JONAS KAUFMANN
“Meinen die wirklich mich?”
by Thomas Voigt (in German)
176 pp. Henschel Verlag 2010
Eur 19.90

I’m not very keen on books on singers who are still in the bloom of their career. The Villazon book for instance came too soon, didn’t tell us much and finds itself now in the remainder section of German bookshops.
The book on Kaufmann doesn’t really convince either though it has its merits. The “author” –the book lists 13 co-authors !!- does not attempt a go at an in-depth biography or a story line at all but intertwines the narrative line with occasionally annoying interview bits and comments by several of Kaumann’s colleagues, all raving of course and totally superfluous reading material unless Angela Gheorghiu’s ‘Die Chemie stimmte volkommen’ is your idea of how a book on a singer should go. Aha, you now think it’s a book in the Azzali singer biographies tradition. Yes, as far as the excellent photos go, no as the chronology in the book is quasi non-existent and the Azzali books at least have those. A discography is included.
So no redeeming factors at all? Well the price is cheap, the printing quality excellent, lots of photographs most of them in colour, and occasionally you do get some interesting information. I was surprised to read it actually took four years from his Met audition to  make his debut on the Met’s stage. The best part (by Irene Lepprand) is the one about Kaufmann’s childhood. For instance the escape of his parents from East Germany to the West in 1953 makes fascinating reading, the  masterclass experiences with James King and Hans Hotter are honest and revealing and differ from a few blablabla parts of the remainder of the book. By the way Kaumfann’s wife –the singer Margarete Joswig-  gives the most down to earth, knowledgeable and practical comments in the interviews. We also learn Kaufmann is scheduled to do Enée in Les Troyens in London and loves to sing Hoffmann one day.
Typos go from Stracchiari (for Stracciari) to the eternal I Pagliacci (for the more correct Pagliacci). Clichés include some Lanza bashing which we now thought belonged to the past and describing Bjoerling as the “Swedish Caruso” amongst others. We also read Alfredo Kraus still went to his voice teacher after thirty years of singing. Hmm this means Mercedes Llopart –his teacher- lived an extra 16 years. Still for fans and non-fans alike you do get to know more of Jonas Kaufmann and the price is an extra incentive to get it anyway. The real book still has to be written though and why not by Mr Kaufmann himself but first let us enjoy his singing for many years to come.
A verismo Cd is coming out in one month including arias from Pagliacci, Chenier, Cavalleria, Andrea Chenier –including the final duet with Westbroek- and Giulietta e Romeo amongst others.
RvdB