The revival of Stefan Herheim’s production of Peter Grimes at the Bayerische Staatsoper was a great success. Soloists, chorus, orchestra and conductor were ecstatically celebrated by the audience. “Einsame Klasse” (in a class of his own), was the headline in the Süddeutsche Zeitung, “With Jonas Kaufmann in the title role, ‘Peter Grimes’ becomes an hour of glory”.
The review in the web forum Klassik begeistert reads: “Kaufmann showed again this evening that he at the top in his field. The role – Britten once wrote it for his partner Peter Pears – is demanding and vocally in
the Heldentenor range. When it matters, Kaufmann sings strongly and confidently against the village community in the big choral scenes, but he also shows the great palette of his voice in the wonderfully intimate passages that border on the pianissimo. His acting is no less convincing. He is not only a gifted performer of the great heroes and lovers, but also of the desperate anti-hero.”
