Jose Carreras

Speaker 10:00

Hello, I'm Kirsty Young, and this is a podcast from the Desert Island Disc's Archive. For rights reasons we've had to shorten the music. The programme was originally broadcast in nineteen eighty, and the presenter was Roy Plumley.

Presenter0:29

This week, our castaway is a singer, the Spanish operatic tenor José Carreras.

Presenter0:36

Mr. Carreras, could you adapt yourself to loneliness? You're on this island, you don't know how long you're going to be there. Could you face it?

Jose Carreras0:43

Well, not really, I don't know.

Presenter0:46

Now you have eight records, eight records only, did you find it very difficult to choose?

Jose Carreras0:52

Well, it is very difficult, but I tried as an an opera singer to choose the voices that really impress me and and of course tenor voices, but it's quite difficult.

Presenter1:07

Right. Well, what's the first voice you've chosen? Whose is it?

Jose Carreras1:10

Well, I think then if you ask to a tenor which is the the most impressive and most important voice of ever, talking about tenor voices, is of course Enrico Caruso.

Presenter1:22

And what would you choose to hear him sing?

Jose Carreras1:24

Well, why not uh from Hippagliachi Vestira Juba?

Speaker 21:52

Funny.

Speaker 22:01

Uh

Speaker 22:06

Unit war

Speaker 12:11

Yeah.

Speaker 22:13

Look at it.

Presenter2:24

Enrico Caruso singing Vesti La Giobe from Pagliacci.

Presenter2:29

Now, you were born in Barcelona, is that correct?

Jose Carreras2:31

Yeah.

Presenter2:33

Now, in the the the mid-forties Spain was in in rather a poor state after the war, after the civil war.

Jose Carreras2:40

Yes, yes. And uh I was born exactly on nineteen forty six and that was as you say not on the best conditions. Yes. You come from a large family?

Jose Carreras2:55

I have another three brothers, one sister and two brothers, and we are very.

Jose Carreras3:02

You need uh family. Well, in Spain, you know, uh tightly knit. Yes, yes, very much. And is it a family interested in music?

Jose Carreras3:11

Well, n not particularly before I started to sing. How did you become interested?

Jose Carreras3:15

Well, that's a a funny story. I went to the cinema with my family when I was a child to see this beautiful film called The Great Caruso by Mario Lanza. And of course, this is a reason for our next uh tenor, which is Mario Lanza himself.

Presenter3:34

Well go on and tell me about the film what was the effect it had on you.

Jose Carreras3:37

Well, uh after seeing this uh this film, the day after I start to sing at home, uh I was, I don't know, six or seven years old, and I start to sing operatic areas. The ones that you had heard Mario Lando. Yes. And of course my family at the first moment they was afraid. And then uh they decide then I had a musical inclination and they sent me to the conservatoire to study.

Presenter3:51

Mario Land.

Presenter4:07

Med your

Jose Carreras4:08

Uh

Presenter4:08

Debut as a singer

Jose Carreras4:10

Very early.

Presenter4:10

Yeah. Uh

Jose Carreras4:11

Yes, um my first appearance was in Barcelona in an opera called El Retablo de Maisa Pedro, composed by Manuel de Fala. And I think I was eleven at the time. What was the part you played? Well, the part is El Trujaman, that's the boy who explains what happens with the Marionetta theater. Yes. It's it's a fragment from Don Quixote de la Mancha.

Presenter4:34

Yeah.

Presenter4:38

Now, you decided that you were going to be a singer. Obviously, this was very important to you. But you also studied chemistry. Yes, that's right.

Presenter4:45

You didn't know which way to go.

Jose Carreras4:47

No, well, I I always was thinking to be an opera singer and I study music, as I said, and and piano and voice a little bit later. But because my brother, my oldest brother, he start a little very small chemical plant. They decide well, you never know with uh with artistic career, it's better if to have something sure, you know. And for that reason I start in Barcelona at the uni at the university, studying chemistry.

Speaker 15:09

Uh

Speaker 25:09

Yeah.

Presenter5:13

Uh

Speaker 25:13

Yeah.

Jose Carreras5:19

Right.

Presenter5:19

What was your first appearance as a grown-up?

Jose Carreras5:24

Well, the very, very first thing was in Barcelona, in a very small role, in Norma.

Jose Carreras5:31

The character is Flavio. Who was singing Norma? Was the for the occasion of the first Montserrat Cabadia Norma?

Jose Carreras5:37

A

Presenter5:37

She and and and her brother Karlos were were very impressed with you, weren't they? They helped you a lot.

Jose Carreras5:43

Yes, they were fantastic with me from the beginning.

