Hamburg, 12th May  2013: On the occasion of the Hamburg Haven -Day the „Traumschiff“ („Dreamboat“) Germany hosted the first edition of the „Die Goldene Deutschland“ (“Golden Germany”) Awards. Among others, José Carreras, Jonas Kaufmann as well as the bestselling author Rosamunde Pilcher have been honoured for their special contributions to culture and audiences’ entertainment

in Germany. The „Goldene Deutschland“ (“Golden Germany”) Awards have been initiated by actor,  Tv host and entertainment businessman Alexander-Klaus Stecher on the 10^th Anniversary of his programme “StechersStammtischs”. The awards ceremony has been recorded by  SAT.1 and will be broadcast on SAT.1 Gold on the 13^th of May  at 10,35pm CET.

Jonas Kaufmann and Anja Harteros. Foto: Catherine Ashmore

"For this revival of Nicholas Hytner’s 2008 production, the Royal Opera House has assembled an outstanding cast. The title role is one of many which Jonas Kaufmann seems born to sing, and his ideal combination of grandeur and vulnerability bodes well for his future Otello; his soft, lyrical singing is a wonder to hear, and his acting is utterly convincing, whether portraying this troubled character’s neuroses or avowing eternal love and friendship."

Melanie Eskenazi, MusicOMH

"First, there is Jonas Kaufmann in this title role. The voice of this German tenor is one of the wonders of the modern world. Combining a wondrously mellow tone with huge, apparently

effortless power and control, he is always a joy to see and hear."

William Hartston, Daily Express

"The reason for the buzz around this revival came clear as Jonas Kaufmann launched into his rapturous opening aria. His phrasing was exquisitely shaped, and his projection - underscored by distant horn-calls - was perfect, with its gentle falls into half-voice; his whole being radiated ardent nobility."

Michael Church, The Independent

"This was a Don Carlo one could imagine defying the Spanish Empire, its violence and tyranny. His vocal authority was matched by physical energy. Kaufmann embodies the part perfectly. His interactions were outstanding."

Anne Ozori, Opera Today

"As Don Carlo, Kaufmann varies his singing so much with soft, warm, intimate sounds that the Italian passion of the music starts to recede out of reach, but he, too, was impressive and, in his three duets with Harteros, deeply moving."

Richard Fairman, Financial Times

"No doubt the house was delighted to secure once again Jonas Kaufmann, currently the world’s favourite tenor, in the title role. Kaufmann brings to the part a full-throated heroic tone that also magically floats in response to the nuances of the text."

Barry Millington, Evening Standard

The day after his Verdi & Wagner concert in the Royal Festival Hall Jonas Kaufmann has won best male singer and the reader's award at the inaugural International Opera Awards. The reader's award was voted for by readers of Opera Magazine. Best female singer went to Nina Stemme, best conductor to Antonio Pappano, best director to Dmitri Tcherniakov, Lifetime achievement to Sir George Christie.

Saturday, March 2 at 12 pm ET: See the Met's new production of "Parsifal" in the cinema of your hometown - live in HD. Choose your location to be directed to the movie theater partner site for information, performance start times, and ticket availability.

Jonas Kaufmann / Parsifal. Foto (c) Metropolitan Opera

After his concert in Phoenix, Arizona Governor Janice Kay (“Jan”) Brewer proclaimed February 24 as Jonas Kaufmann Day as did the Phoenix mayor Greg Stanton and the city council in a separate proclamations. The awards were given to him during the performance.

Kaufmann's live recording of the Petersburg „Walküre“ is No. 5 in the UK Classical Charts, his Wagner album No 1.

„One of the year's landmark classical recordings”

Andy Gill, Independent

“As the joke goes, I wish I could jack up the scorecard and give this CD an ‘11-11’.”

Robert Levine, classicstoday

“No Wagner tenor sings Lieder with such musicianship, colour and sensitivity. With this glorious disc, Kaufmann sets a standard for our time.”

