Kritiken 2006 nur Ausschnitte/excerpts only Mahler: "Das Lied von der Erde", Berlin, 12. Januar 2006 "Handsome tenor Jonas Kaufmann (Don Jose) has every wow factor you can imagine." "La qualité de prononciation, le charisme, la richesse psychologique, la ligne au bord des lèvres de "La fleur que tu m'avais jetée", sa densité sans poids, le corps à corps désespéré de la dernière scène, tout fait de lui et dès cette prise de rôle un de nos plus grands Don José." Verdi: La Traviata, Metropolitan Opera House, 4. Februar 2006 Mozart: Lo Sposo deluso, K. 424a, Zürich, 5. März 2006 Schubert: Fierrabras, Paris, 8. März 2006 Mozart: Lo Sposo deluso, K. 424a, Paris, 9. März 2006 Wagner: Parsifal, Zürich, April 2006 Festkonzert Saarbrücken, April 2006 Die verkaufte Braut, Frankfurt, 21. Mai 2006 Mozart: Requiem, Orange festival 2006 Edinburgh, Recital, 24. August 2006 Wagner: Die Meistersinger, Edinburgh, 2. September 2006 La damnation de Faust, Rom, 21. Oktober 2006 Mozart: Die Zauberflöte, Metropolitan Opera, October 2006 Carmen, Royal Opera House, London, 8. Dezember 2006 Mahler: "Das Lied von der Erde", Berlin, 12. Januar 2006 Berliner Morgenpost: Stille Wanderung Mahlers Lieder-Sinfonie schwingt sich da schon zu ganz anderem Klangvolumen auf, das indessen den tapferen Jonas Kaufmann nicht zittern machte. Sein schlanker Tenor besitzt Elan und Durchsetzungskraft. Kaufmann sang sich unverstört durch die heftigsten instrumentalen Aufgipfelungen: ein schmaler Singathlet von reichem Ausdrucksvermögen. Berliner Zeitung: Blind Date mit einem Klangkörper Das hat frappierende Konsequenzen: Der Gesang, und mit ihm der Sänger, wirken nicht mehr wie die Hauptsache, sondern treten nur noch als Beschriftung des melodischen Geschehens auf, die Worte präzisieren den melodischen Ausdruck. Dennoch sind die Sänger hochpräsent: Jonas Kaufmann ist selbst im "Trinklied vom Jammer der Erde", dessen massiver Orchestersatz normalerweise keinem Tenor eine Chance lässt, gut zu hören. Der Tagesspiegel: Echo des Weltuntergangs Das kommt nicht nur den beiden fabelhaften Solisten Petra Lang und Jonas Kaufmann entgegen, sondern sorgt auch für Balance zwischen der artifiziell entrückten Chinoiserie des Stücks und der spätromantischen Klanggewalt, die hier nur untergründig, wie das grollende Echo eines Weltuntergangs, spürbar bleibt. Verdi: La Traviata, Metropolitan Opera House, 4. Februar 2006 (house debut) The Sun: Verdi Would Be Proud The German tenor Jonas Kaufmann was making his Met debut as Alfredo. First, he has what you might call tenor-star looks: long hair, a Byronic profile. Second, he owns a substantial, regal voice. Often it is creamy and refulgent. He was a little tight in Act I - particularly in the Brindisi - but he opened up. Alfredo's big aria is "De' miei bollenti spiriti," and Mr. Kaufmann negotiated that well. But he dipped a little on that sustained final E flat. He was also flat on a later high C - although the note was essentially there. This was Angela Gheorghiu's night, but Mr. Kaufmann was not a negligible presence. Classics Today: GHEORGHIU AT LAST IN METS TRAVIATA In his debut role at the Met, German tenor Jonas Kaufmann was more than impressive. He is young, slim and handsome, and the voice is a grand instrument, rich, and full, with an appealing "ping" to his high notes. He sings fearlessly and acts well, paying attention to his colleagues as if he means it. He came to grief at the close of his second act cabaletta with a cracked high C, but otherwise was a fine, ardent, if not quite Italianate Alfredo. NYmag: Brangelina Sings! Jonas Kaufmann not only has the look and easy stage bearing of a rock star, but he also has a flexibility seldom heard in German tenors—he sings Parsifal and Florestan with distinction, as well as lyrical roles like Alfredo. If his voice lacks the ringing lift up top that one ideally likes in a Verdi tenor, the overall tone is smoothly burnished, beautifully focused on the notes, and always disarmingly musical. Associated Press: Gheorghiu Triumphs in 'Traviata' Kaufmann displayed dashing looks and a big shiny voice that bodes well for his future. Program notes say he already is scheduled to sing heavier roles such as Parsifal, which does not. He was said to be singing with a cold, which might explain the tentativeness he showed early on as he tried to find the right volume. NYTimes: A Violetta to Conquer the Scenery The Met greeted a new tenor as Alfredo: Jonas Kaufmann, a young German with a beautifully constructed voice, suspect perhaps in its upper reaches but otherwise filling the house nicely with an unforced clarity. Mr. Kaufmann approaches every musical detail and theatrical nuance with great care; he also looks good next to Mr. Zeffirelli's ravishing furniture and clouded mirrors. I hope I'm not being unfair in finding something clinical in the completeness of his performance. Opera News: La Traviata, Metropolitan Opera, 2/4/06 Tenor Jonas Kaufmann made an impressive house debut as Alfredo, with a warm, baritonal sound and brooding good looks. Even though his covered top notes lack an Italianate ring, he is not afraid to sing with nuance or to explore the lower end of the dynamic spectrum, and his conversational delivery and naturalness of