Kaufknabe
A number of the cher public have asked for more photos of hunkalicious Jonas Kaufmann, with a several of you specifially requesting a image without the tenor's accustomed facial stubble. Well, one of La Cieca's dear readers has obliged by sending a snapshot of Kaufmann before he stopped shaving, or possibly before he even started shaving. The reader recalls performing with Der Junge Jonas circa 1997 when he "still sang Rossini and The Student Prince." A particularly vivid memory is of "Jonas in biker spandex for Proben in Heidelberg!" (The image of Mr. Kauffman's dinner companion has been obscured for reasons of privacy.)
And now here's some contemporary video of the unstubbled Kaufmann in action, singing The Student Prince.
Labels: hunkentenor, jonas kaufmann, youtube
POSTED at
11:04 PM
24 Comments:
God I love the Student Prince. Takes me back to when Granny took me to see the movie with Edmund Purdom and Anne Blyth. Its in a world of its own- that and the White Horse Inn- and before anyone says it- I was too young for Maid of the Mountains (first release)
;0)
Today I saw the Met Romeo & Juliet with la Netrebko & Senor Alagna- it was the second showing of the movie and was sold out- they are running an extra performance next Wednesday night. Apparently bookings are already heavy for the next one- Hansel & Gretel, screening in two weeks time so it looks like the Met is onto a marketing winner.
I enjoyed the performance- particularly the last Act. La Netrebko warmed up as the performance went on - as I think some reported, she was a tad scratchy in the beginning but certainly came in for a flash finish. She's certainly easy on the eyes.
I thought of some parterre contributors when we had a rather trite "interview" by La Flemming with Maestro Domingo at half time- also saw a tantalising clip of Madame Dessay going off the deep end in a live Lucia production being beamed to Time Square?
Have to say the staging of R & J wasn't too bad and the costumes were excellent- it's nice to see what many of you are talking about at last - and barihunk Mr Gunn went down well with the local "Royal community".
I see Mdme Guleghina is down to do Lady Macbeth soon in an upcoming broadcast- I hope she's nothing like that Traviata clip that la Cieca posted recently.
The Student PRICE ... does La Cieca imply that Mr Kaufman is available if one's wallet is large enough?
God I love those operettas and they aren't performed enough and when they are they are updated and modernized to a fare-thee-well. Last night here in Rome our beloved Teatro dell'Opera presented a mess that they preported was The Merry Widow. It was reset by the director/performer/writer in Naples and a major non-singing role created for him as Nejus/Puncinella. Everyone was miked, dancers came racing through the audience, a promanade had been built around the pit so we had lots of interaction (guess that's what they call it) with the audience. The only two numbers that worked were the Women, Women, Women number and the Act 2 Merry Widow Waltz - the rest was an ungodly shambles, badly sung, strangely danced, badly designed. A real waste of resources, money and worst of all a beautiful score.
Kekszakallu: "The Student Price, or Leontyne Goes to Juilliard."
Jonas Kaufmann has such a strong, ringing voice, yet he can use it with such tenderness too. His performance as Don Jose in the Royal Opera "Carmen" (shown here in England on the TV a couple of days ago) was so thrilling and touching. His scenes with Escamillo in Act III and Carmen in Act IV were magnificent. (It is such a pity the content and promotion for his solo album, due out in March 08, is such silly mush. Oh well, I guess the record company insisted.)
I'm much looking forward to seeing him in "Tosca" at Covent Garden in a couple of months. But it is a pity too that his student days are over, it would appear. His Beethoven 9th owes much to the operetta role (I wonder if Rene Pape ever did "The Desert Song"?)
(I must also recommend the unofficial Jonas Kaufmann website, which is packed full of all kinds of photos and other goodies.)
...making a bow for the comment on my web site and thanking for the beautiful photo of Jonas. He looks more like 17 than like 27 on it.
The content of the CD was his choice. Except of the aria from Martha, all are roles which he did already or will do soon. Also showing his versatility. I saw him live a lot of times and he still is able to surprise me. I listened to the Cd already and can only recommend it.
He sings like a dream in this clip. Beautiful!
How nice to hear in person from the creator of the fantastic Jonas Kaufmann website - http://www.jkaufmann.info/musikraum.htm
I think it is just about the best artist website (official or otherwise) that I have ever come across - I have spent many hours there enjoying all the information, music and images.
I suppose I have my own idea of how I understand Jonas Kaufmann's singing, based from the outset on his Strauss Lieder. But I simply LOVED his Don Jose, and I am just longing to see his Cavaradossi at Covent Garden soon. I am very envious of those in Switzerland and Germany who have been able to see him in Parsifal, and I wished I could have seen his Mastersingers in Edinburgh. And I would LOVE to see him in "Don Carlo" (especially with Rene Pape as Philip II). I think I just reacted negatively to the prominence accorded to the "La Boheme" aria on the promotional video from the record company - it's been done SO many times, and at the moment it almost "belongs" to Pavarotti (at least in the popular media). But that is a matter of taste. For several years now JK has been in my top three favourite singers, and his place there gets stronger every year.
Is there any chance, I wonder, that he will sing Doktor Faustus, or Peter Grimes?
OK, I'll admit it, from some angles I'd do him. Definitely in that uniform. The video clip is just totally precious. Yes, in THAT sense of the word.
I'm also astounded at his facility for languages other than his own. Even in this clip he far outperforms the soprano, who I believe is a native English speaker. Every clip I've seen, I've understood nearly every word - regardless of the language. The last singer I remember with this level of linguistic ability was Gedda.
