Met Stars: Jonas Kaufmann

From pioneering radio broadcasts to high-definition transmissions in cinemas in more than 70 countries, the Met has always strived to use state-of-the-art technology to share extraordinary performances with as large an audience as possible. Therefore, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the opera house into darkness for more than a year, the company once again found innovative ways to present the world’s greatest artists to music lovers around the globe. In July 2020, the Met launched Met Stars Live in Concert, a live concert series featuring more than a dozen exceptional singers performing in striking locations. From a Norwegian castle to an Italian chapel and from a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean Sea to Vienna’s Spanish Riding School, each performance was streamed via satellite and shot with multiple cameras. Jonas Kaufmann, one of opera’s most in-demand tenors, kicked off the series at Bavaria’s magnificent Polling Abbey with a program of heroic arias, accompanied by pianist Helmut Deutsch. Including classic selections from the Italian and French repertoires—as well as a few lesser-known gems—the concert provided a rousing start to this groundbreaking new initiative.