The Metropolitan Opera announced on Friday that the elusive star tenor Jonas Kaufmann would not appear in its highly anticipated new production of Puccini’s “Tosca” next season.

Peter Gelb, the general manager of the Met, said in an interview that he had received a message from Mr. Kaufmann’s managers this week saying that Mr. Kaufmann was “rethinking his schedule because of his personal life and professional obligations” and was no longer available to rehearse and perform in the new “Tosca,” which is to have its premiere on New Year’s Eve.

“I very much love singing at the Met and for its wonderful audience,” Mr. Kaufmann said in a statement. “But I feel that I cannot allow myself to have such long periods away from my family at this time. I look forward to returning to the Met in the near future. I also look forward to my appearances at Carnegie Hall next season in a recital and as soloist with the Boston Symphony.”

For a replacement, Mr. Gelb has turned to Vittorio Grigolo, who is having a breakout season at the Met in productions of “Roméo et Juliette” and “Werther,” and who will be singing the role of Cavaradossi in “Tosca” for the first time. Mr. Gelb said he had already had Mr. Grigolo in mind as a possible backup for Mr. Kaufmann, who has been unreliable recently.