For his “unique” voice and “exceptional” career, Joseph Carreras has been awarded the Honorary Talia Award awarded by the Academy of Performing Arts of Spain. “Fundamental and legendary tenor who has a unique voice and an exceptional career. Through the combination of your extraordinary virtuosity “who, together with his scenic power, has brought opera, together with his colleagues, to a new and enthusiastic public,” said the Academy when it announced that it would be the winner.
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A “unique” voice
The soprano Ainhoa Arteta was in charge of presenting Carreras with the award on stage, referring to him as a true “reference.” The tenor was received before a impressive ovation with all the audience and colleagues who occupied the stalls of the Spanish Theater standing before him. “It is an honor”, was the first thing he said.
The singer wanted to thank the Academy for having thought of him to be the recipient of the award for professional career, especially following learning that in the first edition of the Talía Awards that same trophy was awarded to “the wonderful Lola Herrera, so it was still more endearing”. “To all of you, I say, goodbye,” she concluded to receive a new ovation.
The tenor’s career was meteoric. Being in her twenties herself Montserrat Caballé sponsored him following being captivated by her talent, an impulse that meant that before turning 30, Carreras had already sung in all the great capitals of the world, giving rise to one of the great careers in the world of opera.
Leukemia
At the height of the wave, in 1987, he was diagnosed with a lymphoblastic leukemia with which the doctors gave him little chance of living. However, the tenor underwent harsh chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments, as well as an automarrow transplant, with which the artist was able to recover and resume his artistic career.
Only three years later he was part of the Concert of the Three Tenors with Plácido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti and in 1991 he was awarded the Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts with Montserrat Caballé, Victoria de los Ángeles, Teresa Berganza, Pilar Lorengar, Alfredo Kraus and Plácido Domingo.
Create the Carreras Foundation
After his illness, the singer created the Josep Carreras Foundation “Moved by the challenge of making leukemia one daya 100% curable disease“At the Josep Carreras Leukemia Foundation we tirelessly promote all types of projects for the benefit of patients with leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and other blood cancers, and science.”
What prompted the tenor to create the Foundation was his first income, when he was 40 years old, had an established career, had gotten married and had two children. In the next room, he says, there was a two-year-old baby, something that struck him because of the tremendous injustice it was. He had been able to experience thousands of things for four decades, not that baby. “That feeling of helplessness, together with the great support and affection I received, prompted me to create the Foundation with the goal that one day “Leukemia was a curable disease in all cases.”.
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