Opera Chic

Schrott Purrs Out Madamina for Placidone's 70th

We just found this on the 'tubez and not only is Conlon's DaPonte/Mozart glowingly-burnished, but dulce de leche Erwin Schrott straddles the line between hammy and sassy for a kosher Leporello.

Anna and Erwin Know How to Make an Entrance

 

Opera jet-setters Anna Netrebko and Erwin Schrott arrived for the opening night of Salzburger Festspiele in a convertible car that matched Erwin's new haircolor. Too rock'n'roll for a limo! 

UPDATE: We just came across a few photos of the duo earlier this month at a fashion show in Berlin. That's what we're talking about.

Mi Amor, Mi Amor: Anna and Erwin's Io Donna Cover Love Story

Spoiler Alert: Erwin Schrott and Anna Netrebko are in love. Fo'realz.

The Russian soprano and Uruguayan baritone bask in the cover-story spotlight of Corriere della Sera's Io Donna in an article called "Viviamo d'Arte, Viviamo d'Amore" which the "superstar couple of opera" spoke in ways that would make Romeo & Juliet blush, accompanied by pull quotes like (all translations are property of OC kthnxbi):

"The opera that we interpret best? Our love story. Full of jealousy like a melodrama, and full of romantic banquets (if Erwin cooks)" 

...and...

"They're gorgeous, bravi and glam: Called the 'Brad and Angelia of Opera' but their feet are on the ground. And in the final hours before their first tour together -- between a kiss or two -- they confess. Playful jokes included."

The article opened with a description of the photo shoot in Paris where the chemistry between the two was described as "sparkling magic", playful as lovesick teenagers (Schrott is 39 and Anna will be 40 in September) to which Anna (described as "today's star of bel canto") responded, "It's our normal life -- this is."

Called "la coppia piu' bella dell'Opera" where "mi amor" was batted between the two, they held nothing back, including their sex life (sex-havers having sex):

Russian, English, Spanish -- What's the language you guys speak?

Erwin: We speak in English with a bit of Russian and a bit of Spanish.
Anna: To Tiago I speak Russian and Erwin speaks Spanish.

In moments of love?

Erwin: Spanish, naturally.

You live in both Vienna and New York, but where is home?

Erwin: Wherever she is.
Anna: Wherever he is.

And Anna spoke about her curves:

You guys are the proof that vocal force doesn't depend on big bodies. Anna, they define you as "Audrey Hepburn with a voice" like that which Callas aspired to.

Anna: No no, i'm the opposite of Callas. Callas wanted to become Hepburn after she was robust. Fifteen years ago I was a tiny little thing, now I'm "piu rotonda" but I love myself like this. Above all, Erwin loves me more like this (she turns to Erwin and says, "Isn't that right, mi amor?" and the two start again with the kissing, and Erwin makes gestures of huge approval --ndr.]

Anna: My real problem is that Erwin's a huge talent in the kitchen and I like to eat.

Erwin: For years I helped my dad in his restaurant. Now I have a dream to open a restaurant in Vienna.

In the recent spell of Netrebko re-branding (personally, we're all for Netrebko 2.0 and encourage all of our perfume-launching, restaurant-opening, crossover-embracing opera singers), if we see Trebs snuggling up to Jusin Bieber (like Kim Kardashian did), don't count us as surprised.

Click the link for the rest of the photos and the article!

Lobster Salad With Anna & Erwin & Jonas

How about a nice, warm lobster salad?

With Anna?

Mandarin Oriental, Munich invites music lovers to spend a memorable evening filled with opera, glamour and Michelin starred cuisine, and the opportunity to rub shoulders with world-class opera stars. Superstar soprano Anna Netrebko, who has enchanted audiences worldwide with her beautiful and distinctive voice, joins forces with magnificent bass-baritone Erwin Schrott and legendary tenor Jonas Kaufmann in a world class open air concert at Konigsplatz on 29 July. The programme will include arias from Verdi’s ‘I Lombardi’ or Puccini’s ‘Manon Lescaut’.

