Editorial Product Review:Item Description:Jonas Kaufmann is without question the most versatile tenor of his generation, and his current repertoire includes an astonishing range of opera roles from Mozart to Wagner. He is also a celebrated Lieder interpreter, equally at home on the concert platform. His Decca Debut album celebrates a luscious range of Romantic opera arias, showcasing the astonishing diversity of his voice.
Jonas Kaufmann has made stunning debuts in many of the world's leading opera houses in recent seasons. For example, to fabulous acclaim he appeared as Alfredo in La Traviata at the Metropolitan Opera and Chicago Lyric Opera - 'smoothly burnished, beautifully focused... and always disarmingly musical' (New York Magazine). He was Don Jose in the 2007 new production of Carmen at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden - 'superb' (The Guardian).
Romantic Arias includes opera favorites by the Italian giants Verdi and Puccini, by French greats Berlioz and Bizet, and by Wagner, the epitome of German Romanticism. Kaufmann responds to each composer with seductive ease.
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Disc 1:- Puccini 'Che gelida manina' from La Bohème
- Bizet 'La fleur que tu m'avais jetée' from Carmen
- Flotow 'Martha: Ach, so fromm' from Martha
- Puccini 'E lucevan le stelle' from Tosca
- Verdi 'Lo l'ho perduta... Io la vidi, e il suo sorriso' from Don Carlos (Aria from Italian four act version)
- Weber 'Nein! Länger trag' ich nicht... Durch die Wälder, durch die Auen' from Der Freischütz
- Verdi 'Lunge da lei... De miei bollenti spiriti ...O mio rimorso' from La Traviata (with Jana Sibera - soprano)
- Massenet 'Je suis seul... Ah! Fuyez, douce image' from Manon
- Verdi 'Ella mi fu rapita...Parmi veder le lagrime' from Rigoletto
- Gounod 'Quel trouble inconnu me pénètre?...Salut! Demeure chaste et pure' from Faust
- Wagner 'Morgendlich leuchtend im rosigen Schein' from Die Meistersinger
- Berlioz 'Invocation à la nature' from Damnation of Faust
- Massenet 'Pourquoi me réveiller' from Werther
Buyer Reviews
Average Buyer Rating:
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The Living End
Yes he is the living end. Really. A gorgeous sound and amazing technique. And if you think this cd is good, go and see him in person. You won't believe it, for he is even better live, smooth as silk and phenomenal in performance. You will be swept away!!!
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Interesting
I've just received this highly vaulted recital album, which is more-or-less my introduction to Kaufmann and his voice. My first thought was that the voice is as baritonal as they say -- like listening to Robert Merrill try tenor roles, though Kaufmann is fully comfortable in the range. I found this particularly distracting in the Traviata excerpt, when I couldn't stop wondering why Germont is singing his son's lines. Some tenors (Del Monoco?) do also come to mind, but rarely his (and my) idol Fritz Wunderlich; the sound is often cloudy and unclear, and rarely strings out cleanly and prettily (a notable fault in the Bizet aria, a bit better in Faust); it seems most open in the Wagner excerpt (and does sound a bit like Wunderlich there). In some cases like the concluding Werther, the sound and delivery are similar enough to Villazon that one can make a direct comparison, and Villazon comes out better. Kaufmann's interpretations are generally remarkable, and the initial Boheme excerpt was perhaps the most memorable I've ever heard -- though I often felt I was listening to the mournful end of the opera, not the hopeful beginning. He does have the advantage of his conductor's own remarkable interpretations; my only quarrel there would be that not all of the pieces should be so melting, and Armiliato's singing line sometimes prevents Kaufmann from giving some phrases as much conversational power as they should have. Over all, I was impressed, and may become more impressed with further listening. Since I couldn't do 4 and a half stars I rounded down to 4, but this is a fine recording.
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Tenor Arias for Mediocre Baritone
Some very distinguished tenors started out as baritones. Such was the case with the great Carlo Bergonzi who retained a warm Caruso like baritonal timbre in his voice while still hitting ringing, spinto high B-flats and singing in sweet head voice and mezza voce. Ramón Vinay also began his career as a baritone, becoming a gifted heroic tenor before returning to the baritone repetoire as his voice darkened with age.
Unfortunately, Kaufmann is not cut from the same cloth. With some effort, he could become a useful baritone. But his premature and unjustified desire to enter the tenor range is quite ridiculous, producing a strained, constipated and thoroughly unpleasant sound. And he should learn to shave.
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A fine large-voiced tenor at work
Jonas Kaufmann is what I would call a big voiced tenor--along the lines of Franco Corelli or Richard Tucker (I'm not saying he's that good yet--but his voice is powerful!). The liner notes begin by noting that many of us want to compartmentalize tenors--"He's a Puccini tenor," He's a Mozart tenor," "He's a Wagnerian tenor." The notes then say that ". . .Jonas Kaufmann resists [this tendency], uncompromisingly maintaining his remarkable versatility." Versatile indeed! This CD ranges from Puccini to Wagner, from Bizet to Weber and Verdi.
Let's take a look at a few of the cuts on this CD.
"Che Gelida Manina." What a tenor piece, from Puccini's "La Boheme." Kaufmann shows a good rich large voice. He also sings with considerable passion. Here and there are those annoying affectations, such as "catches" and "cries," but not anything that really detracts from his art. When he sings "Vivo" or "millionaria," his voice sounds great. He can up his volume without his voice becoming out of control (no bleating here!). The high note on "la speranza" seems well hit, with power behind it. This is not another "light voiced" tenor.
"E Lucevan le Stelle." This classic tenor piece from Puccini's "Tosca' is also well sung. When he opens to full volume, again, the outcome is splendid. Again, some annoying mannerisms, but not an issue. His close is dramatically sung.
"Lunge da Lei. . .De' Miei Bollenti Spiriti." An affecting piece from Verdi's "La Traviata." Again, nicely sung. His voice works well with Verdi's music.
Finally, "Morgenlich Leuchtend" from Wagner's "Die Meistersinger." This shows his range in terms of roles. And this is very well and smoothly sung. The richness of his voice works well here.
So, it seems to me that Jonas Kaufmann is a fine tenor, with a welcome large voice that retains musicality. I look forward to tracking the arc of his professional singing career. . . .