Jonas Kaufmann and Diana Damrau

The Telegraph titled Jonas Kaufmann as "the world's best tenor". The singer has more than 70 operatic roles in his repertoire, which he has performed in the world's leading opera houses, such as Milan's La Scala, London's Covent Garden, Bavarian State Opera, New York's Metropolitan Opera, Opera Zurich, Paris National Opera and Vienna State Opera.

Jonas Kaufmann is esteemed in the whole world as the best contemporary performer of the lieder repertoire, especially the works of Richard Strauss and Gustav Mahler, whose songwriting is the pinnacle of this specific artistic genre. In particular, the recitals with his main pianist Helmut Deutsch are considered unsurpassed. His performances and recordings have earned him numerous honors and awards, including eleven ECHO/OPUS Klassik awards. A number of classical music magazines (Opernwelt, Diapason, Musical America, etc.) awarded him the title "Singer of the Year". He was appointed a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters and is a holder of the Bavarian Crown Order of Merit. In 2022 he received the title of Kammersänger and in January 2024 the highest French state award, the Legion of Honor.

Jonas Kaufmann performed in Prague at the invitation of the Nachtigall Artists agency for the last time in February 2024 in the completely sold-out Smetana Hall of the Municipal House. There, he paid tribute to the great composers of film music in the project The Sound of Movies.

The famous German soprano Diana Damrau, who has been performing on the world's leading opera and concert stages for two decades will be his partner in the March concert in Prague. Opera fans admire her great vocal skills at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Covent Garden in London, the Vienna State Opera, La Scala in Milan, etc. The Metropolitan Opera is the house where the soprano performed her most important roles, and thanks to Live in HD broadcasts, her vocal art is admired by opera fans all over the world. Diana Damrau is a Kammersängerin of the Bavarian State Opera and holder of the Maximilian Order for Science and Art, or the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. She was also voted "Singer of the Year" (Opernwelt, International Opera Award London, Opera News, Gramophone Editor's Choice).

Diana Damrau, too, devotes herself to lieder repertoire and has collaborated with Helmuth Deutsch for many years. Jonas Kaufmann and Diana Damrau's European tour in the spring of 2022 earned them the label "lyrical dream couple for German romanticism". The artists will come to Prague with "their" pianist Helmut Deutsch. The Viennese born artists is one of the world's best and most successful piano partners and accompanies the most renowned singers.

Program and cast

Diana Damrau – soprano
Jonas Kaufmann – tenor
Helmut Deutsch – piano

RICHARD STRAUSS (1864–1949)

Zueignung | Dedication
from the cycle Acht Gedichte aus “Letzte Blätter“, Op. 10 No. 1

Nichts | Nothing
from the cycle Acht Gedichte aus “Letzte Blätter“, Op. 10 No. 2

Die Nacht | The Night
from the cycle Acht Gedichte aus “Letzte Blätter“, Op. 10 No. 3

Die Georgine | The Dahlia
from the cycle Acht Gedichte aus “Letzte Blätter“, Op. 10 No. 4

Geduld | Patience
from the cycle Acht Gedichte aus “Letzte Blätter“, Op. 10 No. 5

Die Verschwiegenen | The discreet ones
from the cycle Acht Gedichte aus “Letzte Blätter“ Op. 10 No. 6

Wer hat's getan | Who did it?

GUSTAV MAHLER (1860–1911)

Des Knaben Wunderhorn | The Boy’s Magic Horn
(selection)

Rheinlegendchen | Little Rhine Legend
Des Antonius von Padua Fischpredigt | St. Anthony of Padua's Sermon to the Fish
Wer hat dies Liedlein erdacht? | Who Thought Up This Song?
Selbstgefühl | Self-assurance
Lob des hohen Verstandes | Praise of Lofty Intellect
Es sungen drei Engel | Three Angels Sang a Sweet Air

RICHARD STRAUSS

Wozu noch, Mädchen, soll es frommen | What is the purpose, my sweet
from the cycle Sechs Lieder aus “Lotosblätter“, Op. 19 No. 1

Breit über mein Haupt | Spread over my head your black hair
from the cycle Sechs Lieder aus “Lotosblätter“, Op. 19 No. 2

Ich schwebe | I float
from the cycle Fünf Lieder, Op. 48 No. 2

Heimliche Aufforderung | The Secret Invitation
from the cycle Vier Lieder, Op. 27 No. 3

Morgen | Morning
from the cycle Vier Lieder, Op. 27 No. 4

Cäcilie
from the cycle Vier Lieder, Op. 27 No. 2

Interval

GUSTAV MAHLER

Des Knaben Wunderhorn | The Boy’s Magic Horn
(selection)

Ich ging mit Lust durch einen grünen Wald | I Went Happily Through a Green Wood
Nicht wiedersehen! | Never to Meet again!
Der Schildwache Nachtlied | The Sentinel’s Nightsong
Scheiden und Meiden | Farewell and Forgo

RICHARD STRAUSS

Einerlei | Sameness
from the cycle Fünf kleine Lieder, Op. 69 No. 3

Nachtgang | A walk at night
from the cycle Drei Lieder, Op. 29 No. 3

Freundliche Vision | A pleasant vision
from the cycle Fünf Lieder, Op. 48 No. 1

Ich liebe dich | I love you
from the cycle Sechs Lieder, Op. 37 No. 2

Wie sollten wir geheim sie halten | How could we keep it secret
from the cycle Sechs Lieder aus “Lotosblätter“, Op. 19 No. 4

GUSTAV MAHLER

Des Knaben Wunderhorn | The Boy’s Magic Horn
(selection)

Um schlimme Kinder artig zu machen | To Teach Naughty Children to be Good
Verlor'ne Müh | Labour Lost
Starke Einbildungskraft | Strong Imagination
Aus! Aus! | Finished! Finished!
Trost im Unglück | Solace in Misfortune

Program is subject to change