17 July 2006 – Marija’s Gardens, Trsat, 9 p.m.
José Cura
Conductor: Nada Matošević
Performers: José Cura (tenor), Dubravka Šeparović-Mušović (mezzo-soprano) and the Opera Orchestra of the Ivan pl. Zajc Croatian National Theatre (HNK)
José
Cura, one of the greatest tenors of today who earned world acclaim by
his assured and original interpretations of opera roles among which
Verdi's Othello and Saint-Saëns's Samson are the most famous, will
perform at the "Rijeka Summer Nights" on July 17 at 9 p.m. in Marijin
perivoj (Marija's Gardens) on Trsat. The Opera Orchestra of The Ivan pl.
Zajc Croatian National Theatre (HNK) will be conducted by Nada Matošević
while mezzo-soprano Dubravka Šeparović-Mušović will also participate in
the programme.
Tickets for the concert of the charismatic artist, widely known for his unconventional and innovative concert performances, are available at the price of HRK 250 for the first 10 rows, HRK 200 for 11th to 20th row and HRK 150 for 21st to 33rd row. Although it may seem that there is still plenty of time left before the concert, reservations from France, Germany, Austria and Slovenia have been arriving since January, when the date of Rijeka concert was made public on Cura's official web site (www.josecura.com).
Cura was born in 1962 in the Argentinean town of Rosario where he began studying music at the age of 16 and at 20 he continued his musical education at the music department of the University of Rosario where, surprisingly, he did not focus on singing, but on conducting and composing. In 1988 he met Horacio Amauri who thought him his singing technique and steered him to worldwide acclaim.
After he moved to Europe with his family (first to Italy, then to France and today he lives in Spain) his first major role was in Antonio Bibalo's production of “Signorina Giuglia” in Trieste in 1993. Two years later he sang at Covent Garden in London, Opera Bastille in Paris, in Viennese National Opera in 1996 and in 1997 he also made a debut in Milan’s Scala in “La Gioconda”. In 1997 he debuted in the leading role of Verdi’s Othello in which he is without equal to this day.
Cura is the first artist to sing and direct at the same time. This happened in 2003 in Hamburgische Staatsoper where he conducted the "Cavalleria Rusticana" in the first part of the evening, only to return to the stage in the second part to sing the role of Canio in Pagliacci.