Jonas Kaufmann: Tenor for the Ages


Jonas Kaufmann: Tenor for the Ages

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HE SINGS IN ITALIAN

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I think Jonas is a one-off.

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His voice has a power and a beauty combined.

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And he's so musical and speaks all these languages, and he's like...

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-He has it all.

-The thing about Jonas Kaufmann is that he's a

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phenomenally intelligent guy.

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He thinks about everything.

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I mean, of course he's a good-looking, very handsome tenor.

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Very often, they are fat or ugly

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not so good looking, and he has everything.

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Jonas has gone through a rough patch.

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I mean, he's not been well.

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So, there's a lot of expectation and we're all rooting for him, you know.

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Where he fits in the pantheon of the great tenors...

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..certainly he's one for the ages. No question.

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HE SINGS IN ITALIAN

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Jonas Kaufmann is arguably the greatest singer of his generation.

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At the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden,

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he's been tackling one of the most taxing roles in Italian opera.

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Verdi's Otello.

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In the final hour before going on stage,

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there was little peace in his dressing room.

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One thing in the fourth act...

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HE SINGS IN ITALIAN

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Yes, two times...

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Yeah, it just surprises you.

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It comes right... It comes right up-tempo...

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HE SINGS A NOTE

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-We've got to find a way to make that work. OK?

-Yeah.

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-Wah.

-Wah.

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HE SINGS SCALES

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HE GARGLES

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Hey, Jonas.

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Just try not to breathe.

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HE CLEARS HIS THROAT

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All this powder.

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HE SINGS IN ITALIAN

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That's dead easy. And I think these guys are correct.

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HE SPEAKS IN ITALIAN

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Yes, yes, yes.

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I started late.

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-I don't know why.

-You terrible man.

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I asked whether he can really...

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-Come in sooner?

-No, where it's supposed to be.

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Tony's encouraging him to come sooner.

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Oh, why?

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Otello is seen as the Everest.

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A role that requires a certain amount of self-torture

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and, of course, physically, that can cramp you up.

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HE CLEARS HIS THROAT

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It is lots of fun to play.

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Once you know how to deal with it vocally and how to somehow control

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your emotions, then it's fantastic.

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Well, have fun.

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-Yes.

-Have fun. I mean it.

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-Fun.

-Have fun. Well...

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Don't tell Maria!

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THEY LAUGH

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You always have fun with Maria.

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-PA:

-Calling for Otello.

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Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,

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this is your call for this evening's performance.

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No, no...

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Mr Atkins, Mr Kaufmann...

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..ladies and gentlemen of the chorus, actors, children,

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ladies and gentlemen of the orchestra, organ player,

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offstage trumpets and drums...

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..trap and balcony operators,

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wardrobe and wig staff for the actors' quick change.

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This is your act one call, thank you.

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-Vamos.

-Yep.

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Four minutes before the opera is due to start,

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Otello sets off for the stage.

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Nothing can be left to chance.

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HE LAUGHS

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His arrival as the victorious general will be precisely

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four minutes into the opera,

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with his song of triumph, Esultate - Rejoice.

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But the performance can't begin until he's in position in the wings.

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Only then can Shakespeare's arch manipulator, Iago,

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launch the evening's drama with the tumult of a storm at sea.

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CRASHING SCORE

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Backstage, one minute, 20 seconds after the start,

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the door from the wings flew open and Kaufmann in full costume

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sprinted away from the stage,

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all the way back to his dressing room.

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He had forgotten his sword.

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I said, "I'll be back in a sec," and they were under shock.

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I mean, everyone, the dresser,

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the make-up lady,

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the stagehands, the stage managers, they just thought,

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"He's never going to make it."

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THEY SING:

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I mean, I know the opera well enough to know that if I really run up and

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run down, I'm going to make it in time.

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Maybe with a little sweat on the forehead,

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but no-one will notice that.

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You come from a battlefield, obviously you can be out of breath.

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Why not?

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THEY SING IN ITALIAN

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HE SINGS IN ITALIAN

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You missed me in the dressing room.

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I went back upstairs because I forgot the sword.

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I just rushed up, got it and went directly on stage.

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How many seconds did you have before you had to start singing?

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I don't know. I mean, I didn't have to stop at all,

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I could just easily go in and...

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..start!

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Kaufmann is not a man to lose his nerve, unlike some other singers.

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Neil Shicoff, he has this habit to just go...

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Not stopping from the dressing room and just goes straight on stage

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because it stresses him out to be on the wings waiting too long.

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That is actually not my problem but...

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..laziness obviously is.

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-It was stupid.

-Why didn't you go on without it?

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No, I cannot go on without the sword.

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I mean, Esultate without the sword...

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Few in his home city of Munich would accuse Jonas Kaufmann of being lazy.

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Across 18 months,

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he recently chalked up 13 different operas around the world.

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As well as dozens of concerts and song recitals.

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He is stopped by fans wherever he goes.

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He knows all about their mind-set because he is one himself.

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Mein Name ist Kaufmann.

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Ever since he was a boy, he has backed his home team Bayern Munich.

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-Das ist perfekt.

-On this occasion, he reckoned their opponents,

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Hamburg SV, were in for a roasting.

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Oh, here they are.

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HE LAUGHS

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And he was proud to show off the Bayern stadium.

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It is not bad, huh? Is it?

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A place most singers would run a mile from.

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Even if you come and you think, "Oh, I have to save some voice

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"because I have a rehearsal tomorrow," or whatever,

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you can't. I mean, you simply can't.

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I mean, everybody who is into football knows that this sport...

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You cannot stand still, you cannot just silently watch a game.

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Ja!

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Of course, I see myself screaming and shouting,

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and all those wrong decisions that you see from here much better than

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the referee sees.

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Hamburg played very bad.

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I mean, really, really bad.

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When you go to Hamburg for your recital in May...

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-Yeah.

-..perhaps they will hold that against you.

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Yeah.

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Possible. But I mean, come on.

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Just find a better team.

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In this game, the roasting by Bayern Munich was relentless.

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One more goal and their triumph was complete.

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HE LAUGHS

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Not bad. Well, even the most optimistic

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probably wouldn't have guessed on eight goals.

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I mean, they could have scored even more.

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They demolished them completely.

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Compared with the 75,000 fans in the stadium,

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the Royal Albert Hall in London boasts a mere 5,500.

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But on television and radio,

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millions more across the world were waiting for Jonas Kaufmann's

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star turn at the Last Night of the Proms,

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the first time a German singer had been booked for Rule, Britannia.

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Yeah, of course I know the melody.

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Of course, everybody knows Rule, Britannia,

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but I had no clue about the text. Honestly!

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All the other nations are not worthy and they shall fall to a tyrant,

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that is quite, yeah, strong!

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Well, I mean, some hundred years ago. Come on.

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He was very particular about the drive to the hall,

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to be sure he arrived after the audience were safely inside.

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Good evening.

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Hello. How are you?

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My goodness, they haven't even started and they're cheering.

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He always has fan mail waiting for him in his dressing room.

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But this time, a Rule, Britannia veteran had left him a present

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to set the tone of the evening.

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Get out of here!

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Boxers. This is perfect.

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Yeah, well, next time.

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The previous year, when I had been at the Last Night of the Proms,

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my wife had given me a pair of Union Jack boxer shorts, to give me

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inspiration for the evening.

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So I thought it might be a nice idea to continue this tradition.

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"I realise that these may not be the only underwear you receive from

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"strangers this evening."

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Excuse me.

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-Ha!

-I thought I'd start things off for him and just give him something

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to remember the UK by.

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"I just wanted to wish you all the very best for this evening.

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"Even if you tripped and fell flat on your face,

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"the audience will still love you."

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-That's nice.

-He must know, by this point,

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that his fans can get to him anywhere,

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so I hope it wouldn't spook him out too much.

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This is a very straightforward person but we have people that give

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you the impression that we know each other for ever.

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Because they've known me for many years and they've seen many

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performances, and I'm present in their living room when they put in

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the DVDs and everything, and suddenly, I don't know,

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they forget that I actually have no clue who they are.

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But, well, come on,

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this is an interesting effect that you have on people.

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Yeah, they keep forgetting that it's not real.

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Good colour.

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Lovely curls!

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Jonas. Zero five minute, four minute.

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-Thank you.

-Thank you.

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No, actually, something hardwood or something.

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But there's nothing like this.

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No, this is plastic, too.

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That's always dangerous, that you slip.

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I need some scratches on my shoes.

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Oh, yeah, that helped a little bit.

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KNOCK ON DOOR

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-Yes?

-Three minutes.

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All right.

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HE SINGS SOME NOTES

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Ready.

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HE SINGS IN ITALIAN

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CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

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It's amazing to have all these people standing just right next to

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the edge of the stage. It's fantastic.

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Is it intimidating?

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Not at all. There's a barrier!

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So they can't climb up.

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No. No, it's not.

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If an audience would be intimidating,

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I think you shouldn't be a performer.

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You unfold in front of an audience.

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It's very boring to sing in your dressing room.

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It's quite tough to do those arias one after the other like that.

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It's true. Yes. Talking about that, I probably have to go right...

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Have you checked your face?

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It was just a three-minute break and then he was back on stage.

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CHORUS SINGS

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CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

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-All right...

-Wow.

