We’ve received an update on Franz Mazura, the world-renowned Wagnerian bass-baritone.
Franz is still working. He’s playing Meister Hans Schwarz in Berlin’s Meistersinger under Barenboim next week.
The day after the run ends he will turn 95. And he’s still looking for roles.
A social media activist has circulated a video…
Maria Mot’s boutique London-based management has signed the…
Zachary Woolfe, chief music critic of the New…
The Berlin State Opera communicated tonight that its…
Session expired
Please log in again. The login page will open in a new tab. After logging in you can close it and return to this page.
I remember him as a compelling Dr Schoen/Jack the Ripper in the Boulez/Chereau Lulu and also as Gunther in the Bayreuth Centenary Ring cycle. I didn’t realise that he’d also been in Star Trek. Thanks for sharing the clip.
Magnificent that he’s still performing.
Did you say “Star Trek”? Take a look at this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VmSofTGPpY&t=250s
And in 2002 at the Met, Schigolch in the same opera (the broadcast of which, by sheer coincidence, I’ve been transferring this moment from a cassette). How about another opera asthmatic, the Notary in Rosenkavalier?
Incredible. But when everyone and the media are constantly and stupidly making such a BFD of Domingo this, Domingo that, there is little to no room for anyone else, is there?
I saw him in Elektra in February at the Berlin Staatsoper as Orest’s servant. Very impressive indeed.
I saw him in the same production (Chéreau’s) in Barcelona, and he was really scary as Orest’s tutor.
He is four years too old for the Grand Inquisitor in Don Carlos. That probably won’t matter because he is most likely in great shape for his age. Is the role a good fit for his voice?
Even more remarkable is that among the other Masters will be Graham Clark, Siegfried Jerusalem and Reiner Goldberg. The combined ages of these three plus Mazura will be 340!! And just imagine how many Wagner performances they have taken part in during their careers! Between them they’ve appeared in 70 Bayreuth festivals.
He was typecast for villains and strange characters, but he was a very effective good-guy too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A49pwH1-Lc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doR6EMPpjtg&t=130s
Your second example is an interesting take on the term “good-guy”!
So he beats Mark Reizen’s record. Well done! And if, as Mr Linardos says, he’s 4 years too old for the Grand Inquisitor, can we therefore expect him to sing in the Met’s next production of Don Carlo? 😉
Yes… in the title role 😀
It’s heartwarming see so many old names in the cast list below. This is a tremendous idea. Wonder who thought of it – maybe Barenboim ?
https://www.staatsoper-berlin.de/en/veranstaltungen/die-meistersinger-von-nuernberg.2766/
Herr Mazura will be in great company. Other distinguished, superannuated artists on that Staatsoper Unter den Linden Meistersinger cast include Siegfriend Jerusalem, Reiner Goldberg, Graham Clark, and Olaf Baer!!! I hope to attend the last performance April 21, and likely there will be some sort of onstage ceremony. Can’t wait!