The evening will begin with cocktails and canapés on Mandarin Oriental, Munich’s stunning China Moon Roof Terrace with magical 360 degree views over the city and Alps beyond. From here, guests will make their way to the Konigsplatz in chauffeured limousines to enjoy one of the most eagerly awaited concerts of the year.

Following the performance, Mandarin Oriental, Munich invites guests to feast on a delicious three course gala dinner paired with wines, at the Michelin starred restaurant Mark’s, with Anna Netrebko and Erwin Schrott as the guests of honour. Delicacies will include:

Warm lobster salad Sautéed carrots, dates, raisins, Raz el Hanout Orange and olive oil dressing, lobster sake shooter

Pan-fried Pomeranian beef tenderloin Potato fondant, eggplant caviar, sautéed spinach, truffle jus

Duet of white and dark chocolate Crispy feuillantine biscuit, light mint sorbet

The Opera Package will set you back about US$ 2,220 -- subject to availability.

David Garrett Smells Like Teen Spirit & Erwin Schrott's Last Tango in Verona

What's going on with all these Nirvana tributes? In April, all hell broke loose in Ecuador when teen poptart Miley Cyrus covered Kurt Cobain's Smells Like Teen Spirit and die-hard Nirvana fans simultaneously imploded, mocking the former Disney starlet for daring to honor the legendary Gawd of Alternative Music, Cyrus being only 2-years-old when Cobain took his life (or was it Courtney Love Colonel Mustard in the conservatory with the lead pipe?)

Earlier that month, American musician/actor Jared Leto posted his Pennyroyal Tea/Rape Me Nirvana tribute on the 17th anniversary of Cobain's death, although it was quickly uncovered to be a desperate audition tape for a rumored, upcoming Nirvana bio-pic.

Now classical music steps up with David Garrett's on-trend tribute. Last night in Verona at the world-famous Arena, the German alterna-violinist covered Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" for a populist concert to celebrate the arrival of the arena's 89th opera season which opens on June 17th with La Traviata. Garrett was joined by Uruguayan bass baritone Erwin Schrott who belted out Pablo Ziegler's sultry-sexy tango piece, Rojotango, in company of crusty Italian singer Zucchero who sang "Miserere" dedicated to Luciano Pavarotti.

Now we're just waitng patiently for Roberto Alagna to cover Soundgarden's Black Hole Sun.

Anna Netrebko and Erwin Schrott on Wetten, dass..?

From tonight's Wetten, dass..? show, an interview with Anna Netrebko and Erwin Schrott, in English.

You can go here for the show's segment -- spoiler alert: Anna ties on a hat and Erwin tosses red balls on it. No, really. The couple that laughs together something something.

Breakfast At Netrebko's

The New York Times has breakfast at Anna's (and Erwin's and Tiago's):

I am energetic as soon as I get up, and immediately I’m cooking breakfast because I want to eat! I make kasha for my son; it’s like oatmeal with milk. I have my Starbucks coffee with sugar and milk, and then I make eggs. I can make eggs 15 different ways. With tomato. With cheese. I like to put cheese on the bread and toast it in the oven. Nothing sweet in the morning unless my husband is here; then he’s the chef, and he makes a big breakfast, and it’s very dangerous for me because I’m trying to stay in shape.

Erwin Schrott's Pecs & Leather Galore at La Scala Can't Save a Tensionless Don Giovanni

 

Erwin Schrott's shaved, carved chesticles could only distract us so much from sitting through a Don Giovanni that never delivered vocally, musically, or theatrically. In short, it only delivered chestically.

Saturday night's la prima of Mozart's Don Giovanni (in Peter Mussbach's revival of the production first seen at Scala four years ago, then conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, who at least gave an interesting if uneven reading of the score) was politely applauded at curtain call by the Milanese (OC included) just as politely as it was applauded four years ago. Throughout the decades, La Scala has given many impressive Don Giovannis: Abbado, Muti, Harding -- and let's not forget Dudamel's questionable (but yeah, exciting) Don in 2006 at Mussbach's premiere. Opera Chic (before she was Opera Chic) was there for Dudi's highly-anticipated stab at Mozart (and stab he did). And while she wasn't crazy about the production, it fared much better four years ago. 

