# Jonas Kaufmann recital at the MET



## Operafocus (Jul 17, 2011)

For those who are fans who haven't heard.

http://www.metoperafamily.org/opera/jonas-kaufmann-recital-met-tickets.aspx?utm_source=JK_Recit&utm_medium=FB&utm_campaign=1112_BO


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## FragendeFrau (May 30, 2011)

Is anyone else going to be there? Whom am I going to be fighting with in the stage door queue? :devil:

Of course, with the seating capacity of the Met, that queue is likely to be...blocks long?


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## FragendeFrau (May 30, 2011)

I got a very pretty email from the Met Opera telling me they were looking forward to welcoming me to the Met Oct 30th. This made me laugh, since I assume they are looking forward equally to welcoming 3,799 other folks to the Met. (I thought the seating was 3200 but according to their website, it is 3800. Phenomenal.) I will let you know if I am personally greeted by anyone. ;-)

Meanwhile, I was  to discover my amtrak ticket to NYC from Baltimore, which I failed to buy in advance, had increased 100% in price. So this little indulgence has instantly become a ridiculously expensive indulgence. (return trip to Baltimore to catch flight home = also 100% higher) I don't doubt it will be worth it, but I have run out of used books to sell off and that is my only outside source of income, unless I take on another housecleaning client, which I hardly have time for. I will be adding DVDs and CDs to the used book pile next, even though you get barely anything for them. The yard sale last weekend was a net loss as I bought a much-needed chair for my living room...

color me 

PS my hotel in NYC supposedly has free wifi in the room, so I will report tomorrow evening on my experience!


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## ooopera (Jul 27, 2011)

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy! I'm thrilled for you And I can't wait for report.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Hope you've had a fantastic evening.


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

FragendeFrau said:


> I got a very pretty email from the Met Opera telling me they were looking forward to welcoming me to the Met Oct 30th. This made me laugh, since I assume they are looking forward equally to welcoming 3,799 other folks to the Met. (I thought the seating was 3200 but according to their website, it is 3800. Phenomenal.) I will let you know if I am personally greeted by anyone. ;-)
> 
> Meanwhile, I was  to discover my amtrak ticket to NYC from Baltimore, which I failed to buy in advance, had increased 100% in price. So this little indulgence has instantly become a ridiculously expensive indulgence. (return trip to Baltimore to catch flight home = also 100% higher) I don't doubt it will be worth it, but I have run out of used books to sell off and that is my only outside source of income, unless I take on another housecleaning client, which I hardly have time for. I will be adding DVDs and CDs to the used book pile next, even though you get barely anything for them. The yard sale last weekend was a net loss as I bought a much-needed chair for my living room...
> 
> ...


But hearing Jonas will make it all worthwhile!


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## FragendeFrau (May 30, 2011)

I know you all have been so supportive I want to tell you about the recital now, but this free wifi is pretty cr***y:

No experiences like Alma's, I'm afraid, so no photos or personal interaction.

But the music was glorious (I thought). He had the audience, which appeared to consist of an outing from a tuberculosis sanatorium, in complete silence the entire time, except for endless coughing.  I had a bag of Ricolas at the ready should a tickle have even dared to appear in my throat! 

I hope those who wanted to, were able to listen on Sirius. I don't have an account but I guess I could have bought 20 with the amount I've spent on this.

The Met seemed to be almost full. I was sitting in a parterre box (!) on the second row, and just before the beginning of the concert two of the tallest young people I've ever seen plopped down in front of me.  However, there was a nice wide wooden divider between me and the box to my left at about waist height, so I was able to lean to the left and see quite well. And the young people at least lowered the average age in the building by a month or two...

I could see (and of course hear) perfectly. The parterre boxes are literally little 'closets' with a tiny anteroom/cloakroom where I could hang my coat and a bench with our programs stacked there. There was a Playbill with an introduction to each composer (Liszt, Mahler, Duparc, Strauss) and lyrics in German or French, and English translations. However, this must have been deemed too tiny for the aging eyes of the majority of the audience, as the Met also got out the copier and made a larger (legal size) version of all this that was stapled together! I have to admit it was much easier to read--although I have a personal thing--I never read the lyrics at a recital. I may glance over them, but I just concentrate on the music and don't really worry about the words. It's just the way I roll.

