The International José Cura ConneXion
José Cura
José Cura was born in Rosario, Argentina on 5 December 1962. At the age of 16, he began studying composition with Carlos Castro and the piano with Zulma Cabrera and in 1982 began studying at the School of Arts at the National University of Rosario. A year later, he became assistant conductor for the University choir. After winning a grant, he moved to the School of Arts of the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires where he studied composition and conducting. For several years, he also sang in the theatre chorus. In 1988 he met Horacio Amauri who taught him his singing technique and started him off on the road to success.
To further his operatic career, he moved to Europe in 1991 with his wife Silvia and young son José Ben, settling in Verona, Italy. They now have three children (José Ben, Yazmine and Nicolás). From there, thefamily moved to France, near Paris. For the past few years, the family has been based in Madrid.
In 1992, he met tenor Vittorio Terranova who helped him to master Italian operatic style. The following year, he made his debut in Verona playing the role of the father in Pollicino. His first big break came in March 1993 in Trieste when he sang the role of Jan in Bibalo's Miss Julie. Since then his career has flourished not only in Italy (Turin, Genoa, Palermo, Rome, Parma, Ravenna, Milan, Bologna, Torre del Largo, Martina Franca and Verona) but also in America (Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington DC), France (Paris and Marseille), Greece, London, Ireland (Cork, Limerick and Dublin), Australia (Sydney and Melbourne), Vienna, Amsterdam, Zürich, Germany (Munich, Stuttgart,Hamburg, Mannheim, Berlin, Köln, Hanover and Frankfurt) Korea and Tokyo.
The critics heralded him as one of the tenors of the nineties. His London debut was in 1995 in Verdi's Stiffelio after which one critic wrote ".....Cura is a real find, an Otello in waiting".
In May 1997 he fulfilled that prophecy at the Teatro Regio Torino when he sang his first Otello with Claudio Abbado and the Berliner Philharmoniker. A performance greatly acclaimed by the critics and loved by the audience. Since then, he has sung the role at many world famous venues. In April 1999 he made his opera debut at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires as Otello. Since then he has added Sweden, Spain and the Lebanon to the list. In 1999 José was awarded the distinction of Professor honoris cause at the CAECE University in Buenos Aires and was also made Citizen of Honour by the city of Rosario.
His first two studio recordings 'Puccini Arias' and 'Anhelo' received very favourable reviews from critics around the world. His long awaited first full-length opera recording, Samson et Dalila with Olga Borodina was released in 1998 and was very favourably received.
'Manon Lescaut' was released in March 2000 and is a live recording from the Teatro alla Scala and also features Maria Guleghina.
In July 2000, he sang in the extremely successful performance of La Traviata from Paris which was televised and broadcast in over 100 countries. In 2000, José was also knighted "Chevalier de l'Ordre du Cedre" - equivalent to the British title of Lord - by the Lebanese Government.
As well as singing, José has continued his career as a conductor and was Principal Guest Conductor of Sinfonia Varsovia in Warsaw.
During 2001, José has performed the role of Otello in Vienna, Paris, London, Athens Nice and Zürich. As well as a series of concerts in Germany, Italy, and Hungary, he has also given much acclaimed performances of Don Carlo and Cavaradossi in Tosca. He continued with a concert tour in Japanbefore returning to Europe where his opera appearances included I Pagliacci and Il Trovatore. In November 2001, José conducted the Sinfonia Varsovia at a Gala concert in Warsaw.
In 2002, José performed in I Pagliacci in Vienna, I Pagliacci in London, Otello in Zurich, Samson et Dalila (concert version) in London. He given much acclaimed concerts accompanied by the Sinfonia Varsovia in Holland, Sweden, Italy, Taiwan, Russia and Hungary. He has also made several recordings with the orchestra, including Rachmaninov’s Symphony No. 2 and Aurora.
In 2003, José Cura performed in Otello in Japan, Don Carlo in Zurich and Tosca in Vienna. He also made his debut at the State Opera in Hamburg conducting Cavalleria Rusticana and singing in I Pagliacci. He appeared in concert in the Czech Republic, the Verdi concerts in Parma as well as Regensburg and Munich. In summer, he delighted audiences at the arena in Verona when made his debut in the role of Calaf in Turandot. He also performed in Carmen and at the Gala performance ofLa Traviata . Later in the year he debuted in Herodiade in Vienna and performed in Samson et Dalila at the Lyric, Chicago.
