Music / operaarier

Puccini - love affairs


Reviews (37)


The observer

d. 28. Sep. 2024

By

By

Fiona Maddocks

d. 28. Sep. 2024

"Puccini: Love Affairs ... features duets and scenes from six operas, sung with six star sopranos. Kaufmann's first Puccini album, Nessun Dorma (2015), was a big hit. This is sure to follow suit. Kaufmann's recent uneven stage performances and cancellations have drawn criticism. A studio recording allows him to find his best form. Some upper notes strain a little, but his lyricism and musical intelligence are intact ... He remains a serious advocate. This will delight fans. As a showcase for Puccini's range and emotional intensity, it's a good place to start".


Classics today

2018

By

By

Robert Levine (musikanmelder)

2018

"While I cannot imagine anyone actually needing this CD, it has some pleasures to offer. Roberto Alagna ... is joined by his youngish wife, Aleksandra Kurzak, in a series of 10 duets from seven Puccini operas ... Kurzak is a lovely singer who has been singing bel canto operas very successfully for more than a decade. This Puccini stuff is far heavier; one might worry. In fact, vocally she has little trouble ... Mimi and Magda (in La Rondine) are a balm for her; she is close to ideal in all three excerpts, as is Alagna ... She's also a gorgeous Butterfly - the Love Duet is one of the CD's high points for both ... If you love Puccini and need a CD of only his Love Duets this is a joy ... Recommended".


The observer

d. 6. Sep. 2015

By

By

Fiona Maddocks

d. 6. Sep. 2015

"All the operas (except the all-female Suor Angelica) are represented, ending with a pinging, thrilling Nessun Dorma. It's as far from Pavarotti as you can get, yet still captures the essence of Puccini".


Klassik heute

d. 11. Sep. 2015

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By

Ekkehard Pluta

d. 11. Sep. 2015

"Jonas Kaufmann ist ... in seinem Darstellungsstil auf dem Weg, die Nachfolge von Plácido Domingo anzutreten, und ich meine da den Domingo der 70er und 80er Jahre. Da ist alles auf stimmliche Strahlkraft und eine dramatische Intensität abgestellt, die unterschiedslos auf alle Rollen projiziert wird, obwohl Puccinis Opern sehr verschiedenartige Tenortypen verlangen, vom lirico leggero (Rinuccio) bis zum spinto (Calaf)".


The observer

d. 6. Sep. 2015

By

By

Fiona Maddocks

d. 6. Sep. 2015

"All the operas (except the all-female Suor Angelica) are represented, ending with a pinging, thrilling Nessun Dorma. It's as far from Pavarotti as you can get, yet still captures the essence of Puccini".


Klassik heute

d. 11. Sep. 2015

By

By

Ekkehard Pluta

d. 11. Sep. 2015

"Jonas Kaufmann ist ... in seinem Darstellungsstil auf dem Weg, die Nachfolge von Plácido Domingo anzutreten, und ich meine da den Domingo der 70er und 80er Jahre. Da ist alles auf stimmliche Strahlkraft und eine dramatische Intensität abgestellt, die unterschiedslos auf alle Rollen projiziert wird, obwohl Puccinis Opern sehr verschiedenartige Tenortypen verlangen, vom lirico leggero (Rinuccio) bis zum spinto (Calaf)".


MusicWeb international

2019 February

By

By

Göran Forsling (f. 1942)

2019 February

"A full-length recital with duets from seven Puccini operas. The long scene from the first act of Tosca is a splendid calling-card for both singers. She has a brilliant soprano with warmth as well as some steel - valuable metal for this character ... Alagna has also been careful over nuances and he has all the power needed for this rather strenuous part ... Everybody has heard O soave fanciulla umpteen times before but hearing it so stylishly sung as here is a treat even so ... Puccini must have cheered up in his heaven ... Aleksandra Kurzak has an ideal Butterfly voice, youthful like a teenager but still mature enough to encompass all the challenges ... With Riccardo Frizza in the pit in front of Sinfonia Varsovia the dramatic temperature is throughout near boiling point".


MusicWeb international

2023 November

By

By

Ralph Moore (musikanmelder)

2023 November

"Recommended: This compendium of arias and ensembles does not present too many surprises; it includes many of what are arguably the most famous arias from Puccini's operas, but there are comparative rarities from his first opera, Le Villi, La rondine and Il tabarro ... First impressions are startling, his voice is so similar in timbre to Pavarotti's, even if after a few moments a keen ear will detect its individuality. He has a perfect vibrato - slightly on the fast side but well within the legitimate parameters - an ardent manner and ringing top notes with plenty of squillo. The accompaniment of Carlo Rizzi and the Prague Philharmonia is especially sensitive, powerful and effective ... He could be the best thing to have arrived on the operatic scene for many a year - and is perhaps the true successor to Pavarotti".


Kristeligt dagblad

d. 28. Oct. 2015

By

By

Peter Dürrfeld

d. 28. Oct. 2015

"Albummet bekræfter i det store og hele Kaufmanns position som en af det 21. århundredes absolut førende tenorer, men i enkelte numre kan man godt komme til at savne en Jussi Björlings mere lyriske klang. Kaufmann er mindst lige så stålsat, som han er smægtende".


