The bells are ringing?
UPDATE: A reliable source informs La Cieca: "As far as I know they are very close friends but I have not heard anything about marriage." So let's wait and see.
POSTED at
9:56 AM
12 December 2007
UPDATE: A reliable source informs La Cieca: "As far as I know they are very close friends but I have not heard anything about marriage." So let's wait and see.
be a benefactor
previously on parterre
Colleagues
-
AndrewAndJoshua
Barihunks
Cafeteria Rusticana
Civic Center
Counter/Point3.0
DesignerBlog
Diva of the High C's
Donald Collup
Handelmania
Il Corriere della Grisi
ionarts
Iron Tongue of Midnight
Judycast
Likely Impossibilites
Marginalia
Met Futures
My Favorite Intermissions
Night after Night
NYC Opera Fanatic
Operacast
Opera Chic
operavision
PlaybillArts
Premiere Opera
Sieglinde's Diaries
Sounds and Fury
The Last Debate
The Rest is Noise
Trrill
Una butaca en el paraíso
Vilane fille
Wellsungs
Willy or Won't he?
- Subscribe / RSS
59 Comments:
Hmmmm. Interesting. Only a year ago he was with someone else. How long have they been together? Does anyone know? Well, I don't know her, but he's always seemed like a super guy. I hope they are happy (whether it's true or not)
Well one thing's sure--they'll be one hot-looking couple!
EXCEPT, judging from that picture, they are not off to a good start...Why does she have her fingers in her ears...will there be a lack of communication in this relationship?
(unrelated, the template doesn't provide for a forum)
Question...
Where around the web are there
any German translations of
Pik Dame by Puschkin?...
(return again to the rumor)
sugarmezzo
Apparently passions were ignited during the ROH Don Giovanni in June/July. I saw that production three times and there was a certain frisson when they were on stage together. Lucky lady I should say!!
she appears to be wearing an engagement ring on youtube video of her on jay leno
Nope. not true. they are together, but not engaged.
Isn't Mr. Schrott currently married to a woman in Uruguay though they may be officially or unofficially separated.
Another tidbit floating around. The maid in the apartment where Schrott was staying in NYC during his "Figaro" run said that his bed was never slept in. Days would go by and she never had to make his bed. Where was Erwin sleeping?
(Wink, wink, nudge, nudge)
Seriously though, Anna Netrebko is like the Britney/Lindsay/Paris of the opera world - the married/engaged/pregnant rumors never stop!!
It was no secret to anyone around the MET this fall that the two are an item...I saw them twice in the cafeteria together...they were both very sweet and approachable...
And Mr. Schrott is divorced, by the way...
Why are people full of shit? what "maid"? what "divored"? Not true, once again.
"Why does she have her fingers in her ears...will there be a lack of communication in this relationship?"
I think it's her reaction to the above post of the Njegus YouTube....
http://cultureonthecheap.wordpress.com
Anna looks like she's been hitting the cafeteria a little too often.
Wrong again, Cieca. Check your facts.
whose close friend are you "closefriend?"
Erwin said emphatically 'we are just friends'...and I just heard that Anna has a new boyfriend anyway.
When I first met Erwin he seemed totally gay to me bit I have since heard that he plays up different 'personalities' when he feels like it.
To me Anna looks like shes at least three months pregnant!
This post has been removed by the author.
bbb,
I don't think she is pregnant. It's the Italian food she talked about in the NY Times recent article.
Why ARE her fingers in her ears?
Well, if Anna won't have Mr. Schrott, I think that second violinist with the glasses might just be pining away for a piece.
He's NOT gay.
closefriend - isn't he divorced? He's either divorced or still married to Mrs Schrott Prima - which is it?
I'd be happy to help him to be gay if he'd like to be....
Erwin's 'we are just friends' does not fool anyone. Maybe he prefers not to discuss his private life but leaves that to the likes of us! And, of course, AN. Daily Mail 6 July - 'So does she have a lover? "Yes! And he's fantastic! Very hot! Everyone wants him; he's so gorgeous......but I can't tell you who he is because it has only just started (sic) two weeks ago. And what if it ended tomorrow? But I don't think it will. What I can say is that we met here in London." No prizes for guessing who she was talking about surely?!
