Verismo

Verismo Arias with Jonas Kaufmann came in the mail today.  Gee, I love him.  It may not be exactly Italian what Jonas Kaufmann is doing, but it is exactly him.  He has the most Italian of conductors, Antonio Pappano, to guide him. I love the sound, I love the thoughts and emotions behind it.

More.  The album ends with Jonas and Eva-Maria Westbrook in an intensely passionate rendition of the finale to Andrea Chénier, one of the greatest moments in all of opera.

A bit more.  On my iPod are three versions of  a lot of these arias:  Franco Corelli, Rolando Villazon and Jonas Kaufmann.  Corelli sings with that bright open tone that only Corelli would even try, scooping and sliding with a freedom that is almost shocking.  Villazon is covered, muffled, never quite opening up his voice.  Kaufmann hasn't the daring of Corelli--no one really does--but can get open when he needs to, can rise to the big occasion with wonderful vigor.  Is it fair to compare?  Everyone does it.
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