This year, the revival is conducted by Louis Langrée, current Music Director of Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart Festival, and while we're definitely admirers of Langrée's artistic contributions in planning the festivals, his conducting of Mozart's lusty dramma giocoso -- neither really dramma nor giocoso in LL's reading -- left us cold.

Erwin Schrott as Don Giovanni -- who recently called himself "100% Uruguayan Meat" in a memorable Italian Vanity Fair Article from December 2009 -- swaggered his (sadly covered) a$$ in his high-waist black leather bell bottoms and floor-length duster (and no shirt -- which gave-off a distinctly 1980s Fabio Lanzoni vibe). Vocally efficient, but really, his bare chest had more stage presence than anything else. Schrott played Don as a cold, detached, calculating dick. It worked for Schrott, and although the Uruguay bass-baritone may have prepared himself well in a solid performance, his portrayal didn't gel with his colleague's interpretations on stage. There was no cohesion between the characters to speak of, and a definite lack of charisma and chemistry marred the production. 

Erwin Schrott Is Keith Warner's Don Giovanni

Erwin Schrott as Don Giovanni and Hanno Mueller Brachmann as Leporello in "Don Giovanni" @ Theater an der Wien, conducted by Riccardo Frizza and directed by Keith Warner.

Tiago Aruã & Anna Netrebko, Erwin Schrott's Pride & Joy

The latest photo of Anna Netrebko & Erwin Schrott's 8-month-old little bebbe, Tiago Aruã. Little Tiago was born in early September 2008.

~*OC*~ tips her hat to Elisa Felici for the photo!

Elisa pointed us to this article where there are even more photos! 

 

OPERA CHIC EXCLUSIVE: Kate Aldrich To Sing "Carmen" @ La Scala Season Opener, Dec. 7, 2009; Updated With Zemsky Green Denial; OC Stands By Her Report

In a stunning upset win for the USA -- and the State of Maine -- young Mainer mezzo Kate Aldrich (whom Opera Chic saw as a stunning Adalgisa last year in Bologna) will be Carmen in the Emma Dante (a young emerging Italian director) production conducted by Daniel Barenboim, opening December 7, 2009 as la prima of next season (Jonas Kauffman and Erwin Schrott complete the cast, as previously announced by the company).

Among the highlights of the coming season, besides this production that sounds really interesting -- the director has stated that the inspiration will be Italo Calvino's "Invisible Cities" and we're already intrigued as huge Calvino admirers -- there will be Hans Werner Henze's L'Upupa, finally at la Scala to honor the greatest living composer, a JDF Barbiere, a Norma that worries us since they apparently want to seriously cast Violeta Urmana as the lead, the classic Ronconi Tosca to be conducted by Barenboim, and a few other highlights. 

But this is Aldrich's red carpet moment -- the last time la Scala opened with Carmen was in 1984, a controversial production with Domingo/Verrett/Raimondi conducted by Abbado and directed by Piero Faggioni.

***update***

Jeffrey Mitchell from Zemsky Green Management wrote Opera Chic this morning in an email:

"Ms. Aldrich is otherwise engaged, and has not been offered this run of Carmen.
I must ask that in respect to Ms. Aldrich, and La Scala you correct your website immediately."

Opera Chic stands by her report.

Trebs At Home In NY: "I'm also drinking a leetle, but not as much as I used to!"

The New York Post visited (and photographed, see above) Anna & Ervino at their Lincoln Center apartment.

Thr good news is she's on the wagon, the bad news is she has a fridgeful of ice cream just sitting there.

Oh. and Schrott's doing the cooking:

At their apartment near Lincoln Center - their other place is in Vienna, where they're stars of Brangelina magnitude - the singers call each other "mi amor" and share child-care duties for little Tiago.

Schrott bustles in the kitchen, fixing bowls of ginger-carrot soup, as Netrebko offers me a throne-like MacKenzie-Childs seat she calls "the diva chair."

