excerpt]

José Cura will conduct a concert today entitled "Stars for Europe." For the first time in his life, he will conduct Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

“For the first time I will conduct the Ninth Symphony. This is my debut. Performing it is a milestone in the career of every artist. It is a similar challenged as a singer in the role of Otello,” José Cura said.

The concert is one of the events of the Warsaw University Festival celebrated from November 12 to 27.

The conductor noted that he did not know Polish choirs and did not know what to expect from them. “It remains to be seen after the first rehearsal. But if the Warsaw choir is half as good as I have heard, it is very good," said the artist.

The basic premise of the event is to promote the European idea, hence the main point of the concert will be the performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in D minor, which is the anthem of the Council of Europe.

José Cura is the guest conductor of the Sinfonia Varsovia orchestra, and 25 November will be the one year anniversary of their first concert. Since then, they have released two albums together and performed in concert in Sweden and Portugal. Soon they will perform in Vienna’s Konzerthaus before touring Spain.

The artists emphasized that he considers himself a “singing conductor” and not a “conductor singer.” He said, “I first conducted as a 15 year old, so I’ve been doing it for 25 years. I have been singing for ten years. I decided to become a singer because the checks are so much bigger.”

Vienna - November 2002

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

No Old Man with Baton

Die Presse

25 January 2002

José Cura, opera hero tenor, talks about conducting, his many plans in Vienna and the economic crisis of his native Argentina.

“The problem with Canio is that he is an old, jealous man,” José Cura explains the profile of the lead role in Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, a role in which he is currently performing triumphantly in Vienna. “But I’m not old,” said the singer who was born in Argentina in 1962. “So I have to focus on his aggressiveness, his violence.”

The one-acter is traditionally coupled with Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana; an opera in which Cura would sing Turridu. However, he was engaged only for Canio. Singing both roles would make for a long evening but “it’s not too much compared to Otello.” He has not yet spoken to director Ioan Holender about whether he will sing it again in Vienna but it is clear Cura loves to perform in Vienna: Andrea Chénier, Stiffelio, Pagliacci, Tosca, Hérodiade.

But in the fall, Vienna music lovers will also be able to experience Cura in an unfamiliar role as conductor. The singer, who has always been involved with conducting, recently was appointed the Principal Guest Conductor of the Polish Sinfornia Varsovia. He plans between 15 and 20 concerts a year, with Shostakovich's Fifth and Brahms' Fourth on the program. A first recording of Rachmaninov's Second will soon be released. Cura will direct the Sinfonia in Vienna before singing a block of arias that will end with the “song of the flag” from Aurora by Argentinean Ettore Panizza. A patriotic piece from his homeland - in times of crisis. The tenor lives in Madrid but his family still lives in Argentina. He phones his father almost every day but it is difficult to help. The family does not want to leave the country and any money sent is "immediately confiscated."

Tenor and Maestro in One Person

Bühne

Derek Weber

November 2002, p. 52

José Cura. The Argentinian tenor and conductor sings Italian and French arias and conducts Rachmaninov’s Second Symphony at the Konzerthaus.

The Argentinian tenor José Cura is offering a concert of a very special kind at the Konzerthaus in Vienna: in the first half of the evening he will sing arias by Ponchielli, Verdi, Boito, Giordano, and Meyerbeer; after the interval he will conduct Sinfonia Varsovia, whose Principal Guest Conductor he has been for a year now. He will lead the orchestra in Rachmaninov’s Second Symphony, “not for the first time,” he states. “I have also recorded the piece and am going to present the CD in Vienna.”

His own label

The presentation will be all the easier for him, since he is also his own producer and boss of his own record label. He plans to record Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in November. “Come mai?” – one asks oneself and him – how come he has founded his own label? “It has become increasingly difficult to produce and release CDs on the big labels. So I left my old record label and founded my own company.”

Power and emotion

Right now he is not really considering the option of signing other artists, “but who knows what the future holds,” he adds. And he isn’t complaining about the fact that his generation is at a disadvantage compared to the one before. “It is a problem of the system,” he states dryly. “The generation before us recorded everything for release on CD when the LP died. This boom is over. We are now paying for the crisis. I have so far recorded five recitals and one opera only, plus a few live recordings.” But according to Cura, live recordings have their own charm and advantage: power and emotion – qualities a studio version cannot offer. And as his own record label boss he adds, “They are cheaper, too.”