Hugh Canning, The Sunday Times

“the world’s leading Wagner tenor“

Andrew Clark, Financial Times

“Sencillamente irresistible.”

Sebastian Spreng, miamiclasica

“Tenor Jonas Kaufmann is a prime example of what Wagner should sound like. When I listen to Wagner, this is how I dream it should sound. What a gift for the 200th anniversary of the composers birth.”

John Terauds, Musical Toronto

“His luscious voice is big, beefy and blasting - so no problems there. His stamina is amazingly impressive as well: he holds Siegmund’s anguished cry of ‘Wälse’ ...  for what seems like an eternity.“

Warwick Thompson, Sinfini Music

„Kaufmann offers further confirmation that he is indeed the longed-for Wagnerian hero of our generation.”

Jason Victor Serinus, San Francisco Classical Voice

“Jonas Kaufmann is just about the most exciting guy out there these days. Apparently he can sing almost anything but he's exceptional in Wagner…soft singing that's exquisitely supported and a virile, ringing tone in louder passages that is nothing short of electrifying.”

Tom Huizenga, NPR Music

“Kaufmann reaffirmed his status as the leading Wagnerian tenor today. His two new recordings, Wagner on Decca and the complete Die Walkure on Mariinsky, are stunners.”

David Patrick Stearns, Philadelphia Inquirer

„Niemand klingt so unfassbar wunderbar und herzbewegend, wenn ‚In fernem Land’ us seinem Mund direkt aus seiner Seele ertönt.“

PhS, BZ

„Was für eine wirklich grandiose CD! – Wer dabei meint, er müsse unbedingt doch ein Haar in der Suppe finden, bringt sich selber um den Genuss. Und zu genießen gibt’s hier reichlich, zu kritisieren gar nichts.“

DZ, Der Neue Merker

“’A voice as soft as wild honey dripping from a tree’– Kipling describing Bagheera, the black panther in The Jungle Book; it could equally be applied to Kaufmann, whose baritonal timbre and almost smoky half tones make his Siegmund intensely masculine.

Mark Pullinger, opera britannia

“Much of the attention this release gets will focus on Jonas Kaufmann’s Siegmund, and rightly so because he is a marvel. He is now at the point of his career where his voice is perfect for the role of the Wälsung hero. … If the rest of the Wagner

bicentennial produces recordings as good as this then we are in for a great year.”
Simon Thompson, MusicWeb “Recording of the month”

“In the first act at least, with Jonas Kaufmann as an incomparable Siegmund, Anja Kampe a profoundly moving Sieglinde and Gergiev pacing the performance to an overwhelming climax, the result is spellbinding. In fact, few performances on disc can match it for sheer excitement, or for Kaufmann's blend of easy power, immaculate diction and lyric beauty.”

Andrew Clements, The Guardian

„His Act I has Jonas Kaufmann’s heroic, poetic Siegmund at the peak of his powers, partnering a limpid, youthful-sounding Sieglinde in Anja Kampe — a dream pair of Wälsung twins for our time, and one to compare with the greatest on disc.“

Hugh Canning, The Sunday Times

Foto (c) Metropolitan Opera

“At 43 Mr. Kaufmann is in his glory, equally adept in German, Italian and French repertory. Handsome and limber, he is a natural onstage. The baritonal colorings of his sound, his clarion top notes, the blend of virility and tenderness in his singing, his refined musicianship — all these strengths come together in his distinctive Parsifal.”

Anthony Tommasini, New York Times

“Kaufmann is astonishing as Parsifal, singing effortlessly and with the radiant tone so rare in Wagner tenors.”

Manuela Hoelterhoff, Bloomberg News

“Vocally, he rises to the stirring climaxes in Act 2 with his customary thrilling tone, then seems to deliberately hold back in

Act 3, giving many of his phrases a hushed, worshipful quality.”

Mike Silverman, Washington Post

“It is rare to see such detailed and nuanced character development in both the physical and vocal dimension, but Kaufmann's performance on Friday reminded everyone of why he is at the top of the ladder these days."

