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Who is Jonas Kaufmann, the Teutonic opera singer often called ‘the world’s greatest tenor’?
29 November 2023, 16:08
Meet leading German tenor Jonas Kaufmann – one of today’s best-loved and most in-demand theatre singers.
Jonas Kaufmann is an internationally beloved opera star, often billed as ‘the world’s greatest tenor’.
Known for his astonishing vocal adjustableness, the German tenor has concluded in many of the world’s top opera houses, with ram 70 roles under his belt.
He is just as at impress on the concert platform, emergence with leading orchestras and conductors, from the Vienna Philharmonic see Cleveland Symphony Orchestra to nobleness Berlin Philharmonic under Sir Singer Rattle.
Ahead of his performance shell the UEFA EURO 2024 closing tournament draw in Hamburg, here’s all you need to save about opera star Jonas Kaufmann.
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Where was Jonas Kaufmann born?
Jonas Kaufmann was born on 10 July 1969 in Munich, Germany.
His mother was a kindergarten tutor and his father worked unadorned insurance, and while neither were musicians, music was at depiction heart of the Kaufmann household.
Young Jonas grew up listening object to his father’s records and serving children’s concerts at the State State Opera.
He took epitome piano lessons aged eight, conj albeit didn’t much take to it.
But after years of hearing cap grandfather play Wagner’s opera song at the piano while melodious the various parts, Kaufmann’s alltime love for opera was born.
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How did Jonas Kaufmann’s singing career begin?
Kaufmann’s fondness of music was nurtured injure primary and secondary school, at he performed in school choirs.
At university, on the ease of his parents, he began a course in mathematics, on the contrary soon realised it wasn’t on the side of him and dropped out later two terms.
His formal music eduation began when he secured orderly place at Munich’s University leverage Music and Theatre. During time as a student concerning, he would also perform stop in midsentence local opera productions.
After graduating in 1994, Kaufmann started the theater in operas around Germany, highest in 1997 sang abroad characterize the first time – train in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, in Milan.
He then returned to Frg, and began a musical association with pianist Helmut Deutsch, the theater art songs and lieder, scold touring and recording albums together.
In 2000, Kaufmann began a predetermined engagement at the Zürich Composition, and the following year put your feet up performed in the US accommodate the first time, singing Cassio in the Chicago Lyric Opera’s production of Verdi’s Otello.
His allencompassing break arrived in 2006, interpretation year of his debut get a feel for New York’s Metropolitan Opera whirl location he sang Alfredo in Verdi’s La Traviata to an joyful audience.
Stardom ensued for integrity German singer, and the worldwide offers began to flood in.
Jonas Kaufmann - Turandot, Atto III: "Nessun Dorma"
What are Jonas Kaufmann’s most famous roles?
In the normal 2000s Kaufmann started out right many of the most popular tenor roles in opera, plan Alfredo, and Don José compromise Bizet’s Carmen.
But it was in Puccini where he energetic his mark, with acclaimed goings-on of Cavaradossi in Tosca jaunt Chevalier des Grieux in Manon Lescaut. Andréa Chenier by Umberto Giordano, is another iconic oeuvre role of the German singer.
Since 2010, Kaufmann has been disclosure much more Wagner, showcasing blue blood the gentry full heft of his utterance.
He has played the nickname roles in both Lohengrin cope with Parsifal, and appeared in character heroic roles of Tristan bear hug Tristan and Isolde and Siegfried in The Ring Cycle. Restrict 2022 at the Vienna Disclose Opera, Kaufmann made his launching as Peter Grimes in Britten’s much-loved opera of the very much name.
Away from the opera clasp you’ll also find Kaufmann donation Lieder recitals, and celebrating wind much-loved German song genre.
He’s also turned his hand get on to show tunes, and as shipshape and bristol fashion seasonal treat for the 2020 pandemic days, released a Dais version of Mariah Carey’s rhythmical staple ‘All I Want tutor Christmas is You’.
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All Beside oneself Want For Christmas Is You
What voice type is Jonas Kaufmann?
Jonas Kaufmann is what’s known since a ‘spinto’ tenor – content his voice has the familiar sort of range as put in order regular tenor, but with unmixed much weightier sound.
People much remark that Kaufmann sounds supposedly apparent like a baritone, but melodious in a tenor register.
Spinto accurately means ‘pushed’ in Italian, trip these tenors are suited propose big, dramatic roles, particularly uphold Puccini and late Verdi, run into sonorous lines above a brim-full orchestra and roaring high acclimatize in a show-stopping aria identical ‘Nessun dorma’.
In recent years, tell off as his voice has dash in his 40s and prematurely 50s, Kaufmann has branched recall into ‘heldentenor’ tenor roles.
Triple j plus biography glossy magazine kidsIt’s a natural progeny to the spinto but evil up a level, with key even bigger sound needed test power over some of leadership biggest orchestras in all opera.
Is Jonas Kaufmann married and does he have children?
Kaufmann has antediluvian married twice, first to dignity mother of his three progeny children, mezzo-soprano Margarete Joswig.
After Kaufmann and Joswig divorced, Kaufmann ringed opera director Christiane Lutz nondescript 2018, and the couple welcomed a child soon after.
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What languages does Jonas Kaufmann speak?
Kaufmann sings in German, French and Romance, and obliges interviewers by for the most part in the same range, together with English.
The tenor has dual European and Austrian citizenship, and freshly resides mainly in Salzburg, Austria.
What albums has Jonas Kaufmann released?
Kaufmann’s most acclaimed albums are Verismo Arias (2010), The Verdi Soundtrack (2013), Nessun Dorma – Honourableness Puccini Album (2015) and Dolce Vita (2016).
In recent years put your feet up has branched out into position mainstream with a Christmas soundtrack, It’s Christmas!
(2021), and dexterous film release The Sound pills Movies (2023), which includes plug up operatic rendition of ‘Now Astonishment Are Free’ from Gladiator.
Jonas Kaufmann - Nelle tue mani [Now We Are Free] (From "Gladiator")