Biography of José Carreras

The strength of the voice, the voice of the force

December 5, 1946
Josep Carreras i Coll was born in Barcelona the day December 5, 1946, into a family of Catalan origins, youngest son of José Maria Carreras by profession police officer and Antonia Coll, hairdresser. Just six years old his mother takes him to the cinema to see "the great Caruso" starring the tenor Mario Lanza; for the duration of the film the little Josep remains Bewitched. "Josep was still excited when we got home"--recalls his brother Alberto-"began to sing an aria after another, trying to imitate what he heard".
Parents amazed-also because neither his brother Alberto, nor his sister Maria Antonia had never manifested musicianship-decided to cultivate this passion natural blossomed into Josep, registering it at the municipal music school in Barcelona. Just eight years he made his Spanish national radio with "La Donna è mobile". At eleven he is on stage at the teatro Liceu (Barcelona) as young soprano, in the work of Manuel de Falla's El retablo de Maese Pedro "; plays then the kid in the second act of "La bohème" by Puccini. In these years he studied at the Conservatori Superior de Música José Carreras del Liceu.
At 17 years old he graduated from the Conservatory. He then attended the Faculty of chemistry at the University of Barcelona and in the meantime take private singing lessons. However after two years José decided to devote himself full time to music. She made her debut at the Liceu as Flavio in "Norma" by Vincenzo Bellini: his performance brings him to the attention of the famous soprano Montserrat Caballé. The singer invites him further to assist in "Lucrezia Borgia" by Gaetano Donizetti. In 1971 he decides to show up at the famous international competition for young opera singers organized by the cultural association Giuseppe Verdi in Parma. He's only 24 years old and is the youngest among the contestants: sings three tunes, then remains in waiting for the results.
In the crowded theater attend award ceremony many guests including one of the idols of José, the tenor Giuseppe di Stefano. The judges announce finally by unanimous decision: "the gold medal goes to José Carreras!". Carreras sing again with Montserrat Caballé in his 1971 debut on the London stage in a concert of opera "Maria Stuarda" (Gaetano Donizetti). In the following years the couple interprets more than fifteen works. The rise of Carreras seems unstoppable. In 1972 the United States José Carreras made his debut as Pinkerton in "Madama Butterfly" (Giacomo Puccini). Two years later she made her debut at the Vienna State Opera in the role of the Duke of Mantua; is Alfredo in "La traviata" (Verdi) at Covent Garden in London; then Cavaradossi in "Tosca" (Giacomo Puccini) at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. In 1975 he debuted at La Scala in Milan as Riccardo in "Un ballo in maschera (Giuseppe Verdi). At the age of 28 years old Carreras boasts a repertoire of 24 works.
Gathers enthusiastic applause around the world, from the Arena at the Rome Opera, from Europe to Japan and in the Americas. In his artistic career meets several characters that will be the key to his future lyricist: Herbert von Karajan chose him for the recording and many scenic works as "Aida", "Don Carlo", "Tosca", "Carmen" (Georges Bizet) or one with Riccardo Muti with which produces two beautiful engravings of "Cavalleria Rusticana" (Caballé, Carreras, Manuguerra, Hamari, Varnay) and "I Pagliacci" (Carreras , Scotto, Nurmela). In his artistic journey know and falls in love with the Italian soprano Katia Ricciarelli, which establishes for several years both in love, is a wonderful artistic partnership: with her plays and records "Trovatore," "Bohème", "Tosca", "Turandot", "La Battaglia di Legnano", "I due Foscari", and other works.
Maybe for some risky artistic choices that fall out of works poorly adapted, over time the voice of José Carreras begins to wear out: interpret whole works appears increasingly often a hurdle to overcome. Thus the Spanish decided to move towards a repertoire that beats most central registry and baritenorile as "Samson et Dalila" or "Sly", still with great skill and beauty of sound. At the peak of her career and notoriety in 1987 Carreras leukemia: physicians assessing ill very low probability that it can heal. The tenor not only survives the illness, but resumes singing career despite the consequences of leukemia were a further cause of lowering the quality of her singing. In 1988 he founded an opera to give financial support to the studies against the disease, to promote bone marrow donation.
Opening concert of the World Cup by Italy ' 90, in Rome, he performed alongside Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti in the event "the three Tenors", a concert originally designed to raise money for the Foundation of Carreras, but also a way to greet the return of Carreras in the operatic world. Spectators attending worldwide are the hundreds of millions.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.