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 started studying piano when he was eight, and he sang in his elementary school choir. Although he studied for mathematics entrance exams, in the summer of 1989 he began his vocal training at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich. While he was studying, he sang some small roles at the Bavarian State Opera. He graduated from university in 1994, achieving distinctions in both opera and concert performances.[4]
In 1995, Kaufmann received help from American baritone Michael Rhodes, who taught him a "new way of singing" and how to become "more relaxed in my voice and in myself."[5] In Kaufmann's book Meinen die wirklich mich? he said, "To find a Michael Rhodes that can really help you and bring you to success is really a great stroke of luck."[6]
He performed the role of Don José in Bizet's Carmen, to critical acclaim, at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in 2006/7. He made his debut as Alfredo in Verdi's La traviata at the Metropolitan Opera alongside Angela Gheorghiu in 2006, also to critical acclaim,[8] and also sang the role at the Met in 2007 and 2008, and at the Royal Opera House in 2008. In May 2008, he played Cavaradossi in Puccini's Tosca at Covent Garden, yet again to critical acclaim.[9]
In 2008/9, he performed in Massenet's Manon in Chicago opposite Natalie Dessay and in the title role of a new production of Wagner's Lohengrin at the Bavarian State Opera. He also sang Lohengrin on the opening night of the Bayreuth Festival in 2010, in a production staged by Hans Neuenfels and conducted by Andris Nelsons.
His debut recording with Decca, Romantic Arias, was released in January 2008. He has also recorded a Schubert song cycle on the same label and the role of Pinkerton in Puccini's Madama Butterfly for EMI.
In January 2010, he took the title role in Massenet's Werther at the Opéra Bastille in Paris. The performance was recorded and released on DVD in November 2010.
In April 2011, he returned to the Metropolitan Opera as Siegmund in Robert Lepage's new production of Wagner's Die Walküre.[10] In September 2011, he underwent surgery to remove a lymph node from his chest.[11][12][13] In December, he was back, performing the title role in Gounod's Faust.[10]
On 15 February 2013, Kaufmann made his first appearance in the title role of Wagner's Parsifal at the Metropolitan Opera. His performance received rave reviews from critics.[14] In July of that year he was named a Kammersänger of the Bavarian State Opera by the Bavarian Ministry of Arts. In December he sang the role of Don Alvaro in Verdi's La forza del destino with the company.[15]
In February 2014, Kaufmann sang the title role in Massenet's Werther at the Met. He followed this by touring with Schubert's song cycle Winterreise with Helmut Deutsch.[1] In June 2014, he made his debut in the role of Des Grieux in Puccini's Manon Lescaut at the Royal Opera House in London.[16] That November he sang the same role in another production of Manon Lescaut at the Bavarian State Opera.[17]
On 12 September 2015, Kaufmann became the first German singer to perform the British patriotic song "Rule, Britannia!" at the Last Night of The Proms.[18]
On 23 February 2016, the documentary Jonas Kaufmann: An Evening with Puccini was released in selected theaters in the United States. The film centered around Kaufmann's 2015 performance at La Scala in Milan and featured rare archive footage.[19][needs update]
In 2018, Kaufmann made his debut as Tristan in concert performances of the second act of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde.[20]
In 2021, Kaufmann gave recitals in Madrid and Vienna; sung in new productions of Aida in Paris and Parsifal in Vienna; and had his full role debut as Tristan at the Bayerische Staatsoper. Kaufmann also embarked on a tour of North America, accompanied by pianist Helmut Deutsch.[23]
Kaufmann commenced the year 2022 with a role debut as the titular role in Britten's Peter Grimes at the Wiener Staatsoper.[24]
In March 2022, a studio recording of Turandot was organized by Antonio Pappano at the Santa Cecilia auditorium. Jonas Kaufmann sang the role of Calaf for the first time there alongside Sondra Radvanovsky in the title role. A public concert was performed on 12 March 2022 in Rome.[25]
