Jonas Kaufmann – L’Opera (2017) [Qobuz FLAC 24bit/96kHz]

This record sees the most francophone (and francophile) of the German tenors take up a few pearls from the French repertoire. What’s more, it’s not only the big hits: “La fleur que tu m’avais jetée” is up in front, but also – or even, first and foremost – much rarer pearls have been fished up from the shoals of Meyerbeer, Berlioz, Thomas or Lalo. Jonas Kaufmann has succeeded in developing an irreproachable French elocution, in an equally impeccable style, denuded of the base Italianisms – glissandos, cooing, sobs, parasitic diphthongs, fermatas on the high Cs, etc. – that so many tenors (Italians, yes, but also French singers, including some stars…) impose on this music, which is not built to support them. Kaufmann’s voice, which almost approaches a baritone, confers a different masculinity onto these roles (which is neither a virtue nor a vice, but a fundamental quality) and a depth for which the roles of Nadir, Don José or Werther all cry out. Moreover, Kaufmann’s dynamic palette, from the fullest fortissimo to the suavest murmur, including on the high notes, is a joy to behold. The excellent Ludovic Tézier provides his counterpart in the duo of Pêcheurs de perles, while Sonia Yoncheva takes on the role of the tender Manon – even if the latter’s French still leaves a little to be desired.

“There should be no carping at his finely judged phrasing, his psychological acuity and, when he hits a sweet spot, sheer seductive swagger. His and Tézier’s searing delivery of the famous duet from Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers is as good as any you will hear on record…As the repertoire gets heavier, so the album builds to a terrific climax.” (The Times, UK)

Tracklist

1. Charles Gounod: Roméo et Juliette, Acte II: “L’amour… Ah! Lève-toi, soleil!”
2. Jules Massenet: Werther, Acte III: “Traduire… Ah! bien souvent…Pourquoi me réveiller, ô souffle du printemps?”
3. Ambroise Thomas: Mignon, Acte III, scène 5: “Elle ne croyait pas, dans sa candeur naïve”
4. Georges Bizet: Carmen, Acte II: “Je le veux, Carmen… La fleur que tu m’avais jetée”
5. Georges Bizet: Les pêcheurs de perles, Acte I: “C’est toi, toi qu’enfin je revois!… Au fond du temple saint”
6. Edouard Lalo: Le roi d’Ys, Acte III, Scène 1:”Puisqu’on ne peut fléchir… Vainement, ma bien-aimée”
7. Jacques Offenbach: Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Acte IV: “Ô Dieu, de quelle ivresse”
8. Giacomo Meyerbeer: L’Africaine, Acte IV: “Pays merveilleux!… Ô paradis”
9. Jules Massenet: Manon, Acte II: “Enfin, Manon, nous voilà seuls ensemble!… En fermant les yeux, je vois là-bas”
10. Jules Massenet: Manon, Acte III, Scène 2: “Toi! Vous!… N’est-ce plus ma main que cette main presse?”
11. Jules Massenet: Le Cid, Acte III, Scène 3: “Ah! tout est bien fini!… Ô souverain, ô juge, ô père”
12. Jacques Fromental Halévy: La Juive, Acte IV: “Rachel, quand du Seigneur”
13. Hector Berlioz: La Damnation de Faust, Part III, Scène 1: “Merci, doux crépuscule!”
14. Hector Berlioz: Les Troyens, Acte V, Scène 1: “Inutiles regrets! Je dois quitter Carthage!”

Personnel
Jonas Kaufmann, Tenor
Sonya Yoncheva, Sopran
Ludovic Tézier, Bariton
Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Bertrand de Billy, Dirigent

Download:

mqs.link_JnasKaufmannLpra20172496Qbuz.part1.rar
mqs.link_JnasKaufmannLpra20172496Qbuz.part2.rar