Exit, Stage Left

Famed Opera Tenor and member of The Three Tenors Jose Carreras announced his retirement from opera yesterday-- and it truly is the end of an era. Carreras is probably my Mother's favorite tenor- so I got to hear lots of him growing up. Somehow, none of us kids managed to catch the opera bug from my mother, which is minor miracle as she's got like 30 operas laying around the place. And more on VHS buried somewhere downstairs... the woman, bless her, is an opera nut. When Dad took her along on a conference he went to in Florence (I got a beautiful, hand made Italian leather wallet for my troubles which lasted quite well up until a couple of years ago when it fell apart), he got her tickets to the opera in La Scala. And that got Dad some serious brownie points.

For those unfamiliar with the wonderful world of Opera, tickets to La Scala is like tickets to the Super Bowl if you're a football fan or game 7 of the World Series if you're a baseball fan. The place is the holy grail of Opera and she may scoff a little when you ask her about and claim 'it wasn't that impressive'- but she's lying.

Anyway, Carreras was by far her favorite tenor- and there's a reason why:



If you listen (and this is where my Mom's obsession comes to the forefront because I've picked up on these things after a lifetime of being spoon-fed opera)-- there's a purity and smoothness to his voice that is just beautiful. It's what makes Carreras distinctive. Pavarotti had power, Domingo has the resonance-- but Carreras has the smooth purity which makes his so damn easy to listen to. I'm not a huge fan of classical music, but I know enough to give props when mad props are deserved. And Carreras, I'm sorry to you fans of Pavarotti out there, is the man.

Although I wince a little to use 'Nessun Dorma' as an example, but you can hear it. 'Nessun Dorma' is perhaps the most overplayed aria in the history of the world- and that's a shame, because to me- it's a beautiful piece of music. And if you bother to dig up a translation and discover just what they're bellowing about, the meaning because even more beautiful. But it is incredible, painfully overplayed. Every time they want to get people shouting and cheering they whip it out and it always works. I don't know why. People stopped thinking 3 Doors Down was a good band after they had heard 'Kryptonite' for what was literally the one millionth time. But people are funny like that I guess...

Anyway, Carreras has taken his final curtain. Just for kicks, I'll leave you with a little bit of the Three Tenors from way back in 1990. There is a nice moment of humor about 5 minutes- you can see that Carreras and Domingo liked to poke fun at Pavarotti's tendency to be a just wee bit too powerful at times.