Kaufmann’s to cancel?

Kaufmann’s to cancel?

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norman lebrecht

July 24, 2019

Opera Australia has announced concert performances of Andrea Chenier, starring Jonas Kaufmann, Ludovic Tézier and Eva-Maria Westbroek.

They are in Sydney on August 8 and 11, followed by Melbourne on August 13.

Kaufmann has just cancelled his hometown appearances at the Munich opera festival through to the end of this month, pleading ill-health.

If he’s feeling that unwell, a long flight to Australia for just three shows might not be the ticket to recovery.

Comments

  • Cynical Bystander says:

    Reading all the flak surrounding JK and his current propensity to cancel I wonder whether it is fair on both him and his audience for him to offer little explanation as to this current spate of no shows. I admit that I now think twice about booking a performance based solely on whether he will sing and I cannot be alone, particularly when his name automatically means the highest price band that a house can charge.

    Accepting that singers’ diaries are filled years in advance whereas their voice is subject to here and now conditions it must be difficult to know whether in this case problems in Munich now will be sorted by the time he should fly to Australia and whether the audience there in the event of a no show would risk subsequent opportunities to be disappointed.

    As someone pointed out previously, how many will take a punt on Fidelio at ROH, given the likely cost of finding out a couple of days before the performance? Not this audience member, always asuming that there are seats available when general booking opens as distinct from returns when something may happen.

  • Patricia says:

    Since April 16th Kaufmann has sung only 4 performances
    1 Carmen,1 Otello and 2 concerts plus recording Otello In Rome with Pappano
    Hardly oversinging in more than 3 months

  • Michelle Schulman says:

    Maybe it’s his singing technique that is to blame? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-1O1II2K2s

  • Andrew says:

    I remember back in the 80’s in NYC the operatic samizdat circulated a faux press release that a certain elusive English soprano announced she would “soon be available for limited number of cancellations…..”

  • Liloloperaluv says:

    Hopefully the Meistersinger cancellations will allow Kaufmann to fully recover in time for the Australia dates.
    Munich has adequate cover whereas Australia may not. He also usually takes his family to Australia for vacation – more “inside” incentive to recover sufficiently for the trip. If I were an Aussie, I’d bet on him coming!

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