Cura, the conductor, keeps silent. Maybe because he is thinking about a second career? “No,” is his answer, “I am only returning to where I left off in Argentina 20 years ago.” He concentrated on singing only when he moved to Italy in 1991, looking for relatives of his Italian grandmother. “I had already sung in Argentina, but I wasn’t a professional singer,” he relates. “In Italy I realized that I would be able to succeed as a singer rather than a conductor.”

Signature role Otello

Things developed rapidly for the tenor. First performances of Henze’s Pollicino at Verona’s Teatro Filarmonico and of Janacek’s The Makropolos Case in Triest and Turin were followed by parts in the Italian repertoire, culminating in Verdi’s Otello under Abbado in 1994 [sic]. Wasn’t he very young for the role? “I was 34. Of course I knew I was taking a risk, but I said to myself, ‘with Abbado you’re in very good hands, you’ll do the two performances, sing the part very lyrically, and then wait another five years [sic].’ If I hadn’t done that, I would be dead as a singer now.” On January 27, 2001, the 100^th anniversary of Verdi’s death, Cura sang the role very successfully at the Wiener Staatsoper.

Prolongation of career

Cura’s conducting also has rational reasons. “I have sung almost too much in recent years. Now I will sing less and conduct a little more instead. This way I will prolong my career as a singer.” Cura will perform at the Wiener Staatsoper every year until 2007.

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

Not Only Master of the High C

Die Presse

2 December 2002

José Cura convinced in the Konzerthaus as singer and even more as conductor

The more the glitter of the Three Tenors fades the more one is searching for their (true or supposed) successors. In the search, two names in particular are mentioned: Roberto Alagna and José Cura. Cura, born in Argentina and now 40 years old, is a special case, as he started his musical career as composer and conductor before he began his triumphant march through the most important opera houses in the world only 9 years ago.

The concert at the Konzerthaus showcased Cura’s janus-faced talents. In the Italian arias of the first half of the evening, Cura demonstrated his go-getting temper, powerful and metal timbre, and secure, spectacular high notes. Lyrical passages, on the other hand, aren’t his strength, and the frequent scooping of high notes can also be annoying.

Would the conductor José Cura let the singer of the same name get away with such tiny bad habits? Because after the interval, Cura proved to be a naturally endowed conductor par excellence, conducting a breathtaking rendition of Rachmaninov’s lengthy Second Symphony.

The excellently disposed Sinfonia Varsovia, who had accompanied Cura already before very attentively under the baton of Pietro Veneri, put on a strong performance for their principal guest conductor. And after 50 minutes of exhausting conducting, Cura – acting in a relaxed and laid-back manner throughout the evening – had yet the heart to sing Puccini’s “Nessun dorma” as an encore.

The bottom line of this enthusiastically received evening: a highly talented conductor who also sings operas for his own pleasure.

Ein Startenor ohne Allüre

Kronen Zeitung

1 December 2002

Er gilt als der schönste Tenor der Gegenwart: Der 40-jährige Argentinier José Cura, der sich in den großen Opernhäusern der Welt rar macht. Dabei wäre der schwarzharige Typ des "Roman Lover" mit seiner Stimme voll Schmelz und Leuchtkraft in italienischen und französischen Partien gefragt wie kein andere.

Er hatte Begeisterung als Don Carlos, Cavaradossi, Don José, Manrico und vor allem Otello ausgelöst, er ist begehrt bei Film und Fernsehen und leider viel zu selten in der Wiener Staatsoper aufgetreten. Daher pilgerten Opernfans ins Konzerthaus, wo Cura Arien aus "La Gioconda", "Macbeth", "Mefistofele", "Die Afrikanerin" und aus "Aurora" seines Landsmanns Panizza nicht nur sang.

Er spielte auch, indem er im schwarzen Pluderhemd vor dem Dirigenten Pietro Veneri - er durfte die exzellente Sinfonia Varsovia nur bei Arien dirigieren - herumspazierte, gestikulierte. Und Cura wollte sich auch in seinem ersten Beruf präsentieren: als Dirigent!

