Jonas Kaufmann - Romantic Arias (13 tracks) +Album Reviews

New interesting voice

Daniel Melvin | Portland, OR | 03/18/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I discovered Jonas Kaufmann by accident searching the internet. What a wonderful surprise to hear a Tenor voice unlike any I have ever heard before. There are a couple of moments on this CD that are so wonderful I had to listen to them multiple times on my first hearing. The Manon and the Meistersinger arias are so musical and heart felt. His dark masculine sound threw me at first, but I love this album and I love his voice. I think we will hear much from him in the future."

A Promising, Committed Artist with a wonderful Voice

The Cultural Observer | 07/10/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Large-voiced tenors are in short supply today, a phenomenon that most likely traces its origin to the vocal education system that stresses importance on the purity of tone so favored in Mozart and Handel's operas that are in such a vogue in today's classical music scene. However beautiful and well-controlled many of today's tenor voices are, this does not produce the thrilling electricity that you can get from voices that once rang full and true in a manner similar to that of the singers from an earlier part of the century like Ludwig Suthaus, Ramon Vinay, and Max Lorenz in the German wing and Franco Corelli and Carlo Bergonzi in the Italian department. Fortunately, a few stars do emerge from this low calorie vocal rubble who can prove themselves successors to the crown that has for so long been left to the hands of many a tenor who lacks not only the heft but also the imagination to apply that magical touch that place the stamp on the work of a star. Jonas Kaufmann is one such singer, and it is most fortunate that Decca took the incentive to hire this tenor for a long awaited recital CD featuring his work in a variety of repertory that not only amazes the listener with this artist's versatility, but also with his outstanding commitment.

Perhaps he is not idiomatic in every sense of the word. His work in Puccini hardly describes the plush, Italianate cushion that characterizes the work of tenors like Bergonzi, nor does his Verdi raise any flags that indicate the second coming of a Domingo or a Carreras. However, its his ability to produce a consistently charming and aesthetically beguiling interpretation of these roles outside his natural fach that makes him such an irresistible find. His voice is perhaps better suited (due to its dark, large timbre) to the more heroic German roles, but we would be poorer if we didn't hear what magic he could conjure with his singing outside roles like Walther.

A truly outstanding debut CD, and from the previews taken from the Meistersinger and Freischutz excerpts, I certainly hope to hear more from this tenor that will edge him slowly towards the roles where I believe his voice will truly shine--Siegmund, Lohengrin, Parsifal, Tristan, and Siegfried."

Refreshing detour

Bill Giovinetti | San Diego, CA USA | 05/11/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It is wonderful to hear tenor arias sung with a darker, masculine tone; it's wonderful and refreshing. His high notes are solid; he translates from forte to pianissimo with ease, on key. I have listened to this album multiple times and will purchase future Kaufmann releases."

This tenor is the real deal.

A. F. S. Mui | HK | 06/16/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Never mind what the "Grammphone" said in its excerpt for this album. The first track from "La Boheme" is very neatly done,and the rest of the tracks all offer 'better than most' performances.

The middle register is very full and powerful. The upper register sounds like laser. Wonderful intonation, immaculate articulation.

Musicality of the top caliber - never sings nonsense, but with full commitment to each aria's differing requirements.

This is a top-notch artist, blessed with a wonderful voice.

Miss this, and you will regret."

More Herr Kaufmann, danke!

G P Padillo | Portland, ME United States | 05/05/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I've taken a different - or at least partially opposing point of view regarding this album than a number of my friends. Initially, I, must admit I was slightly disappointed, expecting something more . . . but it is fast (very fast) growing on me. I have to laugh at some public forum comments on this artist as being "Male Netrebko."

Most early major label recordings of any artist always feature them in too familiar works pitting them against the memories (real or imagined) of one's favorite singers and the incomparable manner in which they sang such chestnuts.

However, the fact remains that Kaufmann is actually singing some of these roles and I think, ultimately for both voice and career, he is being absolutely wise in his choice of repertoire and keeping the voice flexible, fresh and free. What a Tannhauser he will make with that sound. Ditto Parsifal, Lohengrin and . . . well, I'm jumping ahead of myself.

The primary reason I think this album is growing on me, however, is that I absolutely LOVE the rather considerable contrast he brings to roles when compared to more "typical" Rodolfos, Fausts, des Grieuxs, Marios and Alfredos. We're living in a magical time for light/lyric tenors but, even despite their distinct sounds and interpretations, they prove to have more uniform timbres presenting less wholly original dramatic spectrum in these roles. I love the individual stamp that any singer can bring to these roles and for that reason am thrilled that as fine and intelligent singer as Herr Kaufmann is he seems to invest something unusual into each of his assignments. For this alone, he rises to the top of the current "youngish" brood.

(For something truly wonderful check out the youtubes of Kaufmann in some of his operetta selections. Wunderbar!)

To these ears, his French and Italian sound fine, if a bit more idiosyncratic than idiomatic. Unlike other reviewers, however, I don't think this is due so much to his accenting these languages in a native German voice, but rather resulting from his naturally darkish hue as well as the substantial weightiness of his voice. In these Italian and lighter French selections, I have come to adore the sound of this voice - as well as the odd mixture of ease and intensity that seems to come through everything he interprets.

Kaufmann's Rodolfo sounds a bit meatier than we've grown accustomed to - and remains the least successful aria on the album. Still, I'm glad to have it as it's aurally intriguing and the likelihood of a studio Boheme with Kaufmann is less than nil, future generations wondering what he might have sounded like get to hear, and (most likely) grateful he ultimately took his considerable gifts into another direction. Still, I can never get enough of good singers trying their voices out in fachs not distinctly their own, even for the sheer "curiosity shop" factor of it all. Kaufmann is no less "curious" to me.

Soon enough will he be excelling as Parsifal, Lohengrin, and other heroic

German roles. I'd love to see/hear him as Max in Freischutz, and some other of the Webber arias that just don't get aired enough. Having Kaufmann in them could probably guarantee some interesting less frequently repertoire choices would sell some seats. I loved his turn in the new Fierrabras - though the production itself often drove me crazy. What the hell, I also want to hear this guy as Peter Grimes - - even if it comes off as (as Sills used to imitate Koussivetsky) "Paeter und Greimez."

I am looking forward to very many more Kaufmann releases!

"

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