Breaking: A Covid case knocks back Jonas Kaufmann’s Parsifal
mainOne positive test in the Vienna opera ensemble has wiped out rehearsals for a new Parsifal, directed remotely by the Russian dissident Kirill Serebrennikov.
The intended premiere on April 1 in an empty auditorium has been postponed to a future date.
The rest of the cast includes Elina Garanca (Kundry), Ludovic Tézier (Amfortas), Georg Zeppenfeld (Gurnemanz), Wolfgang Koch (Klingsor).
Well, if his recent Radames in Paris is anything to go by his voice could do with a few extra weeks of rest and recuperation.
“Wiped out?” Uh, the press release says that rehearsals have been paused for one week.
I imagine anyone so inclined has already heard Kaufmann’s Parsifal, most notably in München and at the Met. He also sang it before at Wiener Staatsoper (one performance in 2013).
I am rather thinking of this as Elīna Garanča’s “Parsifal” – it will be her role debut as Kundry. Now THAT’S news!
“…until beginning o next week”…..
Regarding Kaufmann – if you listened only to first 10 minutes of that Basitlle Aida – you might be right. But he was better after that and excellent – his old self – in the tomb scene (with fantastic Sondra!). But what makes this Vienna Parsifal so special isn’t Kaufmann whatever his vocal state is (he’s 52 after all) but Garanca’s debut as Kundry and Tezier’s as Amfortas.
51 actually! But so what?
Why is this news. It really has nothing with Jonas Kauffman. The issue is the stupidity of those who have been advocating greater “opening” and the actual production of major cultural events in the middle of a once in a century pandemic and Europe is paying the price AGAIN of opening too early. Italy is in a lockdown,France has major restrictions,Germany is a disaster.
That’s more down to EU incompetence than the danger of the virus.
I take it you’re not among those who have to worry about where their next rental payment is coming from.
I’m sad for the musicians and crew who are getting paid(or not) and are doing what they can. Kauffman? Lmaoooo
It is high time we start to consider other singers apart from JK.Garanca has a magnificent voice and her performances are high level indeed. The same can be sdaid of Tezier, so JK is just one more star in the sky, not THE star. Fortunately, as he ages and looks more like a conventional middle-aged married man than a handsome eau-de -toilet handsome model , his fan women, who used to be legion, are less fanatic. We should take him for what he is, no more nor less.
Here’s one fan woman who is no less enthusiastic as the years pass. JK and his voice remain easy to love as he matures. Keeping fingers crossed for this production but even more for Munich Tristan in the summer.
I totally agree!
I’m hoping to watch the livestream for Ludovic Tezier. He was magnificent as Posa in Don Carlos. His recent Verdi disc is wonderful.
will Parsifal be live streamed and if so where and when