José Carreras Exits on His Terms

[lennygoran]

I only heard him live twice-first in 1978 in Adriana Lecouvreur and then in 1982 in Boheme with Stratas.

A Third of the Three Tenors, José Carreras Exits on His Terms

By MICHAEL COOPER SEPT. 22, 2017


To many people whose knowledge of opera began and ended with the Three Tenors juggernaut, he was known, in the words of a memorable “Seinfeld” episode, as “the other guy”: the tenor who wasn’t Luciano Pavarotti or Plácido Domingo.

But to those who heard José Carreras in his prime, he was unforgettable in his own right, with a meltingly beautiful voice and movie-star looks. He was well on his way to operatic stardom before he was 30; inaugurated Franco Zeffirelli’s still-popular production of Puccini’s “La Bohème” at the Metropolitan Opera in 1981; and sold millions of recordings.

Then, at 40, he was stricken by leukemia, given long odds of survival and forced to undergo months of grueling treatment. He did not know if he would live, let alone sing again.

But he recovered, and his next act was remarkable. When Mr. Pavarotti and Mr. Domingo decided to salute his comeback — and the World Cup finals — by singing a concert with him at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome in 1990, the Three Tenors, a best-selling crossover phenomenon, was born. Since then Mr. Carreras has enjoyed a career mostly as a concert artist, while working with the Josep Carreras Leukemia Foundation, his first name given its original Catalan spelling.

Now, at 70, he is retiring from singing, on a long world tour that will take him to Carnegie Hall on Thursday. He reflected on his career in an interview backstage at the hall. Here are edited excerpts from the conversation.

How did you decide when to call it a day?

Sooner or later you have to face the reality, no? To stop your professional life. The projects I have now go through 2018 and maybe part of 2019 — two years from now. Every time that I go on stage now, I realize much more how I enjoy it, and I realize that the end is very close — so I enjoy it more and more. But I don’t think more than two years.

Is it melancholy to think of this being your last Carnegie performance?

I was thinking today, the first time I ever sang here was in Verdi’s “I Lombardi,” with Eve Queler, and that was December ’72. It sounds scary, but it’s true!


Tell me about when you got leukemia, in 1987. You were 40 years old and filming “La Bohème” in Paris. What happened?

I felt exhausted, bad enough that even in the middle of working I told a friend, “Look, I want to go to a hospital to have a checkup.” I went, they made some tests, and a few hours later they told me I had to stay for the night. I said, “What? Are you kidding? There’s a crew waiting for me.”

Altogether, I was in hospitals for 11 months. The chances were really very poor. But I’ve been extremely lucky.


How did the Three Tenors come about?

Let’s face it, people think there is a lot of rivalry between tenors, and particularly at the time with Plácido and Luciano. I talked to my colleagues, and from the first moment they were happy with the idea. It was very soon after my recovery, and they thought that with this they could give me a welcome back.

Did you imagine it would become such a huge success?

It was unbelievable. It was also unbelievable the kind of relationship we had, the three of us. The three of us are tenor lovers, so we had the possibility to enjoy ourselves very much. And on top of that we are completely different personalities, and kinds of artists, and physically also very different from one another. And I think that created a kind of chemistry.
The Three Tenors in concert, 1994, Los Angeles, full Video by mmacalina

When you look back at your opera career, was there a particular role that you felt suited you best, or a performance where you felt most successful?

Maybe I sound arrogant, but I think the best performance, if I think about a performance that was a step forward to a higher level, was my debut at La Scala [in Milan] with “Un Ballo in Maschera.” That was in ’75. That night I was really very lucky. At your debut at La Scala to give your best, this is lucky.

Some critics thought that you sang some dramatic roles, like Radamès in “Aida,” too soon, and it damaged your voice.

Why did I sing Radames in “Aida?” Because that was Salzburg, with Herbert von Karajan, the Vienna Philharmonic, Mirella Freni, etc., etc. If you don’t take this opportunity as an artist — I’m not talking about career, or business, but as an artist. To have this extreme joy of being not just in the first league, but at the top of the very first league — you have to take this risk.

When you are a young singer you’re told: “You have to sing with the interest, not with the capital.” But the capital is your voice. You have to use your capital! In business, when you invest in something, you have to use your capital.