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I love the way you grinned at the end because you get such a kick out

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-of it.

-Absolutely.

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Absolutely. And I was really amazed that they all waited for the end

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because it is so often that some start to clap because they can't

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wait for it, then it all falls apart.

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But this time, they really held it.

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They kept it till the very last note and then, vam!

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This is probably how you feel when...

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..as a...I don't know...

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..a ski jumper or something,

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when you fly down to the stadium and you see all

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the crowd there, and then they see on the leaderboard that you have

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done the new record and then they are all like, "Wow!"

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What makes somebody stand out is ultimately, ultimately,

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is the quality of the voice.

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But what is the quality of the voice?

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Is it just what you're given by the guy upstairs?

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Or is it something that is raw potential

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that you then develop and hone?

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Ah!

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THEY LAUGH

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Because I think that's what it really is.

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And it is the personality behind the voice that is projected.

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-Would you be able to sign the programme?

-Of course.

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Thank you so much.

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That was fab. Thank you so much.

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-Brilliant.

-That was fabulous.

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The opera world has a certain stake in his success.

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You know, all the big opera houses certainly do, and you want somebody

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like that to succeed.

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At the peak of his success, Kaufmann and his partner,

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the opera director Christiane Lutz, live in Munich.

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It's where he was born.

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In his student singing days, the Cafe Luitpold was a regular haunt.

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But for years, he was a prophet without honour in his own city.

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Or his own opera house.

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I sang a total of four performances.

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Four performances in 15 years.

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So, obviously,

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it was not a good idea to live in Munich at that time because

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if you anyway have to travel so much,

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at least one of the places you're performing should be home.

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When I met Klaus Buchner in Munich, he said to me,

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"Why is it that you don't want to sing in Munich?"

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I said, "Who said I don't want to? "I don't get any jobs here."

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-They missed a trick.

-I mean,

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they really missed it because I debuted in 2004 at the

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Royal Opera House in Covent Garden,

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2006 at the Met, and that was it.

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Long before, La Scala and so on.

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So, every major house.

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Vienna, and so on. They all realised it except for Munich.

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THUNDER RUMBLES

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Eventually, the Munich opera house woke up to its mistake.

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He's now a regular and recently took the title role there in

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Umberto Giordano's opera about the French Revolution - Andrea Chenier.

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In rehearsals, Kaufmann took an interest in the working of the

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onstage guillotine. Not surprising, as he was the one to be executed.

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TRANSLATED FROM GERMAN:

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I hope the theatre's insurance policy is good.

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Well, I tried it the day before yesterday already.

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We had a first try and they showed me the whole system,

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and I'm very much into tools and technique,

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so I know that nothing can happen, and still it feels odd.

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When you turn around, actually, head up,

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and you see that thing coming towards you,

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it's really frightening.

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Even with all the precautions and all the security, knowing exactly

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nothing will happen, it is worrisome, very much worrisome.

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OK.

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Thank God I had a turtleneck.

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The main issue was what should happen

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in the final bars of the opera, after his execution.

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The original idea was to make a perfect copy of my head and

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show that to the audience. And first, they said,

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"Maybe it looks ridiculous because it's not perfect."

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Then they assured them that they are really capable in doing

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an absolute impeccable copy, which then worried them even more

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because then it means if they show the head to the audience,

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will the elderly ladies faint

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because they believe it really did happen?

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So then they called it off.

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They said, "No, no, we're not going to do it.

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"The guillotine's going to fall down at the very last second and then the

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"curtain comes." And then I think number four was, then they say,

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"OK, we'll do a head but we will only show the back,

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"so you can see the hair - this is enough."

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And now we're on version five, where again they are talking about the

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head being shown to the audience.

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I don't know what ultimately is going to happen.

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THEY SING IN ITALIAN

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It wasn't the only risk to Jonas Kaufmann's health in the past year.

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-Welcome.

-In early February,

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he arrived at the Barbican Centre in London for what they called

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the Kaufmann Residency -

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two orchestral concerts,

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a public discussion with young singers and, first up,

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a song recital that very evening with his pianist Helmut Deutsch.

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So, do you guys want to rehearse straightaway?

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Because at some stage, it would be good to just sit down and have a

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-quick chat with you.

-Yeah, we can chat.

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You see, I'm not intending to rehearse now for three hours.

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I mean, why would I?

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For the Barbican and for him, it was a high-wire act,

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especially since he'd been out of action for several months

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with a vocal injury. He had returned only two weeks before

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with performances of Wagner's Lohengrin in Paris.

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Lohengrin, you were singing lying down,

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looking up stage, on the floor, upside down.

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Yeah, this is the perfect start.

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I mean, it was really funny because the audience was like,

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"Is that really him? I mean, this is it?

0:23:320:23:35

"Yeah, OK."

0:23:350:23:36

And then I turned round and they said, "OK, it's him - he's back!"

0:23:360:23:39

There's a tremendous air of expectation around tonight

0:23:410:23:44

and I have to say, I have spent the last couple of weeks

0:23:440:23:47

fretting and watching what's happening in Paris with Lohengrin,

0:23:470:23:50

trying to get a sense of, "Is this going to happen or not?"

0:23:500:23:54

Here it makes noises.

0:23:540:23:55

And so, that's why we moved a little bit to that side.

0:23:550:23:58

The alternative would be to move to the other side,

0:23:580:24:00

which is fine with me, too.

0:24:000:24:01

Anything can happen. It's now five o'clock.

0:24:010:24:04

We've got another couple of hours.

0:24:040:24:06

And indeed, tonight is only the first of a number of events.

0:24:060:24:09

Anything can happen. That's our business.

0:24:090:24:11

You saw what happened with the piano.

0:24:110:24:14

PIANO NOTES PLAY

0:24:140:24:16

Let me try...let me try...

0:24:180:24:21

Give me five minutes or four minutes, is that OK?

0:24:210:24:25

I think I can change this.

0:24:250:24:27

First time in this hall,

0:24:270:24:29

first time with this piano and Kaufmann didn't stand back.

0:24:290:24:32

I mean, how complicated is this, to get this other piano up here?

0:24:320:24:35

It's not complicated but...

0:24:350:24:37

So, why don't we do that first?

0:24:370:24:38

-15 minutes or so.

-OK.

-Let's do that...

0:24:380:24:41

While you're doing this, I will do what I want to do.

0:24:410:24:43

Yeah, OK, you do what you want.

0:24:430:24:45

Exactly. So, in order to bring in the other one,

0:24:450:24:47

you need to clean this space?

0:24:470:24:49

Where is the lift? Oh, here, OK.

0:24:490:24:51

I didn't see it, that's why I've thought, "Wait, wait!"

0:24:510:24:54

-THEY LAUGH

-Wow, huh?

0:24:540:24:56

Let's say it's uneven and sharp.

0:25:080:25:10

The piano is new. It's not an old piano.

0:25:100:25:13

It's maybe four years old.

0:25:130:25:14

But still, you have to constantly keep it in shape.

0:25:140:25:17

Piano tuning, piano voicing is a dark art.

0:25:180:25:22

There is always a degree of subjectivity.

0:25:220:25:25

I've heard...one night, one pianist will say to me,

0:25:250:25:28

"Oh, that's a fabulous piano!"

0:25:280:25:29

The next night, a different pianist will say,

0:25:290:25:32

"That is a disgusting piano, I never want to touch it again."

0:25:320:25:35

I could live with both but, for me, this is the better piano.

0:25:350:25:39

OK. Fine. Decision made.

0:25:390:25:40

Excellent.

0:25:400:25:42

Sometimes, the very last note you have to hit

0:25:420:25:44

is one that doesn't sound nice.

0:25:440:25:46

It's just a shame because it can destroy the whole atmosphere.

0:25:460:25:49

But not in this case, hopefully.

0:25:490:25:51

HE SINGS

0:25:530:25:55

Helmut Deutsch has been Kaufmann's regular accompanist since his

0:27:050:27:08

student days in Munich.

0:27:080:27:11

The voice was light and very, very bright.

0:27:240:27:27

This famous baritone colour did not exist at all.

0:27:270:27:30

Very, very musical but the voice itself was not so impressive.

0:27:440:27:49

I wouldn't have given £1 for a huge career, not at all.

0:27:490:27:53

The young Jonas wanted lessons about German lieder and really grabbed his

0:27:530:27:58

attention with the song you brought from Schumann's Dichterliebe.

0:27:580:28:02

In my long, long career as a teacher, I had so many students,

0:28:020:28:06

I don't remember most of them when they came first but this,

0:28:060:28:09

I never forget because it was extraordinary.

0:28:090:28:13

I knew lots of opera, my grandfather was a big,

0:28:130:28:17

big Wagnerian, so I was listening a lot to Wagner, for instance,

0:28:170:28:21

and to Bruckner and to lots of symphonies and stuff like that.

0:28:210:28:25

But lied, classical lied, I didn't know that repertoire very well.

0:28:250:28:30

So I just picked a songbook that was at home,

0:28:300:28:35

probably 100 years old.

0:28:350:28:37

He chose one song from Dichterliebe, which was Ich Grolle Nicht,

0:28:370:28:41

which many tenors are...

0:28:410:28:44

..baritones even more, but tenors

0:28:440:28:46

are scared of because it has a high A.

0:28:460:28:49

HE SINGS IN GERMAN

0:28:490:28:51

And he gave this.

