Jonas Kaufmann

Jonas Kaufmann, born on July 10, 1969, is a German-Austrian tenor opera singer. He is known for performing many different roles in opera. He sings in many languages during concerts and recitals each year. Some of his most famous roles are Don José in Carmen, Cavaradossi in Tosca, and the title roles in operas like Parsifal and Don Carlos.

In 2014, The New York Times praised Kaufmann, calling him a popular singer and one of the most important tenors of his time. His talent has made him a favorite in opera houses around the world.

Early life and education

Jonas Kaufmann was born in Munich. His father worked for an insurance company, and his mother was a kindergarten teacher. He had one older sister. He began studying piano at eight years old and sang in his school choir. In 1989, he started his vocal training at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich. While studying, he sang small roles at the Bavarian State Opera. He graduated in 1994 with distinctions in both opera and concert performances.

In 1995, Kaufmann received guidance from American baritone Michael Rhodes, who helped him improve his singing. Kaufmann later said this help was very important for his success.

Career

Jonas Kaufmann started his career in 1994 at the Staatstheater Saarbrücken. He soon performed in famous theaters like the Stuttgart Opera and Hamburg State Opera, and on international stages such as the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opéra National de Paris, and La Scala. In 1999, he made his debut at the Salzburg Festival in a new production of Busoni's Doktor Faust.

Kaufmann is known for many famous opera roles. He played Don José in Bizet's Carmen at the Royal Opera House, and Alfredo in Verdi's La traviata at the Metropolitan Opera. He also performed as Cavaradossi in Puccini's Tosca, and in many other famous operas like Lohengrin and Werther. His performances have been praised by critics around the world.

Personal life

Jonas Kaufmann has been married twice. His first marriage was to a singer named Margarete Joswig, and they had three children before they divorced. He later married an opera director named Christiane Lutz in late 2018, and they have a child together, born in March 2019.

Kaufmann holds citizenship in both Germany and Austria. He was granted Austrian citizenship in February 2021. He currently lives mainly in Salzburg.

Discography

Audio

DVDs

Jonas Kaufmann has performed in many opera recordings. Some of these include Monteverdi's Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria from 2002, Paisiello's Nina from 2002, and Beethoven's Fidelio in 2004. He has appeared in operas like Mozart's La clemenza di Tito, Bizet's Carmen, and Schubert's Fierrabras.

He also performed in Wagner's Lohengrin, Massenet's Werther, and Puccini's Tosca. Other recordings include Wagner's Die Walküre, Gounod's Faust, and Verdi's Requiem. Kaufmann has been part of many opera productions, showing his wide range and talent.

Repertoire

Jonas Kaufmann has performed many roles in operas. He sings in Italian, French, German, and English.

His Italian roles include performances in operas like Carmen and Tosca.

In French operas, he has played characters such as the main role in Werther.

For German operas, he has taken on roles including Parsifal and Die Walküre.

He has also performed in English-language operas.

Awards

Jonas Kaufmann has won many awards for his work. Some of these awards are the Gramophone Award, the ECHO Klassik, and the International Opera Awards. He has also been given special titles such as Kammersänger from Bavaria and Austria. In 2024, he became Chevalier (Knight) of France's Légion d'Honneur.

Literature

Here are some books about Jonas Kaufmann:

• Thomas Voigt wrote Jonas Kaufmann: In Conversation With, published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson in 2017.
• Thomas Voigt and Christine Cerletti created Jonas Kaufmann: Eine Bilderreise, published by Stiftung Colla Parte Basel in 2019.