Leading German baritone cancels Met debut

Leading German baritone cancels Met debut

News

norman lebrecht

December 30, 2021

The German baritone Christian Gerhaher has pulled out of the role of Count in next week’s Marriage of Figaro, starting January 8, which should have been his belated debut at the house.

All the Met will say is that it’s ‘to a non-Covid-related illness.’

Gerhaher, 52, has been a prominent campaigner for the early reopening of opera houses.

His replacement will be the Czech baritone Adam Plachetka, a regular at the Met in Mozart roles.

Comments

  • TishaDoll says:

    Did it dawn on someone at the MET that he is currently incapable of singing the role audibly and with legato in such a large ‘barn’.

  • Opera Fan says:

    Oh well, if they say it isn’t covid related, there’s zero reason not to trust them, right?

    • Anna says:

      Oh, shut up. He‘s public about having Crohn‘s disease and being in and out of hospitals regularly as well as being on heavy medication for pain etc.

  • Bloom says:

    A very great lied performer . Rather lousy in Mozart or Verdi , so I’m glad he pulled out.

    • Tom Phillips says:

      I’m not at all glad that he pulled out. A very fine singer who should have appeared long ago. Like many other German artists (and French as well) who never or almost never appear at the Met. As opposed to the endless cavalcade of nothing-special East Europeans (including his replacement) with whom we are regularly saddled.

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