Special Projects
Jose Cura Opera Projects 2007 /2008
How Did This Project Start?
Jose Cura
The idea originated in discussions between Chevalier José Cura and New Devon Opera in the autumn of 2005. When NDO first approached Maestro Cura to invite him to be the company’s Patron, Chairman Linda Hughes went to meet him backstage at the Royal Opera House, where he was singing the role of Dick Johnson in Puccini’s Girl of the Golden West.
As the two talked, it became clear that both NDO and Maestro Cura had some similar views about how our emerging regional opera company might find ways of helping talented young artists to develop their careers. Blessed himself with a rich burnished tenor voice, mesmerizing stage presence and abundant charm, José Cura has been thrilling audiences since he first burst onto the international music scene. His intelligent, insightful – sometimes controversial, but always intense and unforgettable performances – have made him a household name to opera lovers the world over.
But this success did not come easily. As Cura himself puts it: “I moved from Argentina to Europe in 1991. I worked for two or three years in restaurants – my wife worked with me, washing dishes – and we did many things a lot of people wouldn’t think about doing. We had a very hard life. We lived in a garage for one year because we couldn’t pay the rent and we heated the garage with a small fire, with me gathering wood in the middle of the night!” It is this memory that drives his desire to help promising singers to gain the skills and experience needed to succeed in the notoriously tough and challenging world of international opera.
The timing was chosen to coincide with the only period when Maestro Cura is in the UK in 2007, (he is currently appearing as the lead in in Verdi’s “ Stiffelio” at the Royal Opera House . ) The company is enormously grateful to Maestro Cura for his most generous gift of time, energy, skill, and commitment to this whole Project.
Taking the Project forward
Where to start? The first step was to agree the vision. The attraction of opera is that it is a complete theatrical art form. One definition calls opera “ a drama to be sung with instrumental accompaniment by one or more singers in costume” . By putting the word “drama” first, this highlights the central fact that opera singers have to be actors, combining the highest standards of acting and talent with those of singing technique and musicianship. NDO therefore wanted to include in the Project an element not only for opera singers, but – over time – for other artists and professionals involved in opera, such as musicians ( singe rs, instrumentalists, repetiteurs, conductors) directors and designers (l ighting, stage sets and costumes ).
And so for this first event, there is also Seminar for repetiteurs, run by Anthony Legge (Director of Opera at the Royal Academy of Music) and Alex Ingram, conductor and music coach. Susanna Stranders , herself a repetiteur at the Royal Opera House, has been a wonderful accompanist throughout the Project. As a first step, Maestro Cura agreed that the Project would take place in the spring of 2007 in Devon. The aims were that the Project should add value to the professional reputations of all participants – as well as offering in-depth tuition and coaching for the participants.
A further key aim of the competition is that it should foster a greater understanding and appreciation of all those elements of opera which encompass a such a broad range of creative skills. Lastly – the Project should help to grow NDO’s reputation and artistic standing, building towards NDO’s goal of becoming the South West region’s premier resident professional opera company.
The Next Steps were….
Advertisements went out in the opera press and applications invited from singers of all voice types. At the closing date of 31st January 2007, applications from singers had come from all over the world: Australia, Singapore, Japan, China, India; from Europe – Denmark, Germany, Finland, Poland, France , Romania, Portugal, Spain; and all parts of the UK. Following a preliminary selection process, a “long list” of 37 applicants went to Maestro Cura in March 07.
On April 24/25, Maestro Cura heard 36 singers and made a short-list selection of 19 to go forward to a third stage.
Invitations were also extended to all music departments in UK universities and colleges for young pianists to apply for the Repetiteur Seminar run by Anthony Legge and Alex Ingram. Seven of those repetiteurs were selected to come to Devon and take part in this Seminar.
NDO’s aspiration is that this project might become a national event for Devon. NDO has been the promoter of the project and, in the 20 months since the initial concept was formed, the Trustees and many volunteers have provided the considerable administrative and infrastructure support.
NDO is also hugely grateful for funding support from the Arts Council Awards for All and the D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust.
Some feedback comments from members of the audience for the JOSÉ CURA OPERA PROJECT
“ Total surprise at how marvellous it was”
“Many, many congratulations! The whole project appears to have gone wonderfully well and the young singers have clearly benefitted tremendously”
“Superb! Our congratulations”
“Witnessing the expertise, hard work, warmth and total commitment of José Cura , one of the greatest singers in the world, giving so much of himself and working so tirelessly with these young singers. It was pure joy. A never-to-be forgotten experience. Thank you!”