Jonathan Kaufman

Hailed for his portrayal of Malcolm in Opera Carolina’s production of Verdi’s Macbeth, “Kaufman’s lustrous timbre gave Malcolm’s lines in the Act One sextet and finale welcome muscle, and his vocalism in the scene with Macduff in Act Four was fittingly heroic. Ascents above the stave were handled with assurance that echoed the character’s rightful authority. Regaining the power usurped by Macbeth, Kaufman was a Malcolm whose singing was worthy of the crown won by his valor,” Joseph Newsome of Voix-des-Arts makes it clear why tenor Jonathan Kaufman is quickly ascending the ranks as one of the great American tenors of his generation.

Growing up in a quaint, rather autumnally beautiful suburb of Pennsylvania’s capital city, music

was an ever-present tradition in Kaufman’s childhood. Whether his father playing blues

harmonica, his mother cheerfully dabbling at piano renditions of “Musetta’s Waltz” and “White

Christmas,” or himself utilizing the grandeur of bathroom acoustics to record the Burl Ives classic Lavender Blue on a boombox, music emanated from nearly every room in the house. Though the boombox recording phase was short-lived, and the cassette of this treasure was sadly lost, the desire to learn and play music was not. Accepted into the voice department of Millersville University of Pennsylvania, Kaufman’s studies in Voice, Music Business, Recording, and Sound Engineering soon lead to the discovery of his operatic voice. Nearing the end of his baccalaureate studies, Kaufman made his professional debut with Opera Lancaster as Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi).

This performance, showcasing Kaufman’s ability to produce entrancing vocal power and lyrical melodies, is why The Intelligencer of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, called his voice “brilliant and endearing.” Subsequent engagements, including Fabrizzio (The Light in the Piazza) and Turiddu (Cavalleria Rusticana), led Kaufman to make his international debut with State Opera Varna, Bulgaria, as Tamino (Die Zauberflöte).

An opportunity to relocate to North Carolina led to debuts with Little Opera Company of Charlotte as Alfred (Die Fledermaus) and Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly) with Opera Experience Southeast. The 2018-2019 season saw Kaufman debut the role of Rodolfo in a summer production Puccini’s La Bohème with Little Opera Company of Charlotte, reprise the role with the Central Piedmont Opera Theater in the fall, and again with Opera Wilmington, in the summer of 2019.

In addition to being named the Winner of the Jennifer White Memorial Award in Shreveport Opera’s Mary Jacobs Smith Singer of the Year competition, as well as a semi-finalist in the Gerda Lissner Foundation International Vocal Competition, the 2019-2020 season saw Kaufman make debuts with Opera Delaware in their Fall Jukebox concert and with Toledo Opera and Opera Carolina as Malcolm (Macbeth).

While the 2020-2021 season was devastating to all in the industry, Kaufman made the most of the virtual opportunities presented. Winner of the 2nd Place prize in the SAS Performing Arts Company Vocal competition, Kaufman was also a winner in NYIOP’s first-ever Anonymous Audition Project and a finalist in the NOA Carolyn Bailey & Dominick Argento Vocal Competition. Additionally, he competed as a semi-finalist in the Premier Opera Foundation Vocal Competition, the MIOpera Vocal Competition, and the first annual Zenith Opera Competition.

The 2021-2022 season sees Kaufman return to Opera Wilmington as part of their summer concert series Under the Stars in Viva Italia! In the fall, he joins the company of I Dream (Tappin), a new co-production between Opera Carolina and Charlottesville Opera (debut). Kaufman also returns to Opera Carolina for their Opera Hits concert and makes debuts with Winter Opera St. Louis in their Fall Gala and as Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly), and then with the Aiken Symphony Orchestra in their romantic Valentine’s Day concert Amore! Famous Love Songs from the World of Opera.