José Carreras, the Spanish operatic lyric tenor who is one of the “Three Tenors” along with Italian singer Luciano Pavarotti and Spanish singer Placido Domingo, offered his vocal masterclasses at Pingshan Theater on July 21-24.

As an accomplished vocalist with decades of experience, Carreras shared his expertise with aspiring young singers from around China, imparting vocal techniques to them in Shenzhen’s vibrant art scene. 

José Carreras instructs a singer at his masterclass at Pingshan Theater. Photos from WeChat account "pingshanfb"

“Your voice is very good. You have a very beautiful voice, and it can be heard very clearly in a larger theater,” he told a singer at a masterclass.

“It’s not a test. You need to imagine it as a conversation between tenors. You should think about where you can do better and where you can improve,” he inspired anther singer.

“There was a part in the second section of your song that was too weak and, as a result, somewhat overlooked,” he told a singer.

The four-day masterclasses culminated in a concert July 25. With excerpts of classic operas performed, the masterclasses and the concert offered a precious musical exchange and a feast for the ears to the live audience. 

“I’m very glad to be able to meet everyone in Shenzhen. It’s a great gift for me to see so many young music enthusiasts sitting here, and to hear excellent young singers’ live performances. I hope that my suggestions and past experience can help your future career,” said Carreras at a masterclass.

José Carreras instructs a singer at his masterclass at Pingshan Theater.

“Having the chance to get up close with one of the world’s top three tenors is a rare opportunity for us,” said singer Zhang Jinsong.

“When I saw videos of Maestro Carreras singing online, there were recordings of his performances. But when I saw him in person, I was truly overjoyed. There is so much to learn from him,” said singer Zhang Liangrui.

“Shenzhen is a young city but it is developing rapidly. The idea of bringing Maestro Carreras to Shenzhen is precisely to showcase a legend of opera and world music on a stage like that of Shenzhen, a young city, and give an opportunity to the 20 participants who have taken part in the masterclasses, as well as the many listeners who will attend, to learn. It rewarded the talent of these singers, just as Shenzhen is considered a city where talent is rewarded,” said Alessandro Petrini, Vinci Cultura Vice President.

José Carreras attends the concert featuring performances by his masterclass students at Pingshan Theater on July 25.

“The classes were very beneficial for us. We were able to learn a lot about vocal technique and emotional expression from them,” said an audience member named Zhou Yuxuan.

“Pingshan is developing rapidly. … I hope Pingshan can continuously embrace more excellent artists from around the world and offer more outstanding performances. … I also hope all music enthusiasts in China can have a splendid future,” said Carreras.

Posters of José Carreras' masterclasses can be seen outside Pingshan Theater.