Jonas Kaufmann, called the world's leading tenor, overcomes a tracheal infection to give a rare solo recital in Santa Monica.
One of the world’s leading opera stars, he has dashing George Clooney-esque looks. He’s a more than capable actor who was an affecting Tristan this summer in an emotionally stark Bavarian State Opera production, streamed from Munich. He is at home with big Verdi roles and intimate. He can spread the schmaltz in Viennese operetta as thick as you like. He’s got a sure-to-be top-charting Christmas album in the hopper.
“My songs are poisoned,” was the first line he sang, in Liszt’s song of that title. “How could they not be?” Sang is too polite. He screamed it with a tortured, chalk-on-blackboard shrill that hurt the ears. I immediately recoiled again as Kaufmann produced his “poison” live — but not for long this time, the song having become theater. Kaufmann made it crystal clear that he meant what he said. In the Heine text that Liszt set, the poet’s heart is beset by “many serpents / and you, my beloved.” Kaufmann wasn’t kidding.
When I looked up to the balcony, I realized why. Kaufmann’s well-heeled opera fans around me were predisposed to dote on their star, close up in a rare appearance. Upstairs was packed with an array of students. Not many of them could ever have experienced just how incredible a great, unamplified voice can be. It was from the rafters that came the loudest, most enthusiastic cheers. And these for an old-fashioned Lied recital on the day before Liszt’s 210th birthday.
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