David Salazar, Latinos Post

“His two main monologues ideally married words and line with scarcely conceivable power and dramatic nuance, all the while deploying his formidable acting skills. His final word, “Schrein”, sticks in the memory for its half-tone delivery, matched seamlessly to the tenuous thread in Gatti’s strings.”

David Allan, bachtrack

The 55^th Grammy Awards held in Los Angeles crowned the new iMet "Ring“-production (DG, 8 DVDs / 5 Blu-ray Discs) as best opera recording of the year. The much debated Robert Lepage

production features among others Bryn Terfel (Wotan), Deborah Voigt (Brünnhilde), Jay Hunter Morris (Siegfried), Jonas Kaufmann (Siegmund), Eva-Maria Westbroek (Sieglinde) and Hans-Peter König (Hagen, Hunding, Fafner). The conductors are James Levine (Das Rheingold, Die Walküre) and Fabio Luisi (Siegfried, Götterdämmerung).

The15th of February sees not only the Met Premiere of "Parsifal“ but also the release of Jonas Kaufmann’s much anticipated Wagner CD. Alongside excerpts of  „Tannhäuser“, „Siegfried“, „Walküre“, „Meistersinger“ and „Rienzi“ the CD contains the two-verse original version of the Grail narration from „Lohengrin“ as well as the Wesendonck Songs. Further two Wagner recordings with Jonas Kaufmann have also been recently

released: the MET DVD of „Die Walküre“ with James Levine and the concert recording of the Petersburg "Walküre“ with Valery Gergiev on SACD.

“In the title role, Jonas Kaufmann was in a class of his own, totally involved and giving a masterclass of daringly varied, sometimes mannered, vocal technique.”

Martin Kettle, The Guardian

„Kaufmann ist überhaupt der Star der Aufführung: Sein Tenor mit baritonalem Timbre, exzellenter Höhe und leichter Italianità auch bei Wagner-Rollen ist perfekt für den Lohengrin.“

Gert Korentschnig, Kurier

„In Kaufmann, il cavaliere, la recitazione è in perfetto accordo con il disegno vocale. Da un punto di vista tecnico Kaufmann è qualcosa di unico: controlla l'emissione illuminando o ombreggiando ogni parola, ogni frase. Con i pianissimi, le messe

di voce, il legato, la musicalità spazza via la retorica degli effettacci rendendo credibile, vero, umano il declamato wagneriano. Con questo gioco chiaroscurale Kaufmann ha mostrato quale ricchezza di sentimenti si cela dietro la maschera dell'eroe.“

Giovanni Gavazzeni, Il Giornale

Foto (c) Monika Rittershaus

„In Hochform strahlend und obendrein klug und reflektierend gestaltend, bietet er weit mehr als ‚nur’ den Silberglanz des Gralsrittes auf Exkursion. Die fragile Opferrolle, die ihm Claus Guth verordnet, beglaubigt er mit vokalem Charisma.“

Joachim Lange, Der Standard

„Titelheld Jonas Kaufmann führte die Interpretation des vermeintlich schwachen Helden mutig über in seinen Gesang: fein und ängstlich klangen die stolzen Worte bisweilen, die finale Gralserzählung schien er mehr zu hauchen. Und wie er im Vers ‚Alljährlich naht vom Himmel eine Taube’ das ‚a’ auf ‚Taube’ dehnte und dehnte, es in ungeahnte Sphären abheben liess, war das größte Glück des Abends.“

Aargauer Zeitung

"Allein für die Silbe 'au' im Wort 'Taube' braucht dieser Lohengrin gut acht Sekunden. … Kaufmann zelebriert diesen Ton, als wäre er der Schlüssel zur Erleuchtung. Und er wird es: Das teilt sich sogar den zerstreutesten Schwatztanten im Publikum mit. Plötzlich könnte man eine Stecknadel fallen hören in der Scala. Und alle akustischen und sonstigen Widrigkeiten sind überwunden, übersprungen, dank der Intensität dieses Singens."

