THE STORY OF 2 MUSICIANS

A Spanish Powerpoint presentation translated

and edited by Don Esteban

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A STORY PROBABLY KNOWN ONLY BY A FEW PEOPLE...

IT’S ABOUT TWO OF THE THREE TENORS - LUCIANO PAVAROTTI, PLACIDO DOMINGO AND JOSÉ CARRERAS

WHO TOUCHED THE WORLD WITH THEIR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES.

A LOT OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALY EUROPEANS KNOW THE RIVALRY BETWEEN CATALUÑA AND MADRID. THE

CATALANS FIGHT FOR THEIR AUTONOMY IN A SPAIN DOMINATED BY MADRID.

ANYWAY, PLACIDO DOMINGO IS MADRILEÑO EN JOSÉ CARRERAS IS CATALAN.

BECAUSE OF POLITICAL DIFFERENCES, IN 1984, CARRERAS AND DOMINGO BECAME ENEMIES.

WANTED ALL OVER THE WORD THE TWO OBSTINATE MUSICIANS REFUSED CONSISTENTLY TO GIVE CONCERTS

TOGETHER.

IN 1987 CARRERAS GOT ANOTHER ENEMY, MORE IRRECONCILABLE THEN HIS RIVAL PLACIDO

DOMINGO.

A TERRIBLE DIAGNOSE: HE HAD LEUKEMIA!!

HIS BATTLE AGAINST THIS CANCER WAS VERY PAINFUL. TREATMENTS, NEW BLOOD AND EVEN

TRANSPLANTATION OF BONE MARROW OBLIGED HIM TO TRAVEL TO THE USA ONCE A MONTH.

IN THIS CONDITION HE COULD NOT WORK ANYMORE AND EVEN WITH A HEALTHY

BANKACCOUNT THE HIGH TRAVELING COSTS AND TREATMENTS WEAKENED HIS FINANCIAL SITUATION

TREMENDOUSLY.

ALMOST NO MONEY ANYMORE TO PAY THE BILLS HE LEARNED ABOUT THE EXISTANCE OF A FOUNDATION

IN MADRID WHICH GOAL IT WAS TO OFFER HELP WITH THE TREATMENT OF LEUKEMIA.

THANKS TO THE SUPPORT OF THIS FOUNDATION CARRERAS RECOVERED

AND STARTED TO SING AGAIN.

AGAIN HE EARNED HIGH SALARY AND HE TRIED TO BECOME PARTNER OF

THE FOUNDATION.

READING THE STATUTES HE DISCOVERED THAT THE FOUNDER

AND PRESIDENT OF THE FOUNDATION WAS PLACIDO

DOMINGO.

ONLY LATER CARRERAS UNDERSTOOD THAT PLACIDO HAD

DONE EVERYTHING TO STAY ANONYMOUS. HE DID’NT WANT

CARRERAS TO FEEL HUMILIATED BY ACCEPTING HELP FROM HIS ‘ENEMY’.

THE MOST TOUCHING WAS THE MEETING BETWEEN THE TWO....

DURING ONE OF DOMINGO’S CONCERTS IN MADRID CARRERAS SURPRISED PLACIDO BY APPROACHING THE STAGE. HE KNEELED DOWN AT HIS FEET, ASKED HIM TO

FORGIVE HIM AND THANKED HIM IN FRONT OF THE AUDIENCE.

PLACIDO HELPED HIM ON HIS FEET AGAIN AND WITH A BIG HUG HE CONFIRMED THE BEGINNING OF A BIG

FRIENDSHIP.

IN AN INTERVIEW WITH DOMINGO A REPORTER ASKED HIM WHY HE HAD STARTED THIS FOUNDATION AND WHY NOT ONLY HE HAD SUPPORTED FINANCIALY AN

ENEMY BUT AN ARTIST WHO ACTUALLY WAS HIS COMPETITOR AS WELL

HIS ANSWER WAS SHORT AND RESOLUTE:

“BECAUSE I COULD NOT ALLOW THE LOST OF SUCH A VOICE”..."

“THIS IS A TRUE STORY ABOUT NOBILITY AND

MIGHT INSPIRE US AS

AN EXAMPLE”...

Don and Doña Esteban wish

you Merry Christmas

and a happy 2006 !!

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