phrasing were most attractive. Newsday: A headstrong, yet extraordinary Violetta Making his company debut as Alfredo, tenor Jonas Kaufmann is a dashing young man with a dark, throaty, not especially supple voice that he shades with care. He brings impetuous fire to a role that can sometimes pass for a Milquetoast, and there is a thrilling erotic undercurrent to his clash with Violetta at Flora's party. ConcertoNet.com: Une Violetta admirable mais qui n'émeut pas Cette reprise de La Traviata valait aussi pour les débuts au Met de Jonas Kaufmann, ténor allemand qui chante régulièrement à Zurich. Des débuts ovationnés par les New Yorkais, qui ont visiblement apprécié non seulement le physique agréable du chanteur, mais aussi sa voix aux teintes barytonales et aux accents virils, une voix plus dramatique que celles qu’on entend normalement dans le rôle d'Alfredo. D'ailleurs, le ténor ne doit-il pas chanter prochainement Parsifal à Zurich? Gageons qu’après un tel succès au Met, la direction de l’Opernhaus aura fort à faire pour ne pas le laisser partir! Mozart: Lo Sposo deluso, K. 424a, Zürich, 5. März 2006 Neue Zürcher Zeitung: Schlicht und ergreifend Für die muntere sängerische Umsetzung sorgte ein Solistenquartett mit Sandra Trattnigg (Sopran) Jonas Kaufmann (Tenor) Bogusaw Bidzinski (Tenor) und Gabriel Bermúdez (Bariton). Tages-Anzeiger: Irrtümer und Verwicklungen ..geben will worüber sich Pulcherio (der hervorragende Jonas Kaufmann) mit beissendem Spott lustig macht. ... Schubert: Fierrabras, Paris, 8. März 2006 ConcertoNet.com: Réussite zürichoise à défaut dêtre Schubertienne! Le rôle-titre est tenu par Jonas Kaufmann, pilier de l’opéra de Zürich. Ce jeune ténor, à la carrière prometteuse et qui vient de se tailler un franc succès au Met dans La Traviata, déploie une voix longue et puissante, avec des harmoniques assez sombres pour un ténor. Il campe un Fierrabras rempli de noblesse et son aisance scénique souligne bien la valeur héroïque du personnage. ConcertClassic.com: Fierrabras de Schubert au Châtelet, une résurrection On sait que Jonas Kauffman est le ténor du moment. L'écriture de Fierrabras se coule avec bonheur dans sa voix longue, solaire, où le mot est toujours intelligible, et sa silhouette juvénile enchante. Le Figaro: Les rêves de Schubert Jonas Kauffmann incarne Fierrabras, double douloureux de Schubert, avec expressivité et émotion. Opera News: PARIS Fierrabras, Théâtre du Chatelet, 3/12/06 Jonas Kaufmann, fresh from his triumphant debut at the Met in La Traviata, was as fine an exponent as one could hope for in the role of Fierrabras, whose selfless nobility is the positive message of the opera. His voice carried almost Wagnerian weight and intensity of declamation in a role that did not really exploit his vocal talents to the full. Libération.fr: Au Châtelet, «Fierrabras» a fière allure Un même esprit de troupe caractérise la distribution où l'on retrouve le ténor Jonas Kaufmann dans le rôle-titre, Mozart: Lo Sposo deluso, K. 424a, Paris, 9. März 2006 ConcertoNet.com: Cabinet de curiosités Les solistes, issus de la troupe zurichoise et/ou faisant partie de la distribution de Fierrabras, défendent inégalement leurs rôles: dans un air virtuose, à l’ambitus très étendu, l’Eugenia de Sandra Trattnigg peine dans le grave, crie dans l’aigu et ne chante pas toujours juste, tandis que Jonas Kaufmann livre une démonstration éclatante de perfection dans l’air de Pulcherio. Wagner: Parsifal, Zürich, April 2006 ConcertoNet.com: Un nouveau titulaire pour Parsifal Quoi qu'il en soit, les spectateurs n'ont rien perdu au change puisqu'ils ont pu assister à la prise de rôle de Jonas Kaufmann. Auréolé de ses succès récents à New York dans La Traviata et à Paris dans Fierrabras, le ténor allemand a de nouveau conquis le public, cette fois dans un emploi sensiblement plus lourd que les précédents. A son apparition sur scène, le chanteur a belle allure, silhouette élancée, haut du corps nu sous une veste de cuir, longue chevelure bouclée. S’il n’a pas la projection vocale d’un heldentenor et si son Parsifal est plus lyrique que dramatique, il sait en revanche compenser intelligemment le manque de puissance de sa voix par un chant stylé, tout en nuances, sans jamais forcer, avec une diction impeccable et un timbre plaisant, aux couleurs barytonales. Parsifal vient de trouver un nouveau titulaire avec lequel il faudra désormais compter! Neue Zürcher Zeitung: Zeitlos stimmungshaft Doch im Brennpunkt steht ohnehin der neue Parsifal, Jonas Kaufmann. Wie würde der vielseitige Künstler, der eben noch im lyrischen Fach zu Hause war und sich nun in grossen Schritten auf dramatische Partien zubewegt, die Herausforderung bestehen? Seine Musikalität, seine stimmliche Substanz und seine darstellerische Präsenz boten von vornherein gute Voraussetzungen für dieses Rollendébut. Und dass die Partie in jene Höhen, wo Kaufmann in jüngster Zeit manchmal Probleme hatte, gar nicht führt, wirkt sich ebenfalls zu seinen Gunsten aus. So kann er seinen dunkel gefärbten, in der Tiefe gut abgestützten Tenor frei strömen lassen und sein kerniges, bisweilen etwas flackriges Timbre in den Dienst des dramatischen Ausdrucks stellen. Ein vielversprechender Beginn.   