Elenore Büning, FAZ

With another 7^th of December approaching the Teatro alla Scala in Milano has opened another season, this time with a new production of Wagner’s Lohengrin, directed by Claus Guth and conducted by Daniel Barenboim. The first night has been broadcast live on RAI 5 and Arte / ZDF. The cast: Jonas Kaufmann (Lohengrin), Annette Dasch (Elsa), Evelyn Herlitzius (Ortrud), Tomas Tomasson (Telramund), Rene Pape (König Heinrich) and Zeljko Lucic (Heerrufer).

Fight scene act 1: Evelyn Herlitzius, Tomas Tomasson and Jonas Kaufmann. Photo (C) Monika Rittershaus

Bavaria’s cabinet minister for Europe, Emilia Müller awarded Jonas Kaufmann the “Bayerische Europamedaille” in a ceremony which took place on the 8th of October  in the Prinz-Carl-Palais in Munich.  The medal is awarded since 1990 in recognition of services rendered in promoting the reputation of Bavaria in Europe as well as promoting the European integration and collaboration in Bavaria.

Angela Gheorghiu, Jonas Kaufmann and Bryn Terfel as the leads and Antonio Pappano conducting – the two performances of “Tosca” at the Royal Opera House in July 2011 were by far the hottest tickets in town. For all who weren’t lucky enough to be there it has been captured on DVD and Blu-ray, released by EMI on October 12th.

Already seen by over a million people in the theatre and at cinemas around the globe, the Met Ring was filmed live in high definition and is now being released on both DVD and Blu-ray to launch Deutsche Grammophon’s celebration of the composer’s bicentenary year in 2013. James Levine, the Met’s longstanding Music Director, who has conducted 21 complete Ring cycles at the Met; and Fabio Luisi, the Met’s Italian-born Principal Conductor, who took over conducting the second half of the cycle after illness

caused Levine to withdraw. With Bryn Terfel performing his first complete cycles as the embattled god Wotan and American soprano Deborah Voigt making her role debut as his disobedient warrior-daughter Brünnhilde, alongside international stars Jonas Kaufmann and Eva-Maria Westbroek as the incestuous Siegmund and Sieglinde, and last-minute stand-in Jay Hunter Morris saving the day as the fearless but ill-fated hero Siegfried, the New York Times declared the cast “as strong a lineup of vocal artists for a Wagner opera as I have heard in years”.

After having premiered at the Salzburg Easterfestival and been heard in concert versions at the Berlin Philarmonie, this summer Simon Rattle’s “Carmen” production is back at the Salzburger Festspiele with Magdalena Kozena, Jonas Kaufmann, Genia Kühmeier and Kostas Smoriginas leading the cast. The recording, made in Berlin in April will be released by EMI on the 24^th of August. Exclusively in Salzburg it is already available from the 15^th of August.

Salzburg, 4th of August, 7:50pm – ten minutes before the start of Puccini’s „La Bohème“. Emergency call from the office of the Salzburger Festspiele: Piotr Beczala has fallen ill, is unable to sing Rodolfo and has just cancelled for tonight. How on earth to find a replacement within the next hour, who could save the sold out performance? Last hope: Jonas Kaufmann! In spite of having the

TV live broadcast of Ariadne scheduled for the very next day Kaufmann agrees to sing with score from the sides while Beczala acts the part on stage. At 8:45pm the „Bohème“-performance with Anna Netrebko and the two Rodolfos can finally begin. Everything works out well. The public cheers and the TV crew of ORF now have a recording of precious rarity.

„Ideally cast“, „dream-debut“, „magnificent in sound and intensity“, „spectacular“, „virile, brooding and in magnificent voice“, „vocal testosterone“, „technically perfect, with impeccable diction and wonderful phrasing – Jonas Kaufmann’s sovereign performance as Bacchus in the new production of ‘Ariadne auf Naxos’ at the

Foto (c) Ruth Walz / Salzburger Festspiele

Salzburger Festspiele proved impressively that fears for his voice after the month-long infection, which led him to cancel several appearances, were unfounded”  (Sophia Felbermair, ORF.at). According to Klaus-Hans Jungheinrich, a renowned German opera expert, Kaufmann is simply „ the best Bacchus there ever was“ (Frankfurter Zeitung).

