Jose Carreras
Jose Carreras
Josep Maria Carreras i Coll, better known as José Carreras, is a Spanish tenor from Catalonia who is particularly known for his performances in the operas of Verdi and Puccini. Born in Barcelona, he made his debut on the operatic stage at 11 as Trujamán in Manuel de Falla's El retablo de Maese Pedro and went on to a career that encompassed over 60 roles, performed in the world's leading opera houses and in numerous recordings...
NationalitySpanish
ProfessionMusician
Date of Birth5 December 1946
CountrySpain
I carry on singing because I love it. The closer you are to the end, the more you understand how important it is.
I'm a very fortunate man. I have in life everything I could dream of.
I am a little nervous with strangers. But I'm not tight inside. I think I am impulsive.
Certain things give you another perspective in life.
The voice is like a man, like ourselves: we all feel melancholic about what we have lost, the things we could do when we were young. But having the possibility to still perform is wonderful. The voice loses elasticity as you age, but on the other hand, maybe you are more mature as an interpreter, maybe your approach to singing deepens.
If I can do concert recitals, adapting the repertoire to my needs, then no problem, that's good enough. But with operas, unless the right circumstances come up, my career is done.
Americans, they have an incredible operatic tradition: the Metropolitan Opera House is - if not the most prestigious - one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world for over 100 years.
I have a wonderful shelter, which is my family. I have a wonderful relationship with my brother and sister; this makes me feel that I know always where I belong.
It is not easy for me to sing consonants, and I am sorry if I don't sing the 'S'.
People naturally want to know about what happened, about my leukemia. They ask the same questions again and again. And there have been so many positive conclusions, even through the bad times, that I don't mind at all to be reminded of my struggles.
It is important to be passionate, but it is also important to combine the heart and the head. I have made mistakes in both my private and professional lives.
At first we got along real well. Now... it's pretty much just a professional relationship.
In recitals, you are naked before the audience - well, naked with your jacket and tails. The audience sees and hears the real person, not some role you are interpreting.
Even out of severe difficulty, some positive things come.