Pisaroni, Schrott and Mozart for the Viennese audience
Wednesday, 16 February 2011 , 21.00

Luca Pisaroni, Erwin Schrott and a new Mozartean production for the Viennese audience

It may be hard to believe but in Vienna - where, in fact, it was performed for the first time in 1786 - the opera Le nozze di Figaro has long waited for a stage reinterpretation, namely for thirty-five years. The previous setting of director Jean Pierre Ponnelle epically endured the passing of time, but could no longer overcome its 'moth-eaten' condition: therefore, the new staff of the Vienna State Opera has decided to change it beginning right with this season and requested the help of another French director, Jean Louis Martinoty. But Martinoty - former assistant of Ponnelle - highly admired the librettist Lorenzo da Ponte, considering him the greatest opera librettist of the music history: therefore, at his turn he proposed a collaboration to conductor and Generalmusikdirektor Franz Welser Most for the three operas signed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and staged by da Ponte (Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni and Cosi fan tutte).

This is how the current Viennese lyrical season managed to present the two productions of the Mozartean opera, both broadcast live at An Evening at the Opera : Don Giovanni on December 11th, 2010, with the extraordinary performance of baritone Ildebrando d'Arcangelo in title role, and Le nozze di Figaro on February 16th, 2011, - bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni (photo) as Figaro and baritone Erwin Schrott as Count Almaviva, both in a genuine stage competition, not only because of the libretto, but also in terms of their artistic performances.

Luca Pisaroni versus Erwin Schrott

One has to keep this in mind: Luca Pisaroni is renowned for his Mozartean roles, but Erwin Schrott has also performed a lot of the Austrian composer's works and has had a great success. Pisaroni plays Figaro this season in Vienna, Paris and San Francisco, but Schrott as well has performed the same role in Vienna, and now he performs it at the MET. Both are young, handsome, and fashionable - the first was born in Venezuela, the second in Uruguay; Pisaroni has come after a triumphal summer at Glyndebourne, and Schrott after remarkable achievements in Salzburg and Munich. Pisaroni is married to the daughter of the American star Thomas Hampson (who is also baritone) while Schrott's wife is diva Anna Netrebko, and both of them live with their families in Vienna.

What about their voices? You will find out everything - or almost everything - listening to An Evening at the Opera on February 16th, when we will broadcast live the first performance of the new production of Le nozze di Figaro from the Vienna State Opera. No doubt the comments of musicologist Anca Florea will be the reference point that will eventually help you formulate your own opinions. The discussion will also include information about the other performers, among whom we are pleased to find the Romanian bass Sorin Coliban (Don Bartolo).