BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Spanish opera singer Jose Carreras, who became one of the legendary Three Tenors with Luciano Pavarotti and Plácido Domingo, announced his retirement from opera.

    The 62-year-old Spaniard told The Times in an interview published Friday he could no longer cope with the rigors of performing full operas on stage.

    "If I can do recitals, adapting the repertoire to my needs, then no problem. But unless the right circumstances come up, my opera career is done," Carreras said.

    Carreras’s departure from the opera leaves only Domingo, who is six years his senior, performing operatic roles.

    Pavarotti died in 2007, at 71, after a long struggle with pancreatic cancer.