Hamburg, 12th May  2013: On the occasion of the Hamburg Haven -Day the „Traumschiff“ („Dreamboat“) Germany hosted the first edition of the „Die Goldene Deutschland“ (“Golden Germany”) Awards. Among others, José Carreras, Jonas Kaufmann as well as the bestselling author Rosamunde Pilcher have been honoured for their special contributions to culture and audiences’ entertainment

Jonas Kaufmann and Anja Harteros. Foto: Catherine Ashmore

"For this revival of Nicholas Hytner’s 2008 production, the Royal Opera House has assembled an outstanding cast. The title role is one of many which Jonas Kaufmann seems born to sing, and his ideal combination of grandeur and vulnerability bodes well for his future Otello; his soft, lyrical singing is a wonder to hear, and his acting is utterly convincing, whether portraying this troubled character’s neuroses or avowing eternal love and friendship."

Melanie Eskenazi, MusicOMH

"First, there is Jonas Kaufmann in this title role. The voice of this German tenor is one of the wonders of the modern world. Combining a wondrously mellow tone with huge, apparently

The day after his Verdi & Wagner concert in the Royal Festival Hall Jonas Kaufmann has won best male singer and the reader's award at the inaugural International Opera Awards. The reader's award was voted for by readers of Opera Magazine. Best female singer went to Nina Stemme, best conductor to Antonio Pappano, best director to Dmitri Tcherniakov, Lifetime achievement to Sir George Christie.

Saturday, March 2 at 12 pm ET: See the Met's new production of "Parsifal" in the cinema of your hometown - live in HD. Choose your location to be directed to the movie theater partner site for information, performance start times, and ticket availability.

Jonas Kaufmann / Parsifal. Foto (c) Metropolitan Opera

After his concert in Phoenix, Arizona Governor Janice Kay (“Jan”) Brewer proclaimed February 24 as Jonas Kaufmann Day as did the Phoenix mayor Greg Stanton and the city council in a separate proclamations. The awards were given to him during the performance.

Kaufmann's live recording of the Petersburg „Walküre“ is No. 5 in the UK Classical Charts, his Wagner album No 1.

„One of the year's landmark classical recordings”

Andy Gill, Independent

“As the joke goes, I wish I could jack up the scorecard and give this CD an ‘11-11’.”

Robert Levine, classicstoday

“No Wagner tenor sings Lieder with such musicianship, colour and sensitivity. With this glorious disc, Kaufmann sets a standard for our time.”

Hugh Canning, The Sunday Times

“’A voice as soft as wild honey dripping from a tree’– Kipling describing Bagheera, the black panther in The Jungle Book; it could equally be applied to Kaufmann, whose baritonal timbre and almost smoky half tones make his Siegmund intensely masculine.

Mark Pullinger, opera britannia

“Much of the attention this release gets will focus on Jonas Kaufmann’s Siegmund, and rightly so because he is a marvel. He is now at the point of his career where his voice is perfect for the role of the Wälsung hero. … If the rest of the Wagner

Foto (c) Metropolitan Opera

“At 43 Mr. Kaufmann is in his glory, equally adept in German, Italian and French repertory. Handsome and limber, he is a natural onstage. The baritonal colorings of his sound, his clarion top notes, the blend of virility and tenderness in his singing, his refined musicianship — all these strengths come together in his distinctive Parsifal.”

Anthony Tommasini, New York Times

“Kaufmann is astonishing as Parsifal, singing effortlessly and with the radiant tone so rare in Wagner tenors.”

Manuela Hoelterhoff, Bloomberg News

“Vocally, he rises to the stirring climaxes in Act 2 with his customary thrilling tone, then seems to deliberately hold back in

The 55^th Grammy Awards held in Los Angeles crowned the new iMet "Ring“-production (DG, 8 DVDs / 5 Blu-ray Discs) as best opera recording of the year. The much debated Robert Lepage

The15th of February sees not only the Met Premiere of "Parsifal“ but also the release of Jonas Kaufmann’s much anticipated Wagner CD. Alongside excerpts of  „Tannhäuser“, „Siegfried“, „Walküre“, „Meistersinger“ and „Rienzi“ the CD contains the two-verse original version of the Grail narration from „Lohengrin“ as well as the Wesendonck Songs. Further two Wagner recordings with Jonas Kaufmann have also been recently

“In the title role, Jonas Kaufmann was in a class of his own, totally involved and giving a masterclass of daringly varied, sometimes mannered, vocal technique.”