After Turandot Kaufmann undertakes a tour of eleven concerts of Lieder by Brahms and Schumann with Diana Damrau and her usual pianist Helmut Deutsch, in various European cities, including Berlin, Munich, Paris, London.[26] He made his role debut as Calaf (Turandot) in Rome with the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia orchestra, conducted by Pappano, performed Mario Cavaradossi (Tosca) at Teatro San Carlo in Naples,[27] the title role in Lohengrin at Melbourne Opera,[28] and made his operatic debut at the Arena di Verona, performing Radames in Aida.[29]
Kaufmann has been married twice. His first marriage to mezzo-soprano Margarete Joswig produced three children, and ended in divorce.[38][39] His second marriage is to the opera director Christiane Lutz.[40] The couple married in late 2018,[41][42] and have a child, born in March 2019.[43]
Angela Gheorghiu / Jonas Kaufmann / Enkeleida Shkosa / Fabio Capitanucci / Orchestra e Coro dell' Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia Roma / Antonio Pappano
2024: Schumann and Brahms: Love Songs (Jonas Kaufmann/Diana Damrau/Helmut Deutsch)
Repertoire
Kaufmann's repertoire includes the following:
ITALIAN
Work
Role
Venue
Bellini: Norma
Flavio
Solothurn (1996)
Cilea: Adriana Lecouvreur
Maurizio
Deutsche Oper Berlin (2010) London, London, Royal Opera House (2010) New York, Carnegie Hall (2011)
Donizetti: L’elisir d’amore
Nemorino
Staatstheater Saarbrücken (1995)
Giordano: Andrea Chenier
Andrea Chenier
London, London, Royal Opera House (2015) Bayerische Staatsoper München (2017) Théâtre des Champs-Élysées (2017) Barcelona, Gran Teatre del Liceu (2018) Wiener Staatsoper (2018) Sydney Opera House (2018) Arts Centre Melbourne Hamer Hall (2018)
Opernhaus Zürich (2005) London, Royal Festival Hall (2005)
Monteverdi: Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria
Telemaco
Opernhaus Zürich (2002)
Mozart: La clemenza di Tito
Tito
Stadttheater Klagenfurt (1999) Madrid, Teatro Real (1999) Salzburger Festspiele (2003) Opernhaus Zürich (2005) London, Royal Festival Hall (2005)
Mozart: Così fan tutte
Ferrando
Teatro Piccolo Milano (1998, 1999) Staatsoper Hamburg (2000) Wiesbaden, Maifestspiele (2000) Oper Frankfurt (2000) Tokyo (2000) Bayerische Staatsoper München (2001) Opernhaus Zürich (2005)
Mozart: Don Giovanni
Don Ottavio
Staatstheater Saarbrücken (1995) Bad Lauchstädt, Goethetheater (1996)
Staatsoper Stuttgart (2004) Opernhaus Zürich (2007, 2011) Staatsoper Berlin (2008) Großes Festspielhaus (2012) Bayerische Staatsoper München (2020)
Puccini: La fanciulla del West
Dick Johnson
Wiener Staatsoper (2013) New York, Metropolitan Opera (2018)
Bayerische Staatsoper (2022)
Puccini: Turandot
Calaf
Roma, Santa Cecilia, (2022)
Puccini: Manon Lescaut
Des Grieux
London, Royal Opera House (2014) Bayerische Staatsoper München (2014, 2015)
Puccini: La rondine
Ruggero
London, Royal Opera House (2004)
Puccini: Tosca
Cavaradossi
London, Royal Opera House (2008, 2011) Opernhaus Zürich (2009) Wiener Staatsoper (2009, 2016, 2017) Deutsche Oper Berlin (2009) New York, Metropolitan Opera (2010) Bayerische Staatsoper München (2010, 2013, 2016) Milano, Teatro alla Scala (2011) Staatsoper Hamburg (2018)
Teatro di San Carlo (2022)
Rossini: Il barbiere di Siviglia
Almaviva
Staatsoper Stuttgart (1999, 2000, 2001)
Verdi: Aida
Radames
Roma, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia (2015) Bayerische Staatsoper München (2015) Napoli, Teatro San Carlo / Piazza Plebiscito (2020) Paris, Opéra Bastille (2021), Wiener Staatsoper (2023),
Arena di Verona (2022)
Verdi: Don Carlo
Don Carlo
Opernhaus Zürich (2007) London, Royal Opera House (2009, 2013) Bayerische Staatsoper München (2012, 2013) Salzburger Festspiele (2013)
Verdi: Falstaff
Fenton
Opernhaus Zürich (2005)
Verdi: La forza del destino
Alvaro
Bayerische Staatsoper München (2013, 2014, 2015, 2017) London, Royal Opera House (2019)
Verdi: I masnadieri
Carlo
Filderstadt, Herbstliche Musiktage (2005)
Verdi: Rigoletto
Duca
Opernhaus Zürich (2005, 2007)
Verdi: Otello
Cassio
Lyric Opera of Chicago (2001) Paris, Opéra Bastille (2004)
Verdi: Otello
Otello
London, Royal Opera House (2017) Bayerische Staatsoper München (2018, 2019)
Verdi: La traviata
Alfredo
Staatsoper Stuttgart (2000, 2005. 2006) Lyric Opera of Chicago (2003) New York, Metropolitan Opera (2006, 2007, 2008) Opernhaus Zürich (2007, 2009) Paris, Palais Garnier (2007) Milano, Teatro alla Scala (2007) London, Royal Opera House (2008) Bayerische Staatsoper München (2009)
Verdi: La traviata
Gastone
Staatstheater Saarbrücken (1995) Solothurn (1996)
