José Cura

José Cura ( born December 5, 1962 in Rosario, Argentina) is an Argentine opera singer in the vocal range Tenor. He is considered one of the most important interpreters of verismo.

Life and artistic work

José Cura received first guitar lessons, although he had already started with 12 years of singing. At the age of 15 he made ​​his debut as a choral conductor. From 1978, he studied composition with Carlos Castro and piano with Zulma Cabrera. He continued his studies at the State University of Rosario, and the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires continues, where he also studied conducting in addition to singing. Due to faulty training methods José Cura gave up his vocal studies. Finally they convinced him Horacio Amauri to have his voice trained with new vocal technique, paving the Argentine tenor the way to a global career.

In 1991 he moved with his family to Europe, who lived among others in Verona and near Paris. His voice he made in Vittorio Terranova on, helped him refine his Italian operatic style. He made his debut in Verona at the opera Pollicino by Hans Werner Henze. José Cura major breakthrough took place in March 1993 in Trieste. There he sang the role by Jan in Miss Julie. Cura in 1999 had his Met debut as Turiddu in the opera Cavalleria rusticana.

His artistic path led him to many great opera stages of the world. In addition to those already mentioned to Milan, Genoa, Verona, Zurich, Munich, Berlin, Stuttgart, San Francisco, Tokyo, Dublin, Vienna, Amsterdam, Sydney, Melbourne, London, etc. These is his performance at the Opera of Hamburg in 2003. There, he conducted first Cavalleria Rusticana, and then, after the break, the singing Canio in I Pagliacci.

For his artistic merits José Cura was awarded the distinction of Honorary Professor in 1999 by the Caece University in Buenos Aires and he was made an honorary citizen of his home town. In 2000 he was beaten by the Lebanese government knighted Chevalier de l' Ordre du Cedre.

Cura is a much booked recital and concert singer. 2001 led him on a concert tour in Japan. He also gave concerts in Holland, among others, Sweden, Italy, Russia, Hungary, Germany, Taiwan. José Cura is also active as a conductor and director.

Cura is married and father of three children. He lives with his family in Madrid.

Awards and prizes

• José Cura concert in Budapest 2000
• Tosca 2001
• Verdi Gala 2004
• Andrea Chénier 2006
• La Traviata a Paris 2007

Discography (selection)

• Puccini Arias 1997 Label: Erato
• Verisimo 1999 Label: Erato
• Verdi Arias 2000 Label: Erato
• La Traviata 2000 Label: Teldec
• Manon Lescaut 2000 Label: German Grammophon
• Bravo Cura 2001 Label: Erato
• Anhelo. Argentine songs 2006 Label: Erato