Mit unheimlichen Gespür für Dramatik und Nuancen dirigierte er zwischen den Arien. Nach der Pause erwies er sich gar als genauer Interpret der II. Symphonie Rachmaninows. Ohne Starallüre, mit weit ausholenden Bewegungen und genauen Einsätzen entwarf er ein mitreißendes Klanggemälde, in dem nach jedem Satz frenetisch applaudiert wurde. Cura bedankte sich mit der "Wilhelm Tell" Ouvertüre und mit "Nessum dorma". Billant!

A Star without Mannerisms

Kronen Zeitung

1 December 2002

He is considered the most handsome tenor at present: the 40-year-old Argentinian tenor José Cura, who makes himself scarce in the world’s biggest opera houses. Yet his black-haired type of the “Latin Lover” with a voice full of sweetness and brightness would be in demand like no other in the Italian and French repertoire.

He triggered enthusiastic responses as Don Carlos, Cavaradossi, Don José, Manrico, and Otello in particular, he is in demand on TV and film, and unfortunately too seldomly seen and heard at the Wiener Staatsoper. Thus, opera fans made their way to the Konzerthaus yesterday, where Cura not only sang arias from La Gioconda, Macbeth, Mefistofele, L’Africana, and from Aurora by his fellow countryman Panizza.

He acted too, while gesticulating and moving up and down in front of conductor Pietro Veneri, who was only allowed to conduct the excellent Sinfonia Varsovia on the arias. And Cura wanted to present himself in his first profession as well: as a conductor!

With immense feel for drama and musical nuances he conducted between arias. And after the interval he proved to be a meticulous interpreter of Rachmaninov’s Second Symphony. Without airs and graces, with sweeping gestures and precise entries he sketched an electrifying body of sound, in which each movement was followed by frantic applause. Cura thanked the audience with the Guillaume Tell overture and “Nessun dorma”. Brilliant!

José Cura in Concert, Großer Konzerthaus-Saal, Nov. 29, 2002

Der Neue Merker

Gerhard Ottinger

Jan. 2003, pp.15-16

[...] José Cura performed for the first time in the new season in Vienna, in a concert which presented him as a singer and conductor a few days before his 40^th birthday. He was assisted by the very well playing Sinfonia Varsovia, the expanded chamber orchestra founded by the late Yehudi Menuhin. The orchestra demonstrated its brilliance most effectively in the first encore of the evening, the stretta finale of Rossini’s William Tell overture, performed even without a conductor. […]. Cura concluded the first part of the concert with an excellent rendition of a Spanish aria from Héctor Panizza’s Aurora. […] Prior to this piece, the tenor had already landed the highlight of the recital with the scene of Corrado (“Ah, sì ben dite… Tutto parea sorridere…”) from Verdi’s Il Corsaro, which was electrifying theater, even if Cura’s throaty, dark sound and his rather sloppy articulation are not for lovers of bel canto and accurate singing.

José Cura already led the Sinfonia Varsovia in a well-paced overture of Verdi’s I Vespri Siciliani and the prelude of Act II of Giordano’s Siberia in the first part, but after the interval he provided the true surprise of the evening: he conducted Rachmaninov’s Second Symphony very well, letting the music flow smoothly, phrasing beautifully. A highly professional achievement which made it clear why the Sinfonia Varsovia has named him principal guest conductor (after all, no less than Yehudi Menuhin was his predecessor). A performance which surpassed even CD versions under Previn or Janssons […].

At last, Cura the tenor was in demand again for the second encore, an impressive “Nessun dorma,” crowned by a very long fermata unusual for Cura. With this concert, José Cura once again confirmed his status as an interesting artist who doesn’t leave you indifferent, whether in his good or bad moments, whether you like his rather narcissistic conduct or not.

Jelenia Góra - September 2003

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

Maestro Jose Cura in Jelenia Góra

Karkonosze

J&J Kurowscy

09 September 2003

[Excerpt]

On Thursday, 18 September 2003 at 19.30, the great artist Maestro José Cura will lead the orchestra Sinfonia Varsovia. Maestro Andrzej Chorosiński will play on the baroque organs in the garrison church.

Under the direction of Maestro, the orchestra will play works by Handel, Brahms and Beethoven.

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