2004 Baltsa, Carreras, Cura
Austria, UK, Switzerland, Germany, Norway, Italy
Travel 1: February 13-15 Vienna
2004-02-13 Andrea Chenier (Giordano), Wiener Staatsoper
Andrea Chenier = José Cura, tenor
Maddalena di Coigny = Norma Fantini, soprano
Carlo Gérard = Renato Bruson, baritone
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Travel 2: February 27-29 Vienna
2004-02-27 José Carreras Gala, Wiener Staatsoper
Carmen = Agnes Baltsa, mezzo
Don José / Sly = Josep Carreras, tenor
Dolly = Isabelle Kabatu, soprano
2004-02-28 I Puritani (Bellini), Wiener Staatsoper
Lord Arturo Talbot = Joseph Calleja, tenor
Elvira = Stefania Bonfadelli, soprano
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Travel 3: March 14-22 Study trip to York (Manchester, York, London)
2004-03-20 Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns), ROH (London)
Samson = José Cura, tenor
Dalila = Denyce Graves, mezzo
High Priest = Bruno Caproni, bass
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Travel 4: May 7-10 Zurich
2004-05-07 La Fanciulla del West (Puccini), Opernhaus Zurich
Dick Johnson (Ramirez) = José Cura, tenor
Minnie = Sylvie Valayre, soprano
Jack Rance = Juan Pons, baritone
2004-05-09 La Fanciulla del West (Puccini), Opernhaus Zurich
Dick Johnson (Ramirez) = José Cura, tenor
Minnie = Sylvie Valayre, soprano
Jack Rance = Juan Pons, baritone
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Travel 5: May 29 - June 7 Hamburg, Munich, Vienna, Zurich
2004-05-29 Otello (Verdi), Hamburgische Staatsoper 
Otello = José Cura, tenor
Desdemona = Barbara Frittoli, soprano
Jago = Lado Ataneli, baritone
2004-05-30 Romeo et Juliette (Gounod), Bayerische Staatsoper
Romeo = Marcelo Alvarez, tenor
Juliette = Angela-Maria Blasi, soprano
2004-05-31 L'Italiana in Algeri (Rossini), Wiener Staatsoper
Isabella = Agnes Baltsa, mezzo
Lindoro = Juan Diego Florez, tenor
Mustafà = Ferruccio Furlanetto, bass
2004-06-02 I Vespri Siciliani (Verdi), Opernhaus Zurich
Elena = Paoletta Marrocu, soprano
Arrigo = Marcello Giordani, tenor
Procida = Ruggero Raimondi, bass
2004-06-03 L'Italiana in Algeri (Rossini), Wiener Staatsoper
Isabella = Agnes Baltsa, mezzo
Lindoro = Juan Diego Florez, tenor
Mustafà = Ferruccio Furlanetto, bass
2004-06-05 Otello (Verdi), Hamburgische Staatsoper 
Otello = José Cura, tenor
Desdemona = Barbara Frittoli, soprano
Jago = Lado Ataneli, baritone
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Travel 6: July 6-8 Berlin
2004-07-06 Viva la opera (José Cura & Montserrat Caballé), Classic Open Air Berlin
José Cura, tenor & conductor
Montserrat Caballé, soprano
Golo Berg, conductor 
2004-07-07 Die Sache Makropulos (Janacek), Deutsche Oper Berlin
Emilia Marty = Anja Silja, soprano
Albert Gregor = Pär Lindskog, tenor
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Travel 7: July 21-24  Munich, Ingolstadt, Regensburg
2004-07-21 Greek songs with Agnes Baltsa, Ingolstadt
Agnes Baltsa, mezzo
Stavros Xarhakos, conductor
2004-07-22 Greek songs with Agnes Baltsa, Thurn und Taxis Schlossfestspiele (Regensburg)
Agnes Baltsa, mezzo
Stavros Xarhakos, conductor
-----------------------------------------------------------------
2004-09-11 Le Nozze di Figaro (Mozart), Den Norske Opera, Oslo
Figaro = Magne Fremmerlid, baritone
Susanna = Kari Postma, soprano
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Travel 8: September 25-27 Berlin, Zurich
2004-09-25 Carmen (Bizet), Deutsche Oper Berlin
Carmen = Agnes Baltsa, mezzo
Don José = Julian Gavin, tenor
Escamillo = Laurent Naouri, baritone
2004-09-26 Stiffelio (Verdi), Opernhaus Zurich
Stiffelio = José Cura, tenor
Lina = Emily Magee, soprano
Stankar = Leo Nucci, baritone
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Travel 9: October 2-3 London
2004-10-02 Werther (Massenet), Royal Opera House London
Werther = Marcelo Alvarez, tenor
Charlotte = Ruxandra Donose, mezzo
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Travel 10: October 7-11 Zurich, Bologna, Parma
2004-10-07 Stiffelio (Verdi), Opernhaus Zurich 
Stiffelio = José Cura, tenor
Lina = Emily Magee, soprano
Stankar = Leo Nucci, baritone
2004-10-10 Buon Compleanno Maestro Verdi, Teatro Regio Parma 
José Cura, tenor
Adriana Damato, soprano
Renato Palumbo, conductor
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Travel 11: November 6-7 London
2004-11-06 La Forza del Destino (Verdi), Royal Opera House London
Don Alvaro = Salvatore Licitra, tenor
Leonora = Violeta Urmana, soprano
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Travel 12: November 18-21 Vienna
2004-11-19 Stiffelio (Verdi), Wiener Staatsoper
Stiffelio = José Cura, tenor
Lina = Hui He, soprano
Stankar = Renato Bruson, baritone
This was a lucky year, I saw Agnes Baltsa & Josep Carreras together onstage (unfortunately only in 4th act of Carmen, but still, it was wonderful). First time Jose Cura as Andrea Chenier, Ramirez (La Fanciulla del West) and Stiffelio (both Zurich and Vienna production) And at last I experienced Agnes Baltsa singing Greek songs, wonderful. For the first time I saw Verdi's operas I Vespri Sicliani and La Forza del Destino onstage, and Puccini's Fanciulla was also a first. Maybe for the last time did I see Agnes Baltsa as Carmen and as Isabella in L'Italiana in Algeri. I was in Parma for the first time for the wonderful "Happy birthday, maestro Verdi" concert.

Not quite lucky to come to late due to airplane trouble to see the whole Carmen with Baltsa in Berlin but I did see half of it. A total miss due to weather conditions in Norway made it impossible for me to get my 13th travel to see Agnes Baltsa as Santuzza in CavRust and Jose Cura as Canio in Pagliacci in Wiener Staatsoper. Which is totally sad but because of my recent health problem, it was not too bad. To travel when one is not totally well is not really the wonderful experience it ought to be.
24