Jonas Kaufmann Nails Mariah Carey’s Classic Aria, “All I Want for Christmas”
World-renowned German tenor Jonas Kaufmann truly hits the high note in his cover of Mariah Carey’s beloved aria, “All I Want for Christmas”, from his recently released album, “It’s Christmas!”
Kaufmann’s website describes the album as “a very personal selection of 40 Christmas songs.”
“The fact that he took the time to choose only the few songs that are most special to him means a lot,” said music enthusiast and longtime Kaufmann fan Hamala Kerris. “It’s nice to know that “All I Want For Christmas” is one of the 40 holiday songs and arias to which he feels a deep emotional connection.”
Kaufmann delivers Mariah Carey’s opening recitative primarily in Sprechstimme, a German vocal technique directly translated as “speech-song”. This makes it very clear to the listener from the start that Kaufmann doesn’t care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree, which could have been misconstrued with the addition of pitches.
“Jonas really connects with the aria’s text and takes it very seriously,” explained the album’s recording producer, Brian Taylor. “For example, he deliberately sings about Santa “Klaus” instead of Santa “Claus” because he knows from experience that Santa Klaus won’t make him happy, but he’s not really sure whether the English-speaking Santa Claus will.”
There’s not a moment of boredom in Kaufmann’s rendition. Questions like “What more can I do?” and “Won’t you please bring my baby to me?” are posed with a level of operatic fervour worthy of the Ring Cycle’s Immolation Scene. While Carey used General American pronunciation throughout, Kaufmann adds colour to his English lyric diction by also using Mid-Atlantic and British Received Pronunciation in various words and phrases. His tasteful alternations between pure straight-tone and Wagnerian vibrato are delightfully unpredictable. Yet even while building drama and keeping listeners on their toes, Kaufmann never sacrifices rhythm, and sings with the impressive accuracy of a human metronome.
The accompanying CD booklet reveals that in this album, “Kaufmann echoes his own holiday memories and joys.”
“Watching The Muppet Christmas Carol has always been an important part of Jonas’ annual Christmas experience,” shared Taylor, “and it’s heartwarming to hear the Kermit the Frog influence so clearly reflected when he sings this song. Particularly in words like “laughter” and “fireplace”.”
As the aria nears its close, we as listeners receive the greatest holiday gift of all: Kaufmann’s cadenza.
“Jonas Kaufmann singing a high C in falsetto is without a doubt the single greatest thing that happened to the world in 2020,” declared Hamala Kerris.
“I thought I wanted more for Christmas,” she confided, “But then I heard it and realized: nope, there is just one thing I need – and it’s that note.”
If you enjoyed Kaufmann’s interpretation of this aria, be sure to check out Italian soprano Cecilia Bartoli’s upcoming cover of “Santa Baby”.