Customer Reviews

José Carreras: The Golden Years

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This is an interesting collection, and a fine introduction to Jose Carreras. His ravishing timbre and effortless high notes on the 70s recordings, in particular, will come as a big surprise to those who see him as the weakest of The Big Three. For in his heyday, Carreras was the finest tenor of his generation, and there is plenty of evidence here to back up this assertion. Sure, Pavarotti may have had push-button high Cs, but his timbre lacked the wonderfully velvet quality of Carreras' middle register. Worse still, Pavarotti has never had an ounce of Carreras' passion, preferring to sing notes rather than words. Carreras is the exact opposite. "Singing from the soul" is his stated musical philosophy, and fittingly the words mean everything to him.

Just listen to what he does with the two Tosca arias on Disc One. This is Carreras at the tender age of 29. His voice has a wonderful freshness and beauty, a breathtaking legato and complete commitment to the words. In the aria E Lucevan Le Stelle he really does sound like a man about to face the firing squad. His singing here brings to mind the great interpretation by Mario Lanza, a tenor whom Carreras deeply reveres. (Both tenors shared the same conviction that opera IS musical drama, a fact that seems to be lost on the Bocellis and Alagnas of the present crop of tenors.)

Other operatic highlights include lesser known arias from Werther and La Battaglia di Legnano, as well as the more familiar Vesti La Giubba. One reviewer has commented on the changes in Carreras' voice between 1978 and 1981, and yes, there is a certain tiredness on the arias from Rigoletto and Ernani, both recorded at the same session in 1981. Fortunately it was a temporary blip, and Carreras went on to record a magnificent recital album of Spanish lieder in 1984 for Philips, as well as a sensational West Side Story for Deutsche Gramaphon. Unfortunately, this collection does not include those gems, but we do have an exciting Tonight from his 1983 album of Broadway and movie standards.

My biggest regret about this album is that Philips have overlooked (with one exception) all of the tenor's arias from his first - and landmark - collection of arias, recorded in 1975, as well as the best of his second operatic recital from 1979. Instead they have opted (on Disc Two, in particular) for an assortment of his lighter material - all of it pleasant to be sure, but not in the same class as the neglected arias. Equally surprising is the complete absence of arias from his superb 1977 Zarzuela album.

On the positive side, this collection should at the very least whet newcomers' appetites for more of the younger Carreras.

Now a household name by being one of the Three Tenors alongside Pavarotti and Domingo, Carreras' finest recordings were actually done in the 1970s, when his voice had a brilliance and luster that few singers have equaled. Born in Spain in '46, Carreras was a child prodigy, and by his late 20s was a shining star in all the major opera houses. Tragically, in '87, he learned he had leukemia, a disease he battled and won, going on to greater fame than ever before.
Though his voice is powerful and full of beauty, those with keen ears will detect his voice losing a tiny bit of its magnificence starting in the early 80s, and one wonders if the stress and exhaustion of stardom contributed to this as well as to the illness, or whether it was because the seeds of leukemia were taking root.

CD One is the operatic disc, and the two most sublime cuts are both from '76, Puccini's "E lucevan le stelle" (Tosca), and Verdi's "Forse la scoglia attinse" (Un Ballo in Maschera). Another track I adore is the heavenly Lehar "Dein ist mein ganzes Herz" (Das Land des Lachelns), from 1978, and few have performed this popular piece with more loveliness.
CD Two is in a lighter vein, and starts with a stupendous rendition of Ariel Ramirez' "Kirie" (Misa Criolla), sung softly and with extraordinary tenderness and artistry.
There are lots of heavenly melodic Italian songs, like "O Sole Mio", and a few in English like the song made famous by Lanza (who according to the liner notes, inspired Carreras to be a singer when he saw "The Great Caruso" at the age of six) "Be My Love " (Brodszky/Cahn).
The foldout insert has complete track list info and liner notes, and mention must be made of the incredible, sensitive sepia portrait of this handsome singer on the cover. Total playing time for CD One is 75'32, and for CD Two 75'47.
A must for Carreras fans, and anyone who appreciates the finest in operatic voices.

I bought this album about 2 months ago and honestly listen to it nearly every day.This is a must have CD in anybody's collection. This CD still has some of my favorite opera pieces, including my Most favorite Donizetti's "Una furtiva lagrima" from L'Elisir d'Amore and Leoncavallo's "Recitar!..Vesti la giubba" from I Pagliacci. You can also find many favorite arias in this CD from great Italian composers Paccini & Verdi. This CD is an excellent introduction to Opera for those who don't think they like Opera. I am not one of those people who will argue that Carrera is the BEST opera singer ever, but this album is one of the BEST Aria collections ever. Each track is sung with passion and meaning imbedded into the words, and the range of the man is truly remarkable. If you are interested in giving some attention to this singer, then "The Golden Years" is by far his BEST to date so I heartily recommend it. Carrera is the greatest tenor alive, even, shall I say is greater than Pavarotti. The choices of songs for this album is ones that are non very well known, but you cannot deny the greatness of Carrera's voice Carrera is an opera singer with a sweetness that has not been heard since Caruso.Listening to Jose Carrera brings beauty to opera. Whether loud or soft is not the point. His voice has a purity and gentle emotion that is spectacular.

