With Magische Tone, Jonas Kaufmann returns to the world of operetta and late Romantic opera, presenting a collection of some of the genre's most beautiful and beloved melodies. Recorded in Budapest with the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra under the baton of Dirk Kaftan, the album celebrates the rich musical heritage of the Austro Hungarian Empire (1867-1918). The new recording brings together perennial favourites by Emmerich Kalman, Franz Lehar, and Paul Abraham, alongside lesser known treasures such as Bob's entrance aria from Jeno Huszka's (Bob Herceg). Several duets enrich the programme further, including the sparkling "Komm mit nach Varasdin" from Grafin Mariza, performed with soprano Nikola Hillebrand, one of today's most sought after voices. Among the collection's highlights are the two opera arias "Hazam, hazam" from Ferenc Erkel's Bank ban and the album's title track, "Magische Tone" from Karl Goldmark's Die Konigin von Saba. These works demonstrate Kaufmann's versatility across contrasting styles and vocal demands, resulting in a glowing tribute to a cosmopolitan era of European music.
CD + DVD. Jonas Kaufmann's latest album brings together two of Schumann's most profound song cycles-Dichterliebe and Kerner-Lieder-performed with exceptional sensitivity and vocal finesse. Accompanied by pianist and long-term collaborator Helmut Deutsch, Kaufmann explores the emotional and poetic nuances of these Romantic masterpieces. These works are complemented by "Doppelganger", a strikingly original stage adaptation of Schubert's Schwanengesang (Swan Songs), directed by Claus Guth. This production reimagines the cycle through a contemporary theatrical lens, adding a powerful visual and narrative dimension to Schubert's final songs. As a special bonus, the release includes six previously unreleased recordings from Kaufmann's private archive: selections from Dichterliebe recorded in 1994 during his student years. The DVD features the acclaimed theatrical production of Doppelganger, directed by Claus Guth and staged at the Park Avenue Armory in New York. Taking it's name from the final song, "Der Doppelganger"-in which a soldier confronts the haunting realization that he did not survive the war-this Armory commission poignantly explores the longing for life's beauty and the idea that death is not an abrupt end, but a final, reflective journey.
Masterworks Wiener Philharmoniker & Yannick Nezet-Seguin Neujahrskonzert 2026 / New Year'S Concert 2026 / Concert Du Nouvel An 2026. For the first time, Yannick Nezet-Seguin will take the podium at the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Concert. The Canadian conductor, who has long been associated with the orchestra, is the Music Director of the Metropolitan Opera in New York and the Philadelphia Orchestra. In the Golden Hall of the Vienna Musikverein, he will present, alongside popular pieces such as "Roses from the South" and the "Fledermaus Quadrille", five new works being performed there for the first time - including compositions by the American Florence Price (1887-1953) and Josephine Weinlich (1848-1887), who founded Europe's first women's orchestra. The New Year's Concert is one of the biggest events in classical music; it is broadcast to over 150 countries and reaches more than 150 million viewers.
The annual New Year's Concert in Vienna has been a major event for more than eight decades, since 1939, broadcast on television and radio. The concert has so far been conducted by world-famous maestros such as Herbert von Karajan, Lorin Maazel, Claudio Abbado, Carlos Kleiber, Zubin Mehta, Riccardo Muti, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Seiji Ozawa, Mariss Jansons, Franz Welser-Most, Gustavo Dudamel, and others. As Austria's musical ambassadors, the Vienna Philharmonic sends people around the world a New Year's greeting in the spirit of hope, friendship, and peace - with lively and carefree yet nostalgic and profound music from the great repertoire of the Strauss family and their contemporaries.
CHOPIN ORBIT The eagerly anticipated second album by celebrated Japanese pianist and composer Hayato Sumino (aka 'Cateen') Available on CD & Vinyl. - Following the success of his acclaimed Sony debut Human Universe, Hayato Sumino-known globally as 'Cateen'-returns with Chopin Orbit, a conceptually rich and emotionally resonant album that places the music of Frederic Chopin at it's center. - Chopin, Sumino's favorite composer, has long been a gravitational force in his artistic life. That connection was first spotlighted during his standout performances at the 2021 International Chopin Competition and now takes full flight in Chopin Orbit. This unique collection features Sumino's original compositions inspired by Chopin's masterpieces, not as imitations but as creative echoes-melodies and motifs reimagined through the lens of a 21st century classical artist. - Included are pieces such as Chopin's Polonaise-Fantasie op. 61, Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Berceuse, and Raindrop Prelude, alongside Hayato's original works White Keys and Post Rain. Also featured are works by Thomas Ades, Leopold Godowsky, and Leos Janacek-highlighting Chopin's influence across generations