Martin Kettle, The Guardian

„Kaufmann ist überhaupt der Star der Aufführung: Sein Tenor mit baritonalem Timbre, exzellenter Höhe und leichter Italianità auch bei Wagner-Rollen ist perfekt für den Lohengrin.“

Gert Korentschnig, Kurier

„In Kaufmann, il cavaliere, la recitazione è in perfetto accordo con il disegno vocale. Da un punto di vista tecnico Kaufmann è qualcosa di unico: controlla l'emissione illuminando o ombreggiando ogni parola, ogni frase. Con i pianissimi, le messe

With another 7^th of December approaching the Teatro alla Scala in Milano has opened another season, this time with a new production of Wagner’s Lohengrin, directed by Claus Guth and conducted by Daniel Barenboim. The first night has been broadcast live on RAI 5 and Arte / ZDF. The cast: Jonas Kaufmann (Lohengrin), Annette Dasch (Elsa), Evelyn Herlitzius (Ortrud), Tomas Tomasson (Telramund), Rene Pape (König Heinrich) and Zeljko Lucic (Heerrufer).

Fight scene act 1: Evelyn Herlitzius, Tomas Tomasson and Jonas Kaufmann. Photo (C) Monika Rittershaus

Bavaria’s cabinet minister for Europe, Emilia Müller awarded Jonas Kaufmann the “Bayerische Europamedaille” in a ceremony which took place on the 8th of October  in the Prinz-Carl-Palais in Munich.  The medal is awarded since 1990 in recognition of services rendered in promoting the reputation of Bavaria in Europe as well as promoting the European integration and collaboration in Bavaria.

Angela Gheorghiu, Jonas Kaufmann and Bryn Terfel as the leads and Antonio Pappano conducting – the two performances of “Tosca” at the Royal Opera House in July 2011 were by far the hottest tickets in town. For all who weren’t lucky enough to be there it has been captured on DVD and Blu-ray, released by EMI on October 12th.

Already seen by over a million people in the theatre and at cinemas around the globe, the Met Ring was filmed live in high definition and is now being released on both DVD and Blu-ray to launch Deutsche Grammophon’s celebration of the composer’s bicentenary year in 2013. James Levine, the Met’s longstanding Music Director, who has conducted 21 complete Ring cycles at the Met; and Fabio Luisi, the Met’s Italian-born Principal Conductor, who took over conducting the second half of the cycle after illness

After having premiered at the Salzburg Easterfestival and been heard in concert versions at the Berlin Philarmonie, this summer Simon Rattle’s “Carmen” production is back at the Salzburger Festspiele with Magdalena Kozena, Jonas Kaufmann, Genia Kühmeier and Kostas Smoriginas leading the cast. The recording, made in Berlin in April will be released by EMI on the 24^th of August. Exclusively in Salzburg it is already available from the 15^th of August.

Salzburg, 4th of August, 7:50pm – ten minutes before the start of Puccini’s „La Bohème“. Emergency call from the office of the Salzburger Festspiele: Piotr Beczala has fallen ill, is unable to sing Rodolfo and has just cancelled for tonight. How on earth to find a replacement within the next hour, who could save the sold out performance? Last hope: Jonas Kaufmann! In spite of having the

„Ideally cast“, „dream-debut“, „magnificent in sound and intensity“, „spectacular“, „virile, brooding and in magnificent voice“, „vocal testosterone“, „technically perfect, with impeccable diction and wonderful phrasing – Jonas Kaufmann’s sovereign performance as Bacchus in the new production of ‘Ariadne auf Naxos’ at the

Foto (c) Ruth Walz / Salzburger Festspiele

The Nationaltheater of the Bayerische Staatsoper is updating its seats. The old seats are being sold off and anyone can sponsor one of the new seats. Margarete and Jonas Kaufmann are some of the first sponsors for this BSO project. More information in the press release of the BSO.

The Winners of the ECHO KLASSIK Award 2012 have been announced. “Opera Recording of the year (19^th Century)” is Beethovens “Fidelio” with Nina Stemme and Jonas Kaufmann, conducted by Claudio Abbado (Decca).

After first rehearsals for the new production of "Ariadne" in Salzburg I'm looking forward to my open air concert in Linz on Saturday evening.

