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Sunday Times, 3 February 2013 |
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WAGNER - ALBUM OF THE WEEK |
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Although
he sang Walther von Stolzing in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at Brian
McMaster's last Edinburgh Festival concert in 2006, Jonas Kaufmann is not
known as a Wagnerian. Of the scenes he sings here, only two, Siegmund in Die
Walküre (the "Sword" monologue) and Lohengrin, are currently part of his
active repertoire. With the wonderful Deutsche Oper orchestra and its
British music director, Donald Runnicles, he sings here an original
two-verse version of Lohengrin's In fernem Land (In a distant land), which
probably hasn't been heard on disc since the 1930s. The opening is sung with
a rapt, almost trance-like intensity, rising to thrilling climaxes. As
Siegmund, his dark, baritonal timbre comes into its own. In Rienzi’s Prayer
and Tannhäuser’s Roman narration, his Italianate timbre — surely what Wagner
wanted — easily negotiates the bel canto turns and grace notes overlooked by
burlier singers. His Siegfried in the forest sounds youthful, poetic and
witty. Controversially, he sings the Wesendonck song cycle, designated "for
a woman's voice", though the texts are gender-unspecific. No Wagner tenor
sings Lieder with such musicianship, colour and sensitivity. With this
glorious disc, Kaufmann sets a standard for our time.
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