Quotes from Jose Carreras

I love good food but I follow strict rules the days I perform.

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.

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.

Yes, you must have the courage of being free.

When you arrive at a certain level it's very easy to say yes: that is the moment to learn to say no.

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.

It is not easy for me to sing consonants, and I am sorry if I don't sing the 'S'.

The happiest moment in my life? When my doctor told me I was completely cured of leukemia.

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.

Italians have no sense of the dramatic.

I cannot imagine stopping singing. It is so nice that I even do it as a hobby.

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.

I am an optimist and have always been one.

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.

I've always said that music is like literature.

Yes, thanks to God... my life has a goal, much more important than my artistic activities, that is the struggle against Leukemia.