For young singers today José Carreras (called “the other one” of the Three Tenors in a famous Seinfeld episode) is an enigma. He has survived a traumatic bout with cancer. He not only won his battle but also has enjoyed more commercial success after his struggle. He is a hero, even more of a matinee idol for European audiences than for those in the US. I got to know this Catalan tenor in his hometown of Barcelona while he was singing the tour de force title role in the opera Sly by Wolf Ferrari (a composer best known for his Secreto di Susanna). I was deeply touched by his humanity, both in his on-stage role and in private life. I watched him joke around with the chorus members, arrive at the theater in a very understated minivan and take time to meet with his great admirers with the most humble manner I have ever seen in an opera star. His humility poured forth on the stage as well, making him always vulnerable and fragile, even during his most strong and secure singing. It’s easy to see why some people consider him to be the most beloved of our tenors today. But mostly, as evidenced by our talk one afternoon, you always know that what he says is from the heart.
How do you balance work and family while pursuing or maintaining a career? Is it possible to have both?
In certain cases it is possible, but for a man it is a bit easier. For a woman to be a mother, wife, and international opera singer is more difficult. Our culture and traditions tell us that the mother is one that has to take care of the children and the house. The man is somehow the one who is allowed to go out to work. But this is changing a little bit. There is no doubt that you have to sacrifice certain aspects and family is one of these. I envy very much the people that have been lucky, good, and intelligent enough to be able to combine both things. At the very beginning of my career I was too far away from my kids and I still feel a bit guilty. Because of this I have been trying very hard to compensate in the last few years. Not that I did wrong — it was part of the situation. It’s almost impossible to be at home, take care of the kids’ homework and the little and big problems if you are eleven months of the year away.
Do you think that your children were affected by it?
What comforts me a little bit is my great relationship with both my kids. Albert is 26 and a lawyer, and my daughter, Julia, who is still in university, is 21. My relationship with them leads me to believe that it wasn’t so bad! But the relationship between a couple and this kind of profession is also difficult. I never traveled with my family — I was without them. Every situation is different, but for sure it is not an easy picture: international career and family life.
How does one choose repertoire and how do you know when the time has come to move into different things?
At the end of the day, with the risk of giving the wrong advice, I would say sing whatever you feel comfortable with. Sing what you think fits you, not only from the vocal point of view but also as a character and style. Don’t pay too much attention to what people say. If you don’t feel comfortable, why should you sing more lyrically or more dramatically than you think you should? Sing what you believe is the best for you, where you can give 100% of yourself.
What does one say to a head of a company when they tell you that you are singing the wrong rep? How do you respond without offending that person?
Maybe sometimes what they say is true. But sometimes it is completely wrong and we have so many examples of that. Sometimes we mix up the extension or color of the voice with what that voice really is. The color of the voice, the way you deliver the text, the way you know how to give the right accents to every phrase — this is what counts. That you are able to sing legato or not — these are the things that determine your repertoire, not just the extension or the volume of the voice. Of course, in most cases, you look at those basic things. Once you have arrived at the basics and still are not 100% sure of what you are, then look at your temperament and other strengths that you have. In general, we singers know our limits better than anyone else. So to respond to an intendant you could say, “I will think about your advice.” Take it in a positive way. Maybe through the advice of this person you will see that you are wrong. We all make mistakes. I made mistakes by choosing roles [that were wrong for me] at certain points in my career. But almost every singer has done that, unless you are very conservative and boring! It depends on your own temperament.
What are the most important qualities a singer should have in today’s music world?
Well, no singer is perfect when they begin, or even much later! The most important quality to me is this: “To be born to be a singer.” That means being able to have the right discipline and understanding. This profession asks a lot of you – you live under pressure and constant tension. Also, for me, an instrument has to somehow transmit some feelings; because of the beauty of the instrument or the way the instrument is used. Whatever it is, I have to receive something, some emotion. It can be developed but it has to start with an intuition, an instinct, a talent.
What habits do you have to help keep you in good vocal and/or physical shape?
I spent one year in the hospital with chemotherapy, radiation therapy and bone marrow transplant, etc, which is not the best for the voice. But there is a certain discipline after so many years in the business where you know what is not allowed and what you can get away with. For instance, if I am in air conditioning for even two minutes I couldn’t sing for twenty years! Of course I exaggerate but this is the same with what we eat, how we move, how the voice needs certain training, warming up, rest times. We learn what is the best for us to keep in good vocal shape, especially traveling around the world all the time. What I have learned after all these years is that everyone is different. There are people that are born with such extreme facility that for them nothing matters. To sing is easier than to talk. They drive me crazy! Meanwhile there are those of us that have to work for each of our notes. But in the end we all get paid!
How does it feel to have emerged from Leukemia victoriously?
I am very lucky because I overcame a very difficult, severe disease. I give thanks, of course, to the medical team that was treating me, my family, the closest people in my life and the thousands and thousands of people around the world that have supported me and have sent me messages of encouragement, affection and love. And, of course, with the help that comes from “upstairs” [pointing up to heaven]. We can never forget that. But after such a severe and difficult period of my life singing has been my profession, yes, but always my vocation since I was a child. One arrives at a certain longevity in this business if you have a real vocation. And this vocation was strong enough that I was able to sing again after recovering from leukemia.
Was the knowledge that you had your music a big part of what kept you going?
It was in my mind that’s for sure, but I wouldn’t be 100% honest if I said that was the only reason. It would sound a little bit grand. But that was probably one of the most important sources of determination during some tough moments. Also it’s great for me in that I now have a foundation that fights against this disease. I established the Jose Carreras Leukemia Foundation as a way of paying a debt to society when I was ill. Everybody was so generous to me. It’s wonderful to be able to show people that are suffering from the disease, families of the afflicted and young singers or whoever, that this is something that you can beat. Not only can you overcome the disease, you can go back to an activity like singing; which is as you know a very demanding and draining one. This is a very positive message. With this I don’t feel — don’t misunderstand — that I have a big mission in life or am high and mighty. But I think it is a message of hope for people who are suffering.
The Three Tenors has been a tremendous event, one that has infiltrated the popular culture like nothing else in our industry. How does it feel to be part of this phenomenon?
It all happened in a spontaneous way. The three of us decided to do a concert in 1990 for different circumstances. It created a certain chemistry between the three. As you know, we are completely different singers, persons and individuals but this was a chemistry that worked. We complimented each other and this created, thank God, the interest of people. And despite certain criticism, it is a positive thing. At the end of the day, the Three Tenors, the concerts we did, the recordings, etc, etc, is extremely positive. Each of us receive, individually or as a group, thousands of letters from people thanking us for what we did because for the first time they have approached this music. And believe me, we have tremendous fun doing it and we have a wonderful experience every time we are on stage together.
If there were one piece of advice for young singers today what would it be?
As I said before, believe that you are born to sing!