0:28:530:28:55

"That, please. I would like to sing Ich Grolle Nicht."

0:28:550:28:58

But it was a third higher.

0:28:580:29:00

He said, "What on earth is that?

0:29:000:29:02

"Where did you get that music from?"

0:29:020:29:04

He couldn't believe it.

0:29:040:29:06

So, he reached, in the end, a high C.

0:29:060:29:09

I sang a high C.

0:29:140:29:15

You know, I was completely innocent.

0:29:150:29:17

It was written maybe for high soprano.

0:29:170:29:19

Whatever. I didn't know. I just took it, I said,

0:29:190:29:22

"This is a nice song, I'm a tenor, let's do it."

0:29:220:29:26

What a crazy man.

0:29:260:29:27

But to have the courage to sing something a third higher than the

0:29:270:29:31

original, just to show off with the high C, was impressive.

0:29:310:29:36

JONAS SINGS SCALES

0:29:360:29:38

With the partnership of Helmut Deutsch,

0:29:380:29:41

Kaufmann likes to switch from the heroic roles of grand opera to the

0:29:410:29:44

intimacy of the song recital.

0:29:440:29:46

This is torture...

0:29:490:29:50

..around the neck. I always wonder

0:29:510:29:55

when singers will stop doing that.

0:29:550:29:58

Have you stopped? Ever?

0:29:580:29:59

No.

0:29:590:30:01

-Why not?

-If you have tails then you have to have tie.

0:30:010:30:05

He's so fantastic and he's coming tonight.

0:30:050:30:09

He hasn't cancelled.

0:30:090:30:10

That's a miracle.

0:30:100:30:12

He's fabulously handsome, wonderful on stage.

0:30:120:30:15

He looks like Jesus Christ, I always think.

0:30:150:30:18

It's really exciting that he's actually here singing tonight.

0:30:180:30:21

-KNOCK ON DOOR

-Yeah.

0:30:210:30:23

Hi, Jonas, ready to go when you are.

0:30:230:30:25

Yeah, good, good, good.

0:30:250:30:26

-Coming.

-At this moment, are you excited?

0:30:260:30:29

Are you looking forward to it, or do you get nervous?

0:30:290:30:32

No, it's not real nervousness. It's just a little bit of, yeah,

0:30:320:30:36

excitement, and the blood pressure goes up a bit, which helps you to be

0:30:360:30:42

right in character

0:30:420:30:45

for the...for the performance.

0:30:450:30:48

It's nothing to be worried about, usually.

0:30:480:30:52

There's a big gap between his age and my age,

0:30:520:30:54

and I'm honoured that I'm still his number one as a partner,

0:30:540:30:59

because he could be my son.

0:30:590:31:03

TRANSLATED FROM GERMAN:

0:31:030:31:05

Everybody is waiting to see whether he still deserves that title,

0:31:090:31:13

the world's greatest tenor.

0:31:130:31:15

He had no need to get the audience on his side,

0:31:180:31:21

but he certainly knew how to do it.

0:31:210:31:23

Hello, good evening, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Barbican.

0:31:250:31:28

Thank you so much for coming.

0:31:280:31:30

It's my first recital of a, well,

0:31:300:31:32

too-long gap that I had now and I just thought,

0:31:320:31:36

let's play it safe, so this will hopefully help me to not make

0:31:360:31:40

any, any, any mistakes ever and...

0:31:400:31:43

LAUGHTER

0:31:430:31:44

..if you wonder why I'm not standing dead centre,

0:31:440:31:46

there's also a reason for this.

0:31:460:31:48

We realised that the floor makes terrible noises just here.

0:31:480:31:51

LAUGHTER

0:31:510:31:53

Which is the dead centre.

0:31:530:31:55

And I said, probably too much sweat has been spilled here.

0:31:550:31:58

So we decided to go just a bit off-centre.

0:31:580:32:03

I hope you don't mind.

0:32:030:32:04

APPLAUSE

0:32:040:32:06

HE SINGS IN GERMAN

0:32:120:32:15

The last time Kaufmann and Deutsch had performed together was in

0:34:150:34:19

South America the previous August.

0:34:190:34:21

That was where Kaufmann noticed a vocal problem.

0:34:210:34:24

At first there was no cause for alarm,

0:34:260:34:28

but it turned out to be serious.

0:34:280:34:30

We had a recital in Sao Paulo, which went pretty well

0:34:300:34:34

and very, very good and the next one was in Lima,

0:34:340:34:39

and he didn't feel comfortable.

0:34:390:34:41

He said, "I don't know what... What's wrong?"

0:34:410:34:43

And two days later, it was Buenos Aires and it was up again

0:34:430:34:46

and it was very, very good, and then it was down again,

0:34:460:34:49

and then his doctor found the reason for this - Machu Picchu

0:34:490:34:53

in Peru.

0:34:530:34:55

After journeying to high altitude in the Andes,

0:35:000:35:03

Machu Picchu itself is 2,500 metres above sea-level,

0:35:030:35:07

the trouble with his voice began.

0:35:070:35:10

It ruled out all performances for a period

0:35:100:35:13

that, in the end, lasted five months.

0:35:130:35:15

It's very simple.

0:35:150:35:17

A tiny little blood vessel popped open, and vocal cords vibrate

0:35:170:35:22

so many times per minute

0:35:220:35:24

and they touch each other, each and every time,

0:35:240:35:26

and if something goes wrong there, it cannot heal on its own

0:35:260:35:33

when you don't know it and you don't leave it alone,

0:35:330:35:36

meaning when you don't shut up completely.

0:35:360:35:38

It was, step wise, it was not, OK, you have to rest three months.

0:35:490:35:54

It was OK, two weeks, maybe a little bit more, then another two weeks,

0:35:540:35:59

and then three weeks and then, no.

0:35:590:36:01

It was just

0:36:130:36:15

popping open several times and also, there, I wasn't singing at all.

0:36:150:36:20

You sit at the dinner table and talk to friends and from one second

0:36:200:36:24

to the other, you think, "Oh, what happened?"

0:36:240:36:26

It's just constantly... in this...treadmill,

0:36:340:36:39

waiting to finally find the exit.

0:36:390:36:42

Well, the one positive thing obviously was I was home

0:37:140:37:18

and I saw my kids much more than the last couple of years,

0:37:180:37:21

so it was a nice side effect,

0:37:210:37:23

but still, I preferred to have performed, I must say.

0:37:230:37:27

The repeated cancellations upset some of his fans,

0:37:290:37:33

who took to Twitter and online blogs to complain,

0:37:330:37:35

often in patronising terms.

0:37:350:37:38

You probably were aware of some of the social media,

0:37:380:37:41

which was quite unpleasant.

0:37:410:37:43

People who think singers should just battle on, they shouldn't cancel,

0:37:430:37:48

and people saying you hadn't learned the part,

0:37:480:37:51

or you didn't feel like singing.

0:37:510:37:53

What do you think when you read this sort of stuff?

0:37:530:37:57

Mind your own business, to be very frank.

0:37:570:38:00

How can somebody else, who never talked to me,

0:38:020:38:05

never saw me and doesn't know what my status is,

0:38:050:38:10

think they know better than myself or my doctors?

0:38:100:38:14

Of course people are disappointed and I totally understand,

0:38:140:38:17

but don't they think that I'm disappointed, too?

0:38:170:38:21

I mean, you do it because it's your passion,

0:38:210:38:23

and I did it because it's my passion. It's still my passion,

0:38:230:38:26

so why would I want to cancel something if I could do it?

0:38:260:38:31

Drei, zwei, eins!

0:38:310:38:33

CHEERING

0:38:330:38:35

With two of the four Barbican events safely navigated,

0:38:370:38:41

it was time for reinforcements.

0:38:410:38:44

Well, what does a singer do on a free day?

0:38:440:38:46

He goes to his supplier

0:38:460:38:49

to get some more junk food, to get going.

0:38:490:38:54

No, in my case, Fortnum & Mason's, for shortbread.

0:38:540:39:00

It's either gummy bears or shortbread.

0:39:000:39:03

Wow, that's what I call a selection of honey.

0:39:050:39:08

The buckwheat honey is one of the best...mucous relievers.

0:39:100:39:15

Stir it in some tea in the morning, you get rid of everything.

0:39:150:39:19

Shortbread. Mmm!

0:39:200:39:22

This is the traditional one that I know and this is called demerara,

0:39:220:39:27

and I have no clue what that means.

0:39:270:39:29

-Brown sugar.

-Brown sugar?

0:39:290:39:31

Ah.

0:39:310:39:33

Why don't they write "brown sugar"?

0:39:330:39:35

I didn't know. That's the one.

0:39:370:39:39

Mocha shortbread, amazing.

0:39:400:39:44

That should be enough for the next couple of concerts.

0:39:440:39:47

Yeah, come on, you have to be reasonable.

0:39:470:39:50

You can't just eat day and night.

0:39:500:39:53

I mean, I could, but...

0:39:530:39:55

It's just for performing.

0:39:560:39:58

Are you the great tenor, Jonas Kaufmann?

0:39:580:40:01

Yeah, I'm Jonas Kaufmann.

0:40:010:40:04

Could you take a photo?

0:40:040:40:05

Yes, of course we could.

0:40:050:40:06

Oh, thank you, thank you very much.

