...due to pressures of the opera circuit and the fight against Leukaemia he had a few years ago.

I liked his voice best out of the Three Tenors.

Thanks for letting us know Daisy. The first time I remember Jose Carreras was the TV programme many years ago when he was recording West Side Story with Kiri Te Kanawa and Leonard Bernstein - I thought LB particularly was horrible to him and I was really pleased when JC went on to become such a big superstar I saw him live several years ago when he came to perform in Manchester and it was wonderful, especially after he'd addressed the audience. I've also got a video recording of a programme about him - I think he said that he saw his first opera when he was a very small child and he came out singing La Donna e Mobile perfectly. I've got his biography which is actually a bit disappointing - very factual and I still didn't feel as if I knew much about him or what made him tick after I'd finished reading it. The original Three Tenors concert in Italy was mesmerising.

I'd better stop waffling But like you Daisy, I preferred his voice of the three.

He certainly was. But then I think it was a pretty awful example of miscasting. I was keen on KTK either - the "minor" roles were far better, especially Anita and Riff.

I always preferred Domingo.

Me too! Could be because he was the first operatic tenor I really liked. Someone gave me a set of records of Tosca for my 18th, with Domingo as Cavaradossi and Leontyne Price as Tosca - I must have nearly worn them out listening to them!

Ah, those were the days... (relapses into comatose state of nostalgia)

He came to Bermuda to give a concert a few years ago.

The venue was changed at the last minute to an indoors event, which was a shame as it turned out to be a beautiful evening.

JC sang wonderfully and a local student was invited to sing also - how she managed without her legs giving way I'll never know.

JC was very gracious to the student and seemed genuinely kind and interested - a wonderful evening.

Kind Regards,

Nigel

Just seen him on the Classical Brits Award - he's still in good voice, isn't he

I quickly looked up his age on www.wolframalpha.com and I got an instant result - he was born on 5 December 1946 and he's 62y 5m 14 days old - well done wolfie

Has this been confirmed? When I told my dad about him retiring yesterday (I'd heard it on the radio) he said that he'd also heard on the radio it was only a rumour, and now we're both confused!!

Well, there are two links on the BBC News page (both dated 8th May). One says he is retiring from Opera (which was confirmed on the radio) the other is a statement by his manager in regards to "rumours". There have been no updates since 8th May.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/a...ure/8039853.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/a...ure/8040594.stm

Watch this space, as they say...

I didn't like his voice much at all, but I'm sorry he's had such a rotten time and sad to see him retiring from the stage - he's been very popular with the general public and has done a lot to raise the profile of classical music in that arena.