„Grandios ist nur die Besetzung - so exemplarisch, dass man sich die meisten Sänger sofort für Wien wünscht. Allen voran Jonas Kaufmann, der erstmals als Siegmund zu hören war. Er singt die Partie fabelhaft, lyrisch, dann wieder hochdramatisch, teilweise sogar mit Italianità, was zur "Walküre" durchaus passt. Die "Wälse"-Rufe und die Winterstürme hat man seit Ewigkeiten nicht auf diesem Niveau gehört: metallisch und enorm lang gehalten bzw. liedartig fließend.“

Gert Korentschnig, Kurier

“The audience fell in love with the new Met Siegmund, Mr. Kaufmann, who proved his Wagnerian prowess last summer as Lohengrin at Bayreuth. Handsome and limber, he looked like a young demigod. His dark, textured and virile voice has ideal Germanic colorings for the music. He is a true tenor, and the role may sit a little low for him. He could not wait, it seemed, to sing the big high A in Siegmund’s last phrase of Act I, which he held onto thrillingly. All in all, he had a great night.“

Anthony Tommasini, New York Times

“The finest performance of the night, and the clear audience favorite, was Jonas Kaufmann’s role debut as Siegmund, Wotan’s troubled mortal son. The German tenor deployed his dark, virile voice with a precision that always sounds spontaneous, and created a moody "loner" character far more subtle and nuanced than the usual heldentenor posturing.”

James Jorden, New York Post

“The clear standout onstage for now is Jonas Kaufmann, singing his first Siegmund and already complete in the role. Here is a tenor totally at ease with himself, capable of taking his voice in any direction he cares to without sacrificing an iota of quality or control. He commands ample vocal heft for the more heroic moments, but can scale the tone back to a caressing soft phrase that never loses its support or vocal presence--one can easily imagine him soon moving on to Siegfried and Tristan while still keeping the more lyrical Italian roles in his repertory. Kaufmann acts with nuanced subtlety to portray a figure of tragic vulnerability who also projects the underlying strength and determination that motivates Siegmund's every move, either as lover or warrior. The fact that he looks sensational - handsome, trim and athletic -doesn't hurt either.”

Peter G. Davis, MusicalAmerica.com