The Nationaltheater of the Bayerische Staatsoper is updating its seats. The old seats are being sold off and anyone can sponsor one of the new seats. Margarete and Jonas Kaufmann are some of the first sponsors for this BSO project. More information in the press release of the BSO.

The Winners of the ECHO KLASSIK Award 2012 have been announced. “Opera Recording of the year (19^th Century)” is Beethovens “Fidelio” with Nina Stemme and Jonas Kaufmann, conducted by Claudio Abbado (Decca).

After first rehearsals for the new production of "Ariadne" in Salzburg I'm looking forward to my open air concert in Linz on Saturday evening.

Jonas Kaufmann

Dear Friends,

before any more speculation and rumors get into circulation, I would like to inform you today that my forced break is as good as over. According to the results of my latest medical examinations, I am now well on the way to recovery, and so I will be able to resume my activities from the beginning of July. I am looking forward to the concerts in Linz and Munich, as well as the rehearsals and

performances at the Salzburg Festival. It certainly has something to do with the hustle and bustle of the world we live in that many people nowadays find it alarming when a singer takes a somewhat longer break after an illness. In earlier operatic times forced breaks like these were nothing unusual. People simply took the time they needed for everything, and in particular to allow the healing process to run its full course. The infection I picked up  at the end of April was so tenacious that I simply needed this time get my health completely restored. And as sorry as I am that I had to disappoint many of you with my cancellations, I still hope you will regard  this long out-time as just what it is, namely a sign of responsibility toward myself and my audience. I would like to thank you most sincerely for all the good wishes and your support: you really were a great help to me!

Jonas Kaufmann, June 19, 2012

After my appearance at the Champions League Final on Saturday night, it appears that some people were very surprised: how could I cancel several performances and concerts due to illness but still sing at the CLF? To avoid any further misunderstandings: I did not sing, but rather lip-synched to a pre‑recorded tape. Had the promoters insisted on my singing live there, of course I would have

cancelled that appearance as well. At the CLF I just had to stand there and mime for five minutes. Having a double trying to lip-synch to my voice next to David Garrett would have been out of the question. So I did it and to avoid any doubts, I did it for free! I even insisted that the press officers of UEFA and DFB (Deutscher Fussball Band / German Football Society) verify this, and they published the appropriate information on their official websites.

Thanks again to everyone who sent me good wishes. I’m looking forward to singing for you soon again.

Jonas Kaufmann

Last December in New York Jonas Kaufmann received the Gerda Lissner Foundation Charity prize. The prize, in amount of 5.000 Dollar, is awarded yearly to an internationally renowned singer who in turn dedicates it to a social or artistic project of his choice. Kaufmann has donated the prize to the BSO's Children's and

Young People's Program Campus, a project for which he is also acting as an ambassador. The photo shows Kaufmann handing over the cheque to Staatsintendant Nikolaus Bachler and Henning Ruhe, the Head of the Opernstudio and Coordinator of the Education Department of the BSO, before the Don Carlo performance on the 29th of January 2012.

5.000 Dollar for the BSO's Children's and Young People's Program "Campus": Nikolaus Bachler, Jonas Kaufmann and Henning Ruhe.

© Wilfried Hösl

Several clips from the live- streamed performance of "Don Carlo" (January 22nd) have been published on YouTube by the Bayerische Staatsoper, including the complete final scene.

