One of contemporary opera's most celebrated figures, José Carreras is perhaps best known for his association with the Three Tenors, a distinction shared with Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo. Over the course of his career, Carreras recorded more than 50 complete operas and 40 classical and popular recitals; in 1992, he served as musical director for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Summer Olympic Games in his native Barcelona, and he also published an autobiography, José Carreras, Singing from the Soul, detailing his battle with leukemia. In 2009, he retired from opera while continuing to perform occasional recitals.