Verdi: Il trovatore
Manrico
Bayerische Staatsoper München (2013)
FRENCH
Work
Role
Venue
Berlioz: La damnation de Faust
Faust
Dresden, Musikfest (2002) Bruxelles, La Monnaie (2002) Amsterdam, Concertgebouw (2002) Genève, Grand Théâtre (2003) Berlin, Philharmonie (2003) Zürich, Tonhalle (2003) Bochum, Jahrhunderthalle (2004) Roma, Accademia di Santa Cecilia (2006) Wiener Staatsoper (2012) Paris, Opéra Bastille (2015)
Bizet: Carmen
Don José
London, Royal Opera House (2007) Opernhaus Zürich (2008) Milano, Teatro alla Scala (2009) New York, Metropolitan Opera (2010) Bayerische Staatsoper München (2010, 2011) Salzburger Festspiele (2012) Berlin, Philharmonie (2012) Chorégies d’Orange (2015) Staatsoper Hamburg (2019)
Opernhaus Zürich (2005) New York, Metropolitan Opera (2011)
Massenet: Manon
Des Grieux
Lyric Opera of Chicago (2008) Wiener Staatsoper (2009) London, Royal Opera House (2014)
Massenet: Werther
Werther
Paris, Opéra Bastille (2010) Wiener Staatsoper (2011) Mannheim, Nationaltheater (2013) New York, Metropolitan Opera (2014)
Thomas: Mignon
Wilhelm
Toulouse, Capitole (2001)
Verdi: Don Carlos
Don Carlos
Paris, Opéra Bastille (2017) Wiener Staatsoper (2020)
GERMAN
Work
Role
Venue
Beethoven: Fidelio
Florestan
Rheingau Musikfestival (2002) Stuttgart, Liederhalle (2002) Bonn, Beethovenhalle (2002) Opernhaus Zürich (2007, 2008) Paris, Opéra Garnier (2008) Luzern, Festival (2010) Bayerische Staatsoper München (2010, 2011, 2019) Les Arts de Valencia (2011) Paris, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées (2012) Milano, Teatro alla Scala (2014) Salzburger Festspiele (2015) London, Royal Opera House (2020)
Grafenegg Festival (2022)
Gastaad Festival (2022)
Beethoven: Fidelio
Jaquino
Staatsoper Stuttgart (1998, 1999) Milano, Teatro alla Scala (1999)
München, Prinzregententheater (1994) Stadttheater Würzburg (1997) Opernhaus Zürich (2000, 2002, 2003, 2005) Salzburger Landestheater (2000) Berlin, Komische Oper (2002, 2003) Bayerische Staatsoper München (2005) Wiener Staatsoper (2006) New York, Metropolitan Opera (2006) Opernhaus Zürich (2007) Staatstheater Wiesbaden (2007)
Schönberg: Moses und Aron
Jüngling
Staatstheater Saarbrücken (1996)
Schubert: Fierrabras
Fierrabras
Opernhaus Zürich (2002, 2005, 2006) Wiener Konzerthaus (2005) Paris, Théâtre du Chatelet (2006)
Schubert: Des Teufels Lustschloß
Oswald
Jagdschloß Kranichstein (1997)
Schubring: Cyrano de Bergerac
Christian de Neuvillette
Staatstheater Saarbrücken (1995)
Strauss II: Eine Nacht in Venedig
Caramello
Regensburg (1993, 1994)
Strauss II: Die Fledermaus
Alfred
Staatstheater Saarbrücken (1995) Volksoper Wien (1997)
Strauss II: Die Fledermaus
Einstein
Semperoper Dresden (2018)
Strauss II: Die Fledermaus
Gast
Bayerische Staatsoper München (2008, 2012)
Strauss: Ariadne auf Naxos
Tanzmeister/Brighella
Staatstheater Saarbrücken (1995)
Strauss: Ariadne auf Naxos
Tenor/Bacchus
Salzburger Festspiele (2012) Paris, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées (2015)
Strauss: Capriccio
Flamand
Teatro Regio Torino (2002) Edinburgh, Usher Hall (2004)
Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier
Sänger
Festspielhaus Baden-Baden (2009)
Smetana: Die Verkaufte Braut
Hans
Oper Frankfurt (2006)
Wagner: Lohengrin
Lohengrin
Bayerische Staatsoper München (2009, 2013) Bayreuther Festspiele (2010) Milano, Teatro alla Scala (2012) Paris, Opéra Bastille (2017)
Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Walther von Stolzing
Edinburgh International Festival (2006) Bayerische Staatsoper München (2016)
Wagner: Parsifal
Parsifal
Opernhaus Zürich (2006) New York, Metropolitan Opera (2013) Wiener Staatsoper (2013, 2018, 2021) Sydney Opera House (2017) Bayerische Staatsoper München (2018) Wiener Staatsoper (2021)
Wagner: Parsifal
Vierter Knappe
Staatstheater Saarbrücken (1995)
Wagner: Tannhäuser
Walther
Opernhaus Zürich (2003)
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde (2. Akt konzertant)
Tristan
Boston Symphony Orchestra (2018) Carnegie Hall (2018)
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde
Tristan
Bayerische Staatsoper (2021)
Wagner: Die Walküre
Siegmund
New York, Metropolitan Opera (2011) Bayerische Staatsoper München (2018)
Wagner: Die Walküre (1. Akt konzertant)
Siegmund
New York, Metropolitan Opera (2011) Bayerische Staatsoper München (2018) London, Barbican Hall (2017) Gstaad, Menuhin Festival (2018) Gradenegg Festival (2018) Bayerische Staatsoper München (2021)