0:40:060:40:07

-Sure.

-Do you want to take the picture?

-Yeah. OK.

0:40:070:40:10

Press here.

0:40:100:40:11

-So then I probably turn it around, otherwise I can't...

-Yeah.

0:40:110:40:14

-Another one.

-Oh, thank you, thank you very much.

0:40:180:40:20

You are most welcome, sure.

0:40:200:40:22

Thank you...

0:40:220:40:24

Thank you, merci beaucoup.

0:40:240:40:26

The path to the top hasn't been easy.

0:40:260:40:29

20 years ago, with a punishing schedule as a young opera singer

0:40:290:40:32

in Germany, he found he was horribly in trouble.

0:40:320:40:37

I lost confidence, everything.

0:40:370:40:39

I even lost my voice on stage during a performance, I couldn't sing.

0:40:390:40:43

The conductor looked at me, like, "Hey, what's going on?"

0:40:430:40:46

I can't, I couldn't.

0:40:470:40:49

Kaufmann found a new teacher,

0:40:490:40:51

who showed him how to avoid vocal stress

0:40:510:40:54

by relaxing the root of his tongue and keeping his larynx down.

0:40:540:40:58

It was the making of him.

0:40:580:41:00

For the first time ever, probably, I had a reliable instrument,

0:41:000:41:04

even though it was still edgy and it was not round at all,

0:41:040:41:08

I could sing on and on and on and it wouldn't get tired.

0:41:080:41:12

The day after the second Barbican concert, all Wagner,

0:41:120:41:15

he had the opportunity for some maintenance.

0:41:150:41:18

OK, Jonas, tongue against your teeth.

0:41:180:41:21

Pushing through, perfect.

0:41:210:41:23

Good.

0:41:230:41:24

A little stretch there, you feel the pull round the corner of the jaw.

0:41:240:41:28

-Uh-huh.

-Sitting up.

0:41:280:41:30

Looking up for me.

0:41:300:41:32

Open wide.

0:41:320:41:33

It's an incredibly physical pursuit.

0:41:330:41:36

And, you know, the muscular work is enormous.

0:41:360:41:40

Like a sportsman, Kaufmann is alert to any hint of a physical problem.

0:41:400:41:44

Next one is Monday. So, I mean...quite some, yeah.

0:41:440:41:48

-The lung is a little bit...

-OK.

0:41:480:41:50

But it's also weather and everything.

0:41:500:41:53

Jonas is perceptive enough to realise that the larynx isn't moving

0:41:530:41:58

as freely as he would like.

0:41:580:42:00

Probably the best analogy is a sports car where the handbrake is on

0:42:000:42:04

slightly and you're just not getting the performance you would expect out

0:42:040:42:08

of the vehicle. It will still get you from A to B,

0:42:080:42:10

but what you're expecting

0:42:100:42:12

is something that is far more responsive.

0:42:120:42:14

Now, as soon as we release those tight muscles,

0:42:140:42:17

then the performance returns to the voice box.

0:42:170:42:19

Ah, wonderful, yes.

0:42:190:42:22

By pushing his tongue out, he's anchoring one end of his tongue,

0:42:220:42:27

which allows me then to stretch the base of the tongue,

0:42:270:42:30

which restores the mobility that we were talking about.

0:42:300:42:33

OK, good.

0:42:330:42:35

Right, lying on your back.

0:42:350:42:37

His reward, afternoon tea at his Westminster hotel,

0:42:370:42:41

where he briefed his press agent, Thomas Voigt,

0:42:410:42:44

ahead of the third Barbican event the following day.

0:42:440:42:47

Christiane was there, she watched it.

0:42:470:42:49

And I told her, just watch carefully, you can do it next time.

0:42:490:42:52

And she said afterwards in the cab,

0:42:520:42:55

"No, actually, I wasn't expecting it so close to the voice."

0:42:550:42:58

So I'm scared. I don't want to do it.

0:42:580:43:01

And that's obviously the reason why I go to this guy.

0:43:010:43:04

TRANSLATED:

0:43:040:43:06

This is clotted cream.

0:43:160:43:19

Cream?

0:43:190:43:20

-Divine.

-And honey?

0:43:200:43:22

Ay-ay-ay! Now we're talking. That's nice.

0:43:230:43:26

Wonderful. Fresh scones with clotted cream.

0:43:270:43:31

-Oh, yes.

-And strawberry jam.

0:43:310:43:33

That's the thing.

0:43:330:43:34

HE CHUCKLES

0:43:340:43:36

-Enjoy, sir.

-Thank you so much.

0:43:360:43:38

-If there's anything else, let me know.

-Thank you.

0:43:380:43:40

It's the healthy choice, I have to say,

0:43:400:43:42

but if I would allow myself to eat those every day...

0:43:420:43:45

..hell would break loose.

0:43:480:43:51

This is chicken curry.

0:43:570:43:59

This is egg salad.

0:43:590:44:01

This is tuna, this is cucumber.

0:44:010:44:03

And that's salmon.

0:44:030:44:05

Traditional. Dig in.

0:44:050:44:07

Clotted cream for everyone.

0:44:070:44:09

Yummy.

0:44:090:44:10

Next afternoon was his conversation

0:44:120:44:14

with students from the Guildhall School of Music,

0:44:140:44:17

but the morning brought unwelcome news for the audience.

0:44:170:44:21

We were a little anxious about today,

0:44:210:44:23

because we did wonder on Wednesday

0:44:230:44:24

whether there was a cold in the offing...

0:44:240:44:27

-Did you?

-There seemed to be a slight...

0:44:270:44:28

Well, we've been following his health online for months.

0:44:280:44:31

Also, we were sitting very close to the stage.

0:44:310:44:34

-How far have you come?

-How far?

0:44:340:44:35

From the South of France.

0:44:350:44:38

And we were really looking forward to this discussion.

0:44:380:44:41

Obviously, we're gutted,

0:44:410:44:43

not least because it's been extraordinary so far, I have to say,

0:44:430:44:46

as I thought it would be.

0:44:460:44:48

HE SIGHS

0:44:480:44:49

Singers are such delicate creatures.

0:44:490:44:51

Have you seen Jonas Kaufmann before?

0:44:510:44:53

-Yes.

-Where?

0:44:530:44:55

-A lot.

-All over Europe.

0:44:550:44:58

Switzerland, Germany.

0:44:590:45:01

Last time in Paris.

0:45:010:45:02

Last time in Paris.

0:45:020:45:04

London. Vienna.

0:45:040:45:07

The issue now is just to pray that Jonas is well

0:45:070:45:11

for the Strauss Four Last Songs on Monday.

0:45:110:45:14

Monday's concert was planned as the climax of the Kaufmann season.

0:45:140:45:17

The Four Last Songs by Richard Strauss

0:45:190:45:21

are a cornerstone of the soprano repertoire.

0:45:210:45:24

Nobody can remember them being tackled by a tenor before.

0:45:240:45:27

But at the start of the rehearsal on the Saturday,

0:45:290:45:31

it became clear that Kaufmann's health was still in doubt.

0:45:310:45:35

So I shall say hello from Jonas.

0:45:350:45:37

He just told me in e-mail, with a few marks,

0:45:370:45:40

which we can already put into score in our parts.

0:45:400:45:43

Where he takes breaths, where he wants to go on.

0:45:430:45:45

So I think it's a good sign for tomorrow

0:45:450:45:47

that he will be here at least...

0:45:470:45:49

Or at least on Monday evening.

0:45:490:45:53

I rehearse very often without Jonas.

0:45:550:45:57

And he comes just at the last moment.

0:45:570:45:59

So he just can arrive and sing and knows everything's prepared.

0:45:590:46:03

And I will do the same today.

0:46:030:46:04

And if he only can come on Monday night without a general rehearsal,

0:46:040:46:08

it's fine.

0:46:080:46:10

And again.

0:46:100:46:11

I think he's always cancelled quite a lot.

0:46:130:46:16

Singers have to look after their voices.

0:46:160:46:18

It's an instrument, it's their instrument.

0:46:180:46:20

It's the only one they've got.

0:46:200:46:21

He, I think, takes care of his to a huge extent.

0:46:210:46:26

If he's sick or if he really has no voice, I mean, to replace him...

0:46:260:46:31

With who?

0:46:310:46:33

I've heard some people say, isn't there enough tenor music?

0:46:410:46:45

Why does he need to steal the soprano music?

0:46:450:46:47

Well, first of all, it is not a soprano music.

0:46:470:46:50

It is a mistake.

0:46:500:46:52

OK.

0:46:520:46:54

In the first moment, I had no words for it, honestly.

0:46:540:46:57

Second, I'm not stealing.

0:46:570:46:59

It's not that sopranos are no longer allowed to sing that.

0:46:590:47:02

I don't have any exclusive rights on it.

0:47:020:47:05

It's written on the score for high voice and orchestra.

0:47:050:47:09

It's not written for soprano.

0:47:090:47:11

I'm capable in doing it all as written.

0:47:110:47:13

And I hope I can present that to you on Monday, as well.

0:47:130:47:18

Listen, it's his way of staying curious

0:47:180:47:22

and doing things that are unexpected,

0:47:220:47:25

you know? He's not just going to go down the same path

0:47:250:47:28

that everybody's gone down. And good for him.

