Kulturkompasset, 7/22/15

by Henning Høholt

Schubert: Die schöne Müllerin, Nationaltheater, München, 20. Juli 2015

Jonas Kaufmann and Die schöne Müllerin in Munich

MUNICH/GERMANY: One of the big highlight in the Festival programme this summer was Franz Schubert’ s Die schõne Müllerin to Wilhelm Mullers text. Bayerisches Statsoper was completely filled up, and even on top og the orchestre pit was placed five roads extra. For a world famouse opera singer as Jonas Kaufmann, to go in to the romance repertoire is quite a change from his usual wide operarepertoire. The romance technic is different and very difficult, and as the singer dont have any help from any others than his pianist and the text, it is a tuff jobb to form a demanding piece as the one today, as it is all depending on the singers hability to get the text to be alive. Jonas Kaufmann managed that very well, he used all his vocal ressourses, from the very intime, nearly private pianissimo to his “Heldentenor” voice, but without that making it to “put on to show”. I feeled that this came directly from the emotions in the text, transformef through his heart and his emotions. HELMUT DEUTSCH First class supported by Helmut Deutsch who had the great job to make all the themes, starts, tempi either fast or rubato, and endings surround the atmosphaere in the romantic, and dramatic history, virtuosely presented at the piano. A master piece in it self. During all these 20 songs, of course, there were some impressing high lights, in fact these started with Die Neugierrige followed by Ungedulgt, then i got the feeling that now Kaufmann was feeling that he has reached his audience. After that the one detailed number after the other followed, i noticed to my pleasure that during the time mr Kaufmann gave some times more exiting tempi to some songs, and opposite gave him self more time in other parts, which made that the text came alive. Allways with splendid diction, so i never had to follow the text in the program. If i have been the producer, i would have underlined the many feelings with changing a bit in the colours, shades and strongnes of the light background. 4 encores inclusive Louise und Die Forelle.