Album review: Jonas Kaufmann, The Verdi Album (Sony)

Murder, humiliation, self-sacrifice, revenge … it’s all in a day’s work for Verdi’s heroes and villains, given voice on this full-throttle compilation by the go-to tenor of his generation.

And while Kaufmann’s “Vendetta” may sound more businesslike than bloodthirsty, these great Verdi moments, even ripped out of context, are believably dramatic.

With big moments from Rigoletto, Luisa Miller and La Forza del Destino, the 13 tracks also include less obvious choices. Joined to great effect for a scene from Il Trovatore by Erika Grimaldi, and by Franco Vassallo and Daniele Cusari for the scene and Act II duet from Don Carlo, Kaufmann is served well by the Orchestra dell’Opera di Parma, the woodwind particularly lovely.