JOSE CURA

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José Cura (born December 5, 1962) is a prominent operatic tenor known for his intense and original interpretations of his characters, notably Verdi’s Otello and Saint-Saëns’ Samson, as well as for his unconventional and innovative concert performances. He is also able to perform high baritone roles with the extended lower parts of his vocal range.

José Cura was born in Rosario, Argentina. He originally trained as an orchestral conductor, his vocal talents largely unrecognised until 1988 He became the first artist to sing and conduct simultaneously (both in concert and on recordings) and the first to combine singing with symphonic works in a ‘half and half’ concert format. Cura made operatic history when he first conducted Cavalleria Rusticana and then stepped on stage after intermission to sing Canio in I Pagliacci at the Hamburg Opera in February 2003.

A compelling actor and charismatic stage performer, Cura has been featured in numerous telecasts of opera and concert productions from venues around the world.

He created Cuibar Productions, formed by the following branches: Cuibar Phono Video (Recording Label), CuibArt (Artist Management).

He is also the Patron of the New Devon Opera and the Vice-President of British Youth Opera (BYO). In 2007 José Cura was appointed a visiting professor of the Royal Academy of Music in London.


Career Milestones

1993 - Signorina Julia by Bibalo, Teatro Verdi, Trieste, Italy; first starring role
1994 - Le Villi by Puccini, Festival della Valle d'Itria, Italy; first recorded performance
1995 - Stiffelio by Verdi, R.O.H. Covent Garden, London, UK; house debut
1995 - Nabucco by Verdi, L'Opera National de Paris (Bastille), Paris, France; house debut
1996 - Samson et Dalila, R.O.H. Covent Garden, London, UK, role debut
1996 - Cavalleria Rusticana by Mascagni, Ravenna, Italy; first televised performance
1996 - Tosca by Puccini, Vienna State Opera, Vienna, Austria; house debut
1997 - La Gioconda by Ponchielli, Teatro alla Scala, Milan, Italy; house debut
1997 - Otello by Verdi, Teatro Regio, Turin, Italy; role debut, broadcast live
1998 - Aida by Verdi, New Imperial Theatre, Tokyo, Japan; role and house debut. Inaugural season of the new theatre and first time an opera production was fully built in Japan
1998 - Manon Lescaut by Puccini, Teatro alla Scala, Milan, Italy; recorded on video
1998 - Samson et Dalila, Washington Opera, USA, house debut
1999 - Cavalleria Rusticana by Mascagni, Metropolitan Opera, New York, USA; only the second tenor in Met’s history to make his debut on the season’s Opening Night (the other one having been Caruso in 1902)
2000 - La Traviata à Paris, filmed on location in Paris, France, and broadcast live to an audience of millions around the world
2001 - A Passion for Verdi, L.S.O., Barbican Centre, London, UK; available in DVD
2001 - Appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Polish orchestra Sinfonia Varsovia
2002 - Created Cuibar Phono Video (CPV), the recording label of Cuibar Productions, Cura’s own company. The same year, CPV releases Rachmaninov’s 2º Symphony with Sinfonia Varsovia; Cura’s first symphonic studio recording is considered by many to be among the best recordings ever of this work
2008 - Edgar by Puccini, Teatro Regio, Turin, Italy; first modern performance of the original version in 4 acts


Prizes and Awards

1994 - 1st Prize - Plácido Domingo's Operalia International Opera Competition
1997 - Abbiati Award – Italian Critics Prize
1998 - Orphée d’Or - Académie du Disque Lyrique, France
1999 - Professor Honoris Causae – Universidad C.A.E.C.E, Argentina
1999 - Citizen of Honour – City of Rosario, Argentina
1999 - ECHO – Deutscher Schallplattenpreis: Sänger des Jahres, Germany
2000 - Chevalier de l'Ordre du Cedre - Lebanese government
2001 - Best Artist of the Year, Grup de Liceistes – Barcelona
2002 - The Ewa Czeszejko – Sochacka Foundation Award, Poland
2003 - Artist of the Year – Catullus Prize, Italy
2004 - Citizen of Honour – City of Veszprem, Hungary