José Carreras - The Philips Years (21CD Box Set)

Celebrating one of the most remarkable tenors of our time, this set brings together the legendary Philips recital recordings of José Carreras. Born in Barcelona on 5 December 1946, Carreras displayed an early aptitude for music and was enrolled at age seven in the Barcelona Conservatory to study music.

Singing the part of Flavio in Bellini’s Norma in 1970 is how he met Montserrat Caballé, and the two became lifelong friends, the soprano both a performing partner with, and a mentor to the tenor. They recorded together and are heard, memorably, on a disc of duets excerpted from complete operas (CD17: Duetti amorosi).

Carreras’s lyric tenor with expressive bloom and supple legato is what he quickly became celebrated for, but as time progressed, he was increasingly involved in heavier dramatic roles. One such was Des Grieux in Puccini’s Manon Lescaut. While recording it in May–June 1987 (an excerpt can be heard on CD19), Carreras fell seriously ill. He was diagnosed with leukemia, but following treatment made a miraculous recovery, appearing, famously, in 1990 at the ‘Three Tenors’ concert with Pavarotti, Domingo and Mehta thereafter.