José Carreras was born Josep Maria Carreras i Coll on December 5, 1946, in Barcelona, Spain, located on the Mediterranean coast. His passion for singing emerged early in life. In his autobiography, Carreras recalls being inspired at the age of six after watching the film The Great Caruso, featuring American tenor Mario Lanza. The performance so moved him that he began singing arias on his own. This enthusiasm led to his public debut at age seven, performing Giuseppe Verdi’s “La donna è mobile” on national radio.

Encouraged by his grandfather, Salvador Coll—an amateur baritone—Carreras began formal music studies at the Barcelona Conservatory when he was eight. His operatic stage debut came at age eleven in the boy soprano role of Trujamán in Manuel de Falla’s one-act opera El retablo de maese Pedro, based on Don Quixote.

During his teenage years, Carreras took private voice lessons with Francisco Puig and later with Juan Ruax, whom he credits as his "artistic father." Although he had early success in music, Carreras’ father urged him to pursue a stable career, leading him to study chemistry at the University of Barcelona for two years. However, José ultimately chose to follow his passion for singing. A turning point came in 1970 when he was cast in a production of Vincenzo Bellini’s Norma at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, where he met soprano Montserrat Caballé. She became a key mentor in his professional advancement.

Operatic Career and Rise to International Tenor

Montserrat Caballé invited Carreras to perform the role of Gennaro with her in Donizetti’s Lucrezia Borgia in 1970. Carreras considers this appearance his true debut as a tenor. In 1971, he performed in a concert version of Donizetti's Maria Stuarda at London’s Royal Festival Hall, again alongside Caballé. Over the years, they would appear together in fifteen operas. Caballé's brother, Carlos Caballé, became Carreras’ manager and managed his career well into the 1990s.

Carreras’ international reputation grew rapidly. He made his American debut in 1972 as Pinkerton in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly with the New York City Opera. Subsequent debuts followed, including performances with the San Francisco Opera and the Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company in 1973. In 1974, he graced the stages of the Vienna Staatsoper, London’s Royal Opera House, and the New York Metropolitan Opera. By the age of 28, he had performed leading tenor roles in 24 different operas across Europe and North America.

Carreras signed a recording contract with Philips during this prolific period. Notable recordings from this collaboration include Verdi operas such as Il corsaro, I due Foscari, La battaglia di Legnano, Un giorno di regno, and Stiffelio.

Health Crisis and Triumphant Return

In 1987, José Carreras was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Facing a grim prognosis, he underwent aggressive treatment, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and an autologous bone marrow transplant. Despite the challenges, he successfully recovered and gradually returned to the operatic stage, marking one of the most inspiring comebacks in opera history.