José Cura

An Argentine tenor who also conducts, composes and directs. Born in Rosario, he studied composition and conducting there and at the Teatro Colón's institute in Buenos Aires, singing in the house's choirs from 1984 to 1988. He moved to Italy in 1991. In 1994 he created Ruggero in the third version of La rondine at Turin, won Plácido Domingo's Operalia competition and sang Loris in Fedora with Mirella Freni in Chicago. Otello, Samson and Canio became his signature roles, at La Scala, Covent Garden and the Metropolitan Opera. He has also directed since 2007, and is an Austrian Kammersänger.