Six words would suffice to describe Jonas Kaufmann’s Melbourne début. He came, he sang, he conquered.

This was Kaufmann’s second appearance in Australia, after a gala in Sydney (repeated on August 17). It’s not often that an impresario or Opera Australia manages to lure a great tenor to this country. The inimitable Carlo Bergonzi visited in 1979 and gave a masterclass in tenor singing to about 300 noisy adorers at the Palais. Luciano Pavarotti followed in 1983; he brought a pianist, his Mimi of the moment, and a light program consisting mostly of songs.