Werther, lyric drama in 4 acts: Act III: Traduire... Ah! bien souvent... Pourquoi me réveiller, ô souffle du printemps?
Mignon, opera in 3 acts: Act III: Elle ne croyait pas, dans sa candeur naïve
Carmen, opera: Act II: Je le veux! Carmen, tu m'entendras... La fleur que tu m'avais jetée
Les Pêcheurs de perles, opera in 3 acts: Act I: C'est toi, toi qu'enfin je revois!... Au fond du temple saint
Le Roi d'Ys, opera in 3 acts: Act III: Scene 1: Puisqu'on ne peut fléchir... Vainement, ma bien-aimée
Les contes d'Hoffmann, opera in 4 acts: Act IV: Ô Dieu, de quelle ivresse
L' Africaine, grand opera in 5 acts: Act IV: Pays merveilleux!... Ô paradis
Manon, opera in 5 acts: Act II: Enfin, Manon, nous voilà seuls ensemble!... En fermant les yeux, je vois là-bas
Manon, opera in 5 acts: Act III: Scene 2: Toi! Vous!... N'est-ce plus ma main que cette main presse?
Le Cid, opera: Act III: Scene 3: Ah! tout est bien fini!... Ô souverain, ô père
La Juive, opera: Act IV: Rachel, quand du Seigneur
La Damnation de Faust, for mezzo-soprano, tenor, baritone, bass, chorus and orchestra ("légende dramatique"), H. 111 (Op. 24): Part III: Scene 1: Merci, doux crépuscule!
Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act V: Scene 1: Inutiles regrets! Je dois quitter Carthage!
You might not have looked to Germany as the source of the next big opera star, but there you have it: tenor Jonas Kaufmann has reached the point where he can sing almost anything and coax beauty and even sensuousness out of it. Can big crossover albums be far off? He doesn't have quite the charisma of a Domingo, but the voice is at its breathtaking peak and seems to be well enough cared for that it could stay there a while. As the title implies, this album is devoted to French operatic repertory. Kaufmann has a good deal of ...
Read More
You might not have looked to Germany as the source of the next big opera star, but there you have it: tenor Jonas Kaufmann has reached the point where he can sing almost anything and coax beauty and even sensuousness out of it. Can big crossover albums be far off? He doesn't have quite the charisma of a Domingo, but the voice is at its breathtaking peak and seems to be well enough cared for that it could stay there a while. As the title implies, this album is devoted to French operatic repertory. Kaufmann has a good deal of experience in this field, and he sets the album up as a group of pieces that have had personal significance to him because they played a part in the development of this aspect of his career. The particulars are spelled out in an interview-style booklet note. As such, the program touches on some less-than-standard items; this may appeal to opera devotees, but the general listener might want to hear a familiar tune from time to time. There is no denying the sheer beauty of the voice,...
Read Less