What do you most enjoy singing now?

In the end, what I realized is that what the audience wants to listen to is the repertoire I enjoy myself: the Italian songs, the Spanish songs, Neapolitan songs. I sang a recital a couple of years ago at La Scala, and somebody asked me at a news conference, “Ah, but your repertoire, Mr. Carreras, is so-and-so.”

I said, “Look, I’ve sung in this beautiful opera house more than 40 years. Allow me to enjoy myself now!”



https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/22/arts ... collection

[jbuck919]

I posted about Dame Kiri just recently, so I won't inflict Carreras's performance as Tony in West Side Story on anyone now. Not that he wasn't a great tenor, as he obviously was. But as Tony, the Polish/American guy, ironically he could not lose his Spanish accent, which bothered the men in the booth more than it bothered Bernstein.

[jserraglio]

Delighted to do so. Carreras's soaring Hispanic take on Polish Tony bothered me no more than did Pinza's Italianate impersonation of Frenchman Emil de Becque. We have imaginations that allow for color, gender and even ethnic-blind casting. I think it did bother Bernstein; in turn, Bernstein's boorish mockery of his tenor's otherness really pissed off the polite and deferential Carreras, as it should have.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfsLQwnQjwA

[lennygoran]

I think it did bother Bernstein though; in turn, Bernstein's boorish mockery of his tenor's otherness really pissed off the polite and deferential Carreras, as it should have.

Wow, that was amazing-I never saw Bernstein behave like that before-poor Carreras. Regards, Len

[jserraglio]

WSS was LB's masterpiece. He is like a mother bear protecting its cub. JC and LB finally got it together though. What a voice. What music. WSS should live on forever.

[lennygoran]

WSS was LB's masterpiece. He is like a mother bear protecting its cub. They finally got there together though.

Thanks, I feel much better now! Regards, Len

[jserraglio]

A BBC 2nd trumpet player disrespects LB who, this time, retains a professional demeanor. They made up later. Here is part of it. There is a fuller version somewhere with more nastiness but I can't find it now.

[jserraglio]

Another, with LB having a bad-hair day at Jose Carreras's expense. Bernstein explodes at the producer (John McClure?) who dares correct Carreras's accent: "John, John! Please don't do this. Don't give elocution lessons over the microphone!" Carreras appears rattled by LB's volcanic defense of his diction, while he otherwise skewers his performance.

https://youtu.be/UoKZlcidbms

[John F]

It's been a very long time since Carreras sang well. I assumed he had long since retired; he should have. Well, now he has, and it really makes no difference at all.

[maestrob]

It's been a very long time since Carreras sang well. I assumed he had long since retired; he should have. Well, now he has, and it really makes no difference at all.

Agree. Even in the 1980's he was no match for his 1970's electrifying self (I saw him live three times at the MET). The leukemia and the brutal treatments really did him in, and he did himself no favors by performing Rhadames with HVK. There is one great arias album from that period, and his recording of Boccanegra with Abbado captures all concerned at a peak, but that's about it.

As far as the DGG West Side Story is concerned, none of the singers involved was on Bernstein's A-list. All of them were C's or D's, as was widely rumored at the time. Personally I can't stand to listen to it, and prefer the original cast by several miles. Bernstein was unhappy for obvious reasons, but he was under contract and had to go forward and make the recording.

[jserraglio]

If I read the NYT interview correctly, Mr. Carreras plans to fulfill existing commitments till early 2019. Excellent tenor. He will be missed.

Obviously, the WSS OBC album is in a class of its own as is the Barbara Cook Candide on Columbia. One nitpick: the fake echoes at the beginning of the OC album's Maria annoyed me a lot more than anything in Carreras' performance on DG. I think I prefer the video clip of Kert live 1957 on the Broadway stage. Exciting that these films survive.

Still, I am happy to have both works complete on DG with composer conducting. And I listen often to both of these stunning works of genius.

[jbuck919]

IMO the two best performances on that album were the all-too-early-taken-from-us Tatiana Troyanos as Anita and the now little-heard-from Kurt Ullman, who I always assumed was one of Bernstein's boyfriends. Incidentally, Rita Moreno, the only true Puerto Rican in the movie, who sang Anita, could not at the time get down to the low notes of "A boy like that," so was dubbed. She tried to instruct the Mexican singer dubbing for her in how she wanted it done, to no avail, which is why we hear that piece in a Mexican accent.

