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JONNY KAUFMAN
TENOR
BIOGRAPHY
Tenor Jonny Kaufman possesses a voice of entrancing power, beauty, and finesse, which he employs with considerable technique and musicianship. In their review of Kaufman’s portrayal of Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, BroadwayWorld makes it clear why Kaufman is quickly ascending the ranks as one of the greatest tenors of his generation: “…Kaufman, as Pinkerton, has a voice so grand — even heroic — that there are many times when, lost in the glory of that voice, we quite forget what a cad the Lieutenant is. Superb!”
Last season, Mr. Kaufman made his role début as Samson in Samson et Dalila with St. Petersburg Opera, which he also covered for New Orleans Opera. He returned to Opera Carolina to sing Don José in Carmen, and he joined Fort Worth Symphony to sing the Steersman and cover Erik in Der fliegende Holländer. He also sang Canio in Pagliacci with Union Avenue Opera and joined North Carolina Opera to cover the title role in Ernani. In concert, he sang Ahab in Elijah with Charlotte Master Chorale, and he joined The Choral Arts Society of Washington for Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. This season, Kaufman sings the title role in Faust with Opera Western Reserve, he returns to St. Petersburg Opera to reprise Rodolfo in La bohème, and he brings his lauded Don José to Carmen productions with Charleston Opera Theater and San Diego Opera. He also joins the Firelands Symphony in concert.
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Recently, Kaufman returned to Opera Carolina for their productions of Cavalleria rusticana and Madama Butterfly as Turiddu and Pinkerton, respectively, and he sang Don José in Opera Western Reserve’s Carmen, following his house début as Rodolfo in La bohème. He also sang Rodolfo with Opera Grand Rapids and the Northern Lights Music Festival, as well as Cavaradossi in Tosca with Opera Wilmington, which he also covered with Opera Carolina. Kaufman made his house début at New Orleans Opera as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, and he returned to Winter Opera St. Louis to sing Macduff in Macbeth. He also joined the Cleveland Pops and Western Piedmont Symphony for concerts of lighter fare and Western Piedmont Symphony and Aiken Symphony Orchestra for festive holiday concerts.
Kaufman returned to Opera Wilmington for Viva Italia! as part of their summer concert series Under the Stars; he joined the company of Douglas Tappin’s I Dream in a new co-production between Opera Carolina and Charlottesville Opera; and he returned to Opera Carolina for their Bella Notte and Opera Hits concerts. He made débuts with Winter Opera St. Louis in both their fall gala and as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly; with the Aiken Symphony Orchestra in their romantic concert Amore! Famous Love Songs from the World of Opera, in concert with River City Opera, and with Charlotte Symphony Orchestra as part of their Opera Masterpieces concert.
Previous engagements included débuts with Opera Delaware in their Fall Jukebox concert and with Toledo Opera and Opera Carolina as Malcolm in Macbeth. Additionally, Kaufman made appearances and performed with Opera Experience Southeast as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly; as Rodolfo in La bohème with Opera Wilmington, Central Piedmont Opera Theater, and Little Opera Company of Charlotte; Alfred in Die Fledermaus with Little Opera Company of Charlotte; Turiddu in Cavalleria rusticana with Repertory Opera Theater of Washington D.C.; as Tamino in Die Zauberflöte with State Opera Varna, marking his international début; and as Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi with Opera Lancaster.
Kaufman was a finalist in both the Giulio Gari and The Jensen Foundation competitions, as well as being named the Winner of the Jennifer White Memorial Award in Shreveport Opera’s Mary Jacobs Smith Singer of the Year competition. He was the winner of the Second-Place prize in the SAS Performing Arts Company Vocal competition, winner in NYIOP’s first-ever Anonymous Audition Project, and a finalist in the NOA Carolyn Bailey and Dominick Argento Vocal Competition.
Current as of September 1, 2025
CRITICAL ACCLAIM
“... Kaufman was a true find…” – Opera News
Madama Butterfly – “Tenor [Jonny] Kaufman was a true find. Kaufman displayed a fine technique along with a bright and gleaming sound – perfectly suited to Puccini’s vocal writing. Kaufman effectively conveyed Pinkerton’s bravado during Act I, and his tragic remorse at the end."
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"...reminiscent of Luciano Pavarotti.” – St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Madama Butterfly – “Kaufman, with his girth and great skill at long-held high notes, is reminiscent of Luciano Pavarotti.”
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"...Kaufman was a Malcolm whose singing was worthy of the crown won by his valor.” – Voix-des-Arts
Macbeth – “…Opera Carolina had in [Jonny] Kaufman a Malcolm who was anything but a conventional secondo uomo. 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.”
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“…[sung] beautifully and provide[d] solid characterization.” – HEC Media
Madama Butterfly – “…[sung] beautifully and provide[d] solid characterization...Kaufman embodies Pinkerton’s brashness in the first act and his remorse in the third.”
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"A clear, true tenor voice." – LancasterOnline
The Light in the Piazza – "As for [Jonny] Kaufman, he was endearing as the love-struck, unsophisticated Fabrizio singing out his feelings in a clear, true tenor voice."
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“Kaufman’s voice encompassed me and reached my core,..." – Writing Dailey
Found in Translation: A Dramatic Opera Experience – “Kaufman’s voice encompassed me and reached my core, where inspiration and creativity thrive. The sound beckoned me to act, feel, and follow my own passions with deepened commitment.”