Jonas Kaufmann

By the early 2020s, German-born tenor Jonas Kaufmann’s balance of tonal warmth, silken phrasing, and melodic clarity had made him one of the most widely adored vocalists in the world. He was born in 1969 in Munich, and his passion for classical music evolved throughout his formative years, eventually inspiring him to switch from pursuing a math degree to attending the premier conservatory in his home city, the Hochschule für Musik und Theater. In 1998, less than four years after graduating, Kaufmann appeared as Ferrando in Così fan tutte (1790) in Milan, his first major production abroad. His premiere at the Metropolitan Opera as Alfredo in La Traviata (1853) in 2006 cemented his reputation as one of modern opera’s most formidable talents. His discography is as prolific and varied as his stage résumé, including song cycles by Mahler and Schubert—highlighted by penetrating accounts of Die schöne Müllerin (1824) and Winterreise (1828)— and collections of celebrated Italian arias. In 2020, he made a push for pop appeal with the holiday album It’s Christmas!, which was maligned by critics but proved so popular it was rereleased as a 49-track expanded edition the following year.