Comments on: Deep Throat: Jonas Kaufmann Sings 1920s Operetta

By: Nola Colman

Nola Colman — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 00:44:44 +0000

Thank you for this enlightening review of Jonas Kaufmann’s new recording.As operetta experts, your comments are especially valuable for a newcomer to operetta like myself. Like many longtime opera fans, I had been dismissive of operetta. However, Mr. Kaufmann’s description and obvious delight in this music is contagious. I will follow his lead and your suggestions to explore further. I’m grateful for your site as an information source. .

Now, if only SONY and Amazon will deliver my orders on time!

By: Bernd

Bernd — Sun, 31 Aug 2014 20:33:40 +0000

die Brustwarzen unter dem schwarzen Hemd im Filmclip sind schon toll, trotz des Bauchansatzes, der das Götterbild ein bisschen stört.

By: Michael Hardern

Michael Hardern — Sun, 31 Aug 2014 13:23:24 +0000

Let’s not forget that Jonas Kaufmann DID already sing and record the Student Prince music. You can watch him on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDZofkzG8uk&list=RDZDZofkzG8uk&index=1

By: Cedric Leclair

Cedric Leclair — Sun, 31 Aug 2014 10:33:58 +0000

I must say, it is a relief that he doesn’t pose with the Tauber monocle, as Piotr Beczala did, and he doesn’t wear that Domingo “I Love Vienna” outfit. Considering his aim to do Berlin operettas and film operettas, I wonder why Mr. Kaufmann sings “Gruess mir ein Wien” instead of the Hubert Marischka Schlager later composed for the film version, or the upbeat number from act 3. Both are less shmalzy.
Considering his Wagnerian background, it would also be nice to have him in a recording of Oscar Straus “Die lustigen Nibelungen” as Siegfried. I guess we have to wait and see if any more operettas will follow with him, on Sony or anywhere else.

By: Kurt Gänzl

Kurt Gänzl — Sun, 31 Aug 2014 10:20:33 +0000

PS: He HAS been stingy, don’t you think (or Sony has) to his soprano!

By: Kurt Gänzl

Kurt Gänzl — Sun, 31 Aug 2014 10:05:11 +0000

I had a sneak preview of this too. I don’t usually care for operatic voices in non-operatic music, just as I shudder at ‘actors who sing a bit’. Each, usually, to his own. But this is a jolly good stab at doing it and doing it well. Of course, Guiditta and the Sunderin are the most satisfying tracks. They’re right in Mr Kaufmann’s fach. And I don’t think I’ve ever heard them sung better. And he really tries to lighten off and be jolly in the livelier numbers. I liked the Abraham! But not all are so successful, sometimes (as in the amazingly poor opening track) he doesn’t sound relaxed, just bored and underpowered. Energyless. But let’s be grateful for the outstanding tracks. The artist has to be allowed to TRY something different. So, if I’d rather he had taken on, say, Rose von Stambul than Stolz, I guess that’s my problem.