Linh Kauffman
Praised as “vocally and dramatically powerful” by the Washington Post and “radiant” by the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, American soprano Linh Kauffman enjoys an active career in opera, oratorio, new music, and recital. Her 2014–2015 performances included Mahler Symphony No. 2 with the Minnesota Orchestra, Mahler Symphony No. 4 with the Metropolitan Symphony, a recital for Festival Musica Antigua Panamá with Spain’s Forma Antiqva, Euridice in Gluck’s Orfeo for the Twin Cities Early Music Festival, the title role in Handel’s Esther with Lyra Baroque Orchestra and Purcell opera excerpts for Festival Musique en l’Île in Paris.
Ms. Kauffman made her Latin American debut as Melia in Mozart’s Apollo et Hyacinthus at the Teatro Nacional de Panamá. Other roles include Aspasia in Mitridate and Morgana in Alcina for Metamorphosis Opera Theater, the title role in Pocahontas: Woman of Two Worlds for Duluth Festival Opera, Galatea in Handel’s Acis and Galatea with Berkeley Opera and Maria in West Side Story with Sierra Repertory Theatre.
A prolific concert artist, Linh has also appeared with the Pittsburgh Symphony, Akron Symphony, Richmond Symphony, Rochester Symphony and Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. She has been a festival artist at the Oregon Bach Festival soloing under Helmuth Rilling in Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Bach’s Mass in B Minor, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy and Haydn’s Heiligmesse. With the Festival Ensemble Stuttgart she toured Germany as the choral soloist in Sven-David Sandstrom’s Messiah at the Berlin Philharmonie, Rheingau Festival, and on German radio. An active chamber musician of both early and contemporary music, Kauffman has appeared with Seraphic Fire, Spire Chamber Ensemble, Portland Baroque, the Rose Ensemble and Piffaro.
Ms. Kauffman’s growing discography includes Jocelyn Hagen’s Songs of Fields and Prairies, Aaron David Miller’s Clamor for organ, voice and percussion, and three forthcoming discs with Consortium Carissimi for Naxos. She can be heard as the second soprano soloist in Haydn’s Heiligmesse for Hänssler Classic and in Bach’s Mass in B Minor for the Oregon Bach Festival’s Digital Bach Project.
A native of Connecticut, Ms. Kauffman earned music degrees from Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Maryland and the University of Minnesota, where she completed her Doctorate and Certificate in Vocal Pedagogy. She further studied at the Weill Institute at Carnegie Hall and the Salzburg Mozarteum and was the winner of the 2007 Voices of Vienna Competition.
Upcoming appearances include Carmina burana in Prague, Handel’s Acis and Galatea with Opera Antiqva Panamá, Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas with Festival Musica Antigua Panamá, Handel’s Messiah in Kansas City and Mahler Symphony No. 2 with the Quad City Symphony.
