Although he studied for mathematics entrance exams, in the summer of 1989 he began his vocal training at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich.

He made his Salzburg Festival debut in 1999 in a new production of Busoni's Doktor Faust and returned there in 2003 as Belmonte in Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail and for concerts of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Berlin Philharmonic.

He performed the role of Don José in Bizet's Carmen, to critical acclaim, at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in 2006/7.

[9] In 2008/9, he performed in Massenet's Manon in Chicago opposite Natalie Dessay and in the title role of a new production of Wagner's Lohengrin at the Bavarian State Opera.

He also sang Lohengrin on the opening night of the Bayreuth Festival in 2010, in a production staged by Hans Neuenfels and conducted by Andris Nelsons.

[1] In June 2014, he made his debut in the role of Des Grieux in Puccini's Manon Lescaut at the Royal Opera House in London.

[20] In 2019, the concert stage saw Kaufmann tour Germany with Mahler's “Lied von der Erde”, and performances from his “L'Opéra” CD.

Operatic highlights include Fidelio and Otello at the Bayerische Staatsoper; La Forza del destino at the Royal Opera House in London; Andrea Chenier in Sydney and Melbourne and a new production of Die Tote Stadt in Munich.

[25] After Turandot Kaufmann undertakes a tour of eleven concerts of Lieder by Brahms and Schumann with Diana Damrau and her usual pianist Helmut Deutsch, in various European cities, including Berlin, Munich, Paris, London.

[26] He made his role debut as Calaf (Turandot) in Rome with the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia orchestra, conducted by Pappano, performed Mario Cavaradossi (Tosca) at Teatro San Carlo in Naples,[27] the title role in Lohengrin at Melbourne Opera,[28] and made his operatic debut at the Arena di Verona, performing Radames in Aida.

[29] To begin the 2022/23 season, Kaufmann returned to the Bayerische Staatsoper to perform the title role in Britten's Peter Grimes.

[30] To commence the New Year, he performed the role of Radames in Verdi's Aida at the Wiener Staatsoper alongside Anna Netrebko and Elīna Garanča.

Highlights of Kaufmann's 2023/24 season include the world premiere of Doppelgänger in New York’s Park Avenue Armory with Helmut Deutsch, directed by Claus Guth, [36] and Calaf in Puccini’s Turandot alongside Asmik Grigorian in the title role[37] at the Wiener Staatsoper.