0:47:280:47:30

Kaufmann did go to the Sunday rehearsal,

0:47:300:47:33

but by the time Jochen Rieder arrived on the Monday,

0:47:330:47:36

the cold had turned into bronchitis, and the bronchitis won.

0:47:360:47:41

So, where do we have to go?

0:47:410:47:43

Most difficult situation is for Jonas himself now.

0:47:430:47:47

Yeah. He so wanted to do it.

0:47:470:47:49

-I know.

-I actually thought he might sort of finally almost force himself

0:47:490:47:52

-to do it, which wouldn't have been good.

-OK, next time,

0:47:520:47:55

we have to be sure that he won't hug people.

0:47:550:47:58

I mean, fans or, you know...

0:47:580:48:01

I always compare that to sports.

0:48:010:48:03

Since singing is sport, because we do it with our body,

0:48:030:48:08

so what else would it be?

0:48:080:48:10

If I buy tickets for my favourite club and my players, I don't know,

0:48:100:48:15

whether it's Ribery or Robben or Muller or whoever, is injured,

0:48:150:48:20

you really think that I want my money back?

0:48:200:48:23

No. On the contrary, people say, "Ah, that poor creature, come on,

0:48:230:48:27

"six months now he has to go on rehab and it's just such a disaster,

0:48:270:48:33

"that poor guy."

0:48:330:48:35

No-one says, "Ah, why was he so stupid to get injured?"

0:48:350:48:40

The Guildhall's singers,

0:48:400:48:42

who'd volunteered for the conversation with Kaufmann,

0:48:420:48:45

were still bubbling about what they'd wanted to ask him.

0:48:450:48:47

You'd start with, "Oh, my goodness, it's you."

0:48:470:48:50

-And then...

-I'd probably ask for a selfie.

0:48:500:48:53

Oh, yeah, of course. That's good.

0:48:530:48:55

-Can I buy you a drink?

-Yeah, exactly.

0:48:550:48:57

He's someone who seems to have this raw emotion in his performances,

0:48:570:49:01

but it never, from the point of view of the audience or the listener,

0:49:010:49:05

it never seems strained for him, yet it's so powerful.

0:49:050:49:08

And I wanted to know whether that comes from the text and the words

0:49:080:49:12

or whether he draws from his own personal experiences.

0:49:120:49:14

We're constantly being told, you know, as a matter of fact,

0:49:140:49:18

for good technique, you should take the weight out of the top, right?

0:49:180:49:21

Or you should sing the top gently.

0:49:210:49:24

But he has such colossal high notes.

0:49:240:49:27

He has an incredible top, right?

0:49:270:49:30

How does he do this?

0:49:300:49:31

I'm really interested in how he's managed to keep

0:49:310:49:36

the tenorial qualities whilst having this dark sound.

0:49:360:49:42

The moment you overpower

0:49:420:49:44

a high note by putting too much pressure from the lungs,

0:49:440:49:48

to support it, it will make the sound smaller

0:49:480:49:53

and less beautiful.

0:49:530:49:55

And less rich in high frequencies.

0:49:560:50:00

And the dark side comes from the vocal cords,

0:50:000:50:04

and the brilliance in it comes from the right amount of air.

0:50:040:50:09

His breath control is something of wonder.

0:50:100:50:14

You know, singers need to use very, very little air but constant.

0:50:140:50:19

And the problem is, singers who get into trouble are using too much air

0:50:190:50:24

too quickly.

0:50:240:50:25

I wanted to know if he has a particular routine,

0:50:360:50:38

something that he does before he performs.

0:50:380:50:40

What would he usually do in the daytime?

0:50:400:50:42

Is it completely think of something else or is it looking over the score

0:50:420:50:46

-again?

-Do they want to take you for tea before the performance and you

0:50:460:50:49

don't have any time to, like, think of anything?

0:50:490:50:51

You're just chatting away to someone, like, you know,

0:50:510:50:53

how do you deal with that?

0:50:530:50:55

You see, the important thing is,

0:50:550:50:57

you should never be dependent on any routine,

0:50:570:51:01

meaning I cannot perform if I haven't done this and this and this.

0:51:010:51:05

I think that is wrong. Actually, the day of a show,

0:51:050:51:08

they all leave me alone, because they know I have a performance.

0:51:080:51:11

And it's a free day for me,

0:51:110:51:13

so I go for a swim, I walk, I go sightseeing.

0:51:130:51:16

In a way, being distracted is not a bad thing.

0:51:160:51:19

A few years ago, friends invited us on the boat and he wanted to swim...

0:51:190:51:24

I don't know how cold it was. ..in the sea, but it was not warm.

0:51:240:51:28

Of course not. He wanted to swim and he enjoyed it so much.

0:51:280:51:32

And three hours later, he was on stage.

0:51:320:51:35

But I know there's so many other singers, they never would do it.

0:51:350:51:38

At Covent Garden in the summer,

0:51:410:51:43

Jonas Kaufmann embarked on the title role of Verdi's opera Otello.

0:51:430:51:47

HE SINGS IN ITALIAN

0:51:470:51:49

Five weeks of intense rehearsal,

0:51:510:51:53

a major psychological challenge, as well as a musical one,

0:51:530:51:56

guided by the conductor Antonio Pappano

0:51:560:51:59

and the director Keith Warner.

0:51:590:52:01

Otello spars with his evil nemesis Iago, sung here by Marco Vratogna.

0:52:040:52:09

The challenge is to pace the drama without too much happening too soon.

0:52:110:52:15

Question - if that is loud already, what should...

0:52:150:52:17

I think, yeah...

0:52:170:52:19

HE SPEAKS IN ITALIAN

0:52:190:52:21

HE SINGS IN ITALIAN

0:52:210:52:25

Yes.

0:52:260:52:28

MARCO SINGS

0:52:280:52:30

And then you mock him.

0:52:300:52:33

JONAS SINGS

0:52:330:52:36

-OK.

-The problem is,

0:52:500:52:52

if we get too physical too soon, I mean, that's why...

0:52:520:52:55

Yeah, you shouldn't get physical. It's about words.

0:52:550:52:58

It's words at the moment, yeah.

0:52:580:53:00

I think it's important to keep Jonas stimulated musically,

0:53:000:53:05

dramatically, because he can take that little bit of information

0:53:050:53:09

and then build a house out of it.

0:53:090:53:11

THEY SPEAK ITALIAN

0:53:110:53:14

Iago professes his loyalty.

0:53:180:53:20

But Otello has to decide whether he's friend or foe.

0:53:220:53:25

Yeah, OK, good. OK, good.

0:53:250:53:27

TRANSLATED FROM ITALIAN:

0:53:270:53:29

Good.

0:54:010:54:03

-And I think what you...

-Jealousy is exactly what Iago is planting in

0:54:050:54:08

Otello's mind.

0:54:080:54:10

And let us see it work on you

0:54:100:54:11

step by step by step.

0:54:110:54:14

The suggestion is that Otello's new wife Desdemona is having an affair.

0:54:140:54:19

Yeah, exactly.

0:54:190:54:20

Becomes more and more horrible.

0:54:230:54:26

Otello is torn, but demands proof.

0:54:340:54:38

Yeah, very good. If you've done that, you should notice Desdemona,

0:54:520:54:55

come there and then turn him round on the "yoom-ploom".

0:54:550:54:58

She walks down stage looking beautiful.

0:54:580:55:01

And you just hold him there and if he tries to resist it, you know,

0:55:010:55:04

just hold him and whisper all this shit into his ear.

0:55:040:55:07

This dirt. Yeah.

0:55:070:55:10

It's OK.

0:55:100:55:11

This is the first big production we've done together and it's

0:55:410:55:46

extraordinary, the extent to which he's given to this, actually.

0:55:460:55:49

Time, a lot of care and a lot of good spirit.

0:55:490:55:53

I mean, he's also somebody in the room

0:55:530:55:56

that is sort of generous with other people.

0:55:560:55:58

The other day he was fixing one of the doors on the set.

0:55:580:56:01

I think this hinge is... broken a little bit.

0:56:010:56:04

It's just loose.

0:56:040:56:06

He seems to be interested in every aspect.

0:56:060:56:09

Stop, stop, stop.

0:56:090:56:11

Up there. It gets stuck.

0:56:110:56:13

In rehearsals, Kaufmann will often speak direct to the orchestra.

0:56:160:56:20

It can be a surprise for players

0:56:200:56:22

to find him trespassing on the conductor's turf.

0:56:220:56:24

Yeah. And then in good time.

0:56:240:56:26

Sorry. Be careful, everybody who has the...

0:56:260:56:29

Oh, God, semi-quavers? 16th?

0:56:290:56:31

-Yep.

-Each one is really individual.

0:56:310:56:34

So don't rush, don't be too early on the one end.

0:56:340:56:38

Because I also have to sing it, so I would do...

0:56:380:56:41

HE SINGS

0:56:410:56:43

So it's always very rubato.

0:56:460:56:49

But if you start too fast, then we're da-dee-da-dee-da-dee-da.

0:56:490:56:52

He's obviously very specific about what he

0:56:520:56:54

wants the orchestra to sound like. I don't think that's a bad thing.

0:56:540:56:58

It's good to have... As long as the conductor and him can agree.

0:56:580:57:02

Yeah, I'm not shy.