Anja Harteros (Elisabetta) and Jonas Kaufmann (Carlo) in Verdis "Don Carlo", Bayerische Staatsoper München. Photo (C) Wilfried Hösl

Jubel, Bravogeschrei und Getrampel vor allem für Kaufmann und die Harteros … Die beiden Sänger haben schon in Lohengrin wunderbar mit einander harmoniert und sie boten auch diesmal Musiktheater in Vollendung.
Georg Freund, Der Neue Merker, 16.1.2012

Er sang die Titelrolle nicht als Tenor in Opernpose, sondern war bemüht, die charakterliche Labilität des Infanten aufzuzeigen, der mal bebend vor Angst zu Ebolis Füßen kauert, mal heldenmutig

aufbegehrt und dabei immer kopflos, ganz aus dem Affekt heraus zu handeln scheint. Gepaart war diese überzeugende Darstellung mit einer Gesangsleistung, die jenseits aller Geschmacksfragen als grandios bezeichnet werden muss.

Alexander Meissner, Klassik.com, 17.1.2012

Mais il faut ajouter que les performances solidairement données par Anja Harteros et Jonas Kaufmann dépassaient les rêves les plus fous de leurs supporters extasiés. Lui, après son épisode wagnérien barytonnant de la saison passée (Siegmund au Met) a retrouvé la position plus favorable de sa voix ; si peu italien qu’il soit de timbre, la cantilène Verdi va idéalement à son jeu expressif et dramatique d’ombres et de lumières, et la messa di voce phénoménale qui trouve dans ces longs sons tenus (rêvés) leur légitimation absolue. L’Infant est montré ici carrément malade, constamment sous la menace d’un raptus peut être bien épileptique, et Kaufmann le joue, l’incarne, le chante avec un mélange de défi extatique et de témérité vulnérable en très beau héros schillérien ténébreux : de la voix il caresse, et cingle.
André Tubeuf, Qobuz, 18.1.2012

New York, December 5th 2011: Musical America hosted its Artist of the Year Awards. Vocalist of the year is Jonas Kaufmann, who acknowledged the award as a sign that his vocal versatility is not only accepted but welcome in the States. “Now, I am not stuck in a corner as a ‘heldentenor’ or a ‘light Italian’ voice. I am having fun. I feel like I am in a dream, as if I’m entering another dimension. I hope to sit on this cloud for quite awhile.”

On December 10th the new production of Gounods „Faust“ had been transmitted live in HD to cinemas all over the world. To watch video clips from the dress rehearsal (November 25th) please click on the text marked in blue.

Jonas Kaufmann enacted the protagonist’s plight sensitively, shading the line with heroic ardour and exquisite finesse, as needed. He sculpted long pianissimo phrases that took our breath away, if not his.
Martin Bernheimer, Financial Times

Mr. Kaufmann, a Met superstar who recently performed a rare song recital on the Met stage, was a handsome, vocally splendid Faust. He sang the pensive and romantic passages with veiled dusky colorings and tender lyricism, and unleashed pent-up power in full-bodied phrases, capped by fearless high notes.
Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times

Jonas Kaufmann's darkly burnished tenor encompassed both the dramatic intensity and exquisite lyricism required of Faust. "Salut! demeure," his apostrophe to Marguerite's house, was a marvel

of sensitivity and dreaminess, and Mr. Nézet-Séguin's floating orchestral accompaniment helped create the illusion of Faust in the thrall of innocence.
Heide Waleson, The Wall Street Journal

As Faust, Jonas Kaufmann showed once again that he can sing just about any tenor part better than just about anyone else in the opera world. He flooded the lyric lines with dark, throbbing tone, surging to a secure high C in his “Salut! Demeure” aria.
James Jorden, New York Post

Jonas Kaufmann (Faust) and Marina Poplavskaya (Marguerite).

Photos: © Ken Howard / Metropolitan Opera

After Kaufmann’s tender yet potent account of “Salut! demeure chaste et pure” in Act III, my date leaned over and, in a throaty whisper, said, “Whoa—this guy’s got it all.  (…) And when Poplavskaya and Kaufmann get together—watch out! Generally, when operatic lovers spend the better part of an act dithering about whether to kiss each other, I start to climb out of my skin. But in the extended Act III seduction scene, these two modulate from the modest to the flirty to the reluctant to the anguished to the smoldering with a level of musicianship and emotional intensity that is ravishing.
Adam Green, Vogue

