I am extraordinarily lucky, I was born in a family of strong moral values, and in my life I was able to do what I liked best: debuts, great theatres, but above all, inner and deep satisfaction.
Jose Carreras
I have a wonderful shelter, which is my family. I have a wonderful relationship with my brother and sister; this makes me feel that I know always where I belong.
Yes, you must have the courage of being free.
I'm a very fortunate man. I have in life everything I could dream of.
Yes, thanks to God... my life has a goal, much more important than my artistic activities, that is the struggle against Leukemia.
I am a little nervous with strangers. But I'm not tight inside. I think I am impulsive.
Americans, they have an incredible operatic tradition: the Metropolitan Opera House is - if not the most prestigious - one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world for over 100 years.
I have great emotion every time I go on stage. Nothing in life gives me the same satisfaction that my profession gives me.
When you arrive at a certain level it's very easy to say yes: that is the moment to learn to say no.
If a man becomes more mature due to certain episodes in his life, it gives him the opportunity to look at life in a much more deep way. I believe the artist and the man work parallel, with the same feelings, the same soul, the same sensitivity.
Your real feelings are inside you.
When I sing, I want people to think only about the tenor and only about the music.
It is important to be passionate, but it is also important to combine the heart and the head. I have made mistakes in both my private and professional lives.
I carry on singing because I love it. The closer you are to the end, the more you understand how important it is.
Certain things give you another perspective in life.
I am an optimist and have always been one.
At first we got along real well. Now... it's pretty much just a professional relationship.
I can't see why we can't toss in a Junior Walker or Wilson Pickett number in every once in a while.
The happiest moment in my life? When my doctor told me I was completely cured of leukemia.
I've always been a big fan of the American soul sound.
Italians have no sense of the dramatic.
Music isn't only a profession.
I've always said that music is like literature.
It's logical for us to sing, but not necessarily operatic pieces.
Everybody, even me, sometimes had to compromise on something, doing things we know to be wrong, and this happens doing whatever job in the world. But a singer must have the courage of saying no.
I am always living very good moments.
I love good food but I follow strict rules the days I perform.
The voice is like a man, like ourselves: we all feel melancholic about what we have lost, the things we could do when we were young. But having the possibility to still perform is wonderful. The voice loses elasticity as you age, but on the other hand, maybe you are more mature as an interpreter, maybe your approach to singing deepens.
Even out of severe difficulty, some positive things come.
I cannot imagine stopping singing. It is so nice that I even do it as a hobby.
It is not easy for me to sing consonants, and I am sorry if I don't sing the 'S'.
I have thrown chairs, but only during football matches. Generally, I am well-behaved. I do not like to make people angry.
If you are burned, you are naturally anxious to see what your face looks like as soon as they take the bandages off. In my case, it was my voice that was my main concern.
If I can do concert recitals, adapting the repertoire to my needs, then no problem, that's good enough. But with operas, unless the right circumstances come up, my career is done.
People naturally want to know about what happened, about my leukemia. They ask the same questions again and again. And there have been so many positive conclusions, even through the bad times, that I don't mind at all to be reminded of my struggles.
In recitals, you are naked before the audience - well, naked with your jacket and tails. The audience sees and hears the real person, not some role you are interpreting.
What originates everything are the emotions, the feelings, what we call soul. Then the brain commands these feelings to the voice. The voice is just the vehicle; it's the very last step in the chain.
In certain professions, you can love your profession; you can do it in a very professional way and do it wonderfully, but you do not have this possibility to communicate with others - I express myself singing, and I think this is a real luxury.