Jose Carreras5:47

And you know, when you are very young and an artist like Montserrat Cavalier say to you, Well, I think you have a a talent, I think you have a beautiful voice, I think you can make

Jose Carreras5:59

A beautiful career that gives you an an incredible, a tremendous moral support. And that that's the case.

Presenter6:08

Well, now you've already told us who your next tenor is going to be. That's Mario Lanza, whom you saw and heard playing Caruzzo. What's he to sing?

Jose Carreras6:19

A very light Rossini song, the famous Tarantella, La Danza. Which he sang in the Great Caruso. Yes.

Speaker 26:27

Jo Luna Medzo Mare Mamma Mia Sisatara, Lore Bell La Perdanzwara Kinna Marumangera, Jo Lone Zoare Mamma Yasatara, Lore Bell La Perdanzware Kinna Marumangira Mm-hmm.

Speaker 26:50

Jalanune Medzan Mar Mahamami Asis Altera Restpin Danza Ponda Thunda Dunemi Veni Hitiqua Undazambella Jukunda Chescura Hottera Finkin Chel Brillana Stella Elanona Splenderella Tutanota Danzera Mamma Mia Mamma Mia Jollane Medzamare Mamma Mia Mamma Mia Mahami Assaltera Fringe Fringe Fringe Fringe Fringe Fringe Mamma Mia Sisaltera

Speaker 17:13

I'm not sure if I can do it.

Speaker 17:18

Yeah.

Presenter7:27

Rossini's La Danza sung by Mario Lanza. It's always been the Italian repertoire that's interested you. Yes, yes, yes. When did you first sing in Italy?

Jose Carreras7:38

Well, I'm facing in Italy due I want a Verdi competition in Parma, and that gives me the the opportunity to sing in Italy for the first time.

Presenter7:47

Well, to to sing Verdi in in in Palma must be rather alarming, because it Verdi's town and the inhabitants know all about it and exactly how it should be sung.

Jose Carreras7:55

Yes, of course. And the people there are of course very proud. And I mean, it's quite difficult. But if they love you, they are really very enthusiastic, very, very, very much.

Presenter8:03

But

Presenter8:09

And winning their competition led to an important contract.

Jose Carreras8:13

Dia, I had my first

Jose Carreras8:15

appearance in Italy, in Parma. And then I I went to after this series of performances in Italy, to the United States to sing for the first time in New York, but not at the Metropolitan, but at the New York City Opera. And that was a a long contract.

Presenter8:33

Yeah. You were with Julius Rudolph for

Jose Carreras8:35

That's it, exactly. For how long?

Presenter8:37

Yeah.

Jose Carreras8:37

Well, three seasons exactly. And uh you sang some very important roles then. Yeah, I I had the opportunity in in New York with the New York City Opera Company to sing the many roles for the first time, like Alfredo in Traviato, Edgardo Lucia, uh also Cavaradosi, Pinkerton, plenty. Yes. And that was a very great help for me.

Presenter8:58

And that was a

Presenter9:01

To be settled in one place and and and learn the repertoire and learn English.

Jose Carreras9:04

Yes. And learn English?

Jose Carreras9:06

Yeah.

Presenter9:06

Uh

Jose Carreras9:07

Well, my English is very bad. I'm very poor. I'm sorry about that. It's very good. Let's have your third record. What's that to be?

Jose Carreras9:14

Well, that's going to be my favorite tenor. That's uh Giuseppe Di Stefano. I think he's somebody who changed a little bit the the way to sing. I think he's a an incredibly sensitive singer and uh fantastic voice. The color of that voice is only comparable to Caruso or Biolin. And uh of course the the the phrase, the interpretation and and I think Di Stefano is for me the greatest tenor of ever. And what is he sing on this record? Cajoli Damanina from La Boem.

Speaker 29:56

Please let me your heart is here. These are heroes.

Speaker 210:13

Reitra

Speaker 210:16

Oh, Adam Yes.

Speaker 210:25

Lee My Song in the Holy Spirit.

Speaker 210:33

Because I didn't hear why.

Speaker 210:39

Uh

Speaker 210:45

Oh my

Presenter10:50

That famous aria from the boem sung by Giuseppe De Stefano.

Presenter10:54

Yeah.

Jose Carreras10:54

When did you first Big

Presenter10:55

Uh

Jose Carreras10:55

England.

Jose Carreras10:57

My first appearance was at the Royal Festival Hall in a concert version performance of mm Dorizetti's Maria Stuarda with Monceau Cavalier and Shiloverette. And at Cotton Garden? Mm, that was in nineteen seventy four and was uh

Jose Carreras11:15

Alfredo Intraviata.

