Title: Richard Wagner "Lohengrin"
Original title: Richard Wagner: Lohengrin
Released: 2009
Genre: Opera
Directed by: Richard Jones, Karina Fibich
Conductor: Kent Nagano
Cast: Jonas Kaufmann (Lohengrin), Anja Harteros (Elsa), Michaela Schuster (Ortrud), Wolfgang Koch (Telramund), Christof Fischesser (König Heinrich), Evgeny Nikitin (Heerrufer), Chor der Bayerischen Staatsoper, Bayerisches Staatsorchester

Description:

Jonas Kaufmann's sensational role debut as Wagner's Lohengrin was the talk of the 2009 Munich Festival. Filmed in high-def widescreen, Jonas Kaufmann's bow as Lohengrin is a logical follow-up to the success of his German arias album (4,781,463), described by Hugh Canning in International Record Review as "one of the vocal records of the year, if not the decade ". His sound, a unique combination of torrid sensuality and radiant, crystalline purity, serves a musico-dramatic intelligence that makes a unity of Lohengrin's often difficult to reconcile heroic and lyric elements. No wonder La Scena Musicale saluted Jonas Kaufmann ". . . the finest Heldentenor since Jon Vickers. . . ". Partnered by Anja Harteros - per The Opera Critic, "an exceptional Elsa" - Kaufmann heads a stellar cast conducted by Kent Nagano

"Without question, the musical performance is very good, and in the case of the title role, sung by Jonas Kaufmann, I would say it is perfect, and easily the best account of this tricky role I have ever heard. Kaufmann is also noble -looking, handsome and acts with natural grace and conviction. "--Michael Tanner, BBC Music Magazine

"Kaufmann's humanity lies essentially in his singing, but in deportment he plays the part with a naturalness, an absence of stagey" attitude ", that is rare indeed... And his singing is surpassingly fine throughout. This is the Lohengrin voice of dreams : both romantic and heroic, with a gentle, well nourished warmth, capable of a perfectly graduated diminuendo to pianissimo... The recorded sound is clear and rich; the video production well judged. "--John Steane, Gramophone

Issued: United States | Decca
Duration: 3:29:11