Festkonzert zum 50-jährigen Bestehen des Richard-Wagner-Verbandes Saar, April 2006 Saarbrücker Zeitung:  Glutvolle Musik, hochexpressiver Gesang Zum Schluss zwei Parsifal-Auszüge: Ein Amfortas-Monolog mit einem wunderbar geschmeidigen Gérard Kim und die Schluss-Szene des 2. Aufzugs mit dem toll harmonierenden Paar May-Kaufmann. Die verkaufte Braut, Frankfurt, Premiere vom 21. Mai 2006 Aufführung ohne böhmische Folklore: Menschen von hier und heute in ihrer kleinen, engen Welt Jonas Kaufmann gibt dem Hans die Züge eines Sunnyboys und wartete mit auf Hochglanz polierten Spitzentönen auf. weltexpress: Oper Frankfurt bringt Smetanas Verkaufte Braut im Irgendwo Zentrum der Aufführung sind der gelenkige Hans des Jonas Kaufmann, der so wirkt, als ob er jeden Tag in diesem Dorf unterwegs ist und auf den Holzgerüsten und Tischen und Bänken herumklettert und als ob er schon mit einem Triller auf den Lippen erwacht. „Cool“ sei der, sagte danach eine jugendliche Gruppe und daß er mit Recht die Maria bekommt. FAZ: Verkaufte Braut" neu in Frankfurt ( Boer/Winge) Jonas Kaufmann als Rückkehrer Hans beeindruckt durch seinen kraftvoll-heldischen Ton und einen vehementen Spieleinsatz. Offenbach-Post: Doppelbödige Posse um "Verkaufte Braut" Jonas Kaufmann gibt ihm das Profil eines Liebenden der durchaus auch Zuhälter-Qualitäten an den Tag legt. Und er besitzt einen Tenor, der höchste Töne schwerelos erklimmt - dazu mit einem wunderschön warmen Timbre gesegnet. kulturexpress.de: Auch das stimmliche Volumen von Jonas Kaufmann (Tenor) hatte Wenzel die Braut gekostet in Smetanas Oper Natürlich Hans, der Geliebte von Marie, mit Jonas Kaufmann, dessen Tenor einen außergewöhnlichen Klang erreicht. Deren Fülle fast gar nicht zu seiner jugendlichen Rolle paßt. Es ist erstaunlich welche Fähigkeiten Menschen haben können, trotz ihres legeren Aussehens auf der Bühne. Jonas Kaufmann kam zu Beginn der Spielzeit für einen Liederabend an die Oper. Er trat bereits als Tenor zusammen mit Susan Craham auf und debütiert 2005/2006 an der Metropolitan Opera in New York. Er erhielt lauten Beifall und bekam einen Blumenstrauß stehender Ovation auf die Bühne geworfen. Frankfurter Rundschau: Böhmen liegt doch am Meer Die beiden ganz großen Highlights der sonst leicht durchwachsenen Aufführung waren der junge Tenor Jonas Kaufmann als Hans und die Marie von Maria Fontosh, sängerisch und darstellerisch ein Traumpaar. ....  Hans’ heikle C-Dur-Arie mit ihrer relativ hohen tessitura wurde von Kaufmann souverän aus der behutsamen Dynamik bis ins strahlende Forte hineingeführt. Die Figur war ungemein lebhaft und nahezu akrobatisch angelegt. Und es war klargestellt, dass Hans bei seinen nervenanspannenden Unternehmungen reichlicher alkoholischer Nachhilfe bedarf. Rhein-Zeitung: Frankfurts verschenkte Braut Bei den Solisten ein Tenorfest: Jonas Kaufmann ist ein jugendlich-heldischer Hans. Frankfurter Neue Presse: Im Dorf glüht die Sehnsucht Jonas Kaufmann hat Hans, den Liebhaber sehr deutlich positioniert: als einen Optimismus und und Oberflächlichkeit paarenden Leichtfuß und mehr kraft- als treuestrotzenden Macho – die Hoffnung des deutschen Heldentenorwesens zeigt seine stimmlichen Möglichkeiten lachend leicht und so stark, dass der Chor bierseliger Bauern schon einmal erschrocken zurückweicht. Opernwelt: Tief im Spießermief Jonas Kaufmann sang ihn [Hans] souverän, in den Höhen schon stählern dramatisch, in den mittleren und tieferen Lagen warm und flexibel. Mozart: Requiem, Orange festival 2006 L'Humanité: Folie, passion et bel canto au pied du mur d’Orange ...et - solistes d’un haut niveau, au premier rang desquels la soprano, mozartienne dans l’âme, Soile Isokovski. À ses côtés, la chaleureuse alto Julia Gertseva, le jeune et brillant ténor Jonas Kaufmann et la somptueuse basse wagnérienne Albert Dohmen : un quatuor d’exception. Edinburgh, Recital, 24. August 2006 The Telegraph: Full-blooded ardour wins ovation This nicely plotted programme allowed him to display his baritonal tenor to advantage. He doesn't have the post-choirboy sweetness of tone that characterised his German predecessors Fritz Wunderlich and Peter Schreier, but he can match their musicality and elegance, as well as providing the extra decibels that they couldn't manage. The Scotsman: Jonas Kaufmann ***** The rapturous Morgen became a glittering jewel as Kaufmann's voice became a whispering stream of sound. Classical Source: Jonas Kaufmann & Helmut Deutsch A quite wonderful recital EIF review: Jonas Kaufmann and Helmut Deutsch Kaufmann and Deutsch are now Festival regulars, and they just keep getting better and better. The second half of this programme was a generous selection of Strauss songs (somehow they don't seem to class as conventional Lieder) from their new CD. The first half was even more interesting, demonstrating their skills in a very varied repertoire. ThreeWeeks eDaily: Jonas Kaufmann, Tenor, Helmut Deutsch, Piano Jonas Kaufmann and Helmut Deutsch held the audience mesmerised for almost two hours, from the Schubert extended ballad, 'Die Bürgschaft' - which requires a singer of Kaufmann's calibre to maintain the dramatic expression required by the narrative - until the end of their encore. Scotland on Sunday: Little Britten triumphs Sung grippingly last year by