"The world does not need José Cura’s composition” - interview with the Argentine opera singer inforadio.hu (audio András Oláh) 3 December 2013. translated by Zsuzsanna José Cura, the Argentine opera singer and conductor will present songs and compositions of his native country’s composers in a charity concert in the Palace of Arts, Budapest on Tuesday evening. José Cura will appear at the first time in the Palace of Arts giving a concert with the contribution of the Paris-based Argentine ensemble Los Calchakis, the Budapest Monteverdi Choir and Dóra Bizják pianist. The artist who celebrates his 51 birthday this week, will perform songs of Argentine composers in the first half of the evening. In his press conference held on Monday, among other things, José Cura also talked about that Argentinian composers are similar to the Hungarians since the former also follow the European school. "The same is common in Kodály and Bartók as in Carlos Guastavino and Lopez Buchardo. They all wrote classical music spiced with the folkloric tradition of their countries.” José Cura’s own composition is also included among the songs, which is one piece of music composed by him for one poem from the Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda’s cycle of poems. In the second half of the concert we will hear the Christmas-themed Navidad Nuestra and Misa Criolla composed by Ariel Ramirez, in which in addition to classical musical instruments they will play Andean folk melodies using the guitar-like charango, the traditional Native American flute (quena) and panpipe (siku) while the musicians will wear poncho. “This Church Music is very special since it is based on dances. We are literally on stage dancing while we are singing “Kyrie eleison” which makes religion very funny and more exciting.” The concert was created with the contribution of Salva Vita Foundation whose work has been supported by José Cura five years now. For 20 years the Salva Vita Foundation has supported people with intellectual disabilities in finding their place on the open labour market and in society as a whole.
How do you divide your time between your activities of being opera singer and conductor? When I started to conduct again in the late 90s I lived the fulfilment of my singing career and I undertook – if any - one opportunity in a year to conduct. However as time progressed this proportion were gradually modified since in my age I need more rest between two vocal productions. When do you have opportunity to compose music and what inspires you as a composer? This cycle of songs was not written by me yesterday, but many, many years ago. Two songs were also recorded by me for Warner Classic in 1998. Probably still this cycle of songs was my last composition until today since I do not have time to compose music. I'm waiting to see if I retire as a singer, maybe I get a chance to write more, but believe me; I do not think the world needs José Cura’s compositions. When I write music I do this for my own pleasure and if it is liked by others as well, that’s another matter. But I'm not a professional composer, even if I could be on the basis of my qualification. What is now you the most concerned about in your professional work? Currently I am interested in opera staging/directing. Throughout my career I approached the opera in a way that in addition to the music the singer goes to the stage with the tools of a prosaic actor and not to mimic an actor while music stands above all. I was criticized by many people but I was also supported and praised by many others because I break the rules. I would be really happy if I could conclude my carrier – or I could leave this word if I want dramatically express myself,- that I sow some seeds for the future. That then they can say - “Okay, we criticized him a lot, but he was right about this or that.” I think that if there is a future for our arts, the possible way can only be not to consider the opera as a museu