Jonas Kaufmann

Dear Friends,

before any more speculation and rumors get into circulation, I would like to inform you today that my forced break is as good as over. According to the results of my latest medical examinations, I am now well on the way to recovery, and so I will be able to resume my activities from the beginning of July. I am looking forward to the concerts in Linz and Munich, as well as the rehearsals and

After my appearance at the Champions League Final on Saturday night, it appears that some people were very surprised: how could I cancel several performances and concerts due to illness but still sing at the CLF? To avoid any further misunderstandings: I did not sing, but rather lip-synched to a pre‑recorded tape. Had the promoters insisted on my singing live there, of course I would have

Last December in New York Jonas Kaufmann received the Gerda Lissner Foundation Charity prize. The prize, in amount of 5.000 Dollar, is awarded yearly to an internationally renowned singer who in turn dedicates it to a social or artistic project of his choice. Kaufmann has donated the prize to the BSO's Children's and

Several clips from the live- streamed performance of "Don Carlo" (January 22nd) have been published on YouTube by the Bayerische Staatsoper, including the complete final scene.

Anja Harteros (Elisabetta) and Jonas Kaufmann (Carlo) in Verdis "Don Carlo", Bayerische Staatsoper München. Photo (C) Wilfried Hösl

Jubel, Bravogeschrei und Getrampel vor allem für Kaufmann und die Harteros … Die beiden Sänger haben schon in Lohengrin wunderbar mit einander harmoniert und sie boten auch diesmal Musiktheater in Vollendung.
Georg Freund, Der Neue Merker, 16.1.2012

Er sang die Titelrolle nicht als Tenor in Opernpose, sondern war bemüht, die charakterliche Labilität des Infanten aufzuzeigen, der mal bebend vor Angst zu Ebolis Füßen kauert, mal heldenmutig

New York, December 5th 2011: Musical America hosted its Artist of the Year Awards. Vocalist of the year is Jonas Kaufmann, who acknowledged the award as a sign that his vocal versatility is not only accepted but welcome in the States. “Now, I am not stuck in a corner as a ‘heldentenor’ or a ‘light Italian’ voice. I am having fun. I feel like I am in a dream, as if I’m entering another dimension. I hope to sit on this cloud for quite awhile.”

On December 10th the new production of Gounods „Faust“ had been transmitted live in HD to cinemas all over the world. To watch video clips from the dress rehearsal (November 25th) please click on the text marked in blue.

Jonas Kaufmann enacted the protagonist’s plight sensitively, shading the line with heroic ardour and exquisite finesse, as needed. He sculpted long pianissimo phrases that took our breath away, if not his.
Martin Bernheimer, Financial Times

Mr. Kaufmann, a Met superstar who recently performed a rare song recital on the Met stage, was a handsome, vocally splendid Faust. He sang the pensive and romantic passages with veiled dusky colorings and tender lyricism, and unleashed pent-up power in full-bodied phrases, capped by fearless high notes.
Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times

Jonas Kaufmann's darkly burnished tenor encompassed both the dramatic intensity and exquisite lyricism required of Faust. "Salut! demeure," his apostrophe to Marguerite's house, was a marvel

On the NEWS side you will find our little film (15 Minutes) which presents some highlights from the new Lied Recital, which Helmut Deutsch and I performed on July 26th in the Nationaltheater in Munich: Songs from Franz Liszt, Gustav Mahler, Henri Duparc and Richard Strauss. Between the songs you’ll hear some statements from Helmut and me. We hope that you like the new

London, October 6th 2011: In the category "recital" Jonas Kaufmann's album with Verismo Arias got a Gramophone Classical Music Award 2011. "The reason people will buy it is simply this - a great singing actor at his peak, singing very, very well", reads the statement of the editors of "Gramophone".

What tenor doesn’t dream of one day singing the big “hits” from the verismo era, thrilling pieces like “Ridi, Pagliaccio” (“Laugh, Pagliaccio!”) or Turiddu’s farewell to his mother from “Cavalleria rusticana”. I remember when I was a student, I used to think to myself: “Man, it must be awesome to be able to sing that stuff!” And it is. The recording sessions for my verismo album took place in Rome in May of 2010, and they were among the most beautiful experiences of the past season. With Antonio Pappano and the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia taking part, the whole project was under a lucky star right from the outset. It didn’t seem like hard work to us; we just had fun putting it all together.