Politiken

d. 16. Sep. 2015

By

By

Thomas Michelsen

d. 16. Sep. 2015

"Hos Sony er alt nyindspillet, og alt er af Puccini. Men råstyrken er den samme ... Det er vildt imponerende, men ikke vildt underholdende. Hans svage toner kan lyde hule, og stemmen virker i det hele taget sløret eller matteret, når Kaufmann dæmper den ... Men måden, han skifter mellem styrkegrader og mellem stemmens registre på, er overlegen, og selv den mest effektjagende operanørd kan få styret sin trang til for eksempel høje h'er".


Politiken

d. 16. Sep. 2015

By

By

Thomas Michelsen

d. 16. Sep. 2015

"Hos Sony er alt nyindspillet, og alt er af Puccini. Men råstyrken er den samme ... Det er vildt imponerende, men ikke vildt underholdende. Hans svage toner kan lyde hule, og stemmen virker i det hele taget sløret eller matteret, når Kaufmann dæmper den ... Men måden, han skifter mellem styrkegrader og mellem stemmens registre på, er overlegen, og selv den mest effektjagende operanørd kan få styret sin trang til for eksempel høje h'er".


Kristeligt dagblad

d. 28. Oct. 2015

By

By

Peter Dürrfeld

d. 28. Oct. 2015

"Albummet bekræfter i det store og hele Kaufmanns position som en af det 21. århundredes absolut førende tenorer, men i enkelte numre kan man godt komme til at savne en Jussi Björlings mere lyriske klang. Kaufmann er mindst lige så stålsat, som han er smægtende".


Jyllands-posten

d. 27. Aug. 2009

By

By

John Christiansen

d. 27. Aug. 2009


Jyllands-posten

d. 1. Mar. 2005

By

d. 1. Mar. 2005


Berlingske tidende

d. 1. Mar. 2005

By

d. 1. Mar. 2005


BBC music magazine

2019 January

By

By

Michael Tanner (musikanmelder)

2019 January

"There is a lot of pleasure to be had from this disc, which finds Alagna, now approaching his late fifties, in mainly excellent voice, though he tends to sing loudly throughout. He is, however, an intelligent artist making the most of his words. The same can be said of Kurzak, though she tends to be the nymph/seducer, both in her vocalising and in the accompanying pictures ... This is a charming recital".


Diapason

2018 décembre

By

By

Didier van Moere

2018 décembre


Diapason

2015 octobre

By

By

Didier van Moere

2015 octobre


Fono Forum

2015 Oktober

By

By

Manuel Brug

2015 Oktober

"Vurdering: Empfehlungen des Monats" - "Das bekannte neu gesehen, skrupulös erarbeitet wie serviert, vom Tenorstar wie vom traumwandlerisch die richtigen Akzente setzenden Antonio Pappano samt seinen de-Luxe-Kräften von der römischen Accademia Nationale di Santa Cecilia".


Opus

2016, nr. 66

By

By

Mathias Clason

2016, nr. 66

"Jonas Kaufmann - operavärldens charmknutte nummer ett - gör alltid det han gör helhjärtat ... Nu är det Puccini - ur elva olika verk. Slå det den som kan! ... Här finns bra lite att klaga på ... Jag imponeras mest av de mindre kända numren ur Le Villi och Edgar".


Klassisk

2015, nr. 39

By

By

Mikael Garnæs

2015, nr. 39

"Jonas Kaufmann er en rigtig god tenor ... Resultaterne er somme tider fremragende, somme tider bare dækkende. Hans Puccini-album hører til den blandede gruppe. Han synger uddrag fra alle Puccinis operaer ... Pudsigt nok mangler de to allermest kendte ... Noget af det virker lidt ufærdigt, men retfærdigvis må det siges, at de positive takter er i overtal. Kaufmann-fans behøver ingen tilskyndelser".


BBC music magazine

2015 Christmas

By

By

Christopher Cook (musikanmelder)

2015 Christmas

"If you want a Puccini tenor bulging with Italian vocal muscle, or a voice with top notes that ping off his dress studs, then Jonas Kaufmann is not your man. But for an artist working with a conductor who makes you rethink Puccini's heroes as deeply flawed individuals, then this is the album ... The voice is now as much dark chocolate as light caramel; but for intelligence and commitment, is there another tenor nowadays who can hold a candle to Kaufmann?".


Klassisk

2024, nr. 72

By

By

Henrik Engelbrecht

2024, nr. 72

"Den chilensk-amerikanske Tetelman er 35 år gammel ... Hans stemme er velskolet, og den passer perfekt til netop de Puccini-roller, han synger på det nye album ... Grundklangen er åben, men alligevel mørkt farvet med et solidt fundament og med den helt rigtige italienske klarhed ... Alligevel er jeg ikke helt så betaget af hverken dette (eller Tetelmans forrige) album, som jeg havde forventet ... Jeg lytter til Tetelman og savner næsten hele vejen igennem lidt mere tid, lidt mindre slavisk nodetro fortolkning og langt mere refleksion i fraseringerne".