baritone Christopher Maltman, Kaufman is altogether different, adept at vocal characterisation, taking the audience through rain, flood and famine, marriage and near-death. When Kaufmann is at his best, he paints pictures with his voice - Die Burgschaft was a 10-minute one-man opera, as intended. Orpheus: Liedermatinee, Edinburgh, 24. August 2006 Für uns Briten waren natürlich die Michelangelo-Sonette von Britten ein Ereignis, bei denen man sich wenig an die (stimmlich) fragile Zusammenarbeit von Britten und Pears erinnerte, sondern eine kraftvolle, gloriose und höhensichere Männergemeinschaft erlebte. Diese erzitalienischen Lieder eines britischen Komponisten von zwei Deutschen vorgetragen zu hören, ließ mich wirklich an Multikulturalismus denken. Die zweite Hälfte ließ Kaufmanns Stimme noch leuchtender aufscheinen - das Strauss-Programm zeigte ihn im Vollbesitz seiner künstlerischen und stimmlichen Möglichkeiten bei voller Resonanz und bester Höhe. Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Edinburgh, 2. September 2006 The Spectator: Special affair and spectacularly with the Walther of Jonas Kaufmann, who brought such deep understanding to his first performance of this role that for once Walther became the cynosure he should be: he built the Prize Song with surpassing skill, truly as a remembered dream. The Scotsman: Wagner was desperately keen that his sole venture into the field of comic opera should be a success The part of Walther involves having to sing the prize song twice. Jonas Kaufmann gave a very fine account of the role and took sensitive care to offer subtle differences of interpretation in the various repeats. The Scotsman: DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBURG *****  Jonas Kaufmann's Walther glowed with rich, golden lyricism. The Telegraph: A farewell filled with warmth and wisdom Scarcely less good was Jonas Kaufmann, looking the part of the romantic hero Walther to perfection and singing with all his usual firmness, intelligence and artistry. Was he running out of puff at the very end? The "Prize Song" lacked quite the transfiguring glow that Wagner intended. The Financial Times: A fond farewell for McMaster's singers Best of all was Jonas Kaufmann, who lent Stolzing's Prize Song the softness of a Liedersinger. The Times: Die Meistersinger As a petulant, passionate Walther, Jonas Kaufmann proved a revelation: yes, the role lies at the very limits of his lyric tenor, but his ardent spontaneity was the evening's highlight. Opera Now: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Usher Hall, Edinburgh Die Meistersinger is, of course, as much a story of love between Walther von Stolzing (sung delightfully by Jonas Kaufmann) guardian.co.uk: BBCSSO/Robertson But there was another typical McMaster touch in developing young singers: tenor Jonas Kaufmann sang his first Walther, and even if he sounded strained by the third act, there was enough evidence that he will be ideal casting for Wagner's wide-eyed knight in the future. Musicweb International: Wagner, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg The young German tenor, Jonas Kaufmann, was the physical antithesis of the typical heldentenor today – tall, thin and with lots of hair! Again, he was singing the role for the first time and it showed. Not that it was bad, far from it: it was superbly sung but without convincing me that he is a stage Walther of the immediate future – not until he gains more (vocal) weight. By the time he came to sing a compelling ‘Morgenlich leuchtend’ he was using a crooning falsetto more than he should. Mozart: Die Zauberflöte, Metropolitan Opera, October 2006 Opera News: Die Zauberflöte Die Zauberflöte is at heart an operatic bildungsroman, a series of adventures through which the hero Tamino gains maturity and spiritual awareness. This is often unclear in performance. Papageno's slapstick, the Queen of the Night's high F and Sarastro's low E all vie for our attention; in their midst, Tamino can seem like a young man who wanders on now and again to make pretty tenor noises. No such confusion afflicted the Met's October 7 matinée, the opera's season premiere. As embodied by Jonas Kaufmann, Tamino emerged as the work's lodestar. Kaufmann's brilliant tenor proclaimed the character's primacy; it became the organizing principal around which the opera's universe of extraordinary sounds was arranged. When he maintained his vow of silence in Act II, the voice's very absence made itself felt: the distinctive sound — lyricism writ large — remained a phantom presence. Kaufmann was immensely helped by Julie Taymor's celebrated production (new to this reviewer). I went to this performance expecting to be wowed by spectacle; on that level, the production delivered, but what was surprising was how apposite the visual inventions were to the work at hand. By presenting Sarastro's realm as a succession of wonders, it encourages us to share Tamino's awe through the various steps in his journey. The disparate elements that comprise Zauberflöte can cause a performance of the opera to come apart at the seams; Taymor's interpretation made for an unusually coherent piece of musical theater. NY Times: Magical Puppets Brought to Life by Opera Next to