The German tenor makes his UMS debut as part of a special recital tour taking place in only a handful of US cities.

“His stage presence — dramatic prowess, passion, sex appeal — has long been a hallmark of Mr. Kaufmann’s artistry. His voice is smoky and nimble, able to fill a hall with both the volume of a Wagnerian heldentenor and an exquisite hovering pianissimo” (The New York Times).

Adored by opera lovers for his burnished tone and captivating dramatic sensibility, he combines power with finesse in this rare recital appearance. The program will include German songs by different composers, including Franz Liszt, Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, Richard Strauss, and Gustav Mahler.

This wonderful addition to our season also features a notable parallel from our past. Back in October 1918, UMS had gone to extraordinary lengths to schedule the great tenor Enrico Caruso to perform a Hill Auditorium recital, his first US appearance outside of New York City. That concert was postponed to March 1919 because of the Spanish flu epidemic. It was a huge and important cultural event in Ann Arbor, with Caruso performing no fewer than nine encores and highlighting songs by composers from allied countries in World War I.

We’re thrilled that 102 years later, UMS will present an artist of Kaufmann’s stature and renown as our first live performance back in the musical “big house” on the Ann Arbor campus.