Pécs, August 29, 2007 - Rector Róbert Gábriel presents the famous tenor José Carreras with an honorary doctorate from the University of Pécs at a ceremony on Wednesday. Photo: Ferenc Kálmándy (MTI)
Carreras landed in a private jet at the Pogány airport, outside of Pécs, on Tuesday evening. He was welcomed at his hotel in Pécs by the city's mayor Péter Tasnádi. The tenor's suite was designed by Hungary's own international fashion brand queen Kati Zoób.
Carreras did not have many special requirements. He asked for complete darkness during the evening, flowers without a scent, drinks, mineral water and sweets. He said he wished to rest until noon and have his breakfast served in the room.
In his acceptance speech for the honorary degree, Carreras praised Hungarians' contribution to music and talked about his fight against Leukaemia. Carreras established a foundation to combat the disease after recovering from it himself in 1988.
Carreras will perform a concert entitled Mediterranean Evening on Thursday. Though the city's climate is indeed the closest to a Mediterranean one in Hungary, ticket holders are anxiously watching the sky, as there is no rain check for the concert, which will take place at an outdoor arena.
Carreras's last public performance in Hungary was in Budapest in 2004, though he tested out - behind closed doors - the acoustics at Budapest's new Palace of Arts in 2005 and participated at the art centre's inauguration. He praised the centre's Béla Bartók Concert Hall and compared it to the excellent Symphony Hall in Birmingham, which, like the Béla Bartók Concert Hall, was acoustically designed by the late Russell Johnson.
Carreras sang in Budapest again six months later, though for a corporate event closed to the public.
Carreras first performed in Hungary in the 1980s, singing with Erzsébet Házy, then with Ilona Tokody, whom he later said was among his favourite partners. He has also sung with Éva Andor, Éva Marton and Andrea Rost.
Carreras delivers his inaugural speech - Veronika Kincses to the left
The performance on Thursday is intended to kick off preparations for Pécs to take the title European Capital of Culture in 2010.
The concert will feature popular arias as well as Spanish and Italian songs. As a local tribute, Carreras will even sing excerpts from operettas by the Hungarian composers by Imre Kálmán and Ferenc Lehár.
Carreras will be accompanied by Pécs's Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of his nephew, David Gimenez Carreras.
About 6,800 people have bought tickets for the concert.
