Erwin Schrott

Erwin Schrott, 2012

Erwin Schrott (born 21 December 1972 in Montevideo, Uruguay) is an operatic bass-baritone, particularly known for his interpretation of the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni.^[1]

Career

Schrott studied singing with Franca Mattiucci. He made his professional debut in Montevideo at the age of 22, singing Roucher in Andrea Chénier. Following a stint at the Teatro Municipal in Santiago, Chile, where he sang Timur in Turandot, Colline in La bohème, Sparafucile in Rigoletto and Ramfis in Aida, he won a scholarship to study in Italy.^[2]

After winning first prize (male singer) and the Audience Prize in the 1998 Operalia competition^[3] founded by Plácido Domingo, he went on to leading roles in major opera houses in both Europe and the United States. He made his debut at the Vienna State Opera as Banquo in Verdi's Macbeth on 28 March 1999 and returned there to sing Leporello in Don Giovanni and Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro. At La Scala, he has sung the title role in Don Giovanni and Pharaon in Moïse et Pharaon. His debut at the New York Metropolitan Opera came on 30 November 2000 when he sang Colline in La bohème. He returned to the company in 2005 as Escamillo in Carmen, in 2006 in the title role in Don Giovanni for the Met's Japan Tour, in 2007 as Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro and in 2008 in the title role in Don Giovanni. Since his debut at the Royal Opera House in September 2003 as Leporello in Don Giovanni, Schrott has sung Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro, and the title role in Don Giovanni with the company. He sang the role of Escamillo (7 December 2009) in the production of Carmen conducted by Daniel Barenboim, with Jonas Kaufmann as Don Josè and Anita Rachvelishvili in the title role, that opened the season at La Scala.

Schrott's performances on the concert stage include a joint concert with Anna Netrebko conducted by Plácido Domingo in the Centro de Bellas Artes, San Juan, Puerto Rico (9 October 2007),^[4] a gala concert for the 5th Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival, with Anna Netrebko and Elīna Garanča (29 March 2008),^[5] and a solo concert in the Münchner Residenz (9 November 2008).^[6]

Personal life

Erwin Schrott was the partner of the Russian soprano Anna Netrebko. They never married, and in November 2013, Netrebko announced that she and Schrott had separated amicably.^[7][8] Their son, Tiago Aruã, was born on 5 September 2008 in Vienna.^[9] In addition to joint concerts in Puerto Rico, Abu Dhabi and Riga, Netrebko and Schrott appeared together in Don Giovanni with the New York Metropolitan Opera's Japan Tour in June 2006^[10] and at the Royal Opera House in June 2007.^[11]

In April 2008, concert promoter Ian Rosenblatt said that he was planning to sue Schrott for breach of contract when he cancelled his appearance in the Rosenblatt Recital Series for 11 June 2008 at Cadogan Hall.^[12] The dispute was settled out of court in August 2008 when Schrott agreed to make a donation to charity.^[13]

Awards and honors

• 2015: "Distinguished Citizen" from Montevideo ^[14]
• 2012: Echo Klassik Award for his album Rojotango
• 1998: First prize (male singer) and Audience prize Operalia competition founded by Plácido Domingo

Recordings

• Les Vêpres Siciliennes (Verdi) Royal Opera House, London, Production 2013/Release 2015, Antonio Pappano conducting. Warner Music Group, DVD & Blu-ray
• Don Giovanni (Mozart) Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, 2013, Thomas Hengelbrock conducting. Sony Classical, DVD & Blu-ray
• Rojotango - Live in Berlin, 2013, Sony Classical, DVD
• arias - Erwin Schrott, 2012, Daniele Rustioni conducting. Sony Classical, CD
• Rojotango - Erwin Schrott, Tango CD, 2011, with Pablo Ziegler. Sony Classical, CD
• Don Giovanni (Mozart) Salzburg Festival recorded in 2008, 2010, Bertrand de Billy conducting. Naxos Germany, DVD
• Le nozze di Figaro (Mozart) Opernhaus Zürich, 2009, Franz Welser-Möst conducting. EMI Music, DVD
• Arias by Mozart, Verdi, Berlioz, Gounod & Meyerbeer, 2008, Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana, Riccardo Frizza conducting. Decca CD
• Le nozze di Figaro (Mozart) Royal Opera House, 2008, Antonio Pappano conducting. Opus Arte, DVD & Blu-ray
• Moïse et Pharaon (Pharaon), Teatro alla Scala, 2003, Riccardo Muti conducting. TDK DVD
• L'elisir d'amore (Dulcamara), Macerata Opera Festival, 2002, Niels Muus conducting. Rai Trade DVD and CD