Jonas, Helmut Deutsch, and the page-turner came out on stage and the houselights dimmed (but were never out completely--is this traditional for recitals? I found it a bit weird and would have preferred the house lights down. Of course, they assume everyone is reading along in the program. D'oh.)

First up were six songs by Liszt. Jonas does not throw himself around the stage or really engage in histrionics of any kind while singing lieder. Instead I think he allows his artistry and supreme technique to use the music itself to express the emotions and words in the songs. I found the Liszt very enjoyable, especially the last one, "Die drei Zigeuner", with descriptions of the three men carefully differentiated.

The crowd brought them back with applause during the short break between Liszt and the next group, Mahler/ Five Rückert Lieder. I loved the first one, called "Ich atmet' einen linden Duft" (literally, I breathed the scent of linden) simply because I love the smell of linden trees in spring, which I associate with London and Munich, but that's just a personal thing. The last Mahler piece, called "Um Mitternacht" was full of emotion and very striking.

I say this because I have already read criticism that JK was not "fully invested" in anything until the last Strauss songs. I didn't feel that way at all, but then *I* was fully invested in listening right from the beginning, so... He certainly got my involvement in all the music, even though I was only familiar with the Strauss songs, which are very dear to me after listening to his Strauss CD, oh about a million times.

After the interval was the Duparc, which I was interested to hear since these songs are in French. There were five of them, and they were again perfectly lovely. (I don't know what else to say, really! I just sat there mesmerized and tried not to let my jaw keep dropping open...)

Thanks to amfortas' (?) suggestion I had just bought a new pair of small binoculars, and even though I had an excellent seat I was quite often looking through them to catch even more of the subtle interplay of words and music as played out on the singer's face. I was impressed with the way that his sound was perfectly judged to fill the Met with the piano accompaniment, without sounding overpowering (his Wagner voice, to cut through a Wagner orchestra) or too soft (of course there were many pppps but they were still perfectly audible). Apart from the size of the venue, it did still have some intimacy about it.

Again, off for a shortish bit, then back on for the final six Strauss songs, all of which are on the CD. It was a thrill to hear them sung even more beautifully (with five or six years' more life/musical experience under his belt since the recording) and I kept having to pinch myself to believe I was actually hearing him live!

The audience clapped enthusiastically if not standing-ovation-like, much to my disappointment but he eventually did five encores and each time the crowd was more and more enthusiastic. Four of the encores were more Strauss that I knew from the CD but he finished with "Dein ist mein ganzes Herz" and as soon as Helmut Deutsch started up with the schmaltzy music a great cheer went up from those of us who knew it. I do hope JK's idea of someday doing "schlagers" (hits) is operetta and not Heino. 

Oh and not that I'm shallow or anything but he looked FABULOUS! Ten years younger, and ten pounds thinner, even with my binoculars focused! Makeup? Guyliner? who cares! /shallow

Afterwards I hadn't figured out where the stage door was, so I decided to be a dork and ask an usher. He asked if I was 'on the list' NOOOOOOoooooo *sigh* I'm a nobody and have no reason to be on the list so I didn't even try. Anyway I got directed to the stage door where there was a crowd of about 30 (?) people. They weren't organized into a line, which was of course annoying to my schoolmarmish nature, and the more assertive ones kept pressing forward, leaving me on the outside ring.

After loads of folks came out including Bryn Terfel who was very sweet and about half an hour (not long I know), JK appeared and was already begging for indulgence and wanting to leave. (For those like myself who wondered, he is indeed tall; that is, he was head, although not head-and-shoulders, above most of those crowded around. About 5'11"? I come from basketball world so of course "tall" is a VERY relative term for me. I think JK must have sung with a number of very tall sopranos as he does not look particularly tall onstage).

