Unfaithful mates plagued José Carreras at the Met (Feb. March), where Agnes Baltsa was his Carmen, and at La Scala (April 12-19), with Daniela Dessi the Nedda to his Canio. The tenor escapes decapitation in London, where he woos two Turandots, Eva Marton and Gwyneth Jones (May), but he is less Lucky as Massenet's John the Baptist in Nice (June) and Orange (Aug.). Three sets of Salomés and Hérodiades fight over him: Leona Mitchell and Grace Bumbry in the Mediterranean city, Jessye Norman and Agnes Baltsa in the sound studio for EMI, Montserrat Caballé and Elena Obraztsova in Orange. Carreras takes the title role in the world premiere of Leonardo Balada's Colombo in Barcelona (Sept. 19), then returns to the US. for Turandot in Pittsburgh and La Bohème at the Met (Oct-Nov.). A new Tosca awaits him at Salzburg's Easter Festival in 1988. Recordings planned include Madama Butterfly with Mirella Freni, Teresa Berganza and Giuseppe Sinopoli, for DG, Manon Lescaut with Kiri Te Kanawa and Riccardo Chailly, for Decca, Mefistofele with Samuel Ramey and Giuseppe Patanè, for CBS.

Copyright © 1987 The Metropolitan Opera Guild, Inc.