In 2004 José Cura performed in Andrea Chenier in Vienna, Samson et Dalila and made his role debut as Dick Johnson in La Fanciulla del West in Zurich. He then went on to perform Otello in Hamburg, Carmen in Warsaw, Otello in Zurich and Stiffelio in Zurich and Vienna. In the latter part of the year he performed in I Pagliacci and Andrea Chenier in Vienna and did a concert tour in Switzerland.
During 2005 José was seen in Il Corsaro (concert version) in Barcelona and Samson et Dalila at the New York Met. In late spring he sang in I Pagliacci in Berlin and Piacenza. He then appeared at the Arena di Verona in Aida and Turandot.Maestro Cura made a triumphant return to the Royal Opera House, London to star in La Fanciulla del West in September and October. He then went on to Vienna to appear in one of his early operatic roles in Le Villi in late October and early November.
2006 has seen José in January in Andrea Chenier in Bologna (in preparation for a production to tour to Japan in June) and then in Barcelona for Otello in February. In March, April and May José has appeared in Zürich in La Traviata, Stiffelio and Turandot (new production).
Four more performances in Le Villi in Vienna followed in May and also four performances conducting Madama Butterfly. The Bologna opera tour of Andrea Chenier was well received in Japan in June. José was cast as Canio in I Pagliacci at the Verona arena for 6 performances in June and July but also sang Turridu in Cavalleria Rusticana as a replacement for the originally booked tenor. The reviews for these epic double roles were excellent. Le Villi was reprised again in Vienna in September followed by La Fanciulla del West at Berlin´s Deutsche Oper. There was a welcome return to the Metropolitan Opera, New York for performances of Tosca in October and November.
Don Carlos was reprised again in Zürich in November and December, with two more performances of Turandot, and then debuted in Vienna in December also.
2007 saw José Cura at Deutsche Oper, Berlin for I Pagliacci in January, a charity concert in Lisbon and Otello in Mannheim. February saw the Zürich production of Turandot travel to Shanghai. Le Villi followed in Genova in March with a charity fundraising in Cologne.
ConneXion members meet up often at the different venues. Why not join us and follow José's career more closely? Click here to visit his performance calendar.
Here you can find an archive about José Cura´s past performances in 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006.
To further his operatic career, he moved to Europe in 1991 with his wife Silvia and young son José Ben, settling in Verona, Italy. They now have three children (José Ben, Yazmine and Nicolás). From there, thefamily moved to France, near Paris. For the past few years, the family has been based in Madrid. In 1992, he met tenor Vittorio Terranova who helped him to master Italian operatic style. The following year, he made his debut in Verona playing the role of the father in Pollicino. His first big break came in March 1993 in Trieste when he sang the role of Jan in Bibalo's Miss Julie. Since then his career has flourished not only in Italy (Turin, Genoa, Palermo, Rome, Parma, Ravenna, Milan, Bologna, Torre del Largo, Martina Franca and Verona) but also in America (Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington DC), France (Paris and Marseille), Greece, London, Ireland (Cork, Limerick and Dublin), Australia (Sydney and Melbourne), Vienna, Amsterdam, Zürich, Germany (Munich, Stuttgart,Hamburg, Mannheim, Berlin, Köln, Hanover and Frankfurt) Korea and Tokyo.
The critics heralded him as one of the tenors of the nineties. His London debut was in 1995 in Verdi's Stiffelio after which one critic wrote ".....Cura is a real find, an Otello in waiting".
In May 1997 he fulfilled that prophecy at the Teatro Regio Torino when he sang his first Otello with Claudio Abbado and the Berliner Philharmoniker. A performance greatly acclaimed by the critics and loved by the audience. Since then, he has sung the role at many world famous venues. In April 1999 he made his opera debut at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires as Otello. Since then he has added Sweden, Spain and the Lebanon to the list. In 1999 José was awarded the distinction of Professor honoris cause at the CAECE University in Buenos Aires and was also made Citizen of Honour by the city of Rosario.
His first two studio recordings 'Puccini Arias' and 'Anhelo' received very favourable reviews from critics around the world. His long awaited first full-length opera recording, Samson et Dalila with Olga Borodina was released in 1998 and was very favourably received.
