Bravo Cura
Celebrating José Cura--Singer, Conductor, Director
Reviews
José Cura Press Acclaim (Excerpts of international press circa 2002)
“José Cura: a new Otello is born” Leonardo Pinzauti, La Nazione, June 1997
“An exceptional voice with a captivating acting ability” Antonia Couling, Opera Now, October 1997
“The Argentine tenor gives to Samson all the strength of his magnetic presence, all the energy of a vocal emission of an unseen arrogance. Cura confirms himself to be the only possibly imaginable performer for Samson, since Jon Vickers retirement.” Sergio Segalini, Opera International, 1997
“The beauty, the power and that special baritone quality of his timber make of Cura the most important voice of nowadays.” Mario Hamlet- Metz, L´Opera, February 1999
“Otello is a vehicle that requires a big star to carry it off. José Cura is that kind of star.” T.L. Ponick, The Washington Times, March 2000
“The epitome of the sacred monster at the moment is surely the Argentine tenor José Cura…” Mathew Gurewitsch, New York Times, May, 2000
“His voice is thrilling, his colour and interpretation at times spine tingling.” Ian Fox, Sunday Times (Ireland), October 2000
“We believe José Cura´s interpretation of Manrico almost impossible to be surpassed.” Giorgio Banti, L´Opera, January 2001
“Cura seduced us with and inspired and human Samson.” La Razón, March 2001
“… None of these criticisms can alter the fact that Cura is the Otello of today and tomorrow...” Andrew Clark, Opera, July 2001
“There is no other tenor on the world, nowadays, who can render the ill, neurotic jealousy of Otello with such an introspective analysis.” Alexandro Mormile, L´Opera, July-August 2001
“Cura confirms himself as one of the most complete artists of the opera circuit.” Dejan Bozovic, Il Gazzettino, August 2001
“His formidable technique makes us forget the extreme difficulties of the role (Otello).” Tristan Cerf, Le Temps, September 2001
“In exceptional vocal shape, the Argentine Tenor imposes himself as a reference in this role (Otello).” Humberto Fornaster, Opera International, August 2001
“Unconventional Cura infuses opera with new life.” The Yomiuri Shimbun, January 2002
“… Cura proves with this choice of his (about Boleros), that cheapness is not the only way to touch the other public. A great recording by a singer at the peak of his career.” TO VIMA newspaper Sunday Edition (Greece), March 2002
“The star of the evening was, doubtless, Cura’s moving interpretation of the powerful Second Symphony by Rachmaninov.” Jens Runnberg, Falu-Kuriren (Sweden), July 2002
“His work as a conductor was brilliant, he had the orchestra eating out of his hand (…) Rachmaninov´s Second Symphony made up the second part of the concert. It was a joy to see José Cura conducting this piece…” Boel Ferm, DD (Sweden), July 2002
"As the music filled the night sky, accompanied by the light evening breeze, Cura demonstrated that his world - - for many an impenetrable universe - - is as accessible as any other form of musical expression, provided it comes straight from the soul." Elis Kiss, Kathimerini, 26 July 2002
“… Cura keeps just the right balance – he’s a compelling pop singer without a trace of the divo.” Brian Kellow, Opera News, 2002
“... José Cura was a straightforward Moor, communicating true feelings, stifling, and vocally first-rate as I had never heard him before. He didn't save himself, sang with even voice throughout the evening, and knew how to use ringing top notes to wonderful effect for the climaxes. ... If only the Argentinean were always so concentrated and serious in his work, there wouldn't be as many discussions about him. ..." Gerhard Ottinger, Der Neue Merker, Aug / Sep 2002
"The thing with Cura is he's quit able to acquit himself with serious opera aficionados. I don't feel with him that the marketing is outstripping his abilities, which you do get with a lot of musicians.... With José Cura you've got a genuine talent who combines compelling acting skills, a wonderful voice and [who] just happens to be highly marketable." Neil Evans, editor of Classic CD, from Interview in Independent, Sept 1999
"Brutally questioned, bleeding, languishing in jail, dragged to the shooting-ground, "Beau" Cura rendered his role with the utmost refinement, both vocally and in his acting, thus reaping a most deserved acclaim -- to say nothing of the repeated "bravos" at such climactic moments as "E lucean le stelle," with its sobbing finale.....the most enjoyable Tosca to be heard or seen during the last decade." Carlo Vitali, Classics Today, June 2002
"The Argentinean bel canto José Cura is the new star on the tenor horizon. This voice of the century takes a top C in its stride, yet retains a formidable power throughout the range and above all bewitches the audience with its unbelievably warm tone." Profil, 6 Nov 1997
"This was the best performance I have yet seen from Cura, with wonderfully spontaneous reactions, showing quite a talent for comedy in Act I . . .. Vocally, Cura injected desperate passion in the voice, almost bursting with a sexual sob, as he sang 'Carmen', when he gives into his passion. The Flower Song was performed as a sweet and impassioned plea, with lyricism and sensitivity of phrasing." Antonia Couling, Opera Now, Nov / Dec 2000
"This stalwart Argentinean tenor, with an impeccable accent, with a dark, suave vocal timber, who also possesses a musical discipline without a doubt rare among his colleagues, was at last a 'real Otello': he recalls with intelligence the best of earlier singers (Del Monaco came to mind many times), but with a communicative ability and personality that tranquilly enable one to predict with ease a long and great career for him." La Nazione, Italy 10 May 1997
"Cura's Manrico was an outstanding achievement, technically unimpeachable (he crowned 'Di quella pira' with a couple of formidable top Cs) and often elegant. Taking all four phrases of 'Riposa, o madre' in the final scene in one breath not once but twice is going beyond the call of tenorial duty. Such diligence helped him create a character of alternate bravado and lassitude, a romantic hero doomed from the start to failure and ignominious death." George Hall, Opera News Online, August 2002
"His Esultate is so powerful that critics have sometimes accused him of “eccentricity”. But when Cura’s Otello, lying on his back, woos Desdemona in Già nella notte densa – Venere splende, it is not only women in the audience who are fascinated and excited in view of so much athleticism combined with a noble, mostly nobly used natural voice…" Eckhard Henscheid, NZZ, 7 July 2002
“…and José Cura, as the passionately jealous Canio who ultimately runs amok, also offered a gripping portrait, whose believable intensity the audience couldn't escape.” Weiner Zeitung, 25 Jan 2002
“In the role of Canio, Cura put emphasis not on superficial brilliance but on a subtle and sophisticate interpretation of the title role, and in that he offered an exemplary model of vocal and dramatic excellence.” Die Presse, 25 Jan 2002
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Last Updated: Saturday, April 27, 2019 © Copyright: Kira