I nearly panicked as he was mobbed by fans more pushy than I (I was on the outer rim of fans) and he kept begging everyone to let him leave. It became clear I was not going to get a photograph or even ask my question (please will there be a Bieito Fidelio DVD?) I finally made my way forward politely, said exactly “Thank you” with eye contact and got my book squiggled in but the adrenaline was clearly gone and he was anxious to leave.

So that is my story! I am no music critic, but in my mind it was PERFECT! Well worth the money and effort involved to see Jonas Kaufmann singing lieder and I would put myself in even more debt in a heartbeat to see him live again, especially singing lieder.

I can't imagine what Faust will be like. And I really, really, REALLY want to see Die Walküre live. Really. Have I said that enough? Even if there is no windfall or lottery win I will try to make that dream happen. Hopefully the Ring cycles will not be sold out and there will be individual performance tickets.

The End! *sniff*


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I REALLY hope you get to have your Walküre dream come true, Frafra.

Lovely account of the JK concert.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

What a great review FF & so pleased you got his squiggle afterwards & nice that you saw Bryn Terfel. Bryn said on Twitter



> J Kaufmann had an amazing success yesterday. I was in Grand Tier & heard every word, every breath, every nuance. Audience were spellbound


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## FragendeFrau (May 30, 2011)

Thanks Annie--I follow Bryn on twitter but the thing about twitter is that once it's gone, if you don't happen to be online, you miss it--is that right? it just flows on into the ether?


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

FragendeFrau said:


> Thanks Annie--I follow Bryn on twitter but the thing about twitter is that once it's gone, if you don't happen to be online, you miss it--is that right? it just flows on into the ether?


I thought if you went to that person's twitter site & clicked on their tweets you could find them?

*goes away to check Stephen Fry*

I've gone back one month & they're all there


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

sospiro said:


> What a great review FF & so pleased you got his squiggle afterwards & nice that you saw Bryn Terfel. Bryn said on Twitter:
> 
> J Kaufmann had an amazing success yesterday. I was in Grand Tier & heard every word, every breath, every nuance. Audience were spellbound


That's a lovely appreciation of one artist for another.

Wonder if he's as kind to Hvorostovsky, though.


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## FragendeFrau (May 30, 2011)

Thanks for the tip, Annie. I did go to Bryn's site and caught his tweets--easy since he is newly on Twitter. A month of Stephen Fry, on the other hand! That is surely pages and pages!

As for Bryn and Dimitri H, I did read an interview I think from the spring in which Bryn said he was not as ready/prepared to win the Singer of the World competition as DH was that year, so perhaps in the past he still held a grudge? I can imagine how disappointed BT must have been at the time though!

Nice to see that BH describes himself as husband and father on his twitter feed. I really know nothing about him and am always pleased when singers can manage a stable family life, given their endless traveling.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Nice, FF! It was a very successful trip after all. You did get to talk to him and got his autograph.
Your review of the recital is lovely!


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## ooopera (Jul 27, 2011)

FragendeFrau said:


> (For those like myself who wondered, he is indeed tall; that is, he was head, although not head-and-shoulders, above most of those crowded around. About 5'11"? I come from basketball world so of course "tall" is a VERY relative term for me. I think JK must have sung with a number of very tall sopranos as he does not look particularly tall onstage).


Great FF! I'm glad you've enjoyed it. I was thinking the same about his height. On stage he doesn't seem particularly tall. But in reality he is.

And next is Faust?


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## FragendeFrau (May 30, 2011)

Yes, the next is _Faust_! Oh, and going to see _Tosca_ at the movie theater in two weeks unless my friend decides it's not really worth taking 2 vacation days...and there is a release date for the _Adriana Lecouvreur_ DVD! (9 January 2012).

*sigh* the knives are out at Parterre, as well as in some reviews. I hate when that happens. You have a perfectly wonderful time, 3,799 other people apparently have a perfectly wonderful time, then you read in the paper it was good but nothing special?  And the reviewers' experiences were evidently completely opposite to yours? But they are printed in the papers and disseminated around the world.

