Exclusive Interview: Jose Carreras Says Farewell With Glorious Music Of A Lifetime | Thailand Tatler

Jose Carreras (Photo: Courtesy of Bangkok’s International Festival of Dance and Music) By Lekha Shankar September 23, 2019

Born in Barcelona, Carreras appeared on the operatic stage at the age of eleven and has since performed in more than 60 operas, made hundreds of recordings and won numerous awards including Grammys and Emmys. He has been awarded prestigious titles, such as the Sir Olivier Award, Echo Lifetime Achievement Award and Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music, and has sung in top opera houses and stadiums of the world, including four FIFA World Cup Finals. Opera magazine once described him as ‘one of the most beautiful tenor voices of our time.’

Best known as one of the great Three Tenors (with Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo), whose performances raised the popularity of opera to unprecedented levels, Carreras, compared to his flamboyant colleagues, has always been considered the quiet, modest singer who allows his voice to do all the talking. When he was struck with leukemia, Carreras recovered from it with the same equanimity. Getting back on stage, he did many charity concerts to raise funds for the Leukemia Foundation that he founded and that he will be focusing on after his Global Farewell Tour.

In an exclusive interview, the legendary opera singer speaks of the various phases of his life, with characteristic simplicity and honesty.

Jose Carreras (Photo: Courtesy of Bangkok’s International Festival of Dance and Music)

How special is this concert in Bangkok, especially as it’s part of your Global Farewell Tour?

It’s a real pleasure to be back in your country. I’m extremely excited to perform again in Bangkok. I have visited Bangkok at least twice, and I very much like this city!

What kinds of songs will you be singing in Bangkok and how did you select them?

I select the songs I believe are going to please the audience and also the songs I love to sing. It is the kind of repertoire that I perform in most of my concerts. 

How special is it performing with Irish soprano Celine Byrne and Spanish Conductor David Giménez? Have you performed with them before?

Celine Byrne and David Giménez are two great performers. I have had the pleasure to work with them several times, and it has always been a real treat. 

David Giménez (Photo: Courtesy of Bangkok’s International Festival of Dance and Music) Celine Byrne (Photo: Courtesy of Bangkok’s International Festival of Dance and Music)

Which are the Asian countries you have performed in your long career?

China, Japan, Singapore, Cambodia, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Korea, Philippines, among others. I’ve also had the privilege to meet a lot of wonderful Asian musical artists personally throughout the years, and I always enjoy very much to perform with them. 

How unique was it to be part of the outstanding Three Tenors group? 

It was really unique! It was a wonderful experience both from the professional artistic point of view and from the personal side. 

Can you three take credit for popularising opera around the world?

I hope so! It’s great that our performances have somehow been an engine that has sparked more opera lovers. 

How did you preserve your voice all these years—what is the secret?

Well, there is no secret. There is only discipline. One must observe a very severe discipline to not only take care of the voice, but also not die. One must take only what’s good for the voice and the body, and one must be very, very strict on that. 

Jose Carreras (Photo: Courtesy of Bangkok’s International Festival of Dance and Music)

How did your illness (leukaemia) change you as an artiste, and as a person?

Such a severe illness changes any person, and if the personal side changes, the artist side changes as well. 

Could you tell us more about the activities of your leukaemia foundation? 

Every year, thousands of people in the world are diagnosed with leukaemia. The Josep Carreras Leukemia Foundation was founded in 1988 with the aim of finding a definitive cure for this disease and improving patients’ quality of life. Since its creation, the Foundation has invested over 260 million euros in grants and research projects. The Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute (IJC) was founded in 2010 by the Generalitat of Catalonia and the Josep Carreras Foundation. 

In 1991, the Foundation created the REDMO (Spanish Bone Marrow Donor Register) with the aim of ensuring that all patients with leukaemia and other blood diseases who require a bone marrow transplant to cure them can access the procedure thanks to a donation from a non-related voluntary donor. Finally, the Foundation also offers a free online medical advice service as well as accommodation for patients with limited economic resources who have to travel far from home in order to receive prolonged treatment.

Jose Carreras (Photo: Courtesy of Bangkok’s International Festival of Dance and Music)

One must take only what’s good for the voice and the body, and one must be very, very strict on that. 

— Jose Carreras

What do you plan to do, after you retire from your musical career?

I will concentrate on the work I do at my foundation and, of course, I’m going to enjoy my life with my children, grandchildren and friends. 

What is the most important lesson that music has taught you?

What a privileged person I am that I could dedicate my life and all my efforts to music. 

Don’t miss the once-in-a-lifetime chance to be a part of Jose Carreras’ Global Farewell Tour in Bangkok on Wednesday, October 23, 2019. Purchase tickets here. 

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