Presenter11:17

Things were happening very quickly. I mean once you got started with your career, then it was all very exciting.

Jose Carreras11:23

Well, I must say then uh professionally speaking I'm I'm a very lucky man, but I think also it's because it's lucky to be a tenor.

Jose Carreras11:33

Every opera has a a important tenor role, that means probably it's much easier for a singer to make a career if he's a tenor.

Presenter11:41

'Cause there aren't all that number of good tenors about, or or so they say in the musical world.

Jose Carreras11:46

Nowadays we have

Jose Carreras11:49

Very, very good tenors. But, you know, you need a tenor for every opera.

Presenter11:54

Yeah.

Jose Carreras11:54

Yeah. Yeah.

Jose Carreras11:55

Yeah.

Presenter11:55

And you sung, well, all the major opera houses now, the Metropolitan. You come to Covent Garden every year, I believe. Yes, I am very happy about that. And Vienna, La Scala, Salzburg. Now, you're a lyric tenor. You're not yet interested in the in the heroic roles, the very dramatic roles.

Jose Carreras12:13

Well, not really, because I I don't have yet the the the voice to sing certain roles.

Jose Carreras12:20

Let's see how the voice develops and on the

Jose Carreras12:24

Next few years.

Presenter12:24

You've been working for Herbert von Karigan and he persuaded you to undertake one or two stronger roles than you're accustomed to. Erademes, for example, and Aida, you tackled for the first time with him.

Jose Carreras12:36

He asked me to sing Radames and he says to me he likes a new approach to the role, showing the romantic Rademez, not only the soldier, the the hero. And he says I want to make a mo much more lyrical approach to the role, to the opera, and the proof that he talked Mira Lafreni for Aida, which is a fantastic singer, but not a dramatic uh soprano. And I'm not a dramatic tenor, but a but a lyric tenor, as you say. But I think we did for two years, Aida in Salzburg. We made the recording as well, and I'm very happy about it, I'm saying.

Presenter13:15

Very interesting production.

Jose Carreras13:16

Yes.

Jose Carreras13:17

Uh Uh record number four, another tenor? Yes, another tenor, and uh the opinion of many people that's called The Voice, and that's Jussie Bjorling. I think that's an incredible voice, an incredible singer, and every opera lover uh knows that b Bjoling is probably with as I said before, with Caruso and and Distefano, the most beautiful voice.

Presenter13:45

What should he

Jose Carreras13:46

It

Presenter13:46

So

Jose Carreras13:46

In Jamisco from Verde Requiem.

Speaker 213:55

Uh

Presenter14:47

Josie Björling, the Verde Requiem, conducted by Fritz Reiner. What was the first recording you ever made?

Jose Carreras14:55

Well, it was uh in United States and uh was a Rossini opera called La Pietra del Paragone. That was many years ago.

Presenter15:03

That was when you were at the city opera.

Jose Carreras15:05

Yes, that's it.

Presenter15:06

Yes. Recording, of course, now plays a very big part in your career. Yes.

Presenter15:11

You're one of the few singers who isn't ashamed to admit that they use recordings of great singers of the past in studying their roles.

Presenter15:20

Yeah.

Jose Carreras15:20

I I think ev everybody does, but somebody cannot admit it. I don't know why. I think it's a great help for us. And you learn things you have to do and you learn things you never have to do.

Jose Carreras15:34

I mean listening to other uh artists, to other uh singers.

Speaker 215:38

Yes.

Jose Carreras15:39

And I really do uh when I have to learn a new role, I really try to have this opera from

Jose Carreras15:46

As much interpret as possible to listen critically.

Presenter15:49

Listen

Jose Carreras15:51

Good.

Jose Carreras15:52

Of course then you have your own interpretation, your own feelings and your own capacity and your but I think it's fantastic to have the opportunity to listen to all the others.

Presenter16:02

You've recorded some arias from Spanish Zazuelas, the the the the Spanish operettas. Have you played in any of them?

Jose Carreras16:09

On the stage. Never, unfortunately. I mean, I would like very much it would, but I didn't have the opportunity.

Jose Carreras16:15

But I enjoy very much to sing that kind of music sometimes.

Presenter16:18

It's a very distinctive kind of of operetta, isn't it? We we don't hear very much of that music in

Jose Carreras16:24

England?

Presenter16:24

Yeah

Jose Carreras16:26

That's a big market, of course, in in South America. And

Jose Carreras16:31

In Spain, but uh unfortunately we don't have the opportunity to put that on stage with uh dignity. I mean, because of course to make not only opera but also operatic is very expensive. And in uh Spain, unfortunately, uh music goes ahead because private uh subventions, not because the government holds the the art. And that that's a pity, but it's it's like that.