I'm going to hear/see him this afternoon as DG. My seat is front orchestra, so I'll pass him a note asking if it's true.
Am I alone in thinking that Ms Netrebko is actually rather unattractive? She looks no different to any number of Eastern-Europeans cleaning ladies or low-end prostitutes one sees around.
MEOW!!
That was particularly mean, meretrice!
And I know a lot of Russian women, and, bizarrely, some cleaning women and sex workers from that part of the world, and they are actually really beautiful.
She's Russian - she looks Russian. Russian people are lovely -what's the problem???
Enjoy the LA Don Giovanni. Perhaps you could also pass Mr. Schrott a note asking him to worry less about seducing the audience with his body and more about learning how to sing. His singing in this is atrocious. The recits are all whispered or barked and messy and he rarely sings out. He must be taking lessons from Netrebko. Opera singing is about more than looking good, however.
I'm pretty sure I'd pay any amount of money to hear these two sing "An Old Fashioned Wedding" from ANNIE GET YOUR GUN.
Trebs is looking a bit thick...
Erwin just makes me think of a nerdy kid with glasses. haha Ya know? Like Urkel but operatically so --
Excuse me...the NAME Erwin..hahaha
Excuse me...the NAME Erwin..hahaha
Netrebko "cannot even sing Mozart."
Her neck is "too short." If she didn't have the looks, "she wouldn't even be hired to sing in Detroit." Now, according to Meretrice, Netrebko is "unattractive." Why don't you spare us euphimisms and tell us down right that she is "ugly?" For your part that would have been intellecually more honest. Netrebko bashing on this blog- and I don't mean good criticism of her singing- is getting to the point of being ridiculous. Even if Netrebko stops singing today, she has already made her mark in the opera world. And, of course, being "unattractive" it helps!
No, Meretrice, you are not alone. I have never thought Netrebko was good-looking in the least.
I also do not think that Schrott, looks-wise, is anything to write home about.
I have never comprehended the fuss about either one of these singers, vocally or physically.
Constantine: 'intellectual honesty'? Please! On this blog? There is a wide gulf between 'unattractive' and 'ugly', which I had no desire to fuse. She simply looks like an Aeroflot stewardess circa 1991.
I don't like her voice: whilst she has 'spin' and whilst a former colleague of mine informed me that 'she sings from her c**t', (whatever that means), her pinched, dry, pushed (and not in the meaning of 'spinto') voice is simply maddening. She sounds like an old Scotto to me in many ways.
Drew: ss for Schrott, I don't like his face either, but his body is very impressive. It also looks natural, in marked contrast to certain 'barihunks', who must be having a little help somehwere down the line. On this matter, does anybody know what effect steroids (and I use the term in its widest sense) have on the voice?
Excuse me: Whoever the HELL posted as me saying "trebs is looking a bit thick", had better retract and apologize. La C, please remove that comment, it wasn't me, and I don't appreciate being impersonated. I'm sorry that you aren't interesting enough to have your own identity, whoever you are, but I don't tend to say not nice, and untrue things about people, and I don't appreciate it.
I think she looks great. She looks like a woman is supposed to look.
Well, meretrice indegna, you're entitled to your opinion. On the other hand, talk to the tens of thousands of people around the world, who're going to see Netrebko's Juliette, live, at several hundreed venues this coming Saturday. Can all this be a fluke? I don't live in NYC but I flew in twice this year to see Netrebko's Carnegie Hall debut,
and her second performance at the Met of Romeo and Juliette. I've attended opera for over 50 years -
having seen and heard all the greats- and I liked what I saw. Of course, this my opinion; and I may be wrong in the eyes of others. By the way, I got a ticket for this Saturday's peformance of R & J at the movies. Get a ticket, too. Who knows? You may like the show!