'Manon Lescaut' was released in March 2000 and is a live recording from the Teatro alla Scala and also features Maria Guleghina.
In July 2000, he sang in the extremely successful performance of La Traviata from Paris which was televised and broadcast in over 100 countries. In 2000, José was also knighted "Chevalier de l'Ordre du Cedre" - equivalent to the British title of Lord - by the Lebanese Government.
As well as singing, José has continued his career as a conductor and was Principal Guest Conductor of Sinfonia Varsovia in Warsaw.During 2001, José has performed the role of Otello in Vienna, Paris, London, Athens Nice and Zürich. As well as a series of concerts in Germany, Italy, and Hungary, he has also given much acclaimed performances of Don Carlo and Cavaradossi in Tosca. He continued with a concert tour in Japanbefore returning to Europe where his opera appearances included I Pagliacci and Il Trovatore. In November 2001, José conducted the Sinfonia Varsovia at a Gala concert in Warsaw.
In 2002, José performed in I Pagliacci in Vienna, I Pagliacci in London, Otello in Zurich, Samson et Dalila (concert version) in London. He given much acclaimed concerts accompanied by the Sinfonia Varsovia in Holland, Sweden, Italy, Taiwan, Russia and Hungary. He has also made several recordings with the orchestra, including Rachmaninov’s Symphony No. 2 and Aurora.
In 2003, José Cura performed in Otello in Japan, Don Carlo in Zurich and Tosca in Vienna. He also made his debut at the State Opera in Hamburg conducting Cavalleria Rusticana and singing in I Pagliacci. He appeared in concert in the Czech Republic, the Verdi concerts in Parma as well as Regensburg and Munich. In summer, he delighted audiences at the arena in Verona when made his debut in the role of Calaf in Turandot. He also performed in Carmen and at the Gala performance ofLa Traviata . Later in the year he debuted in Herodiade in Vienna and performed in Samson et Dalila at the Lyric, Chicago.
In 2004 José Cura performed in Andrea Chenier in Vienna, Samson et Dalila and made his role debut as Dick Johnson in La Fanciulla del West in Zurich. He then went on to perform Otello in Hamburg, Carmen in Warsaw, Otello in Zurich and Stiffelio in Zurich and Vienna. In the latter part of the year he performed in I Pagliacci and Andrea Chenier in Vienna and did a concert tour in Switzerland.
During 2005 José was seen in Il Corsaro (concert version) in Barcelona and Samson et Dalila at the New York Met. In late spring he sang in I Pagliacci in Berlin and Piacenza. He then appeared at the Arena di Verona in Aida and Turandot.Maestro Cura made a triumphant return to the Royal Opera House, London to star in La Fanciulla del West in September and October. He then went on to Vienna to appear in one of his early operatic roles in Le Villi in late October and early November.
2006 has seen José in January in Andrea Chenier in Bologna (in preparation for a production to tour to Japan in June) and then in Barcelona for Otello in February. In March, April and May José has appeared in Zürich in La Traviata, Stiffelio and Turandot (new production).
Four more performances in Le Villi in Vienna followed in May and also four performances conducting Madama Butterfly. The Bologna opera tour of Andrea Chenier was well received in Japan in June. José was cast as Canio in I Pagliacci at the Verona arena for 6 performances in June and July but also sang Turridu in Cavalleria Rusticana as a replacement for the originally booked tenor. The reviews for these epic double roles were excellent. Le Villi was reprised again in Vienna in September followed by La Fanciulla del West at Berlin´s Deutsche Oper. There was a welcome return to the Metropolitan Opera, New York for performances of Tosca in October and November.
Don Carlos was reprised again in Zürich in November and December, with two more performances of Turandot, and then debuted in Vienna in December also.
2007 saw José Cura at Deutsche Oper, Berlin for I Pagliacci in January, a charity concert in Lisbon and Otello in Mannheim. February saw the Zürich production of Turandot travel to Shanghai. Le Villi followed in Genova in March with a charity fundraising in Cologne.
ConneXion members meet up often at the different venues. Why not join us and follow José's career more closely? Click here to visit his performance calendar.
Here you can find an archive about José Cura´s past performances in 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006.