Guest
Superstar German tenor Jonas Kaufmann is adored by opera lovers for his burnished bronze tone and dramatic stage presence. In signature roles like Don José in Carmen, Siegmund in Die Walküre, and the title roles in Otello, Andrea Chénier, and Don Carlos, he has demonstrated extraordinary versatility, combining power with finesse. This rare US recital—Kaufmann’s first UC Berkeley appearance since his triumphant four-encore Bay Area debut 10 years ago—begins with a wide-ranging Liszt set and concludes with a marvelously varied selection of songs by composers including Mozart, Schubert, Schumann, Chopin, Dvořák, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Wolf, Mahler, and Richard Strauss. “His stage presence—dramatic prowess, passion, sex appeal—has long been a hallmark of Mr. Kaufmann’s artistry. His voice is smoky and nimble, able to fill a hall with both the volume of a Wagnerian heldentenor and an exquisite hovering pianissimo” (The New York Times).
