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Italian Arias and Blown Kisses: Jonathan Tetelman Makes His Debut at the Elbphilharmonie

As of: 4 July 2025, 4:40 p.m.

Some call the Chilean-American tenor Jonathan Tetelman the new star tenor, and a few even call him the new Pavarotti. On Thursday evening he made his debut at the Elbphilharmonie, the first of three concerts in Germany.

by Marcus Stäbler, Miriam Stolzenwald

The Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg is sold out to the last seat – and beyond. Some listeners are seated on the stage behind the orchestra. They have all come to hear the tenor Jonathan Tetelman together with the Hamburger Camerata under the baton of Frédéric Chaslin. The programme features tenor arias from great operas by Verdi, Puccini, Ponchielli and Mascagni.

Tingling – Almost to the Threshold of Pain

Jonathan Tetelman quickly makes it clear that a phenomenal singer with incredible radiance is standing on the stage. When he opens up in his singing, certain notes tingle on the eardrum in a truly wonderful way – as really only happens with the very best singers. That tingling just short of the threshold of pain: glorious! Yet Jonathan Tetelman also has a very beautiful dark colour, something baritonal, a warm grounding in the voice.

The Right Voice for the Italian Repertoire

Before Jonathan Tetelman began his career as a singer, he spent three years earning his living as a DJ in discos and clubs in Manhattan.

Tetelman shapes the arias with taste. His voice also has the sobbing quality that is essential for this Italian repertoire. He is not the type of tenor who shows off what lies in his throat; instead he sings with refinement and beauty. In this way he impresses the audience.

Tetelman has made an international name for himself, singing roles such as Alfredo in "La Traviata" or Pinkerton in "Madame Butterfly" at houses such as the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and the Metropolitan Opera. Above all, Jonathan Tetelman has made his name as a Puccini singer. Puccini was also on the programme at the Elbphilharmonie, together with other well-known arias. In the first half the tenor sings exclusively Verdi; in the second half, further Italian composers followed with Ponchielli, Mascagni and, at the end, Puccini. This is fitting, because he has exactly the right voice for this repertoire.

The Constant Switching Between Different Arias Was Tiring

As with most of these star evenings featuring famous singers, the patchwork programme is fundamentally somewhat difficult: excerpts from the most diverse operas are pieced together. A constant, at times wearying back and forth – not only in terms of content, but also on stage. The tenor sings an aria, then he leaves the stage, then the orchestra plays an overture or an interlude, then the tenor returns, there is applause again, he sings another aria lasting three or four minutes, exits again, and so on. In this way a truly grand arc of tension never emerges. It becomes tiresome over time, especially as the orchestra does not exactly cover itself in glory. That does not change the fact that Jonathan Tetelman sings each individual piece very beautifully in its own right.

A Storm of Applause from the Audience

The audience is enraptured by Jonathan Tetelman. Already after the first aria, a huge storm of bravos erupts, and even before the interval there is the first encore: Tetelman evidently has a great desire to sing the Verdi aria "Di quella pira" once more straight away. The good mood rises even further towards the end of the concert: at the final cry of "vincerò" in the aria "Nessun dorma", the audience's storm of applause surges into the orchestral postlude.

Charming Tenor Gestures

For the tenor Jonathan Tetelman the evening is a huge success, which he handles with charm and skill. He sings toward the different sides of the stage – now to the front, now to the left, to the right, to the back. At the end he blows kisses to the audience – one of many small tenor gestures that he incorporates in a very charming and relaxed manner. During an encore he walks past the people seated behind him on the stage and sings directly to them. He knows how to captivate an audience and visibly enjoys it. A magnificent debut.