The Powers That Be: Kate Aldrich's Carmen in Munich (Mr. Anna Netrebko Is There Too)

Tonight at the Bayerische Staatsoper, OC's girl Kate Aldrich will be Carmen replacing Marina Domashenko in the title role; and Escamillo will be that guy who sired a child with Anna Netrebko, who anyway is by now accustomed to be upstaged by taller, more interesting women. o hai! it's Christian Van Horn singing Zuniga! It's like all my favorite singers rolled into one, big ~smoking~ production. 

The production is the classic Wertmuller/Job Italian job.

Tommasini Kremz Himself Over Schrott

The New York Times music d00d Anthony Tommasini sits down with Erwin Schrott to discuss how hawt he is...and then there's some b0ring opera stuff thrown in. Bonus points for mentioning Ildebrando D’Arcangelo! (photo credit: G. Paul Bumett for NYTimes)

Live & Uncut: Scans of Tiago Aruã Schrott, Str8 From Austria!

Because O.C. has been blessed with such kind and generous friends, it is our pleasure to share with you the exclusive scans from News Magazin's current feature on Anna Netrebko & Erwin Schrott's newborn baby. Scroll down & click 4 bigger! xoxoxox :-*

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Anna Netrebko/Erwin Schrott Spawn: First Shots of Tiago Aruã Schrott!!

Anna Netrebko & Erwin Schrott unveil the first public shots of her new bebbe via.

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Tiago Arua Schrott Will Save Opera From Extinction

Friend of Opera Chic, Giorgia of Opèra Bouffe, tells us that the Netrebko-Schrott bebbe's name is:

*~*Tiago Aruã Schrott~*~

BREAKING NEWS: HE IS BORN! ANNA NETREBKO GIVES BIRTH TO 7 lbs 13 oz OPERA MESSIAH

Russian soprano Anna Netrebko has given birth to her first child in a hospital in the Austrian capital of Vienna, local radio reported Friday

Schrott Gives Up, Donates Money To Charity, Rosenblatt Drops Lawsuit

Teh drama is ovah: finally, to escape from Ian Rosenblatt's wrath, Erwin Schrott has finally settled the dispute for the cancellation of the notorious London recital last June that made Rosenblatt so mad. The shiksa-chasing Netrebko bebbe dedde agreed to make a donation to the good people over at the London-based charity COSMIC (Children of St Mary's Intensive Care), Rosenblatt dropped the lawsuit, bunnies and teddy bears for everybody.
Now, if Rosenblatt can strongarm every cancellation-prone opera singer out there to give a charity donation for every show they cancel, St. Mary's will rapidly get themselves the best pediatric intensive care facilty care in the world -- we're talking trillions of dollars.

"He's A Fool": Erwin Schrott Refuses To Settle With A Donation To Charity, Rosenblatt Lawsuit To Go On

Thanks to Mighty Jessica Duchen for alerting us of the cute level of pure bizarro just reached by the Ronsenblatt-Schrott fiasco. As reported earlier on your favorite blog, Netrebko bebbe dadde Erwin "El Ervino" Schrott canceled a recital he had planned in london making Mr. Rosenblatt mad. A settlement hasn't been reached and the big mess will go to trial:

Barring a last-minute settlement, opera star Erwin Schrott's next big performance may not be at his favourite Covent Garden, but in court. The Uruguayan-born baritone, whose fiancee, soprano Anna Netrebko, is expecting their first child, is being sued for breach of contract by music promoter Ian Rosenblatt. It follows Schrott pulling out of a performance in Chelsea's Cadogan Hall after some 800 tickets had been sold and the Philharmonic Orchestra was booked to accompany him. Despite an offer to forget the matter if Schrott made a donation to charity, Rosenblatt, who was forced to refund 300 tickets, heard nothing. Now he has issued High Court proceedings. "He's a fool. He refused to explain why he was cancelling. Now he's hiding from me, but I'm going to hunt him down," storms Rosenblatt, who spends £500,000 a year on the recitals featuring the likes of tenors Jose Cura and Juan Diego Florez.

