Jonas Kaufmann's new project, Doppelgänger, will be released in CD and DVD formats, as well as digitally, this Friday, September 5. The CD brings together performances of two of Schumann's most profound song cycles: Dichterliebe and Kerner-Lieder. These works are complemented by the DVD Doppelgänger, a surprisingly original stage adaptation of Schubert's Schwanengesang (Swan Song), directed by Claus Guth.

On the new album, accompanied by pianist and regular collaborator Helmut Deutsch, Kaufmann explores the nuances of these Romantic masterpieces. While Dichterliebe is one of the most beloved song cycles of the Romantic era, the Kerner-Lieder reveal a more introspective and dramatic side of Schumann. These songs explore themes such as solitude, nature, and spiritual longing. As a special bonus, the release includes six unreleased recordings from Kaufmann's private archive: selections from Dichterliebe recorded in 1994, during his student years.

The DVD presents the acclaimed stage production Doppelgänger, the spectacular staging of Schubert's "Schwanengesang" from New York. Directed by Claus Guth, it told the story of a soldier wounded during World War I: in the former drill hall of New York's historic Park Avenue Armory, dancers portrayed nurses and war casualties on a huge stage filled with seventy hospital beds. Kaufmann's intense portrayal of the protagonist, the musical dialogue with Helmut Deutsch, and the sophisticated use of lighting and electronic soundscapes create an unmissable work.