The following big names have withdrawn from the first part of the Metropolitan Opera season.
Johan Reuther is out of Meistersinger – doesn’t want to undertake Hans Sachs.
Latonia Moore is out of Aida – pregnant.
Christine Schäfer is out of Hansel and Gretel – taking a season-long sabbatical.
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these things happen but once rather strange to pull out shortly before a new role comes up like in the case of Reuter as Hans Sachs. He hasn’t got the voive for it anyway and there is currently only one great Sachs around: Michael Volle. Christine Schaefer has lately struggled with her voice and shocked the Viennese audience so a sabbatical might be a good decision. Happy for Ms Moore to prägnant, warmest wishes.
Don’t blame the MET management for these cancellations, it happened all over last season in London, Vienna and other companies – remind you of Netrebko and Beczala of pulling out of roles only a couple of months ago.
I agree wholeheartedly with your point about singers being subject to human frailties 🙂
But I beg to differ that there is “only one Sachs” right now 😉 Anyone who heard Gerard Finley in the role at Glyndebourne two years ago would testify that he is a Sachs of world stature. Impeccable German, lyrical singing with a huge range of colour and timbre, and outstanding acting. Glyndebourne, it’s true, is not the Met – but GF sings effortlessly in the world’s largest houses too.
One of many factors at play: singers are humans, like us. Unless there is proven evidence to the contrary, I assume each of the three singers has decided to take care of themselves. A very sane decision.
Tristan, I would also disagree with what you wrote. Having had the pleasure to work with Reuter and being reasonably familiar with the repertoire I think he would make an excellent Sachs.
Also, James Rutherford is doing pretty bloody well in the role at the moment, and Wolfgang Koch isn’t too shabby either.
they might be good lightweights yes but Sachs needs more, a real stature and personality.
Volle has all this! I admire all non German singers when learing such a heavy and long role where you need to know every word. The best from the past were all Germans or Austrians: Schoeffler, Adam, Ridderbusch and later on the only really great one was Bernd Weikl. Morris and Tomlinson were good but never like those I mentioned. Rootering in Munich bad and Struckmann in Vienna very good but…..Volle is is it, trust me and for once a god casting in bayreuth in 2017 as so far a real catastrophy what those tow overrated Wagner sisters do there….
Sachs is like Marschallin: a wise and great personality!