References

1. See for example, T. Ashley, 2007; R. Christansen, 2007; M. Rosenberg, 2005; A. Rich, 2003; T. Page, 2003
2. Mangan, December 2005
3. "Operalia winners 1998". Operalia. 1998. Retrieved 31 October 2008.
4. El Universal, 10 September 2007.
5. Al-Arab, April 1, 2008
6. Kayser, November 11, 2008.
7. Der Spiegel (25 November 2013). "Ehemaliges Opern-Traumpaar: Anna Netrebko trennt sich von Erwin Schrott". Retrieved 12 January 2014 (German).
8. Finn, Robin. "Breakfast Eggs (15 Ways) by a Soprano" The New York Times. 14 January 2011 (Retrieved 24 August 2012)
9. "Anna Netrebko brachte Buben zur Welt" (in German). ORF. 5 September 2008. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
10. Metropolitan Opera Database
11. Tommasini, June 18, 2007
12. James Jolly "Baritone Erwin Schott sued by concert promoter", Gramophone Online, 28 April 2008
13. "The Rosenblatt Recital Series — News". 13 August 2008. Archived from the original on 29 December 2008. Retrieved 9 September 2008.
14. Intendencia de Montevideo „Erwin Schrott es Ciudadano Illustre de Montevideo“, 14. August 2015

• Al-Arab, "Opera Gala in Abu Dhabi", April 1, 2008. Accessed 10 November 2008.
• Ashley, Tim, "Review: Don Giovanni Royal Opera House, London", The Guardian, June 15, 2007. Accessed 15 June 2007.
• Battle, Laura, "Interview: Erwin Schrott" Music OMH, June 2007. Accessed 15 June 2007.
• Brotons Ibáñez, R., "Erwin Schrott: «Accidentes como este pasan en todos los teatros»" Levante, 12 December 2006 (in Spanish). Accessed 15 June 2007.
• Christiansen, Rupert, "The charmer and the psychopath" Daily Telegraph, June 13, 2007. Accessed 10 November 2008.
• El Universal, "Debuta Plácido Domingo como director de la Sinfónica de Puerto Rico", 10 October 2007. Accessed 10 November 2008.
• Kayser, Beate, "Erwin Schrott im Herkulessaal: Mann ohne Führerschein", TZ, November 11, 2008.
• Mangan, Timothy, "'Sure Fire" Opera News, December 2005. Accessed via subscription 15 June 2007
• Metropolitan Opera Database. Accessed 15 June 2007.
• Operalia.org, List of Operalia winners. Accessed 15 January 2009.
• Page, Tim, "Washington's 'Don Giovanni,' Hitting Many of the High Notes" The Washington Post, 31 March 2003, Page C01. Accessed 15 June 2007.
• Rich, Alan, A Lot of Night Music, LA Weekly, June 27 – July 3, 2003
• Rosenberg, Marion Lignana, 'Not a 'Carmen' to die for, but it still thrills', Newsday, 23 November 2005
• Tommasini, Anthony, "Hey, Giovanni, Put a Shirt on. You’ll Catch Cold.", The New York Times, June 18, 2007. Accessed 10 November 2008.

External links

• Official web site (accessed 30 June 2008)
• erwinschrott.wordpress.com (accessed 5 February 2008)
• Erwin Schrott biography on Opera Art Artists Management. (accessed 5 February 2008)
• New York Metropolitan Interview, October 2007. (accessed 5 February 2008)