José Cura

José Luis Victor Cura Gómez (born 5 December 1962) is an Argentine operatic tenor, conductor, director, scenographer and photographer known for intense and original interpretations of opera characters, notably ''Otello'' in Verdi’s ''Otello'', ''Samson'' in Saint-Saëns’ ''Samson et Dalila'', ''Canio'' in Ruggero Leoncavallo's ''Pagliacci'', ''Stiffelio'' in Giuseppe Verdi's ''Stiffelio'' and many others.

2007 saw the world-premiere of ''La Commedia è finita''. The show, designed and directed by José Cura – in which he also sang the lead role of Canio – marked the beginning of his career as a director and scenographer. He followed this with his productions of ''Samson et Dalila'' at the Badisches Staatstheater in 2010 (in which he also sang the title role) as well as '' La Rondine'' at the Opéra national de Lorraine (in which he also conducted) and ''Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci'' at the Opéra Royal de Wallonie, both in 2012 – singing the roles of ''Turiddu'' and ''Canio'' in both as well.

Early life

José Cura was born in Rosario, Argentina. At the age of 12 he was playing guitar under Juan di Lorenzo's guidance; at 15 he made his debut as a choral director; and at 16 he began studies in composition with Carlos Castro and piano with Zulma Cabrera.

In 1982, he entered the Music School at the Universidad Nacional de Rosario to continue his musical education; the following year he became assistant conductor of the university choir. At 21, he won a grant to study at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, where he remained for six months.

Cura continued to sing in the opera chorus while focusing on composition and conducting until 1988, when he began working with Horacio Amauri to develop his singing technique.

Determined to make a career in opera, José Cura moved to Italy in 1991 and began voice training with Vittorio Terranova. In February 1992 he made his debut in Verona as the father in Henze's ''Pollicino''. In Genoa he played Le Remendado in Bizet's ''Carmen'' and the Capitano de ballestrieri in Verdi's ''Simon Boccanegra''.

Career as opera singer

Cura's first starring role came in 1993 in ''Signorina Julia'' by Bibalo at the Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi in Trieste, Italy.

He began 1994 with a series of highly successful debuts: Ismaele in Verdi's ''Nabucco'' in Genoa and Don Alvaro in Verdi's ''La Forza del Destino'' in Turin were followed with Ruggero in the world premiere of the third version of Puccini's '' La Rondine'' (Turin) and Roberto in the same composer's rarely performed first opera, ''Le Villi'' (Martina Franca); the latter performance is particularly noteworthy for providing Cura's first complete opera recording.

In the same year Cura won the first prize of Plácido Domingo's Operalia competition.

In November, he made his US debut in Chicago as Loris Ipanov in Giordano's ''Fedora'', opposite Mirella Freni; he subsequently reprised the role in Trieste in 1995, in London in 1996, in Vienna in 1997 and 1998, and in Tokyo, Zurich and Lecce, Italy, in 1998.

1995–2000

He continued adding roles to his expanding repertoire in 1995. In February, he returned to Italy to star as Paolo il Bello in the Palermo production of Zandonai's ''Francesca da Rimini''. In June Cura debuted in London's Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in the title role of ''Stiffelio'' on the opening night of the Verdi Festival.

In 1996, Cura built upon his burgeoning reputation and solidified his position as one of the most promising tenors of his generation. Following his portrayal of Osaka in Mascagni's allegorical opera ''Iris'' at the Rome Opera in January, he returned to London to star in Saint-Saëns' ''Samson et Dalila'', a role for which he has received universal acclaim. For his debuts in Los Angeles and San Francisco, Cura added two roles to his repertoire, Pollione in Bellini's ''Norma'' and Don José in ''Carmen''.

Other key roles included ''Le Villi'', Leoncavallo's ''Pagliacci'' and Giordano's '' Andrea Chénier'' at Opernhaus Zurich, Mascagni's ''Cavalleria Rusticana'' at the Ravenna Festival (conducted by Riccardo Muti and broadcast on Italian television), and ''Pagliacci'' at Amsterdam's Concertgebouw (conducted by Riccardo Chailly and televised live). In December, he starred in the Puccini segment of the BBC
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