0:57:020:57:03

You see, I remember when I did that

0:57:030:57:05

the first couple of times with Jochen Rieder.

0:57:050:57:07

He was quite upset, because he said, "What are you doing?

0:57:070:57:10

"It's my rehearsal. And you tell me?"

0:57:100:57:11

And I said, yeah, OK. And I whisper it into your ears and you tell them

0:57:110:57:15

and then they don't understand, and we do it again and we do it again.

0:57:150:57:18

Maybe I'm impatient.

0:57:180:57:20

But I think it helps if you give them the right explanation.

0:57:200:57:23

It feels hesitant.

0:57:230:57:25

Has to be quite clear, the structure, otherwise it's like,

0:57:250:57:30

what's going on?

0:57:300:57:31

But once he saw me rehearsing with Tony Pappano, who he admires,

0:57:340:57:38

and I did the same thing,

0:57:380:57:40

he said, "OK, now I'm safe.

0:57:400:57:42

"If you do it with him, it means it's not only me."

0:57:420:57:46

OK, good. Thank you. If he's happy, we're all happy.

0:57:490:57:52

Amazing concentration, he has.

0:57:520:57:55

Amazing concentration on everything

0:57:550:57:57

and that's why I think this is one of his big powers,

0:57:570:58:01

this power to concentrate, it's almost like Zen Buddhism, I think.

0:58:010:58:04

Kaufmann and Eva-Maria Westbroek

0:58:040:58:07

were rehearsing for a concert in Amsterdam.

0:58:070:58:10

One of the highlights was the great love duet from Otello.

0:58:100:58:14

It came two weeks before the opera's opening night at Covent Garden,

0:58:140:58:17

with a different soprano.

0:58:170:58:19

TRANSLATED FROM ITALIAN:

0:58:300:58:32

This has to be quite surprising, this...

0:59:070:59:10

"Tuo" has to come out of nowhere.

0:59:100:59:12

I don't know. It's still not to scare her off, you know what I mean.

0:59:120:59:15

-Oh, no.

-That's why.

0:59:150:59:17

-We discussed it.

-It's the cor fremebondo.

-Yeah.

0:59:170:59:19

And these people, these people make trouble all the time.

0:59:190:59:22

Absolutely fabulous, Jonas.

0:59:430:59:45

At Covent Garden, Otello's bride

0:59:581:00:00

is being played by the Italian soprano Maria Agresta.

1:00:001:00:03

Jonas, she says, "Tell me the story,"

1:00:401:00:42

and then you remember the story.

1:00:421:00:44

And, "Yes, I'm a soldier," so that's one thing,

1:00:441:00:47

and you get into it in a positive way.

1:00:471:00:50

Here, and you "ingentilia", you beautified my story somehow.

1:00:501:00:57

You made them human, you made...

1:00:571:00:59

And this phrase is the deepest part of you somehow,

1:00:591:01:04

it's so beautifully written.

1:01:041:01:06

And so, take your time, is what I'm trying to say, OK?

1:01:061:01:10

THEY SING IN ITALIAN

1:01:101:01:12

Yeah, yeah, I need to take a breath before.

1:01:471:01:49

Yes.

1:01:491:01:50

HE SINGS IN ITALIAN

1:01:501:01:52

And then it's fine for the rest of the phrase.

1:01:551:01:57

It's not beautiful, though.

1:01:581:02:00

Yeah, but otherwise I have to breathe somewhere.

1:02:001:02:02

Why don't you say...

1:02:021:02:03

HE SINGS IN ITALIAN

1:02:031:02:05

Instead of going...

1:02:091:02:11

HE SINGS IN ITALIAN

1:02:111:02:12

Yeah, yeah, but I wouldn't do it that obvious.

1:02:121:02:15

THEY LAUGH

1:02:151:02:18

You can always cover it up with an emotional something.

1:02:181:02:21

Yeah.

1:02:211:02:22

HE SINGS IN ITALIAN

1:02:221:02:24

OK.

1:02:271:02:29

No, no.

1:02:301:02:31

I did two Ls!

1:02:311:02:34

To be discussed...

1:02:341:02:35

Jonas, a little portamento...

1:02:351:02:38

HE SINGS IN ITALIAN

1:02:381:02:39

The second one, Jonas, come on.

1:02:401:02:42

Thank you.

1:02:591:03:01

Wonderful.

1:03:171:03:19

Star.

1:03:291:03:31

Another star.

1:03:461:03:48

He tickles you...

1:04:261:04:28

LAUGHTER

1:04:281:04:31

Of course.

1:04:311:04:32

Yeah, yeah.

1:04:321:04:34

You know, isn't it funny that, Jonas, when you sing Peter Grimes,

1:04:361:04:39

and he says the Great Bear and the Pleiades, he talks about...

1:04:391:04:43

-Yeah.

-..same notes, same words, same key.

1:04:431:04:47

Yeah.

1:04:491:04:50

The part of Peter Grimes in Benjamin Britten's opera,

1:05:061:05:10

originally sung by Peter Pears,

1:05:101:05:12

is one that Kaufmann has had his eye on for some while.

1:05:121:05:15

In the thick of his Otello performances,

1:05:161:05:19

he travelled for the first time to the seafront at Britten's hometown,

1:05:191:05:22

Aldeburgh in Suffolk, and with Christiane,

1:05:221:05:25

visited the composer's house.

1:05:251:05:27

I think Peter Grimes is similar to Otello.

1:05:301:05:32

It's psychologically very dark.

1:05:321:05:35

It has many layers, it's an outsider.

1:05:351:05:38

You see, you have pieces

1:05:381:05:40

where you just want to do it because of the music,

1:05:401:05:43

because of the beautiful melodies and they have a crap plot.

1:05:431:05:47

Um, and...

1:05:471:05:49

..and you have parts where you know that the music is just not good,

1:05:491:05:54

but it would be an interesting part to play,

1:05:541:05:56

and then you have parts like Otello and, I think, Peter Grimes.

1:05:561:06:01

I mean, I haven't sung it so far,

1:06:011:06:03

I'm only looking at it all the time,

1:06:031:06:05

where you have both and I think that's fantastic.

1:06:051:06:07

So on here, Great Bear, Pleiades.

1:06:071:06:12

Sticking on one note for a very long time

1:06:121:06:16

and it's this famous E just as...

1:06:161:06:18

HE SINGS IN ITALIAN

1:06:181:06:20

Untypically for Verdi.

1:06:241:06:26

And here we have the same key and the same subject

1:06:261:06:29

so it can't be a coincidence, I think.

1:06:291:06:32

But also he wrote for Pears in mind,

1:06:331:06:35

so Pears had a very distinctive, I think, range.

1:06:351:06:38

Yes, that is true.

1:06:381:06:39

And I understand

1:06:391:06:41

-that for some tenors it can be a bit of a struggle with the break.

-Yes.

1:06:411:06:45

Exactly. I mean, this was probably his cream region,

1:06:451:06:49

whereas most other tenors are like, "Aggh, I can't."

1:06:491:06:54

I'm sure one day he will do Peter Grimes.

1:06:541:06:55

He's talked about it. It's the kind of thing which also is very

1:06:551:06:59

stimulating for a singing actor, but all in its good time.

1:06:591:07:03

My wish for Jonas is that, you know, to be patient.

1:07:031:07:07

There will always be a tendency

1:07:071:07:09

to absolutely devour everything that comes his way.

1:07:091:07:12

He already has other Britten music in his repertoire,

1:07:131:07:16

in particular the Seven Sonnets Of Michelangelo.

1:07:161:07:20

And he was intrigued why the differences

1:07:201:07:22

between the original manuscript and the final published version.

1:07:221:07:26

It starts on the downbeat...

1:07:261:07:28

HE SINGS IN ITALIAN

1:07:281:07:31

But here, it starts earlier

1:07:311:07:32

and the next phrase starts after the downbeat

1:07:321:07:35

and the next phrase starts after the downbeat as well.

1:07:351:07:38

HE SINGS IN ITALIAN

1:07:481:07:49

And suddenly it opens up to one phrase, which is pure beauty,

1:08:171:08:22

so you have all the time this nervousness...

1:08:221:08:25

HE SPEAKS RAPIDLY

1:08:251:08:28

And then suddenly...

1:08:281:08:29

HE SINGS IN ITALIAN

1:08:291:08:34

And it's just one, two bars and it's just immediately another world,

1:08:341:08:39

I mean, the sun opens, like, wow!

1:08:391:08:43

HE SINGS IN ITALIAN

1:08:431:08:44

And then of course you have the idea and you start writing and you're

1:08:491:08:52

running out of paper so you add half a bar,

1:08:521:08:55

so you don't have to write it again,

1:08:551:08:57

because you want to finish the phrase before you forget it.

1:08:571:09:01

HE SINGS IN ITALIAN

1:09:011:09:03

This is always a tricky moment to make this credible.

1:09:111:09:14

The whole plot of Otello turns on Desdemona's handkerchief,

1:09:141:09:18

a love token from her husband.

1:09:181:09:20

Iago will produce it as the apparent proof of her adultery,

1:09:201:09:24

but first, Desdemona has to lose it.

1:09:241:09:26

How, is the problem.

1:09:261:09:27

So you don't need to throw it.

1:09:271:09:29

Well, you can do, you can do.

1:09:291:09:31

Well, I mean, that's what it says.