his jolly scampering, Jonas Kaufmann's Tamino seemed not only princely and virtuous, but uptight and stiff. Mr. Kaufmann was fine vocally, but was perhaps hindered by his stylized gestures and Kabuki makeup from expressing real passion for Pamina. ProOpera, Mexico: Die Zauberflöte En lo estrictamente vocal, ya desde las primeras frases pudo intuirse cuan próximo se encuentra el rol de mino a la vocalidad del tenor alemán Jonas Kaufmann, quien ya en el aria del retrato "Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön..." lució una impecable línea de canto y una voz llena de gilidad y ductibilidad, atributos que hicieron de su composición del Príncipe Tamino un modelo de virtuosismo vocal a lo largo de toda la ópera. Berlioz: La damnation de Faust, Accademia di Santa Cecilia Rom, 21. Oktober 2006 Giornale della musica: La dannazione di Faust: concerto o teatro? Va detto che in tutto questo non è stato d'aiuto Kaufmann, il cui timbro scuro bene si sposerebbe al personaggio di Faust, ma appariva afflitto da problemi di raffreddamento. Milano Finanza: Faust senza redenzione Tra i protagonisti spicca il giovane Jonas Kaufmann la cui tessitura spazia da tenero lirico nelle prime scene a baritenore nell'ultima parte; perfetta la sua dizione francese. Il Messaggero: Pappano, che bella "Dannazione" Il diavolo, in verità, stava realmente per metterci la coda, perché i due cantanti protagonisti, il tenore James Kaufmann e il basso Erwin Schrott si erano ammalati durante le prove. Ma, con grande coraggio, ce l'hanno fatta entrambi: al primo i postumi della malattia hanno dato un tono sofferente che ha reso il suo Faust ancor più tormentato ed estatico; il secondo è stato un Mefistofele "gran signore", dicitore tanto solenne quanto insinuante. Operaclick: Roma - Accademia S. Cecilia: La Damnation de Faust Tre nomi altisonanti non riescono a regalare alcun momento di forte comunicazione. Diverse le ragioni: alla poca rilevanza della voce di Jonas Kaufmann, tenore di belle speranze, corrisponde un peso energico, ma scarsamente gestito Giornale della musica: La damnation de Faust: concert or theatre? (Übersetzung) It has to be said that Kaufmann was not particularly helpful in all of this. Although his dark timbre would suit the Faust character well, it would appear that he had a cold on this occasion. Carmen, Royal Opera House, London, 8. Dezember 2006 musicOMH: Carmen By far the stand-out performance came from Jonas Kaufmann, making his role debut as Don José. It's almost impossible to describe the virtues of his interpretation, for they were so plentiful. His characterisation of the role was easily the most convincing I have seen. Again thanks to the costume designs and direction, we see José change from smartly-dressed, reserved soldier in the opening scene to ragged, jealous lover in the final scene. Cleverly, Zambello has Carmen climb the social classes as José descends them. Kaufmann's singing, however, is what really deserves a reward. In the most electrifying vocal performance of the season, the tenor showed both lyrical phrasing and ringing high notes. What surprised, delighted and moved me, though, was his shading down of the voice into an almost falsetto region for the penultimate line of the Flower Song (ardently delivered) and the final few lines of the closing scene. Ignore the winter weather: queue now for day seats just to hear Kaufmann's singing. The Times: Carmen Charisma shone from the stage nonetheless in Jonas Kaufman’s Don José. New to the part, Kaufman immediately made a perfect fit. He is full of furtive looks at first — still the man originally bent on the priesthood. The more smitten Don José becomes, the looser his body, the more dishevelled his hair, the more beautifully anguished Kaufman’s tenor. Declaring his love, and his guilt, in his big Act Two aria, he finally raised this production’s temperature. Financial Times: Carmen becalmed There is one star performance – Jonas Kaufmann’s Don José. Handsome without trying to look macho, he portrays a naïve man unable to control his passions. Kaufmann is a natural actor, wearing his innocence easily but masculine enough to make a believable suitor. And he brings mesmerising intensity to the murder scene. What sets him above all other interpreters I have heard is his singing. Although the voice has heroic edge, he uses it lyrically: the “Flower Song” is sustained in a way that marries sentiment and line. Kaufmann is a stylist, betraying none of the fragile temperament associated with tenors. Could he be Domingo’s heir? Several times during this performance I thought so. Another plus is his chemistry with Anna Caterina Antonacci, the best partnership in this opera since Agnes Baltsa and José Carreras. guardian.co.uk: Carmen  Kaufmann establishes the troubled nature of José's sexuality at the outset by furtively glancing at the tobacco factory long before Anna Caterina Antonacci's Carmen has issued from its smoky depths. ....There's some fabulous singing. Kaufmann, his voice rearing with desire and choking with emotional agony, is the finest José to be heard for ages. The Telegraph: Gypsy charms lift flat Carmen Jonas Kaufmann is equally impressive as Don José, a man clearly out of his emotional