[jserraglio]

Always wondered how much it rankled LB to be known as Broadway Lenny. As I recall, the nickname stuck till after he had left for Europe, around the time the complete LvB symphonies with the VPO appeared as a DG LP boxset to rival HvK.

[Belle]

It's been a very long time since Carreras sang well. I assumed he had long since retired; he should have. Well, now he has, and it really makes no difference at all.

With characteristic gentleness and sensitivity you make you point!! As for the comments regarding Bernstein's nastiness do read Humphrey Burton's tome of a biography. When I gave it to my sister to read she said, as she closed the final page, "he wasn't a very nice man".

[barney]

He really wasn't a very nice man. He was a fully paid up member in the "genius excuses all" school.
I was reminded yesterday in the Spectator of another not very nice man, Koussevitzsky, who sacked an orchestra member mid-rehearsal. As he departed, the musician shouted "F... you, Koussevitzsky." the conductor, whose English was dubious, retorted "It's too late to apologise."
You probably all know the story, but it bears repetition.

[Lance]

As most artists know, when it's time to step down, they know it in their hearts. I remember when I first heard Carreras before his illness, it was a stunningly gorgeous voice. After his illness, it became quite a different voice, but music remained in his heart. And, contrary to what the opinions were about how long he could sustain the leukemia, he managed it, continued to sing although not with the sheer beauty of the voice we knew before this terrible illness. I do remember especially, outside of opera, the songs he sang of Sir Paolo Tosti for the Philips label. It was something special. I wish him well. He has had a glorious career in spite of everything.

[jserraglio]

With characteristic gentleness and sensitivity you make your point!! As for the comments regarding Bernstein's nastiness do read Humphrey Burton.

I read somewhere that many UK orchestra players hated Lenny b/c he was a bully so they sometimes called him out for behaving badly. As President Obama said when someone advised him to invite Mitch McConnell over to the WH for a beer: "Would YOU want to have a beer with Mitch?"

As for Carreras, yes, some ungenerous things were said about him here today, but I have a pile of his LPs to remind me how wrong they are.

[Belle]

I very much remember Jose's leukemia battle since my mother had died only two and a half years previously of cancer and Jose's story filled me with dread. He always struck me as a gentle man and I'm glad that he has had 30 more years of life since his terrifying illness. He will have been to hell and back several times during treatment.

I'm still not a fan of opera singers in Broadway musicals, but I have to agree with you that WSS is a total masterpiece.

As for Bernstein, the worst revelation for me was finding out that he considered himself 'liberated' after the death of Felicia from lung cancer!!! He felt freer to pursue his homosexual inclinations and discover his 'true self', apparently!! In fairness, if we were compelled to admire somebody because of their personality and private life it would leave us with precious few heroes.

[jbuck919]

In general the opera singers on that recording do a good job. Carreras is the notorious exception. Also, Bernstein obviously appreciated his pick-up orchestra and chorus. In the movie, one can't even hear the duet in the show-stopper reprise of "Tonight" (I'm gonna count on you, boy), while it comes out clearly in the recording. Cross-over only works one way.

Bernstein never hid his sexuality, and there is no doubt that he was unfaithful to his wife of convenience. He could not keep his hands off the boys, and it takes someone who knows about these things (I am not necessarily speaking about myself) to remark that they were flattered by his attention. Near the end of his life, his two children (and Kurt Ullman) gave him a musical tribute which I saw on TV. It was a bit of a roast, for Bernstein was an impossible person to live with. I wish I could find it on YouTube.

[Belle]

Who could blame LB for drooling over this man, who always took a woman with him to Zeffirelli's place as a kind of 'human shield'. This photo was taken at the director's home in Italy:

http://correspondingwithcarlos.com/word ... 1&q=90&a=c

[jserraglio]

the opera singers on that recording do a good job. Carreras is the notorious exception.

Dame Kiri appears to think otherwise (see her reaction to Carreras's singing @ 1:42). Her musical taste in this instance is impeccable.