Jose Carreras16:57

Record number five we got to.

Jose Carreras17:00

Well, that's coming back to Mozart. Uh that's the, in my opinion, the the greatest Mozart specialist on the last twenty years or thirty years and is also one of the most beautiful voices with a purity and with a style, in my opinion it's uh better than anybody else for this kind of music. And that's uh Fritz Wunderlich. And which aria shall we hear? Well, the famous picture aria from the Magic Lot.

Speaker 217:41

Spilled and easy, but so but share.

Speaker 217:55

Peace fear us.

Speaker 217:59

Whee.

Speaker 218:01

As we discreet or beard Mine house made annoyed.

Speaker 218:17

My heart

Speaker 218:20

That made no rain of

Presenter18:29

Fritz Wunderlich and the Picture Arier from The Magic Clute.

Presenter18:34

Is your home still in Barcelona, Mr. Speaker?

Jose Carreras18:37

Can you spend much time there?

Jose Carreras18:38

Well, the other day I was counting how many nights I spent in in Barcelona in nineteen eighty and it's something around seventeen. And we are already at at the end of the year. Oh, that is sad.

Presenter18:55

Where do you do most of your recording?

Presenter18:57

In London, here in London, yes.

Presenter19:00

Is there any one role which you particularly love so that sometimes you wake in the morning and say, Oh, good, I'm singing whatever it is to night? One role that you really relax in and enjoy and enjoy?

Jose Carreras19:13

Um

Jose Carreras19:16

Many.

Jose Carreras19:17

Many, I can say, maybe Rodolfo in Bohem, Verter, Don Carlos, Edgardo in Lucia. But I think uh the the one which is not relaxing because it's very difficult, but which I really love to do, it's Ricardo in Balloon Mascara. I think that's my favorite role.

Speaker 119:21

There

Presenter19:35

Yeah. Yeah.

Jose Carreras19:36

It's an exciting opera.

Presenter19:37

Any roles that you still haven't had a chance to do in the theatre that you're very keen to tackle?

Jose Carreras19:44

Well, Don Jose and Carmen, I will sing that for the first time at Coven Garden, nineteen eighty two, eighty three. Oh, splendid. And also Travatore, I'm going to sing that for the first time at Coven Garden in 1983. And of course then it's Ovello that's something for the tenor, you know. But I don't yet feel not vocally, not artistically, and not as a man.

Speaker 120:02

For that

Jose Carreras20:10

Mature enough to take this role. That's a great testing role, yes.

Presenter20:15

Oh, yes, that's something something else. What about recitals, the concert hall? How important is that to you?

Jose Carreras20:23

Well, I think that's very important and I'm very glad I have the opportunity to do several recitals a year combined with my opera performance. I try to do a twelve, fifteen recitals in a year because it's a complete different contact with the audience and also that give you the opportunity to reach places that you cannot uh reach with uh singing opera because they don't have an orchestra or an opera house.

Jose Carreras20:50

And also it's very good for the style, for your voice. I think it's health for the voice to do recitals because it's

Jose Carreras21:00

Very different to sing with a a full orchestra than to sing with a piano.

Jose Carreras21:04

And that gives you the opportunity to to put yourself in a discipline, you know.

Presenter21:11

The piano's not going to cover anything, isn't it?

Jose Carreras21:13

Uh

Presenter21:13

Yeah.

Jose Carreras21:14

Uh Yeah.

Presenter21:16

Sixth record, what's that?

Jose Carreras21:18

That's for me the exponent that's that's right in English? The the the exponent exponent of the Belcanto opera, I mean the Belcanto music.

Presenter21:24

The the exponent.

Jose Carreras21:30

And that's Aria from Bellini's Il Pirata, sung by, in my opinion, the the greatest Belcanto singer, which is Moncelad Caballier.

Speaker 221:53

Turn somewhere.

Speaker 221:58

Oh yes.

Speaker 222:21

They for me of see my dreamy hair.

Presenter22:49

Montserrat Caballier singing the closing aria from Bellini's Il Pirata.

Presenter22:55

Now, presenting opera is a highly technical operation. There are an awful number of things that can go wrong, and

Presenter23:02

That do go wrong. What's the worst experience you've had in an opera production?

Jose Carreras23:07

Uh well, uh no s not involved in an opera production, but I remember being a spectator in a theater, I don't going to say where, but uh in Italy exactly then that was a performance of Ippaliacci and the Bariton comes to the stage to sing the famous prologue and unfortunately he he was in not a very good voice, he was not in a

Jose Carreras23:33

A great night.