I have a Carreras-recording of Tosca from 1980 and up till now I thought it was the ultimate recording of "Recondita armonia" and "E lucevan le stelle". I honestly thought that no one could sing these arias better. And in a way I'm right. The only one that did it was himself - a few years earlier.....(The two arias in this "golden years cd" are taken from a -76 recording of Tosca). And after listening to these songs I can't imagine that anyone dare say that he is/was the weakest of the three tenors. In my opinion he possesses something that the others don't. (I won't tell you what it is - listen and find out yourself). Even if his voice has changed over the years (and I mean changed, not declined..) something remains unchangeable and that is his ability to evoke emotions. No one can deliver a line like him. And that's something that's going to stay with him forever, because what makes his singing so special comes from within. It's not dependent on the quality of the voice. But in the songs on this cd his voice is pure gold.

Even though I like the whole album, some of the songs on the first cd (which consists of operatic arias) stand out to me - like "Una furtiva lagrima", "donna non vidi mai", "vesti la giubba" and "nessun dorma" (Sorry Pavarotti - José is way ahead of you interpreting this song. It's not enough to sing it on full blast....) Here's also the loveliest rendition of "Forse la soglio attinse". In 1975 the audience at La Scala in Milan went absolutely crazy after he had sung this aria. I have a recording from that night and it sounds as if they are standing on their seats, cheering and applauding. And it's almost like I want to do the same myself after listening to his singing on this album. And in the song "dein ist mein ganzes hertz" he makes me believe that his whole heart really is mine......In my opinion Carreras has the best rendition of this song ever. No one else comes even close to this one. And I mustn't forget his "che gelida manina" from La Bohême. I have the -79 recording it's taken from and it's the ultimate Bohême ever.

The second cd has a "lighter" repertoire with songs from composers like Tosti, Cardillo, Lara and others. My personal favourites here are "Core n'grato", "Ideale" and "Granada". In my opinion no one sings these songs like Carreras. Or rather - no one sings like Carreras. Period!

His singing will no doubt give you goosebumps all over and make your hair stand on end. If not, I bet you're either a Pavarotti or Domingo-fan....

Jose Carreras is one of the finer tenors of his era, without much question. This 2 CD set illustrates why one can say that. The first CD displays his operatic skills; the second focuses on more popular tunes, such as "O sole mio," "Funiculi funicula," and "Tonight." He shows a rich lyric tenor voice.

First, some operatic works. From "La Boheme," we hear the wonderful romantic aria, "Che gelida manina." His lyric voice fits this work nicely. He hits the high note (at "la speranza") well, if not quite perfectly.

Then, "Recondita armonia" from Tosca. This dramatic aria is another well sung piece by Carreras. He does not display the "big voice" of a Franco Corelli or Richard Tucker, but his own voice serves well with this aria (and he is not small voiced by any stretch). Every so often here and on other arias, there are some very minor affectations (such as mini-catches or cries), but not a problem. His fine vocal quality more than compensates.

The companion piece from "Tosca" for tenors is "E lucevan le stelle." I always enjoy listening to the end, where a tenor's "la vita" can be quite a dramatic sound. Just so, Carreras sings this nicely.

Then, one of the challenging pieces from one part of the tenor repertoire, "Di quella pira" from Verdi's "Il Trovatore." Tenors are supposed to sing what I call "shakes" (something like trills, but most tenors aren't close to that). Overall, these are okay, but a few are inelegant. Nonetheless, a nice piece of work by Carreras. The repeat is better than the first pass at this. What about the final high note as he calls for his troops to go into action? Does the voice soar about voices and orchestra? Not really--but it's still a pretty good effort. All in all, another nice effort.

The second CD, as noted, features more popular songs. I was especially intrigued to listen to his version of "Granada." In the 1960s, one of the (I think) big-voiced tenors recorded this, and I recall hearing it played several times on WGN radio's Wally Phillips Show. The voice way overpowered the song, but what a listen! Carreras does NOT overpower this tune. He sounds awfully good with this bon bon.

"La Danza" frustrated the great Enrico Caruso. I once had the old LP (vinyl!) with him in the clown outfit (presumably, from "I Pagliacci"). Caruso lost his breath in the middle of one of the lines of this song, so it can be tough. Carreras takes it at the quick pace and does not falter. Lots of fun to listen to.

Finally, "Be My Love." Again, Carreras does not overpower this (I recall Richard Tucker taking a trifle, "What Now My Love," and singing it in his full voice--the song could not compete with Tucker's voice and it was a delightful mess to listen to!). Bravo Carreras.