Constantine: I've heard her live too, and must say I wasn't impressed. She tried to hard, and the results were not commeasurate with the effort. All in all, sad in a singer so young.
You are clearly experienced enough to know that popularity does not equal quality: I am amazed you argued your corner so weakly.
Alas, I am in London: I won't have the dubious pleasure of hearing Madame gulp her way through Juliette. And to think I used to moan about Georghiou in the role!
I love Netrebko -- so beautiful -- especially that first disc of Opera Arias. I saw her live as Gilda at the Met -- no coloratura cadenzas -- haha, but FABULOUS acting and beautiful singing -- and whoever said she is looking 'thick' is a total asshole! Viva Netrebko! What a fab -- *maybe* -- Adalgisa she'd make!
netremko is this age's moffo. and my vote is to the first anna, better actress and prettier. Less botox. Nettie smiles and everyone are amazed by the acting.
She is a very poor actress. enough. we are so bored in opera these days. Connie Pappas, the ever vigiliant defender of the mediocre is breathless at seeing opera on a big movie screen. With pop corn too!? I'll take my opera live thank you ever. Juliette mugged to death is just what she can do well.
it wasn't me!! It wasn't me!! It was an imposter!!
Well, Netrebko sells out opera houses wherever she sings, with scalpers collecting thousands of dollars for a single ticket. Netrebko is the best sellig classical recoring artist since the three tenors. Netrebko was nominated for a Grammy-her second I think- and was awarded by Musical America- the bible of classical music- the honor of the musician of the year for 2008. For an unattractive singer with no exceptional voice it's unbelievable! it's amazing how far popularity will push someone so fast without substance in voice and in acting.
I tried very hard but I couldn't recall a popular and famous opera singer, with international appeal, who lacked a distinguished voice. Netrebko is not everybody's cup of tea, but you cannot throw the baby out with the bathwater.
ah yes Connie Pap, defending the indefensible in a world where "IL DIVO" is a world wide best seller. Where a goat sings as tenor wannabe, AKA Bocelli and everyone comes to see him in Madison Square Garden. She hasn't outsold him, yet! I shudder.
Talent is not a prerequisite. They bought her videos in germany because she is pretty and has a reasonable voice. Popularity does not equate talent. how did you put it, Connie?
"it's amazing how far popularity will push someone so fast without substance in voice and in acting."
ah yes, amazing.
i have always enjoyed netrebko with some qualifications, however, her R+J really was great. It showcased her best assets: a large, glamorous, dark, and beautiful voice. When I saw dessay sing it, I literally fell asleep. How is it possible to call her voice dry meretrice? She may not be sutherland, but its still quite a voice to behold. Her characterization isn't exactly scotto, but she definitely has stage presence and IS a good actress. There is no doubt in my mind that all these extreme opinions of netrebko come either from jealousy/anger of her overexposure/overhype, or from fanaticism of some sort. I know a few people who have not enjoyed her, but its certainly not because she was a bad actress or had an "old scotto" (PLEASE!) voice!
Meretrice: I'm in London too, and although I have already seen this production live in NY in October, I'm certainly catching the simulcast as well. You can too, since you're obviously such a fan! There are two venues: (1) Everyman, a little arts cinema in Hampstead and (2) the Clapham Picturehouse. No idea if there are still available tickets .
As for the other comments:
I LOVE Aeroflot stewardesses, PARTICULARLY circa 1991.
Ditto for Eastern European cleaning ladies (and other stereotypical occupations of theirs). All that gene mixing because of the unending invasions throughout history has certainly improved the stock! :-). Nebbie is from the Kuban, so most probably Cossack in descent, hopefully with a dash of Tartar/Turk in her genes. That raven black hair has definetely something asiatic about it (all these are compliments in my book, before anybody starts).
If only all 36 year old women were as ugly as Trebsie this would be a very happy planet indeed. Her neck IS too short though, but it's those little imperfections that are so captivating.
I also love Scotto, even her late career version minus top notes. Timbre is everything in my book and hers was gorgeous.
