Exclusive – José Cura before the premiere of Ernani: "What happening is surreal"

Classic FM

Georgi Mitov-Gemi

March 16, 2022

"The atmosphere at work is very pleasant and they have a great desire to present the show in the best possible way, given at this time the world is in a complicated situation, under tension, because not far from here a war is being fought. It is very important that people are willing to make beautiful music with dignity and commitment." This is how the Argentine maestro José Cura described his work with the soloists, choir and orchestra of the State Opera - Ruse just hours before the premiere of the opera Ernani.   "Speaking of singers and voices, I have always said that there are formidable voices in Bulgaria, so I didn’t expect surprises as in other places where I do not find such vocal qualities," added the acclaimed tenor and conductor.

“Ernani doesn't have a chorus like the Chorus of the Enslaved Jews from Nabucco, for example, but it has soprano and baritone parts that are well-known.  The opera appeals to connoisseurs and it would be of curiosity to the uninitiated,"' says Cura.  He is looking forward to his visit to Sofia, where he returns after conducting a symphonic concert in 2003. "I have never been invited as a singer to your capital," the maestro remarked.

From the very beginning of his international career as one of the leading tenors in the world of classical music, José Cura has successfully combined his work on the podium with his remarkable vocal performances. His innate musical flair has led him to sculpt original interpretations as a conductor as well as singer. Therefore, even at the height of Cura's career as a global singing sensation his vocalism never overshadowed his work on the conductor's podium; his interpretation of Verdi's infrequently performed opera with the Rousse Opera Company will go down in world music history. The opera singer and conductor is also active as a composer. His works in the genre of sacred cantata-oratorio music Stabat Mater, Magnificat, the triptych Ecce Homo, Te Deum and Missa de Requiem as well as his opera dedicated to the Baroque composer Antonio Vivaldi Montezuma and the Red Priest have all enjoyed the attention of audience in recordings and concert performances.

Cura will also be presented to the Rousse audience as a singer and composer. In a vocal recital titled From Bulgaria to Argentina, which will also feature the Bulgarian soprano Tsvetelina Vassileva on March 20 at 1800 on the stage of the Philharmonic Hall in Ruse, the Argentinean singer will perform original songs and other works by Argentine composers. Tsvetelina Vassileva will perform songs by Bulgarian composers. The piano accompaniment will be performed by the Hungarian pianist Katalin Cilag and the Bulgarian pianist and conductor Viliana Valcheva. "It is important to me to be a cultural ambassador for my country. We will present songs with wonderful poetic lyrics by Pablo Neruda, Luis Cernuda and others. Together with several Bulgarian songs we will express a gesture of brotherhood between Bulgaria and Argentina," explained Cura.

The distinguished musician shared his views on the Russian invasion of Ukraine: "What is happening is surreal and also an anachronism. Things are happening that we thought would never happen in the modern world. Eighty or hundred years ago, yes, but now in 2022 we believed humanity had left that past behind and moved into the modern age with the internet and other innovations. It seemed we should never "let our guard down" but always be vigilant until we stop thinking of our fellow human beings as our enemy. We are living in a precarious moment not only because of the invasion of Ukraine, which is surreal. People's faces are full of pain. Once again, we are being shown that we are still very far from the ideal society in which, beyond economic, geographical and cultural differences, we are united by something in common, such as brotherhood and love between us.  It may sound naïve to you from the vantage point of my 60 years, but this is the lesson of nature and so it should be. If we lived in constant confrontation, it is unlikely that we would ever have been able to step forward—living in the modern world we think we live in—where suddenly we are put in a situation reminiscent of the Middle Ages. We consider ourselves so modern and yet we behave as if we were from the caves. Without making precise judgments, I think the mistake is enormous. There's still a long way to go to get to the ideal world, and that doesn't just mean people having internet everywhere in their homes."

According to Cura, the cancellation of professional engagements of Russian musicians is "a delicate subject in which matters have to be considered separately and the real facts and the real interrelationships must be assessed. I don't know what the relationship between Gergiev and Putin is, and I have no idea what Netrebko's relationship with Putin is—whether they know each other closely or not, whether they are friends or not. I could not make assessments of people I do not know personally and about whom I have only read in the newspapers, listened to on the radio or watched on television. It is irresponsible to express an opinion having only read yesterday's paper. To say whether something is right or wrong you need to have more information than the media seems to be disseminating."

Large-scale opera production Ernani impresses with cinematic realism

YTPO

Tsveta Nenova

16 March 2022

"I'm sure we'll give the audience a great energy boost, even though it's like Russian roulette at the moment." That's what cosmopolitan star José Cura, who is conductor-director of the latest large-scale production of the Rousseau opera, said hours before the dress rehearsal of Ernani. Opening night is tonight on the MMD program, but Ernani will actually have three performances. On March 18, audiences will see it at the National Palace of Culture in Sofia, and on March 25, in the Romanian capital of Bucharest, where the Rousse Opera will visit for the first time with its own production.

"The opera house is practically unusable.  If this situation were anywhere else in the world, every single team would refuse to work. And yet here we are all on stage from the first minute - wearing hats, jackets, gloves, but giving our all. The opera house in Rousse needs a home of its own - insist to the politicians, speak to the authorities, because this great team deserves it," urged Cura.

For the world-class Bulgarian opera artist Orlin Anastasov Verdi's opera in four acts is the fifth production on the Ruse stage.  "The concept relies on maximum adherence to the tradition of the period of history, this is reflected in the relationships between the artists, the dances, the movements on stage," explained the director.

It is rare to find stories from the 16th century era in the operatic world, but the cinema conveys them magnificently and audiences are used to them. Therefore, the costumes and stage realization proved to be an interesting challenge for the young Denis Ivanov. And a feat for the tailor's workshop, which quickly sewed more than 160 new costumes for the production.   "We achieved cinematic realism in the detail - from the underwear to the hats, the costumes became heavy and probably difficult for the artists, but worth it," said the set designer.

"I put days of work into the role, but it feels great as Ernani," said young tenor Boris Lukov. For soprano Theodora Chukurska, the role of Elvira was a dream.

The large-scale production includes the choir, ballet and orchestra of the Ruse Opera. The choirmaster is Stelijana Dimitrova-Hernani, the assistant conductor is Viliana Valcheva, the choreography is by Detelina Kremakova.