1:09:311:09:32

That's what it says, I know, but it's, it's...

1:09:321:09:35

I think throw it back to her is what I would do...

1:09:351:09:38

-OK.

-..and then she just lets it go from there.

1:09:381:09:40

It just drops out of your hand.

1:09:401:09:42

THEY SING IN ITALIAN

1:09:421:09:44

It's a tiny detail, but critical to the plot

1:09:531:09:55

and takes up a quarter of an hour of this rehearsal.

1:09:551:09:59

And you then go and pick this up.

1:09:591:10:00

We're still with the hanky, I mean,

1:10:001:10:02

we both believe that she would take more care because, it's, I mean,

1:10:021:10:06

it's the symbol of the love, her love.

1:10:061:10:08

-It's really important.

-And everything.

1:10:081:10:10

Of my love, actually, to her.

1:10:101:10:12

Well, I tell you what, throw it down there.

1:10:121:10:15

-Me?

-Yeah.

1:10:151:10:17

You don't feel he's being argumentative

1:10:171:10:20

or difficult or anything.

1:10:201:10:22

You know he's searching to find out

1:10:221:10:24

what this is about and of course, you know, any director who thinks

1:10:241:10:27

you've got all the answers is a fool.

1:10:271:10:28

It's funny, I love the idea of her just...

1:10:301:10:31

it drops out of her hand, but, anyway, good.

1:10:311:10:33

Look, it doesn't... Guys, stay with it for a day or two.

1:10:361:10:38

If it doesn't work...

1:10:381:10:39

Because it's very clear here.

1:10:391:10:43

It is very clear, and what you're doing is very clear.

1:10:431:10:46

Yeah, yeah, no, no.

1:10:461:10:48

I changed position now in order to be able to...

1:10:481:10:51

Directors can very easily become intimidated by him.

1:10:511:10:54

Not by his manner,

1:10:541:10:55

but because he wants an intelligent conversation about what's actually

1:10:551:10:59

written about the text and about the music,

1:10:591:11:02

and I find that incredibly stimulating,

1:11:021:11:04

so he's terrific to work with.

1:11:041:11:06

You don't even notice it.

1:11:061:11:07

It drops. This is all such melodrama.

1:11:071:11:10

Stay with it, stay with it.

1:11:101:11:11

-Throwing hankies all over the place.

-Stay with it.

1:11:111:11:14

It's surprising that such a star,

1:11:141:11:16

he is not difficult at all, actually.

1:11:161:11:18

But he's also very clear about the things that are important to him.

1:11:181:11:21

I mean, you have to listen to that.

1:11:211:11:23

Very good. Tomorrow, we'll pick it up exactly from here.

1:11:231:11:25

-Yes.

-And carry on.

1:11:251:11:27

SHE SINGS IN ITALIAN

1:11:271:11:29

No, no, no. It's not this dropping that is necessary.

1:11:291:11:32

The only thing is that you forget about it.

1:11:321:11:34

The toughest role in Verdi would be enough for most singers.

1:11:371:11:40

Mm-hm?

1:11:401:11:42

HE CLEARS HIS THROAT

1:11:421:11:43

But, at the same time, Kaufmann met one of Wagner's big challenges.

1:11:431:11:47

At the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, he sang the love duet

1:11:481:11:52

from Die Walkure, with its hair-raising cries of "Walse!"

1:11:521:11:57

"Walse!" - you know, those two Walses, were just, you know... Ah!

1:11:571:12:00

I mean, he held them half an hour, you know.

1:12:001:12:03

It is sort of a tradition with that,

1:12:031:12:05

if you listen to the Melchior recording,

1:12:051:12:07

where he holds it for 11 seconds.

1:12:071:12:09

All tenors are like, "Oh, my God, he's...!" so everybody is...

1:12:091:12:14

Those Walses are famous for people wanting to show their big voice.

1:12:141:12:21

HE SINGS IN GERMAN

1:12:281:12:30

4.76.

1:13:001:13:01

Kaufmann insists it's not a stopwatch moment.

1:13:011:13:04

Actually it was nine seconds and then ten, in his case.

1:13:041:13:08

Rather, it's a big cry for help from Wagner's hero.

1:13:081:13:10

On the day before the concert,

1:13:131:13:14

Christiane's unexpected arrival was a relief from the hard sing.

1:13:141:13:18

Of course it's a hard sing, it's Wagner, what do you expect?

1:13:191:13:21

SHE SINGS IN GERMAN

1:13:211:13:23

HE STUMBLES OVER WORDS

1:13:231:13:24

You have to pace it,

1:13:241:13:26

you have to know that you need to have enough stamina and you need

1:13:261:13:30

to have enough power for that big phrase at the very end of the act,

1:13:301:13:35

because it is the climax.

1:13:351:13:37

That fantastic A natural, which seems like a high C,

1:13:371:13:39

because most of the role is quite low, so when that comes,

1:13:391:13:44

it's a tremendous challenge.

1:13:441:13:46

THEY SING IN GERMAN

1:13:461:13:48

It's fantastically written.

1:14:111:14:12

I mean, this build-up, and the way they recognise each other,

1:14:121:14:16

brother and sister,

1:14:161:14:17

but they immediately fall in love with each other and

1:14:171:14:19

they don't care. And this explosion of the orchestra at the very end.

1:14:191:14:24

It's so ecstatic.

1:14:241:14:26

MUSIC BUILDS

1:14:261:14:28

MUSIC STOPS

1:14:351:14:37

When you hear such great music, it's thrilling, thrilling, thrilling.

1:14:391:14:43

I don't know, it makes me crazy.

1:14:431:14:45

APPLAUSE

1:14:451:14:47

I get very excited and I think he does, too.

1:14:471:14:50

He's really a thinking man's tenor,

1:14:521:14:55

and yet he has this matinee idol delivery.

1:14:551:14:59

It's a wonderful combination

1:15:031:15:06

and that's what makes him so special,

1:15:061:15:08

and a singer like him so rare.

1:15:081:15:10

Amazing response.

1:15:141:15:15

Yeah, incredible. But, I mean, it's...

1:15:151:15:18

You see, I checked the facts, and it's 14 years ago

1:15:181:15:21

that I sang the last time here and still...

1:15:211:15:23

I was always praising this hall,

1:15:251:15:27

because it's so beautiful and the acoustic is so perfect.

1:15:271:15:30

I mean, obviously they're super-enthusiastic and everything.

1:15:301:15:34

But I have to say... Whoops.

1:15:341:15:35

Falls apart now.

1:15:371:15:39

No, we brought the house down, you see. Ha-ha!

1:15:391:15:43

He talks to the people, to everyone, and shakes hands, hugs,

1:15:431:15:50

gifts, flowers, whatever.

1:15:501:15:51

He's so nice. I mean, he's not arrogant, you know what I mean?

1:15:531:15:56

Running the gauntlet of friends and fans meant he and Christiane had to

1:15:561:16:00

move double quick to catch the flight to London

1:16:001:16:02

and a return to Otello in the morning.

1:16:021:16:04

HE SINGS IN GERMAN

1:16:041:16:07

It's very difficult, because our role is to facilitate the connection

1:16:171:16:20

between artist and public.

1:16:201:16:22

There are times, though, when we have to be a little bit careful

1:16:221:16:25

about stalkers and backstage security and so on.

1:16:251:16:28

An artist like Jonas is exceptional.

1:16:281:16:30

Occasionally, a fan does sneak into a rehearsal.

1:16:301:16:33

Stella Dixon from Middlesbrough had a ringside view.

1:16:331:16:36

-So I've now achieved my greatest wish in life at 73.

-Ha-ha!

1:16:361:16:42

-Come on, no. There is much more to come, don't worry.

-Honestly!

1:16:421:16:45

And do you want to make it even better and let me have a photograph?

1:16:451:16:48

I've got a little purse for you,

1:16:481:16:50

which is embroidered with your name on.

1:16:501:16:52

-OK.

-It's to keep... And it's the shape of a baby grand.

1:16:521:16:55

-And it's to keep your gummy bears in.

-Ha-ha-ha!

1:16:551:16:58

Do you know, my hands are shaking, look.

1:16:591:17:01

HE LAUGHS

1:17:011:17:02

And can I have one looking adoringly at you?

1:17:041:17:06

Actually, people want to know everything.

1:17:071:17:09

They want to be in the same room, they want to eat with him,

1:17:091:17:11

to dine with him. It's just another aspect of modern celebrity.

1:17:111:17:15

Even on stage, the adoration can become obsessive.

1:17:151:17:18

There has never been a performance of Tosca

1:17:181:17:21

like that in Vienna in 2016.

1:17:211:17:23

HE SINGS IN ITALIAN

1:17:231:17:25

It used to be quite popular

1:17:421:17:44

that people would ask for an encore, but...

1:17:441:17:47

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

1:17:491:17:52

..in this case, I was just blown away,

1:17:531:17:56

because I didn't make any arrangements with the conductor.

1:17:561:17:58

I just realised after a while, actually after about what,

1:18:031:18:07

five or six minutes in,

1:18:071:18:10

of applause, I can't get away without it, I mean, it's just...

1:18:101:18:14

And I had to start laughing.

1:18:141:18:16

And there's this moment where you can see me actually smiling,

1:18:161:18:19

because I thought, "Boy, I mean, this is...