I live in Germany and I had the luck to see him in Boheme Zürich lately. It is amazing how he can fit his voice to a composer and a role not to talk about his acting. It was a big success. Before that I saw him as King’s son in Königskinder and it was the best interpretation of the role ever heard and seen (not only my meaning, you can check the reviews). In the same month he sang Don Carlo and Alfredo ( and he hit the C). I also saw him as Tamino, Don Jose, Florestan, Duca, Jeník (Hans) and in several recitals. Winterreise for example, a dream!
It doesn’t make sense to go into details, I leave that up to the critics, it’s sometimes funny to read how he puts them under his spell, especially the English and French writers turn out as masters of prose when they write about his performances.
Doktor Faustus and Peter Grimes, not in the near future. Future role debuts are des Grieux in Manon (Vienna), Cavaradossi (London, Zürich), Werther (Vienna), Lohengrin (München), Emperor in FroSch, Siegmund. He also would like to do Hoffmann and Andrea Chenier, but he is not in a hurry about doing these roles.
and apparently maurizio?! or has that rumor been dismissed?
I was not impressed by him as alfredo and his high C was tenuous each time. His voice didn't seem large or penetrating enough for all this wagner he's singing, but then again the MET is gigantic. I look forward to hearing how his voice sounds this year in his umpteenth run of alfredos in march.
Speaking of tenors, why has Mme Hostess not opened a window on tonite's Romeo on Sirius/Met bdcst.? Mr Polenzani is a total mess; HOW can all those "opera-
lovers" on Opera-L be so swept away by Polenzani's Romeo last week, and then tonight's ill-sung,
effortful and over-stressed attempt. The role is far far too big for this Mozart singer. Egads; sad to hear. And La Netrebkish is strictly calling the hogs.
Yuck!
Well, Nadler is conducting MUCH better than Arturo Toscanini-Domingo. Thank god for that.
You voice technicians - what do you think is going on with Polenzani? It's very sad. I guess he does not have a high-C any more; the attempt at the end of Act III was pure mud.
Disappointed in Santa Fe
Marion is the great Marion Tung, one of the most superb uploaders of gems to that secret site most hallowed!!! Brava, Marion!!
I've only seen Kaufmann at the Met, I just missed a Florestan in Zurich a while ago. I have friends in that city (yes, even Mrs. John Claggart has them!!) and he is adored, a big star.
At the Met, I have to agree that he didn't really shine at two performances I saw. I thought he sang heavily and without a lot of ease, and he did not command a great deal of volume. He has a wonderful presence on stage, but I thought to myself, "it's another backward tenor like Villazon!!!" But Kaufmann seems to know what he's doing, there are some very impressive recent clips and I was glad to see his gradations in the final scene of Carmen, easy movement into the head tone ('loin d'ici') and latter just a touch of falsetto. It's something Villazon wasn't able to do in the Barcelona Manon ("nous vivrons a Paris ... l'un a l'autre enchaines" in act one, and "loin de moi" in the "Ah fuyez" aria -- both went right back into the throat and he cracks on the unedited tape -- I haven't seen the commercial DVD).
Yep, "right back in the throat" is a big big problem for a tenor; in fact, it's a killer. Villazon was obviously singing repertory that was light-years too big. And he may have paid the ultimate price. Hope he put some bucks away.
On Polenzani, I fear the same if he does not wise up. The Bb in the
Balcony Scene aria was a classic example of an un-linedup voice; the body of the aria was very nasal, and rather unpleasant in tone, but at least bright; then came the run up to the Bb and the voice totally changed position. Way of death.
Wise up Matt, remember your Harshaw lessons. You used to sing so great! What happened? Go back to Mozart, quick!
JIM
stl/sfe
Thank You Jim mrmyster. I have seen a steady slow decline in Polenzani's singing. His use of the palattal constrictors and nasality has been overwhelming what I have heard as a nice light lyric. His tone has lost the bloom, and vibrancy he once had. The Traviata was a disappointment and the Romeo was barely passable. It's time for a new approach or he will not be around for that long. I have never been entranced by his color but always enjoyed his performances because of his musical intelligence. The best that could besaid about the Romeo was that it was better than the disgraceful performances given by Joseph Kaiser.
G
Nice to see you Mrs John Claggart. Happy New Year to you. Opera Australia is putting on your husband's show in October and although I'm not much of a Britten fan, this is the one I like most of his work.
I forgot Maurizio, but it will not be at the Met. Only rumours, he and his agent didn't know anything about it. The Adriana is planned in London, not next season, and the Adriana shall be Angela Gheorghiu.
Regarding Wagner, he didn't do much Wagner so far, only 5 performances, 4 Parsifals in Zürich and the concert performance of Meistersinger in Edinburgh. He is getting lots of offers doing Wagner and other heavier roles, but says that he doesn't want to ruin his voice.
WOW so she's really doing it?! the only fair rival she could have is cecelia bartoli!
Thank you Daniel and the same to you! I have aged out of Britten, save for Turn of the Screw and Death in Venice (excepting the last twenty minutes of act one). My beloved husband would have noted how much the music resembles outtakes from Peter Grimes, and how sentimental a take it is on that crazy queen Melville (just ask Mr. Hawthorne about HIM!!!). Mister Tippett described Peter Grimes as English verismo, but I think it's truer to say of Billy Budd. Mr. John and I saw Jon Vickers so often as Peter Grimes we got tired of the opera!! And no one can match Jon in sheer huge scale nuttiness. But we (Mr. John from the grave) hope you enjoy Billy.
Daniel
You are not much of a Britten fan???? I am shocked!! You are so intellectual and urbane!! You just reek of good taste!!
.. and you just stink.
Ah, Daniel (whackwhackwhack), you always make me smile. I saw Polenzani in the HD broadcast of Magic Flute. I was unimpressed by him, though I imagine he was better in Mozart than Bellini. I hated the production (did Taymor really have to put every thought she's ever had on stage in the same production?). THe only singing I really liked was the Queen of the Night.
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