His voice is in glorious form, supple, strong and tinged with baritone-like depths. Paired with Kaufmann’s innate musical intelligence, it gives shape and color to every phrase. His Salut! Demeure chaste et pure was inflected with tender lyricism, culminating in a joyous powerful high C.
Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim, The Classical Review

His voice is pure gold, and few tenors show s much total emotional control as he does.
Howard Kissel, The Huffington Post

On the NEWS side you will find our little film (15 Minutes) which presents some highlights from the new Lied Recital, which Helmut Deutsch and I performed on July 26th in the Nationaltheater in Munich: Songs from Franz Liszt, Gustav Mahler, Henri Duparc and Richard Strauss. Between the songs you’ll hear some statements from Helmut and me. We hope that you like the new

programme and we are looking forward to see you at one of our next recitals, either in the Musikverein in Vienna (February 13th), the Stephaniensaal in Graz (February 15th), the Philharmonie in Berlin (February 17th), in the Theatre des Champs-Elysees in Paris (February 20th) or in the Festspielhaus in Baden-Baden (April 23th).

Jonas Kaufmann

London, October 6th 2011: In the category "recital" Jonas Kaufmann's album with Verismo Arias got a Gramophone Classical Music Award 2011. "The reason people will buy it is simply this - a great singing actor at his peak, singing very, very well", reads the statement of the editors of "Gramophone".

New York, April 22, 2011. Jonas Kaufmann’s role début in the new production of Wagner’s “Die Walküre” at the Metropolitan Opera was greeted with equal enthusiasm from press and public.

“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 ...

» Read more

Photo: © Ken Howard / Metropolitan Opera

New York, April 17, 2011: At a gala dinner held in New York’s legendary Plaza Hotel, Jonas Kaufmann was singled out for the coveted “Opera News Award”. With this award, the editors of OPERA NEWS magazine regularly pay honor to extraordinary accomplishments in the operatic field.

Senior Editor Louise T. Guinther justified the award by saying: "Jonas Kaufmann has seduced opera audiences the world over with a uniquely plaintive timbre, a lieder-singer's interpretive subtlety and the depth and range of his dramatic portrayals. His intensity and intelligence, his suppleness of voice and body, combined with innate musicality and smoldering good looks, make him the model of the 21st-century opera star."

www.operanews.com

The recipients of the Sixth Annual OPERA NEWS Awards: Bryn Terfel, Patricia Racette, Kiri Te Kanawa, Riccardo Muti and Jonas Kaufmann | © Dario Acosta 2011

What tenor doesn’t dream of one day singing the big “hits” from the verismo era, thrilling pieces like “Ridi, Pagliaccio” (“Laugh, Pagliaccio!”) or Turiddu’s farewell to his mother from “Cavalleria rusticana”. I remember when I was a student, I used to think to myself: “Man, it must be awesome to be able to sing that stuff!” And it is. The recording sessions for my verismo album took place in Rome in May of 2010, and they were among the most beautiful experiences of the past season. With Antonio Pappano and the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia taking part, the whole project was under a lucky star right from the outset. It didn’t seem like hard work to us; we just had fun putting it all together.

My personal favorite on this album is a largely unknown piece, the lament of Romeo over the dead Juliet from the operatic version by Riccardo Zandonai. In general I wanted to bring the familiar war horses, such as Andrea Chénier’s monologues and “Cielo e mar” from “La Gioconda” together with some rarities, among them arias from the “other Bohème” by Ruggiero Leoncavallo and the totally forgotten opera “I Lituani” by Amilcare Ponchielli. “Ombra di nube” by Licinio Refice may not be an aria at all, but rather an art song, but I found the recording by the verismo diva Claudia Muzio so heart‑stirring that I absolutely had to record the piece. For the grand finale, I picked the famous, magnificently moving duet from “Andrea Chénier”. The role of Maddalena is sung by my colleague Eva-Maria Westbroek, with whom I hope to have the pleasure of many a joint appearance in coming seasons.

Jonas Kaufmann