Jonas Kaufmann feeds his inner Austrian

We reported six months ago that the German tenor had moved to Salzburg and taken Austrian citizenship.

Now he’s showing he means it.

From a new online profile:
…Jonas Kaufmann has long been a musical ambassador for the cultural heritage of our country, which he carries out into the world with his music and his outstanding voice. On our walk, however, we were able to discover the culinary preferences and another great “talent” of the star tenor. Once a star, always a star? At least that is true for the likeable singer more than for many other people: making coffee, cooking, handicrafts – the star tenor is a perfectionist not only on stage.
The first stop in Salzburg’s old town was the “Konditorei Schatz” where the legend of Salzburg’s patisserie, Erich Winkler, not only perfectly stages the cardinal slices. His version of the well-known pastry is a reason for Jonas Kaufmann to enjoy it here again and again or to take it home. It is originally a creation of the Viennese pastry shop L. Heiner and was invented on the occasion of the Catholic Day in 1933 to commemorate the colours of the Vatican (white and yellow) and the cardinal dignity (red). The red does not exist in the “treasure” version, because Erich Winkler’s slice has no currant jam layer. But who needs a “cardinal’s dignity” when one of the most famous singers in the world pays tribute to the heavenly dessert?
LOVE OF COFFEE
Jonas Kaufmann has another culinary love: Italian “caffè”. And Italy, of course. But love of coffee is actually an understatement, because what connects the star tenor with coffee is much, much more. He is a gifted barista, a connoisseur, a perfectionist here too. And when you listen to him talk about Robusta and Arabica, about water pressure, the grind of coffee beans, about absolute taste and preparation, you suddenly know exactly why he is also such a great singer. Skill, perfection and love for what you do are definitely the secret of everything that makes Jonas Kaufmann a singer and a person. In the “220Grad” in the Rupertinum Museum in the Festival District, where coffee culture is at home, we were able to experience his passion for the elixir of coffee. You could listen to him for hours and watch him sing the praises of 100 per cent Robusta beans, move the complicated levers on the enormous machine with an expert hand or set the perfect foam for a cappuccino on the cup. Only the question of whether he could win his wife over with a delicious coffee was laughingly not answered by him. But we do know that he often drinks six espressos in the morning, prepared of course on his perfect machine at home. And that his wife is a little “addicted” to his coffees, too.

… THE ROMA OF THE NORTH
And now Salzburg as a place to live. The “Roma of the North” suits Jonas Kaufmann well, and many places are also home for the pleasure he enjoys so much. Gin, for example. At the Sporer in Getreidegasse, Falstaff led him to a new gin creation by Michael Sporer. And here, too, his expertise was the “motor of pleasure” for Jonas Kaufmann, he discussed technical matters and tasted the new London Dry Gin Batch No. 01 with the landlord. When asked “wine or beer?” he says with a laugh that he loves red wine but finds that he can’t sing sensibly the next day, which is probably due to the tannin. So he often drinks beer because it agrees better with his voice. “At home, however, I have a well-stocked wine cellar and ‘unfortunately’ I always have to make sure that the stock is reduced,” he says. Kaufmann, the world star of classical music since he made his debut at New York’s Metropolitan Opera in 2006 in “La Traviata”, is a demanding artist and connoisseur. High enjoyment, but also simple pleasures like a hearty snack are part of his life. This life also includes the love of his children and Christiane, his wife.
SUMMER IN SALZBURG
In the Mediterranean, herb-scented guest garden of the “Blaue Gans” we meet Christiane and her little son Valentin at the end of our walk. She reveals to us that Summer would begin for her with a first Campari soda, heralding the lightness of being and many enjoyable sunny days. On this warm early evening, Salzburg shows itself from its very best side and the topics of conversation about food, wines, espresso and the dolce vita never run out…”