José Carreras
Biography
As a child, José Carreras showed musical talent from an early age. He entertained the passengers on a steamship from Argentina to Barcelona and at 8 years old he gave his first public performance, singing 'La Donna e Mobile' on Spanish national radio.
In 1987, he was diagnosed with leukaemia. A performance of 'I Pagliacci' at the Vienna Staatsoper seemed likely to be his last, but his urge to sing gave him the strength to recover and following a year of intensive treatment he was able to resume his singing career.
Music
Carreras studied at the Conservatorio Superior de Musica del Liceo and made his operatic debut at the Liceu as Flavio in 'Norma', coming to the attention of the famous opera diva Montserrat Caballe. Caballe was to bring him to Covent Garden for his debut as a handsome Alfredo in Verdi's 'La Traviata'. The two singers went on to sing in more than 15 different operas together.
He returned to the stage in 1990 - and worldwide fame and fortune - as part of the Three Tenors for the opening concert of the World Cup in Rome. Next to Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti, he looks surprisingly tiny: "OK, I am a small man," he says, "but you sing with the muscles, not with the fat. Size has got nothing to do with the voice."
José Carreras On Classic FM
Listen to José Carreras on the Classic FM Magazine Show - August 2008
Discography
Carreras discography is extensive. See the full list here
