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Biography
Jonas Kaufmann (born 10 July 1969) is a German operatic tenor . Although he has sung a variety of leading roles including both the Mozart and Wagner repertoire, he is particularly known for his performances in Tenor#Spinto_tenor|spinto roles such as Don José in Carmen , Cavaradossi in Tosca , Maurizio in Adriana Lecouvreur , and the title role in Don Carlos . http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/classical/article6740550.ece Profile in The Times
Early life and education
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 math entrance exams, in the summer of 1989 he began his vocal training at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München|University of Music and Performing Arts Munich . While studying, he sang some small roles at the Bavarian State Opera . He graduated from school in 1994.cite web |url= http://www.jonaskaufmann.com/de/aboutme/ |title=Uber Mich |work=Kaufmann website |accessdate=12 March 2011
In 1995, after a vocal crisis, 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."cite web |url= http://www.brianmicklethwait.com/index.php/education/the_teacher_who_saved_jonas_kaufmanns_voice/ |title=The teacher who saved Jonas Kaufmann’s voice |first=Brian |last=Micklethwait |date=14 February 2008 |accessdate=6 May 2011 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."Voigt, Thomas (2010). Jonas Kaufmann "Meinen die wirklich mich? ": Henschel Verlag GmbH & Co.KG. ISBN 978-3-89487-669-2. p. 52
Career
He began his professional career at Staatstheater Saarbrücken in 1994 http://www.deccaclassics.com/artist/biography? ART_ID=KAUJO Biography on Decca website and was soon invited to make debuts in German theaters such as the Staatsoper Stuttgart|Stuttgart Opera and Hamburg State Opera , as well as international debuts at the Lyric Opera of Chicago , Opéra National de Paris , and La Scala . He made his Salzburg Festival debut in 1999 in a new production of Ferruccio Busoni|Busoni 's Doktor Faust and returned there in 2003 as Belmonte in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Mozart 's Die Entführung aus dem Serail and for concerts of the Ludwig van Beethoven|Beethoven 's Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven)|Ninth with the Berlin Philharmonic .
He performed in Royal Opera House|Covent Garden in 2006-2007 in the role of Don José in Georges Bizet|Bizet 's Carmen to critical acclaim, and also sang Alfredo in Giuseppe Verdi 's La Traviata at the Metropolitan Opera and in Covent Garden in 2008. In May 2008, Kaufmann made his role debut as Cavaradossi in Giacomo Puccini|Puccini 's Tosca in Covent Garden, again to critical acclaim.Hilary Finch, The Times, Tosca at Covent Garden, 14 May 2008
In 2008-09 he performed Manon in Chicago opposite Natalie Dessay and in the title role of a new production of Lohengrin (opera)|Lohengrin at the Bavarian State Opera. He also sang Lohengrin at the Bayreuth Festival opening night performance of the 2010 season; the production was staged by Hans Neuenfels and conducted by Andris Nelsons .
His debut recording with Decca Records|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 Madama Butterfly for EMI.
In January 2010 he assumed the title role in Jules Massenet 's Werther at the Opera Bastille ; the performance was recorded and released on DVD in November 2010.
In April 2011 he returned to the Metropolitan Opera as Sigmund|Siegmund in director Robert Lepage 's new production of Richard Wagner 's Die Walküre the second part of his much larger work Der Ring des Nibelungen , scheduled to be presented in its entirety during the 2011-12 season. Metropolitan Opera Archives. http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/gisrch2k.r? Term=Kaufmann,%20Jonas%20%5BTenor%5D& limit=5000& vsrchtype=no& xBranch=ALL& xmtype=& Start=& End=& theterm=Ka%75fmann,%20Jonas%20%5B%54%65no%72%5D& srt=& x=0& xHome= http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/bibpro.htm& xHomePath= http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/ Kaufmann, Jonas (Tenor) (performance record) In September 2011, he underwent surgery to remove a lymph node from his chest. http://www.jonaskaufmann.com/en/4/#16 News: Surgery successful on Kaufmann's official website, jonaskaufmann.comWakin, Daniel J. (August 29, 2011). http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/29/the-tenor-jonas-kaufmann-keeps-plans-despite-surgery/ "The Tenor Jonas Kaufmann Keeps Plans Despite Surgery". New York Times http://blog.fujitv.co.jp/bologna/E20110823001.html Dear Friends - Open letter from Jonas Kaufmann published on the website of Fuji Television . "Lymph nodes" is written in the Japanese version. In December, he was back, performing the title role in Faust (opera)|Gounod's Faust . http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/season/production.aspx? id=11576& operainfo
Personal life
Kaufmann is married to mezzo-soprano Margarete Joswig. They have three children and live in Zürich , Switzerland.cite news |url= http://www.mercurynews.com/entertainment/ci_17504796 |title=Classical Music: Tenor, anyone? Opera golden boy Jonas Kaufmann finally sings in Berkeley |first=Cheryl |last=North |publisher=San Jose Mercury News |date=2 March 2011 |accessdate=12 March 2011
Schubert: Fierrabras (opera)|Fierrabras - title role
Marc Schubring : Cyrano de Bergerac - Christian
Smetana: The Bartered Bride - Hans
Verdi: La traviata - Alfredo
Verdi: Otello - Cassio
Verdi: Rigoletto - Duca
Verdi: Don Carlos - title role
Wagner: Parsifal - title role
Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Walther
Wagner: Die Walküre - Siegmund
Wagner: Lohengrin (opera)|Lohengrin - title role
References
Reflist
External links
http://www.jonaskaufmann.com Official Website jonaskaufmann.com
http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Kaufmann-Jonas.htm Jonas Kaufmann on bach-cantatas
http://www.jkaufmann.info Unofficial Website
Persondata | NAME = Kaufmann, Jonas | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH = 10 July 1969 | PLACE OF BIRTH = | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Kaufmann, Jonas Category:1969 births Category:Living people Category:People from Munich Category:German opera singers Category:Operatic tenors Category:German tenors