Oh well, I am old enough that I should be used to this!


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

FragendeFrau said:


> *sigh* the knives are out at Parterre, as well as in some reviews. I hate when that happens. You have a perfectly wonderful time, 3,799 other people apparently have a perfectly wonderful time, then you read in the paper it was good but nothing special?  And the reviewers' experiences were evidently completely opposite to yours? But they are printed in the papers and disseminated around the world.
> 
> Oh well, I am old enough that I should be used to this!


Seriously, when are the knives NOT out at Parterre. It's their occupational therapy, taking potshots at singers who are successful. Followed by the obligatory reminiscence about *insert name of dead singer here* who sang at the Met 50 years ago.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

I can understand why artists are reluctant to read the critics.

But this is a great review.


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

FragendeFrau said:


> ...and there is a release date for the _Adriana Lecouvreur_ DVD! (9 January 2012).


Finally!! Time to visit Amazon again . . .


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## FragendeFrau (May 30, 2011)

OK, this (positive) review even made ME cringe--and you know how much I love my opera boyfriend! The cringing started with the headline... 

Can I get a Hölle Ja?

Typos, incorrect names, and honestly I was there--NO God Bless America, and no standing ovation at first either.


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## AmericanGesamtkunstwerk (May 9, 2011)

> And the young people at least lowered the average age in the building by a month or two...


AHAHAHAH! so well said!


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## ooopera (Jul 27, 2011)

FragendeFrau said:


> Typos, incorrect names, and honestly I was there--NO God Bless America, and no standing ovation at first either.


I can not imagine Mr. Deutsch playing God Bless America.


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## FragendeFrau (May 30, 2011)

As a friend of mine just said, "She never met an adjective she didn't like." I honestly thought it was very poorly written. I'm no genius writer, but good grief! In a newspaper! (although the Observer may be all online now)


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

FragendeFrau said:


> As a friend of mine just said, "She never met an adjective she didn't like."


Genius quote!


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

OMG. I've just read the article. I feel as though I've eaten too many marshmallows.


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

FragendeFrau said:


> OK, this (positive) review even made ME cringe--and you know how much I love my opera boyfriend!


Hey, I thought he was _my_ opera boyfriend! :lol:


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## FragendeFrau (May 30, 2011)

I think we're going to be fighting the gay guys over the title of "opera boyfriend" since I heard it there first. But I have had imaginary celebrity boyfriends for years. :lol:

Thank goodness a native German speaker commented on parterre today to set some folks straight about JK's faultless diction, and also about the way he performs lieder. I dropped out after the first foray because, you know, no point really. But as one great guy said: He's an amazing artist. The dogs bark but the caravan moves on.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

El Guapo just got serious competition, after today's outstanding performance by Jay Hunter Morris in Siegfried.
The title of leading handsome male opera star is in peril.


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## FragendeFrau (May 30, 2011)

Uh, no. Just no.  At least not in my pantheon.

I loved JHM's performance, but I also found myself actually HOPING JK doesn't mess with Siegfried. Listening to JHM, I couldn't help but think that, despite his careful efforts and training, I wonder if it wouldn't just ruin JK for the Italian and French repertoire that he has said many times he loves.

Only time will tell!


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

FragendeFrau said:


> Uh, no. Just no.  At least not in my pantheon.
> 
> I loved JHM's performance, but I also found myself actually HOPING JK doesn't mess with Siegfried. Listening to JHM, I couldn't help but think that, despite his careful efforts and training, I wonder if it wouldn't just ruin JK for the Italian and French repertoire that he has said many times he loves.
> 
> Only time will tell!


I think Jonas has enough sense not to touch this role -- or others like Tristan, Tannhäuser, or Otello -- for several years yet. At least he has indicated this much in several recent interviews. As smart as he's been in managing his career so far and resisting the lure of roles he believed inappropriate for his voice, I don't think we'll have anything to worry about.


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