depth, whose uncertainty about himself and his desires pushes him headlong into murderous insanity. I've never heard a German tenor sing French music with such fine style. "The Flower Song" was touchingly and intimately done – a shy confession of first love rather than a tenor showpiece – but he could fire big guns in the last scene, too. Together, he and Antonacci made deep psychological as well as musical sense of their encounters, and the audience rightly rewarded them with an ecstatic reception. Bloomberg: Royal Opera's Lavish 'Carmen' Has Steamy Gypsy, Dreamy Hero Handsome tenor Jonas Kaufmann (Don Jose) has every wow factor you can imagine. He convincingly metamorphoses from a callow youth to a man driven to the edge of sanity by his passion, but somehow doesn't let his distress compromise his ringing high notes. It's a tour-de-force performance that should get Hollywood, let alone the rest of the world's opera houses, knocking on his door. Evening Standard: No smoke but plenty of fire Where this production scores, giving fresh urgency to the central relationship, is in the Don José. Too often, the spurned lover is played as the kind of tubby dullard Carmen would never glance at in the first place. But the dark-eyed Jonas Kaufmann, who's stepped straight out of a Caravaggio, brings subtle intelligence and dignity to the role. For once, you believe in his charms. Kaufmann, a gifted Lieder singer, is interested in musical and dramatic fidelity rather than showy heroics. Indeed, his high notes were mostly hushed, expressive, held back. This poetic reading was encouraged by Antonio Pappano, newly signed up for another five years as ROH music director, who opted for often spacious tempi and daringly languid pianissimi. Orchestra and chorus stylishly entered the Gallic-Spanish spirit. The Independent: A bloodless tale of love and lust An even bigger risk was the casting of the gifted German tenor Jonas Kaufmann as Don José. But it was a gamble that paid off big-time. Yes, you could argue that this elegant singer lacks the vocal heft for the soul-baring show-downs of Acts III and IV, but in so doing you must also remember that Don José is a emotional weakling, a lovesick mummy's boy destroyed by his own misplaced infatuations. Kaufmann conveyed that absolutely, with phrase upon melting phrase pointing to the soft-centred romantic beneath the toy soldier's uniform. But there was a core of strength, too, and in his convincingly low-key reading of the final scene he was all the more dangerous for being so completely and utterly the little boy lost. What a talent this young singer is. The Stage: Carmen She is well matched by the Don Jose of German tenor Jonas Kaufmann, whose voice may lack a heroic ring but who paces himself beautifully. His character study is complex and rewarding, and his Flower Song a highlight. Daily Mail: Sexy Carmen really heats up the house But the cast resolutely refused to be upstaged by the livestock, the athletic Don Jose (Jonas Kaufmann) even abseiling down a cliff to join the smugglers. ....And it is the terrific performances of Antonacci and Kaufmann that really set this production alight. ....And the lithe German tenor makes a huge impact as her jealous lover: tortured and goaded, he slinks madly and inexorably to his murderous fate. He sings the role with baleful beauty - surely the best since Domingo. timeout: Fri Dec 22 Royal Opera House Not for the first time the thought occurs that the work should be entitled 'José'. It's not the diva's fault: the tenor's role is a brilliant chronicle of an emotional journey. José actually develops and changes, Carmen stays the same. She has three show-stopping numbers, he has the Flower Song, which Jonas Kaufmann turns into a passionate psychological drama, delivered with such intensity (and burnished tone) that it scored the first night's biggest ovation The Observer: Frills, trills and animal passion The German tenor Jonas Kaufmann perfectly captures José's bewildered despair, both as the ponytailed soldier and the tousle-haired deserter destroyed by unrequited love. He and Antonacci are that rare breed: superb singers who can also act with subtlety and passion. This dynamic duo alone is worth even Covent Garden's price of admission....From the opening bars of the swashbuckling overture, Antonio Pappano sets a cracking pace in the pit, lending the entire evening an animal vitality, pausing for breath only at such magic moments as Kaufmann's exquisite mix of guilt and passion in the 'Flower Song'. Variety.com: Carmen She's given a run for her money in a career-making perf from Jonas Kaufmann as Don Jose. Having specialized in Mozart, this role catapults him into a whole new sphere. Out go the expected heroics; in comes subtle phrasing in a role that normally consists of smoldering and showing off. Kaufmann carefully builds intensity from a studiedly casual start to a powerful love-wrecked final scene. Better still, instead of floridly over-singing his second-act declaration of passion (a favorite tenor habit), he pulls auds toward him by dropping to a brave, quiet, uncovered sound at the very top of his voice. It also won't hurt his prospects that he's a completely convincing actor who is tall, slim