Jonas Kaufmann is happy to go naked

Asked if he'd ever contemplate a nude role, Jonas Kaufmann responded that he wouldn't turn it down on principle, reports the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung.

David McVicar,  London is depending on you.

Comments

[FragendeFrau]

Hasn't he already? I thought the original Herheim Entführung opened with Belmonte nude, although quickly clothed. Bear in mind, I've only read this in German so I could have misunderstood. ;-)

[Diane]

Stand by for a lot of posts on this one, Intermezzo!

[FragendeFrau]

Sorry to comment twice in a row but I hope people will read the whole article after the headline catches their eye. His thoughts on regie are no surprise but he has several times now mentioned having to spend a lot of rehearsal time to bring a director up to speed on "what opera is". Can't help but wonder to whom this refers!

And I'm always happy to read about his love for his family because I'm an old softie about that.
******************************************
Intermezzo replies - For 'director' read Des McAnuff is my guess.

[Stephen]

If JK's views on Regie are as stated in the article, why does he sing in so many such productions?

[FC]

NUDITY IN LES TROYENS IS UTTERLY INAPPROPRIATE!

That said, I believe that the message and story of...say...Parisfal is best told in complete nakedness. It could be used as a metaphor (...or something).

François Girard TAKE NOTE!

[ChristinaLuise]

I like ;)

[Alexander]

I'm just curious - whether this picture depicts his happiness on the subject or what ? ;)

[Lily]

The truth is, we'd be disappointed. Erwin Schrott goes to the gym all the time, but Herr Kaufmann, while not the stereotypical overweight singer, does not strike me as buff. We are very demanding about the male physique nowadays. Better he should keep his clothes on and retain retain the allure of mystery.

[SopranoLili]

LOL... Can't count on the Paris Opera for this, looks more like something you could get in a Eurotrash German prod! Tickets would be had to get!

[Diane]

Agree totally on "Les Troyens". However, anything that relieves the tedium of "Parsifal" has to be a bonus. Early teenage exposure to "Parsifal" and "Rienzi" (!) is probably what turned me into a life-long Wagner hater.

[Manou]

Will his teeth go naked too?

[DESR]

Steady on, girls! Better not to torture yourselves with the thought, however exquisitely...

[amac4165]

I think we can leave this one to the ladies ...

[Liane Bierau]

I could not agree more with Lily. Since he is no athlete as Schrott and Alagna it would be much better for him to keep the allure of mystery.

[Andres]

The only mistery I'd like to solve is whether the carpet matches the curly curtains.

[May]

Well, I don't think it does, the clips of Carmen where there is a bit of chest exposure, there is no carpet!

[Alexandra]

May, somehow I don't think Andres was referring to chest hair. As to his undeveloped state, I seem to recall his saying in an interview that overdeveloped abdominals would interfere with his breathe control.

[Alexandra]

Um...that's "breath" control. Mind wandered a bit.

[Sheila]

Quite a few minds have wandered on this thread.

[FC]

Wait...did you just call Alagna an athlete?!? Like, ROBERTO ALAGNA?!?!

[Liane Bierau]

@FC Yes, I did mean Roberto Alagna whom I have seen jumping on a table which was at least 75 cms high without using either of his hands and across same table with using one hand. This he did in 2009 second act Carmen in London, and I call this athletic and have never seen another singer doing this I believe he also joggs regularly. Perhaps your idea of athletic is different.

[DESR]

A bucket of water needed on this thread too...! It will be pistols at dawn soon between the Tenor Fan Clubs. Or should that be bristols at dawn? Oh god, now I'm at it...! [Enough: Ed].

[Alexandra]

What's a bristol? To me that's a paint color.

[DESR]

It's Cockney rhyming slang - Bristol City...oh do think about it.

[Diane]

Well, for me a "bristol" is a visiting card - on second thoughts, forget I said that! Hmm, "JK is happy to go naked" - 24 replies - "Pectacular Don (with photographic evidence)" - 16 replies - "Poplavskaya's Musetta Masterclass" - 1 reply. Do I detect a trend here?!

[Andres]

Geez, I had to google that rhyming slang. Not easy to go from "Bristol" to "titty", DERS. I bet you'd 'get' Wieler and Morabito's Rusalka even from a upper slips restricted view bench.

[lois buxton]

I have had a good healthy laugh reading all the comments listed above and agree with some. If Angela Gheorghiu is correct I guess Des McAnuff is the one.
A couple of points: some people need to go to the gym, Mr. Kaufmann to my mind was lucky when the genes were distributed; he obviously does enough to keep trim. I wonder whether we are losing the plot a little as the most important things are the singing and acting; the clothing must compliment them and the story.
Anything else is a distraction. Lossie

[lossie]

I have found an article regarding the 2003 Herheim production and it refers to "body doubles".

[Lossie]

In reply to FragendeFrau Feb 24th

I have looked at a critique of the 2003 Herheim production and it refers to "Body Doubles".