Jonas Kaufmann is a wonderful, charismatic spinto tenor. (That is a lyric / dramatic tenor). I saw his La Scala concert last night. Juan Diego Florez is my favourite Bel Canto tenor. (Literally "beautiful song"). Both reach high C's, (C5) seemingly effortlessly.
I have loved opera for well over 20 years. I am transported visually & emotionally by the production, the story & the music. It's a complete package of art in it's highest form. I deeply feel the whole gamut of emotion according to the opera. That's probably why, although I enjoyed the concert, which was superb, it didn't do it for me. I could have just listened to the CD. In fairness I'm sure it wasn't like that for the audience who experienced the atmosphere live.
What I did like was the fact that Kaufmann lost it in in the Nessum Dorma encore at the end & carried the mistake off with aplomb. I'm not surprised. The concert was a tour de force & must have been completely exhausting.
I also loved the fact that, also in the many encores, he removed his bow tie & loosened his shirt collar. I wish that gesture was more prevalent. I wish opera & classical music generally wasn't so "precious". I wish it would make itself more accessible to mass enjoyment & move into the 21st C. Do we really need musicians in the constrict of "evening dress"? It's like the Justice system. Do we really need Judges & lawyers to wear outmoded & rather ridiculous costumes ?
I don't know if Kaufmanns gesture was brave or unusual. No one seemed to mind a jot. Surely he could sing better if he was relaxed. Let's have more of it I say.
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