Jonas Kaufmann Tenor

© Gregor Hohenberg

Biography

In the early years of his career, Jonas Kaufmann had strong ties with the Zurich Opera. In 2003, he made his debut at the Salzburg Festival in the title role of Tamino. His performance as Alfredo in La Traviata at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 2006 catapulted him into the international limelight. In 2010, he made his debut appearance at the Bayreuth Festival in the title role of Hans Neuenfels' production of Lohengrin.
He sang the title role in Werther at the Paris Opera and the Vienna Staatsoper, Don José in Carmen at Milan’s La Scala and the Salzburg Festival under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle, the title role in Faust at the Metropolitan Opera, Cavaradossi in Tosca at Covent Garden, the Metropolitan Opera and Milan’s La Scala, and Maurizio Count of Saxony in Adriana Lecouvreur at Covent Garden. He also appeared as Siegmund in Die Walküre at the Metropolitan Opera in 2011 and Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos at the Salzburg Festival in 2012.
In December 2012, he opened the season at Milan’s La Scala with Lohengrin. In 2013, he added three major Verdi roles to his repertoire: the title role in Don Carlo in Munich and Salzburg, Manrico in Il Trovatore and Alvaro in La Forza del destino in Munich. He also sang the title role in Parsifal at the Metropolitan Opera. In the seasons that followed, he took on numerous roles, including Des Grieux (Manon Lescaut) and the title roles in Andrea Chénier and Otello (June 2017) at London’s Covent Garden, Canio (Pagliacci), Turiddu (Cavalleria rusticana) at the Salzburg Easter Festival, and Radames (Aida) and Walter von Stolzing (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg) in Munich.
He has played Don José at the Chorégies d’Orange Festival, Des Grieux and Andrea Chénier in Munich, Florestan (Fidelio) in Salzburg, Parsifal in Sydney, and the title role in the French version of Don Carlos at the Paris Opera. He also performs in concert (Verdi’s Requiem with Daniel Barenboim conducting) and in recital with the pianist Helmut Deutsch (Winterreise). His discography includes numerous operas on CD and DVD, as well as the solo albums Verismo, Wagner, Verdi, Du bist die Welt für mich (devoted to light German music), Nessun dorma (opera arias by Puccini), Dolce Vita (Italian songs) and L’Opéra (arias from French operas).

Immerse in the Paris Opera universe

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