Jonas Kaufmann caption competition
mainJonas Kaufmann in a concert of arias with Kate Aldrich and conductor Jochen Rieder at the Alte Oper, Frankfurt, this weekend (photo: Pro Arte)
She’s saying,
(a) are you wearing torn pants again?
(b) wtf’s your excuse?
(c) all I want is to hold hands…. is that too much to ask?
And his response?
Your call…
“I know you’re a tenor. You can’t help it …”
Jonas Kaufmann in Der Rosenkavalier?
It was an all-French program.
His response: “What do you mean? Could you explain slowly, please….”
Quite sad how Kaufmann has willingly descended to clownsmanship, à la Villazón or Bartoli, et al. But this is how performers endear themselves to increasingly dumb audiences, even in Germany. It is also what you do when vocal mannerisms and other problems afflict and take over what was once a promising instrument.
@ Caravaggio: ??? He got a bunch of roses and he is handing one to her. No vocal problems, no clowning. What is your problem?
But the time with the “promising instrument” are long gone. He butchered his lovely voice with roles which were definitely too straining – and now he pays the price for that. The voice sounds overworked, pressed and dried out.
I often wonder why even professional reviewers don’t hear it – and sometimes I wish critics would have to through an exam like “recognize five singers by only listening to their singing”. Unfortunately I’m pretty sure some wouldn’t come through in such an exam.
even in Germany? The audience there is worse than anywhere else!
Especially in Germany. We have a few hard core Jonas fans who’d even celebrate him when he’d croak like a raven. They’re so overwhelmed by his “beauty” (unfortunately I can’t see it).
You are being nasty again. You just can’t help it can you? I think you must be a very sad and jealous person. I would love to see what you look like, what you sound like. How kind (or not )you are to animals, how clever you are. But oh, perhaps you are none of these. Just a sad person with nothing good to say about anything! Oh and you must have guessed. You really annoy me!
I was replying to Caravaggio.
And because you have no arguments you try it with ad hominem. You obviously don’t get that such an attempt always blames the one doing it more as the one who’s attacked. I suppose you know as little about Caravaggio as I do. You don’t know who he is, what kind of job he does, what kind of education he’s got, but from the fact that he’s critical of your favourite singer you take that he’s “sad and jealous”. And you’d like to know how he looks and how he sounds? Well, what when he isn’t a singer? What if he’s not as handsome as you think Mr Kaufmann (I never understand why people think him so handsome because I don’t)? Does that disqualify him as a critic? Is looking like a model the qualification for a music reviewer?
And by the way: I don’t look like a model and I can’t sing (one of my vocal cords debilitated). Actually I wasn’t even a good singer before the vocal cord was damaged. However I’ve got same ear training; I’ve played three instruments (organ, bassoon, violoncello) and I’ve listened to a lot of singers. Hence I think I’ve got at least a glue about singing and how a voice should sound.
Of course you are an educated professional for operatic voices?! But waite a minute – you are journalist and writer, books about horses, girls and detectives – so not nearly opera-singing. Oh I see you „got some ear training“ (you are not the only one …), you „played instruments“ (no longer? And you are not the only one …) and you „listened to a lot of singers“ (you are not the only one …) – and so you know „how a voice should sound“ (you are really not the only one …)!
May i say you know how a voice should sound that you like. But there are a lot of different tastes as you prove (by the way: it’s not of any interest, that you think Mr. Kaufmann is not handsome). But I remember that you once said you don’t go to operas or concerts with Mr. Kaufmann, so you know him only by cd, internet etc. That’s interesting! I would never judge a voice by this way, but you are so educated …
And once again: You don’t have any arguments, so you try it with personal attacks and insults.
I don’t want to discuss on this level because I’m not the subject here. Mr Kaufmann’s voice is – and to quote you: I’m not the only one who finds him overhyped and his voice overstrained.
It’s really funny. Your only argument is that you know how a voice should sound, because you … and I only quoted your words. Where are the personal attacks and insults? All about your job is true, so where are the insults? My arguments: Never judge a voice by cd etc. and there are a lot of different tastes. But to pretend his voice is overstrained etc. because you are better educated to hear it – that is insulting. Yes you are not the only one but it seems you are not a great many. And if somebody doesn’t like a voice there is no argument in the world to change his mind. But to assume that other people are too deaf, too silly or what-ever to be able to hear it – that is insulting.
Well, at least I’m able and willing to stand to my opinion with my name, allowing you to attack me personally – out of your anonymity. Says a lot about you, doesn’t it?
So you really don’t understand. To criticize with the only argument that you know better than other people is your opinion, ok. But if somebody quotes YOUR words than it’s an attack against you? So your own words are attacking you?? BTW: anonymity – yes on this site (I have reasons) but not on other sites! No you don’t stand to your opinion with your full name, but it’s not so hard to recognize because you are posting long since on several sites against Mr. Kaufmann and always with the same argument that you know better than other people. Says a lot about you, doesn’t it?
PS: I’m rather kind to animals and was pretty good in dealing with difficult horses who’d lost their trust in humans. Besides I earn my money with writing books – and I’ve written around three dozens about horses.
There is no Rosenkavalier. In Alte Oper Frankfurt on 10 Feb it was French duetts and aries from his cd L’opéra. And the saying about his trousers is older.
…there was a quote on pants and pocket ages ago … for this case it could be read as “is that a hole in your pants or are you just glad to sing with me ? ; ))) ” Possible answer – ” time will tell , baby, let’s talk about this after the performance;)))”
“Are you acting peculiar so that Norman Lebrecht will blog about you again?”