1:18:191:18:21

"This is really happening."

1:18:211:18:22

I cannot stay longer in the part.

1:18:221:18:24

And, of course, that encouraged them to even clap more and cheer

1:18:251:18:30

and it was a really, really wonderful moment.

1:18:301:18:34

-Was this...?

-Because I still didn't know that the soprano wouldn't come.

1:18:341:18:39

This is a moment of great tragedy in the opera?

1:18:401:18:43

Yes. It is.

1:18:431:18:44

What can you do?

1:18:441:18:45

Did you tell the conductor we'll do it again?

1:18:491:18:51

-How did that happen?

-I nodded and he understood.

1:18:511:18:54

He said, "OK." So we actually go back

1:18:541:18:56

and they had to look for where to go and because, also for them,

1:18:561:19:00

it's not an everyday job to just jump back and play a bit again.

1:19:001:19:05

HE SINGS IN ITALIAN

1:19:081:19:09

To repeat a number, I love that, you know.

1:19:251:19:27

I mean, it rarely happens, but, you know,

1:19:271:19:30

there is an element of circus in what we do and it's great and...

1:19:301:19:37

..it's a sign of generosity towards the public, you know.

1:19:371:19:41

I think it's terrific.

1:19:411:19:42

I have no problem with those kind of conventions,

1:19:421:19:47

even though some people think they're tasteless.

1:19:471:19:50

HE SINGS IN ITALIAN

1:19:501:19:51

The trouble is that encores are not always popular with other singers.

1:20:071:20:11

This is the moment that his lover Tosca,

1:20:121:20:14

sung by the soprano Angela Gheorghiu,

1:20:141:20:17

is due on stage to rescue him from the firing squad.

1:20:171:20:21

And now I realise she's not there.

1:20:291:20:32

She's supposed to be here with the guards,

1:20:321:20:35

and this is when we actually embrace each other and I look over there.

1:20:351:20:40

I looked twice, I look three times.

1:20:401:20:43

I know she's not coming, and the conductor's still very confident,

1:20:431:20:46

because he hasn't looked up.

1:20:461:20:47

And, yeah, I have to stop him in some way.

1:20:491:20:52

Yeah. "Non abbiamo soprano!"

1:20:571:20:58

The funny thing is, you can still hear the violins,

1:20:591:21:04

because they are still in hope that it might continue.

1:21:041:21:07

Then he realises, there is no way, we have to stop.

1:21:071:21:10

WHISTLING AND APPLAUSE

1:21:101:21:12

It has become famous

1:21:121:21:14

and people have sent me T-shirts with that famous scene,

1:21:141:21:17

they have sent me scores where the line is corrected now

1:21:171:21:22

to the up-to-date version where

1:21:221:21:24

the tenor sings, "Ah, non abbiamo soprano!" and the opera finishes.

1:21:241:21:27

LAUGHTER

1:21:271:21:29

Then he spoke to the audience,

1:21:291:21:31

still hoping the performance could be rescued.

1:21:311:21:33

TRANSLATED FROM GERMAN:

1:21:331:21:35

APPLAUSE

1:21:421:21:43

Second time lucky.

1:21:451:21:46

Even if the embrace at the end came early.

1:21:491:21:52

Kaufmann remains diplomatic about what had gone wrong.

1:22:061:22:09

Did she ever explain?

1:22:091:22:10

No.

1:22:101:22:12

Not really. I mean, I don't want to get too much into it.

1:22:121:22:15

We are not in agreement whose fault it is, let's put it that way.

1:22:171:22:22

At Covent Garden,

1:22:251:22:26

everyone in Otello came on and off stage at the right time,

1:22:261:22:30

and the interval at least offered relief from the fans.

1:22:301:22:33

The conductor was naturally keen to protect his fingers.

1:22:331:22:36

You know, there is such a thing as too much exposure.

1:22:361:22:39

You know, some of us think, "Can't we do this in peace and quiet?"

1:22:391:22:42

But there is no peace and quiet any more.

1:22:421:22:44

Guys, leave him alone.

1:22:441:22:46

This is ridiculous.

1:22:461:22:48

Leave him alone. He's singing Otello.

1:22:481:22:50

Leave him alone!

1:22:501:22:52

-OK.

-Wait till I get undressed.

1:22:521:22:55

This is part of the BBC policy. Ha-ha!

1:22:551:22:58

Media has become such an important part of keeping the art form alive.

1:22:581:23:04

There's a tremendous outreach,

1:23:041:23:07

but the pressure on the artist is enormous.

1:23:071:23:11

You're dealing with a great star

1:23:271:23:29

and you know most of the audience

1:23:291:23:31

will be in love with him at the beginning.

1:23:311:23:33

Is that helpful to you as a director?

1:23:341:23:36

I'm not sure it is always helpful to Jonas,

1:23:381:23:40

because if you're in love with him,

1:23:401:23:43

it may be hard to take how bleak and terrible

1:23:431:23:48

the road this character takes is.

1:23:481:23:51

I mean, the abuse of Desdemona.

1:23:531:23:56

And it is marital abuse.

1:23:561:23:58

Iago's web of deceit has now wound Otello up

1:24:461:24:49

to wreak terrible vengeance on his innocent wife.

1:24:491:24:53

Marital abuse becomes murder.

1:24:531:24:55

I usually have no problem in slipping out of character.

1:24:561:25:00

The curtain falls and you're back in your private life,

1:25:001:25:03

but with this last scene, really, it holds on for quite a while.

1:25:031:25:07

You're always a little bit, yeah, in a strange mood.

1:25:071:25:11

There's a lot of emotion, a lot of violence, also, in the music,

1:25:241:25:28

and this is something that can really affect you and harm you,

1:25:281:25:31

because it is difficult to not get your voice affected too much by it.

1:25:311:25:36

# I love you. #

1:25:371:25:46

-TV PRESENTER:

-Jonas Kaufmann in You Are My Heart's Delight.

1:25:531:25:57

A sentiment shared by much of the audience here.

1:25:571:26:00

RAPTUROUS APPLAUSE

1:26:001:26:05

Lucky Jonas.

1:26:051:26:07

SHE LAUGHS

1:26:071:26:09

Oh, good Lord, this is getting out of hand.

1:26:091:26:12

Well, they threw these things on stage.

1:26:211:26:23

I don't know for what purpose.

1:26:231:26:24

I mean, of course, I'm very shy and innocent.

1:26:241:26:26

-Crazy, isn't it?

-HE LAUGHS

1:26:271:26:30

But a funny idea. I hope it was not a spontaneous decision.

1:26:301:26:33

All right.

1:26:351:26:36

Those are the ones that I'm going to throw now.

1:26:381:26:41

OK, I'll put them somewhere back here.

1:26:431:26:46

-Easy-peasy.

-That will be a surprise.

1:26:461:26:48

That will be a surprise, of course.

1:26:481:26:50

And I've got another one here.

1:26:501:26:51

My Bavarian flag.

1:26:521:26:54

Just in case.

1:26:551:26:57

# The Muses, still with freedom found

1:27:051:27:11

# Shall to thy happy coast repair

1:27:131:27:18

# Shall to thy happy, happy coast repair... #

1:27:181:27:23

He challenges himself to the limit.

1:27:231:27:26

I mean, when you look at the number of role debuts he has done

1:27:261:27:30

in the last seven, eight years, I mean, it's unbelievable.

1:27:301:27:34

The real heroic tenor roles.

1:27:341:27:37

The risks are enormous if you don't know what you're doing,

1:27:371:27:40

and so he's learned that, and I think he's very proud of that.

1:27:401:27:44

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

1:27:491:27:52

WHISTLING

1:27:521:27:54

When he leaves Covent Garden late at night,

1:28:011:28:03

Jonas Kaufmann has one final duty to perform.

1:28:031:28:07

One ticket for Otello, please.

1:28:071:28:09

Ha-ha-ha-ha!

1:28:091:28:11

He's in the same league as Luciano Pavarotti, or Placido Domingo,

1:28:111:28:15

and his career in his late 40s is still growing.

1:28:151:28:19

In a way, he's quite a late developer, isn't he?

1:28:191:28:21

Which is a very good thing.

1:28:211:28:23

We're looking for careers in this business that go on and on and on -

1:28:231:28:26

you know, the Lucianos and the Placidos.

1:28:261:28:29

Also, for selfish reasons, I want to continue working with him.

1:28:291:28:32

The two next big mountains I will have to climb

1:28:321:28:36

are Tannhauser and Tristan.

1:28:361:28:38

Apart from Wagner,

1:28:381:28:39

do you like the thought of doing crossover music?

1:28:391:28:42

What is crossover to me, what is crossover to you...

1:28:421:28:45

I mean, I cannot say no, under no circumstances,

1:28:451:28:49

because maybe, next week,

1:28:491:28:50

I meet a guy in a pub and we become friends and, ultimately,

1:28:501:28:54

I realise that he is a famous pop star

1:28:541:28:55

and we can record something together.

1:28:551:28:59

# Girls were made to love and kiss

1:28:591:29:06

# And who am I to interfere with this?

1:29:061:29:14

# Is it fair?

1:29:161:29:19

# Should I care?

1:29:191:29:23

# I'm a man

1:29:241:29:31

# And love them when I can. #

1:29:311:29:41

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