Fono Forum

2023 Dezember

By

By

Kai Luehrs-Kaiser

2023 Dezember


BBC music magazine

2023 December

By

2023 December

"Opera choice: He adopts a nuanced approach to characterisation, bringing a vocally distinctive tone to each role. His Cavaradossi is as languid and heroic as you could wish for; his Luigi edgy and sombre; his Ruggero youthful. But it is in the role of Des Grieux that he particularly captivates".


Opus

2016, nr. 66

By

By

Mathias Clason

2016, nr. 66

"Jonas Kaufmann - operavärldens charmknutte nummer ett - gör alltid det han gör helhjärtat ... Nu är det Puccini - ur elva olika verk. Slå det den som kan! ... Här finns bra lite att klaga på ... Jag imponeras mest av de mindre kända numren ur Le Villi och Edgar".


Fono Forum

2015 Oktober

By

By

Manuel Brug

2015 Oktober

"Vurdering: Empfehlungen des Monats" - "Das bekannte neu gesehen, skrupulös erarbeitet wie serviert, vom Tenorstar wie vom traumwandlerisch die richtigen Akzente setzenden Antonio Pappano samt seinen de-Luxe-Kräften von der römischen Accademia Nationale di Santa Cecilia".


BBC music magazine

2015 Christmas

By

By

Christopher Cook (musikanmelder)

2015 Christmas

"If you want a Puccini tenor bulging with Italian vocal muscle, or a voice with top notes that ping off his dress studs, then Jonas Kaufmann is not your man. But for an artist working with a conductor who makes you rethink Puccini's heroes as deeply flawed individuals, then this is the album ... The voice is now as much dark chocolate as light caramel; but for intelligence and commitment, is there another tenor nowadays who can hold a candle to Kaufmann?".


Diapason

2015 octobre

By

By

Didier van Moere

2015 octobre


Klassisk

2015, nr. 39

By

By

Mikael Garnæs

2015, nr. 39

"Jonas Kaufmann er en rigtig god tenor ... Resultaterne er somme tider fremragende, somme tider bare dækkende. Hans Puccini-album hører til den blandede gruppe. Han synger uddrag fra alle Puccinis operaer ... Pudsigt nok mangler de to allermest kendte ... Noget af det virker lidt ufærdigt, men retfærdigvis må det siges, at de positive takter er i overtal. Kaufmann-fans behøver ingen tilskyndelser".


Crotchet

2008

By

2008

"A collection of Puccini's most romantic arias, sung by one of the world's best-known tenors, Plácido Domingo, and released to tie in with the 150th anniversary of the composer's birth in December 2008".


High fidelity (Kbh.)

Årg. 42, nr. 1 (2009)

By

By

Mogens Wenzel Andreasen

Årg. 42, nr. 1 (2009)

"Genbrug, men indrømmet: Det kan næppe gøres bedre. Den smukkest tænkelige stemme, brugt med største overlegenhed og udsøgt smag ... Lækkert!".


The gramophone

2019 January

By

By

Mark Pullinger

2019 January

"[Alagna's] Italianate timbre and open-hearted, open-throated sound is ideal ... Characterisation is limited, although their singing is never less than lovely. Bohème's 'O soave fanciulla' is ideal, though with a beautifully floated final note from Kurzak, and they save the very best until last: a glorious Butterfly love duet that is both tender and ardent".


The gramophone

2015 Awards

By

By

Hugo Shirley

2015 Awards

"Kaufmann's reassuringly expensive-sounding voice finding luxurious and ardent support from Antonio Pappano and his Santa Cecilia Orchestra ... Dick Johnson suits his poetico-heroic manner well ... and there are few quibbles with Kaufmann in the title track, delivered (as the disc's finale) with his trademark purring, mahogany-tinged tone and rising to a ringing top B".


The gramophone

2023 Awards

By

By

Mark Pullinger

2023 Awards

"Editor's choice: Jonathan Tetelman has bowled me over again ... with an album dedicated to [Puccini]. It's prime territory for Tetelman - his Cavaradossi impressed me when I saw him in Vienna last year - and he sounds the perfect fit for each of the roles here. And what a sound! Tetelman's tenor possesses gleaming brightness, and his open vowels and excellent Italian diction make him the sunniest-sounding tenor since Luciano Pavarotti. He has a golden tone, with liquid phrasing, tenderness and ardour in equal measure ... A highly recommendable disc and I hope DG affords Tetelman a full Puccini opera recording soon, please".


The gramophone

2015 Awards

By

By

Hugo Shirley

2015 Awards

"Kaufmann's reassuringly expensive-sounding voice finding luxurious and ardent support from Antonio Pappano and his Santa Cecilia Orchestra ... Dick Johnson suits his poetico-heroic manner well ... and there are few quibbles with Kaufmann in the title track, delivered (as the disc's finale) with his trademark purring, mahogany-tinged tone and rising to a ringing top B".