José Cura

World-famous for his intense and original interpretations of opera characters, notably Verdi's Otello and Saint-Saëns' Samson, as well as for his unconventional and innovative concert performances, José Cura is the first artist to have sung and conducted simultaneously (both in concert and on recordings) and the first to combine singing with symphonic works in a 'half and half' concert format. Blessed with a rich, burnished tenor voice and mesmerizing stage presence, José Cura is a familiar name atop marquees at the most prestigious theatres in the world as well as in numerous telecasts of opera and concert productions from venues around the world. In 2007 José Cura designed and stage directed the world premiére of “La commedia è finita”, a meta-show of opera, prose and ballet based on the opera Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavavallo. The huge success of the show, marked the beginning of yet another facet in the career of this extraordinarily eclectic artist: stage directing and set designing. But Cura is much more than an operatic star: he is a trained composer and conductor, a brilliant performer, a natural showman determined to use the best music to engage, entertain, and educate.