and handsome to boot. Classical Source: Carmen The current cast of the production has one absolute ace up its sleeve in the form of the Bavarian tenor Jonas Kaufmann, who gives as complete a performance as Don José as one could ever expect to hear. From the start not only was the role superbly and subtly vocalised, but also the character’s gradual decline was depicted not only in some great and natural acting but also in the vocal character as well. Don José’s emotional aspect of the character registered immediately and as the evening went on, increasing frustration and desperation crept into the tone, matching his increasingly shabby and shaggy demeanour. Kaufmann is not a tenor for histrionic effects, however; the ‘Flower Song’ was beautifully lyrical, ending on a true pianissimo, and his ringing tones in the final duet were thrilling as well as upsetting. MusicwebUK: Carmen It was Jonas Kaufmann’s Don José who received the acclamation from the audience of a type rarely awarded to any tenor whose name is not Domingo. His was an portrayal worthy of that great singer as he went from awkward Corporal still trying to shake off his priesthood training, through lust, jealousy, the pity of the lovelorn and finally to murderous rage. His voice is secure throughout the range, he has burnished tones and he tackles his top notes with care but gets there effortlessly. As a German with male model looks, of course, the thoughts of Wagner roles cannot be far away. I have already heard his lyrical Walther von Stolzing and he has Parsifal in his repertoire. As he approaches 40 he must surely add Lohengrin and Siegmund before long and then the pressure will be on for him to try and sing Siegfried because he would be a Hollywood producer’s dream in the part. I hope this will not be too soon, but I hope to be there when he does. The Sunday Times: If you can't stand the heat... Zambello is lucky with her protagonist this time round. Kaufmann is the first German tenor I have seen in this quintessentially French role, but he has everything for the part: youthful, Mediterranean good looks; a dark, baritonal timbre; excellent French; and an ability both to phrase his music stylishly and to sing viscerally thrilling high notes. I don’t think I have heard a more beautiful account of José’s Flower Song, crowned with an exquisitely modulated, pianissimo B flat — one of the trickiest things any romantic tenor has to do, and almost invariably belted out by some of the most famous names in the business. Kaufmann may not have a record company behind him, but he is rapidly emerging as one of the most important, and versatile, singers of our age. He still sings Tamino in Mozart’s Magic Flute, and is dipping his toes into Heldentenor repertory. The Independent: Carmen, Royal Opera House With naturally light voices, both are forced to concentrate on the text, to shape their phrases as artfully as they can, and to make Carmen and Don José more than a stabbable vamp and a slappable wimp. This has little to do with traditional great singing, and everything to do with the direct communication and frank emotionalism of the great cabaret chanteurs and chanteuses. As Kaufmann conveys the increasingly sharp disconnect between the dutiful mother's boy and the man who left Navarra with a murder record, and Antonacci dissects the vulnerabilities behind Carmen's casual cynicism, the Habanera, Seguidilla and Flower Song are newly poignant, supple and sensual..... Somewhat guiltily, I realise that I invariably favour less overtly glamorous productions. But for the complexity and honesty of what happens between Antonacci and Kaufmann, and the blistering energy and intelligence of Pappanpo's conducting, I'll take as many urchins and acrobats as you care to throw at me. OPERA: Carmen On this occasion the star of the show was the German tenor Jonas Kaufmann, in his role debut as José. From his first appearance he conveyed the complex personality of this misfit and brought a Lieder singer's intelligence to the role without sounding at any time un-operatic. The Flower Song was exquisitely phrased, with an attention to Bizet's dynamics which was as pleasing as it is rare. Tall, handsome and moody, he set a new standard for the role; his final encounter with Carmen had one on the edge of one's seat through his dramatic intensity. Opera News: Carmen Royal Opera House Antonacci was finely matched by the Don José of Jonas Kaufmann, another artist of significant musicality and intelligence. He's not a vocal bruise of a corporal — indeed he's a little on the light side — but he deploys his voice so cannily that one never really notices. Above all, he shaped every line beautifully, making a great thing, quite properly, out of the flower song. As an actor, he was expert and considered, charting José's fall from grace into violence with a careful and revealing attention to dramatic detail. The Spectator: Carmen Royal Opera House In that it’s in the strongest contrast to the Don José of Jonas Kaufmann, which is in all respects on a level that puts the rest of the production in the shade. He is not at all a stage-hogger, it’s just that he has a magnificent tenor voice, the finest heard at Covent Garden for quite some time, and