KLEVEN, A.: Lotusland / Symphonic Fantasy / Skogens sovn / Sinfonia libera in due parti (Stavanger Symphony, Malkki)

The great Dutch conductor who died recently at the venerable age of 92 proved the old adage wrong. Recognised by his peers throughout his own country from his youth, Bernard Haitink spent most of his vast career in the Netherlands, first conducting the Dutch Radio Orchestra and then the prestigious Concertgebouw in Amsterdam for 27 years, with whom he made many legendary recordings for PHILIPS, DECCA and EMI CLASSICS, including more than 450 recordings of a wide range of composers, among which Bruckner and Mahler enjoy pride of place.

With his flattering physique reminiscent of a handsome romantic, German Jonas Kaufmann has successfully modernised the image of opera tenors, long considered as unrepentant tumblers… Beyond his powerful and versatile voice, Jonas Kaufmann possesses an immense repertoire in several languages, masters all styles of opera, from Wagner to Verdi or Puccini, and sings the lied or the French opera to perfection. A great admirer of Fritz Wunderlich, he started his career “the old fashioned way”, in a company touring around small German theatres before taking off on his own towards a prodigious career. After a chaotic year in 2017 due to a ruptured blood vessel on his vocal chords, Jonas Kaufmann seems to have fully recovered and is working on countless new projects. Qobuz looks back on his career, highlighting 10 albums.

Since its birth in 2007, Erased Tapes has made a name for itself as one of the most innovative labels of the last 15 years and enjoyed great commercial success. Although some fail to see past its neoclassical shopfront (Nils Frahm, Ólafur Arnalds), the London-based label explores the outer limits of ambient, electronica and experimental with a catalogue that's smoothly curated by the German Robert Raths. Qobuz takes a closer look.