All in all, a good survey of the body of work of Jose Carreras, one of the finest tenors of his time. For those enjoying the tenor repertoire, this is worth a listen.

I have never liked the three tenors, never liked famous people, but Carreras convinced me that you can be popular and good.
He is my favorite among the three tenors. Pavarotti has no feeling, Domingo pretends passion, only Carreras is true to himself. He has a moving voice that can become as powerful as any other great tenor.

I absolutely love his Puccini's "Che gelida manina", his Tosca's "Recondita armonia", and especially his thrilling "Di quella pira" by Verdi. I have heard a lot of tenors singing these famous arias, but Carreras seems to be the most touching and remarkable of them all. Yes, you can see his naked soul when you hear him.

Wow, wow and super wow. This recording is amazing. It is full of feeling and pure passion. Carreras voice sounds so strong and beautiful. The aria "La fleur que tu..." from Carmen is done... so amazingly beautiful, and the pianissimo at the end is superb. Thanks Jose for that singular beauty.

This CD is absolutely marvelous. It shows the tenor in his prime and so correctly entitled "Golden Years". Even though it does not include some of Carreras' essential roles, such as Radames or Don Carlo, it encompasses large spectrum of his diverse repertoire from grand opera to beautiful Neapolitan songs. Some selections were recorded in 1992 and serve as proof that Carreras' brash with death did little to damage his magnificent voice. If anything, it's a bit more spinto now. Those who take it upon themselves to criticize simply prove to be unfamiliar with the Artist and with the music. His rendition of "E lucevan de stelle" is the best on record, period. The power and emotion are staggering. The songs are becoming arias with Carreras' irresistible ardor, proving him as one of the very few opera singers who can be successful with rather treacherous crossover genre. Yes, the Golden Age of opera is now, and it's a pleasure to be able to still be able hear and see this incredible and versatile artist. Bravo, maestro Carreras!

Oh my, Jose Carreras is the greatest operatic tenor of the Generation. His voice combines with his stage presence to form no less than a force of nature. There are many compaints that the man blew the living hell out of his voice, but what he did in so blowing out his voice was quite special.
This Cd takes many tracks, unfortunatly from post 1980. Don't get me wrong, Carreras was great post 1980 but his timber was more bright and ravishing previous to that. This is evidenced in the Forza La Soglia Attinse which is the best track on the Cd and one of the best tracks I have ever heard. The Donna non Vidi Mai, Nessun Dorma and Una Furtiva Lagrima are taken from later recordings. Im not sure why. Carreras's recording of Dorma in '78 was 100 times fresher than the one presented here just two years later. Carreras's '75 Furtiva was one of the great recordings of that song in history.
The E lucevan le stelle is a blast, the Recondita Armonia is equally as impressive, (with perhaps a slight tendency to sing the pianos at double forte.) For some reason they included some foggy Ernani and a painful Di Quella Pira. (Because when I think Spanish lyric Tenor I thisnk Di Quella Pira.) Even in these slightly forced songs he shows his brilliance with every phrase and at least proves to the neigh sayers that he has a high C.
The Popular collection on Disc two Is alot of fun. Although they left out his famous singing of Maria with Bernstein. The Tosti are pasionatley done as well as all the neopolitan Standards. You really can't beat the Carreras high note at the end of Granada.(He takes his sweet time getting up there.)
I really love this Cd and the glorious pre-demise voice of jose Carreras. Three tenors fans will be asking themselves, Who is this incredible tenor? and... How did he develop such and awful warble? Get this Cd and then but every Carreras operatic interpretation recorded previous to 1980 and you will fall for the voice. I guaraunteee it!

I came upon the genius of Mr. Carrera quite accidentally. I was in Warsovie (Warsaw), Poland. My purse was stolen, so I lay miserable and penniless and alone in the home of my Ex, with a copy of the Vampire Chronicles and Dostoevsky's Notes from the Underground (only books in English). The maddening drone of the hydro-dam nearby moved me to turn on the radio to my favorite college station. I was no opera buff, so when they announced that they would cover some Enrique Caruso songs, I was panicked to find a station that I could relate to.

Jose Carrera covered the full gambit of Caruso's classics. They must've played him for 2 hours straight. I was mesmerized. I could have touched him and put his hand to my face, his voice was so close. He sang with such emotion and outcry that I wanted to take him into my arms and console him. "Damn" is all that I could verbalize, when the program ended.

I'm not into Jose Carrera singing pop tunes, but he completely blows me away when he's in his own element. I was never feeling the three tenors, and although I remember Pavarotti and our school taking us to the Met in the 80's, Jose Carrera, is an animal of an entirely different species. He's one of a few artists that I can only listen to on my Bose, all alone, to fully appreciate the gravity of talent.