is a gifted, intuitive actor who conveys a strong sense of humanity; in that he is like his great teacher Hans Hotter. Don José is very difficult to make a plausible, coherent character of: indecisive, with a self-confessed history of violence, it’s not easy to see why someone as tough as Carmen would look at him twice. He can be interpreted as a psychotic, which is how Jon Vickers, the finest José I have seen before Kaufmann, read him, with a voice to match. Kaufmann makes him as dignified as possible, but uncomprehending of so extravagant a phenomenon as Carmen, so that he virtually achieves tragic dimensions. In the final scene he is so harrowing that even after an evening of impertinent applause, beginning halfway through the Prelude, I was still shocked at how soon the cheering began. Wall Street Journal: London Opera Jonas Kaufmann's finely detailed José is very much the failed aspirant priest, a mother's boy who goes berserk when he gets his first real whiff of female sexuality. A celebrated young Lieder singer, the darkly handsome tenor's pianissimo top note at the end of Act II evokes comparisons with Jussi Björling and Nicolai Gedda. Mundoclasico.com: Postcard from Andalusia Jonas Kaufmann, on the other hand, warmed to the task as the opera proceeded: he sang the “air of the flower” beautifully, although he sounded rather emasculated (especially as his final B was raspy). From then on, however, he sounded virile and thrilling, especially in the final duet. This might be the reason why Kaufmann (also debuting his part) got a better ovation from the audience. The Express On Sunday: This tale of passion doesn't quite click German tenor Jonas Kaufmann by contrast is a compelling Don Jose. From being a conscientious corporal throwing a guilty glance at the provocative cigarette girl from behind a newspaper he develops into a wild haired outlaw torn between his moral duty and his desire for Carmen. The passion and anguish with which he sang his Act Two aria deserved the prolonged applause. Certainly the most convincing and best sung Don Jose I have seen. Giornale della musica: La Carmen di Pappano In compenso Jonas Kaufmann è un Don Josè lirico ed intenso, dal timbro scuro ma dagli acuti sicuri, e l'unico a creare un reale coinvolgimento emotivo. Il Giornale: Un fascinoso soprano italiano conquista il Covent Garden Jonas Kaufmann in Don José (ruolo qui rifiutato da Alagna... ), espressivo, le note quasi sussurrate, toccante nella canzone del fiore. Famoso cantante di Lieder, Kaufmann è più interessato alla fedeltà drammatica che a far spettacolo, incoraggiato dalla bacchetta elettrizzante e poetica di Antonio Pappano: il magnifico duetto con Carmen fuori le mura della maestranza di Siviglia nell’ultimo atto, tocca infine la vetta tragica dell’opera, superbo Kauffmann, feroce, nobile e splendida l’Antonacci nella donna che non cede la sua libertà. Lunghi e calorosi gli applausi. Repliche fino all’8 gennaio. Diapason: Don Jonas La soirée restera pourtant mémorable, pour un couple Carmen-José qui la transfigure...... La torche vive aurait pu jeter dans l'ombre son partenaire : Kaufmann lui aussi triomphe. Et bouleverse. La qualité de prononciation, le charisme, la richesse psychologique, la ligne au bord des lèvres de "La fleur que tu m'avais jetée", sa densité sans poids, le corps à corps désespéré de la dernière scène, tout fait de lui et dès cette prise de rôle un de nos plus grands Don José. Crescendo, Belgien: A LONDRES, Carmen La distribution était dominée par le superbe Don José du jeune ténor allemand Jonas Kaufmann qui débutait dans le rôle: physique idéal, jeu naturel et expressif, belle voix claire et bien conduite, musicalité, et style parfaitement adapté à l’opéra français. Mundoclasico.com: Postal de Andalucía Por otro lado, Jonas Kaufmann mejoró poco a poco: cantó bien su “aria de la flor”, aunque sonó algo afeminado (especialmente porque su Si final sonó sordo). Sin embargo, a partir de ahí sonó viril y emocionante, especialmente en el dúo final. Ésta puede ser la razón por la que Kaufmann (que también debutaba su parte) se llevó una ovación mejor. AVUI: Carmen Kaufman és un tenor que no deixa de sorprendre en els repertoris més dispars. La seva inconfusible veu fosca és apta per als pianissimos més eteris (com el que va coronar una ària de la flor immarcesible) i alhora té l’empenta suficient per als esclats més dramàtics de Don José. Opernwelt, Februar 2007: Ohren auf, Augen zu Star des Premierenabends war Jonas Kaufmann: ein attraktiver Don José ohne Macho-Gehabe. Kaufmann zeichnet das Porträt eines naiven jungen Mannes, der seine Leidenschaft nicht in den Griff bekommt. Er ist ein geborener Schauspieler, verkörpert genau jene Mischung aus Unschuld und Virilität, die ihn als Don José glaubwürdig erscheinen lassen. Kaufmanns Stimme hat durchaus einen heroischen Zug, doch setzt er sie lyrisch ein: In der «Blumenarie» erreicht er ein beglückendes Gleichgewicht zwischen Spannung und klarer Linie. Ein Stilist, der frei von jenen Unwägbarkeiten des Temperaments zu sein scheint, die so oft bei Tenören anzutreffen sind. Auch die Chemie mit Anna Caterina Antonacci stimmt – die beste Bühnenpartnerschaft in dieser Oper seit Agnes Baltsa und José Carreras.