Last Exit To Salzburg: Claus Guth Injects New Ideas In Don Giovanni, Trims Erwin Schrott's Chest Hair

Claus Guth, that gloomy, silly man, did it again: after his Mozart/ Da Ponte Strindberg Nozze di Figaro two summers ago in Salzburg, all desaturated colors, rotting moldy walls, and flower-busting peasant girls in "Ricevete, O Padroncina", here's his Don Giovanni, that opened last night in Salzburg, with fast food gadgets and intravenous substances and general douchebaggery. Netrebko bebbedadde Erwin Schrott (above left; below) is a needle-crazed Leporello with seriously trimmed chest hair

Let's hear it from Claus himself:

What is modern about this opera about a ladykiller from the 18^th century?
I see this piece as a study of man’s fear of death. What is enjoyment, what is panic, how much can we arrange ourselves in life, protect ourselves from danger, etc – those are the questions that interest me. When and where such questions are set is totally unimportant for such fundamental topics.

The good news is, this time Niki Harnoncourt is not conducting.

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"She is Simply a Goddess on Stage": Schrott on His BB's Mama

Erwin Schrott, who just launched his shiny-new, official website -- via Decca Music Group, of course -- gushes over his future baby's mama, saying: "Even though the baby isn't born yet, Anna is already a great mother. I knew it from the start." **coughs**. We like it when he sings & looks puuurty...like below, str8 e-chillaxing from his e-gallery.

Hawt Schrott Dishes on Anna in Das Opernglas: Don't Call Us Opera's Newest Power Couple!

German opera magazine, Das Opernglas, is carrying an interview with Erwin Schrott, where he is also this month's coverboy. If you don't want sexy time with Schrott, check yourself before you wreck yourself. Lusted after still, but I swear I've seen this picture in the window of a Midtown hair salon as "generic ambiguous hair model".

Schrott reveals that after mating with la Netrebko, he's a better cook, and he's learning Russian (while teaching her Spanish). He is mortified to be labeled as opera's new dream team, isn't having any part of it, and claims that they are a completley normal couple. o ok. Just your average couple that travels weekly around the world, gets $$$ tickets to VIP events, and has boxes of Jimmy Choos and 15K Escada gowns hanging in the closet. yah.

Go to Das Opernglas to access the online article...but no direct linkage allowed, so you'll have to dig around yourselves.

It's A Boy.

It's a boy.

(And they got married, too. They got their wedding bands in Dubai -- and one hopes her corporate sponsor, a famous jeweler, gave them at least a discount).

Erwin Schrott Gets Sued For Breach Of Contract By Rosenblatt Recital Series: "Gross Unprofessionalism and Disrespect", "Cowardly".

(above: 80s nerdy <3throb Doug Llewelyn is all over this.)

Daddy-to-be of the Treb Bebbe, muscle baritone Erwin Schrott, got served by the lawyers for the Rosenblatt Recital Series, that graces London with recitals of leading artists such as our Juan Diego Florez and maestro Leo Nucci. He was supposed to appear in London's Cadogan Hall on 6/11 with Philharmonia.

For our audience to be treated with such gross unprofessionalism and disrespect by Mr Schrott, on two occasions, is something that shouldn’t be tolerated.

“This is a regrettable situation, but for the reputation of my Series I cannot allow artists, with no lawful excuse, to renege on their contractual commitments.

"In the seven years I’ve been running our recital series I have been impressed time and again by the dedication of singers to their art and their public. Singers such as Mr Schrott give opera a bad name and a reputation for not caring for the people that pay to hear them sing.

“I am disgusted by Mr Schrott’s callous disregard to his contractual obligations. His behaviour is cowardly and I can only wonder if he has the guts to appear on a London concert platform as this is the second time he’s backed out of appearing here.”

Blimey guv'nor!

Just blame it all on a fishbone, Ervino. These guys sound pretty mean.

Another piece of (free) advice from OC: next time you cancel a recital, make sure the d00dz who organize it aren't lawyers, OK?

Mighty Jessica Duchen has, as always, more.