Werther : Jacquot, Plasson / Paris National Opera, J.Kaufmann, S.Koch, Tezier, etc (2010 Stereo)(2DVD)

Jules Massenet: Werther - complete

Jonas Kaufmann
Sophie Koch
Ludovic Tezier
Anne Catherine Gillet

Orchestre de L'Opera National de Paris / Michel Plasson, conductor

Hard on the heels of a triumphant Lohengrin, Decca follows up with an equally astonishing debut performance from Jonas Kaufmann: Goethe's love-lorn hero Werther, in Massenet's romantic opera. His premiere appearance in the role, in Paris in January 2010, took the French operatic world by storm.

His performance was hailed by Le Monde: "Werther is portrayed by the tenor of the moment, the German Jonas Kaufmann. He brings to the part a sublime timbre (warm, at times 'baritonal' and musky), exceptional musicality, a very wide palette of tonal shadings and immaculate diction. Add to that his histrionic gifts and matinee-idol appeal and you've got a cocktail of qualities that rarely all come together at the opera."

He was supported by a superb French cast, including Sophie Koch as Charlotte and Ludovic Tezier as Albert, with the venerable Michel Plasson giving an expansive, lyrical interpretation from the pit.

Film director Benoit Jacquot’s attractive, straight-forward production, first seen at the Royal Opera House in London, focuses successfully on the various personal dramas of the opera.