Wagner: Mein lieber Schwan (from Lohengrin)

After the sensational success of his debut album ‘Helden’ (Heroes), Germany´s leading Wagner tenor - Klaus Florian Vogt - presents his first all-Wagner arias CD.

The album presents arias from the Wagner operas Mr Vogt has sung at famous opera houses around the world, including ‘Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg’, ‘Lohengrin’ (being his breakthrough success and most famous role at the Bayreuth Wagner festival), ‘Parsifal’ (new production at the Deutsche Oper Berlin 2012), ‘Walküre’ (new production of the ‘Ring des Nibelungen’ at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich).

The CD also includes roles Vogt has not sung before on stage, such as ‘Rienzi’ and ‘Tristan and Isolde’. Vogt is accompanied here by the acclaimed Finnish soprano Camilla Nylund and the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Jonathan Nott.

Klaus Florian Vogt sings in all major opera houses around the world. In 2013, he will star in a new production in Milan (‘The Flying Dutchman’) and will also perform at the opera houses in Barcelona (‘Rusalka’), Tokyo (‘The Mastersingers of Nuremberg’), Berlin (‘Lohengrin’), Munich (‘The Flying Dutchman’ & ‘Lohengrin’), Hamburg (‘The Mastersingers of Nuremberg’) and Helsinki (‘The Dead City’). He will also be on stage in Bayreuth in 2013.

Mr Vogt received the prestigious German Echo ‘Singer of the Year’ Award in 2012 for the ‘Helden’ CD.

“…the timbre rewards the ear with its clarity, youthfulness and affecting sweetness” International Record Review on ‘Helden’

“…delightful, fleet nimbleness…” The Independent on ‘Helden’

Jonas Kaufmann is now established as the most successful and versatile tenor of his generation, attracting rave reviews for his live performances and recordings.

Following the international success of Romantic Arias, Jonas Kaufmann returns with this album of outstanding arias from German opera; music of his homeland which he grew up hearing.

The great opera conductor Claudio Abbado directs the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Arnold Schoenberg Chor in his first ever vocal recital recording for Decca, and his first Decca recording for almost 40 years.

The album cover shows Jonas Kaufmann as 'Wanderer' - inspired by the much-loved painting by German Romantic artist Caspar David Friedrich.

Jonas Kaufmann's recording of Schubert's great German song cycle Die Schöne Müllerin with pianist Helmut Deutsch, will be released in 2010. This album will be packaged as a 'sister product' to this album of German arias.

recorded in Bayreuth, July-August 1936

Zoran Todorovich is one of the most popular tenors of his generation, with roles ranging from Don José to Don Alvaro, Cavaradossi, Otello and Lohengrin. In this recording, he presents some of the most famous and important arias of the opera literature from operas such as Aida, Otello, Madame Butterfly, Manon Lescaut and Lohengrin.

Richard Crooks had a bright instrumental tenor voice, similar to that of John McCormack. His singing was characterized by his musicality, line and concentration of tone. His recordings are considered as examples of elegant singing culture.

By and large Gigli kept faith with those pieces he most enjoyed singing and that his public adored. ‘It was only through my audiences that this exercise of lungs, diaphragm and vocal cords became transmuted for me into a profound spiritual experience. Like a squirrel counting his hoard of nuts in the winter, I treasure their applause in my memory.’