Jose Lemos ’01, photo by Liliana Morsia. Photo from a 2010 production of Handel’s Xerxes at the Buenos Aires Lirica, with costumes by Sofia Di Nunzio and production by Pablo Maritano
Brazilian countertenor José Lemos ’01 remembers his first performance at the College of Charleston as if it were yesterday. He has since toured the world as an opera singer, performing in top venues and winning international competitions and fellowships.
The Boston Globe says, “…Lemos sang with a big, colorful, sexy tone and almost recklessly brilliant coloratura.”
Q: How would you describe your job?
A: There is never a typical day. In addition to performing, I teach privately so that takes a lot of my time when I am not on the road or giving Master Classes. But there is a lot of practicing – some days it feels easier than others because that is just how the human body works – you are the instrument, and susceptible to all that is around you.
RELATED: Read more about Jose Lemos in College of Charleston Magazine.
Q: What are some of your most memorable performances?
A: Several performances that are memorable come to mind. My European debut at the Zurich Opernhaus singing alongside Cecilia Bartoli was extraordinary. I remember arriving at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées in Paris for a performance and looking to the side to find the Eiffel Tower right there, illuminated on a fall evening – it was a magical moment.
The first time I sang at Avery Fisher Hall in New York, I remember thinking “Is this really true? So many musical legends have stood right in this same spot I am right now…” And the list goes on, because I have been very lucky to have had incredible opportunities to work in some amazing projects, all which I am very thankful.
Q: Who are some of the favorite people you’ve performed with?
A: Every project is different and an experience in itself, so it would be very difficult to say who are all my favorites. But to name a few, I have a tremendous affinity with Harpsichordist and Conductor Jory Vinikour and Lutenist Deborah Fox, both fantastic musicians whom I invited to perform on my first featured album “Io Vidi in Terra.” The conductors Marc Minkowski and William Christie are both responsible for some of my most important European appearances.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your career?
A: I have to say the lack of routine. I love the traveling, the thrilling feeling of arriving at a new city, meeting new people, getting to know and work with them. Also having to work in all sorts of different theaters and concert halls and their intricate acoustics, which demand that you as a singer have to constantly adjust. I also enjoy the constant opportunities to discover a new place, sometimes having to stay two months and sometimes for just 24 hours – it is always exciting.
RELATED: Jose Lemos returns for Piccolo Spoleto Festival.
Q: What is something you participated in at the College that you would recommend to other students?
A: Join a touring ensemble. As a member of the Charleston Pro Musica, I went every summer for a month-long tour throughout France. On this tour I learned not only about culture but also I learned then the most important tool a musician can have, which is how to feel at ease on stage and communicate intimately with your audience while you are performing. This results in an amazing freedom and power of expression, which is a tool that most musicians take years after becoming professionals to develop, and I was exposed to and able to learn it while still a student. I have grown a lot as a professional since those days, but that was definitely the grounds and the perfect environment to explore these important tools, and I have carried and used them with every step of my career as a musician.
RELATED: Learn more about College of Charleston’s ensembles.
Q: Any classes that have helped in your career?
A: I have to say that of my classes from the College of Charleston all my music classes were of great help in preparing me for this career.As a musician – a singer especially – you need to be a well-rounded individual, so classes like history and English were essential in my development. I constantly have to express myself in English, verbally and on paper, anywhere I go in the world, since English is the common language that most artists share. Also, classes like yoga were very helpful. Being a singer and relying on a technique where breathing control is essential, a class like that can come in very handy.
Q: What is your advice for current students and aspiring artists/musicians?
A: To be kind, to be flexible, and to be humble. Nobody likes to work with a diva, and in this business, reputations travel fast.
Be prepared for a hard road ahead. It is not easy but it can be most fulfilling and rewarding. Music is a great art, a talent you have been given which can be polished by hard work. So be generous with those around you by being the best you can be, as a musician and – most importantly – as a person.
