The Wall Street Journal, November 1, 2011

By HEIDI WALESON

Recital, Metropolitan Opera, New York, 30. Oktober 2011

Of Gods And Monsters (part of an article)

The tenor Jonas Kaufmann, who was a sizzling Siegmund in the Met's "Die Walküre" last spring and will headline the new "Faust" on Nov. 29, sang a recital at the opera house on Sunday afternoon. A 4,000-seat house is not ideal for the intimacy of Lieder, and Mr. Kaufmann seemed most at home in the more extroverted and operatic moments of his songs by Liszt, Mahler, Duparc and Strauss. Restraint was tougher: He had to work hard to produce soft high notes in the Liszt and Mahler, and to create the French sensuality of line in the Duparc pieces. His rich middle and low ranges were beautifully on display, however, and he brought a contemplative expressivity to the Strauss, especially the heartrending "Befreit." Mr. Kaufmann loosened up a lot in his encores—four additional Strauss songs and the Lehar chestnut "Dein ist mein ganzes Herz"—giving the audience a taste of the total performer who is so breathtaking when in character. Helmut Deutsch was the supportive and thoughtful pianist.