Wien

The finest opera singers are entertainers at heart, and tenor Jonas Kaufmann is among the cream of the crop. Witness his ease and stylish manner with this charming album of Viennese classics, written during the heyday of the Austrian capital’s 19th-century light opera craze. His performances are perfection itself, his honeyed voice ravishing, and the orchestral accompaniment, courtesy of the Vienna Philharmonic, is a delight. After all, this is an ensemble with the music of light opera composers Johann Strauss, Franz Lehár, and more flowing through its veins. From the nostalgic, waltzing lilt of Johann Strauss’ “Wiener Blut, Wiener Blut” (also featuring soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen) to the final track, Georg Kreisler’s louche “Der Tod, das muss ein Wiener sein,” here’s musical confectionery at its best.

In an interview that serves as the booklet for this Sony release, tenor Jonas Kaufmann relates his various connections to the musical tradition of Vienna, including family vacations in Austria when he was young and close study of the music.