As for vocal performance: you can certainly find flaws in it. Actually, it's usually her *fans* that are most infuriated with her occassionally noisy breathing or her insistence to go for roles that require agility rather than body and colour of sound which are her strengths. We know how good she can be, so we're mad as hell and we are not going to take it any more. Enough with that silly bel canto, Anna!
As for her acting, it's certainly not professional but rather impulsive and charisma based - and she has charisma in spades. When it works it's spellbinding. But sometimes it doesn't - for example I didn't think that the Puritani thing worked particularly well. Generally, when she get over-indulged by directors she can go over the top. But when she's disciplined it's wonderful.
The above actually holds even more for Schrott: although definetely a fan, I was a bit disappointed (dramatically soeaking) by his Met Figaro portrayal compared with his London Don. Basically, he overdid it in NY.
musselini,
If you consider Bocelli and Il Divo
serious opera singers, I don't think we're on the same page. They are pop artists using operatic genre to become popular, and to make good money; and no real opera lovers take them seriously. If Netrebko had followed Bocelli's and Il Divo's path, she would have eclipsed them to oblivion in no time, becoming a zillionaire in the process.
Popp Fanantic: thank you for the info. I had no idea that it was being brodcast to us over here too. I can't imagine who will be going: certainly not I! I know the Everyman well: perhaps I'll have a look at their programme as haven't been for a while.
Constantine: can't you prescribe yourself some sleeping tablets? Surely it's rather late for you to be posting.
If blogs had been around a few decades back, Tebaldistas would have doused cyberspace with Callas-trashing venom. I Neriani would have taken hammers and sickles to the cult of Mawrdolatry and there would have been legions defending the antics and tantrums of Ms. Battle.
Comments about allegedly Aeroflotian divas are nothing but noise - imbecilic, pointless drivel that contributes in no way to a meaningful or, for that matter, entertaining discussion of anything.
But then, some people actually think Anne Coulter is witty and can pack a punch, so I guess there'll always be an enthusiastic audience for partisan drivel.
*yawn*
"I tried very hard but I couldn't recall a popular and famous opera singer, with international appeal, who lacked a distinguished voice."
That was your criteria connie. Divo hasn't a voice among the four and Bocelli is well intentioned but not a singer. Hinting seems to be more than enough these days! With the dumbing down of opera what she sings- with a good voice, not yet, if ever great, is overhyped nonsense.
She is NO callas, no actress, smiling does not make the acting. If she would be quiet and just sing, perhaps I wouldn't have such a horrid impression of her. Her press people love to attack other artists by NAME, and infer that she is too ordinary to care. But she does, and isn't quite so dumb. The press helps her a lot. We are told to look for her, so we do.
it is only because the current group of new fans haven't really seen the real thing, so THIS is acceptable. she is a personality, nothing more, yet. In the void of today;s opera world, I guess that is something.
A friend saw R&J last night at the Met and aside from raving about Trebs he said Bobby's manhood was the talk of the lobby. My friend said it didn't look like a big deal.
A friend saw R&J last night and aside from raving about Trebs, he said there was a lot of lobby talk about how much of Bobby's man was visible - even in the balcony. My friend didn't think it looked like a big deal.
Bartoli is the best selling classical artist since the 3 Tenors by a mile and no crossover
Constantine Papas
"I tried very hard but I couldn't recall a popular and famous opera singer, with international appeal, who lacked a distinguished voice."
Three others who came with major press agentry attached:
1) Mary Garden "A new kind of diva" etc etc who actually bothered to do something new and perform scads of new operas.
2) Geraldine Farrar (whose credulous fans were also told that suddenly after decades of fat unlovely divas there was a true beauty onstage and that her technical limitations somehow made her more 'real" than other contemporary sopranos)
3) Rise Stevens ( who at least was a very good Octavian and Haensel, if in my hearing nothing else, most especially not Carmen). Granted the war` kept Stevens' career mostly US based, but she did start out in Prague and appeared at Glyndebourne and La Scala after the war.