Jose Carreras23:34

And he did two or three cracks in the famous.

Jose Carreras23:39

A flat the the and also again on the G the end of the area, and he got boo, but very loud, incredible.

Jose Carreras23:49

And then after

Jose Carreras23:51

One minute of booze and all the days.

Jose Carreras23:55

He managed to stop the audience, and he say very loud in Italian.

Jose Carreras24:01

Are you booing me? Well, wait wait for the tenor.

Presenter24:08

Uh

Presenter24:08

You haven't heard anything yet. Oh, that's a lovely story.

Jose Carreras24:09

You haven't heard anything yet. Yeah.

Speaker 224:12

Oh, that's a lovely story.

Presenter24:16

Right. Let's get on to your seventh regard.

Jose Carreras24:20

Yeah, that's a much much more serious thing.

Jose Carreras24:24

I would like to say that I'm a big Mahler fan.

Jose Carreras24:29

And it's also very difficult to choose from all the Mahler production a a piece or a symphony or whatever. But I think the number six, the the Dante, the third movement, it's something very special, particularly when conducted by Hervard von Karion and the Berlin Philharmonic Play.

Presenter25:40

The beginning of the third movement of Mahler's Sixth Symphony.

Presenter25:44

Carian conducting the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

Presenter25:47

How well could you look after yourself on a desert island? Are you a practical man? Could you build somewhere to live?

Jose Carreras25:52

No, no, no, I'm

Presenter25:53

I'm

Jose Carreras25:53

Yeah. Terrible I mean, uh I don't know if it's because I have to live always in hotels and and and traveling around and

Jose Carreras26:02

I cannot do anything by myself.

Presenter26:04

Dear. What are you going to eat? Can you do any fishing?

Jose Carreras26:07

No.

Presenter26:08

Never tried.

Jose Carreras26:08

Never try.

Presenter26:10

Do you know anything about boats?

Jose Carreras26:12

Nothing at all.

Presenter26:13

Sailing. Nothing. You wouldn't try to escape.

Jose Carreras26:18

I will, I think.

Jose Carreras26:20

I don't know how, but

Jose Carreras26:22

To be alone, that's I'm really afraid about that, really. And I will find a solution. I don't know how, but uh really

Presenter26:25

Cheers.

Presenter26:30

You'll have to think something out.

Jose Carreras26:31

Yes.

Presenter26:33

Yeah.

Jose Carreras26:33

A what What's your last record?

Jose Carreras26:42

And that's Tosca conducted by Victor de Sabota and sung by Maria Carlos, Giuseppe Di Stefano and Tito Gobbi. I think that's the most exciting recording of an opera never done.

Presenter26:55

Which section are we going to hear?

Jose Carreras26:58

Well, I think it's the first duet between Cavaradosi and Tosca, the first act duet.

Speaker 227:16

It only suffered from my good boy.

Speaker 227:21

I've already been slain.

Presenter27:50

A duet from the first act of Buccini's Tosca, Callas and Di Stefano with Victor De Sapater conducting.

Presenter27:58

If you could only take one disc out of the eighth play disc, which would you select?

Presenter28:04

I think the

Presenter28:05

Do they

Jose Carreras28:06

Lady Stephen has one.

Presenter28:06

You haven't chosen one of the

Jose Carreras28:08

Buran.

Jose Carreras28:09

N no, not really. You wouldn't? No, because I did plenty of recordings, but I'm not still hundred percent happy about any of of them.

Presenter28:22

That's very modest of you. And you're allowed to take one luxury to the island. What would you like?

Jose Carreras28:30

Probably that would be the

Jose Carreras28:32

Picture from Velafkev called uh Las Islanderas. I don't know in English how that uh it

Presenter28:40

Uh well you you described the picture to me once. It's a spinning women.

Jose Carreras28:45

Yeah.

Presenter28:49

And one book, apart from the Bible and Shakespeare, which are already on the island.

Jose Carreras28:56

Well, probably a book uh poem is from uh Rabindranath Tagore. The Indian Rabbi. Yeah.

Presenter29:03

Good. And thank you, Jose Carreras, for letting us hear your Desert Island Disc.

Jose Carreras29:07

I thank you very, very much. Goodbye.

Presenter29:09

Right.

Jose Carreras29:09

Yeah.

Presenter29:09

Goodbye everyone.

Speaker 129:17

You've been listening to a podcast from the Desert Island Discs archive. For more podcasts, please visit bbc.co.uk slash radio four.