Now, Kostya's idol Netrebko has a better *instrument* than any of these three big stars, but she'd be lucky to have Farrar's command or languages and Garden's mastery of the stage and French style, and she will be lucky if she can sustain a quarter century of career as did Stevens.
A bit off topic but...
Nerva Nelli:
"...Farrar's command or languages".
OK, am I a total weirdo (don't you all simultaneously shout "YES!" please), but why is this #276 in *my* list of opera-listening priorities? These are singers, not linguists. And anyway, we already know the librettos by heart. So what's so horrible if someone's Italian, German or Russian accent is a bit toe-curling? It's rare enough statistically to have the operatic instrument, voice size and (hopefully) dramatic ability wrapped into one person, do we now require these rather uniquely talented and rare people to be linguists as well? A nice bonus perhaps if it's there, but big deal if it's not.
nerva nelli,
You said that Netrebko is "my idol." Do you know what NYCOQ said about Netrebko on another posting? "She IS godess among mere mortals." For all opera lovers, Netrebko has brought something special, and that's why we spend so much time talking about her, regardless whether we love or hate her singing. You addressed me as "Kostya," Russian for Constantine. I'm not Russian but Greek. I hope you don't hold this against me! After all, Callas, Stratas, Moscona, Paskalis, Souliotis, to name a few, sang at the Met.
I think I have a case of "Schrottitis." The embarrassing condition where everytime his picture appears an ineveitible erection starts. Is there any cure?
I have seen articles where from maybe a few years back he would be talking about missing his wife and daughter. Now most of the articles only mention the daughter, so maybe they are seperated? It is certainly difficult to keep a relationship going when one partner is on the road so much -and Lord knows he must have many women throwing themselves at him. Although the few times I saw the Don Gio show here in LA there were no specific date/woman he left with and I was backstage at each of these shows. He is definitely involved with some one or is one celibate hunk ;)!!
I also got the same impression at first from that NY article where she mentioned having a new lover that she "met in London" . Well Erwin and her have met long ago, even toured together, so maybe now they are just good friends with benefits every now and then?
I think he can do better but not knowing her only getting impressions from some of the things she says in her interviews she does not seem that likeable.
Let's face it I am sure these operas stars go through each other like water. How can you help it when you are in such close proximity and in these heated roles?!
Sorry...I forgot to paste this into my comment. This was the reason that I got a not-so-nice impression of Anna. She seems very cold. Her statement of Simone not being her type? What a hurtful thing to say. Oh so was he her "type" for the seven years it took to get to her current status?
And now that Erwin is hot property she is on that train ride...
I really need to go get a blogger account -just too lazy at the moment to do it!
Article:
She’s currently playing as the temptress Manon in Berlin’s Deutsche Staatsoper and is the toast of Opera all over the world. Rumours circulating that she and her costar Rolando Villazon, a father of two, are playing more than their parts on stage.
The engagement took seven years before Simone revealed to public that he and the opera diva are over. Simone sat down with the paper and exclusively told them his heartaches:
“Anna and I decided to put our relationship on hold. We were nearly a pair for seven years and have recognized that each one needs time for himself, to be able to concentrate on our jobs and private lives.”
Still he insists that they are friends and have a strong affection towards each other.
“We telephone each other nearly each day and we remain the closest friends.”
The Italian singer still hopes for a happy end.
“We go momentarily our separated ways.”
Rumours of separation started already in 2006 when the two were not seen attending official events together. When Anna was seen in Austria, her new country, gracing the opening of fashion shop Escada, Simone sang alone at the opera in Lisbon. At that time the two were officially engaged, the baritone commented that he didn’t believe with the relationship anymore:
“I do not believe any longer in the fact that we will ever marry. To be a man at Anna’s side needs much self-assurance. Thanks to God I have it!”
Meanwhile, when asked, Anna surprisingly gave away cooly:
“I live alone. My friend Simone lives in Bologna. Sometimes he accompanies me, otherwise our relationship takes place only in the telephone. Whether I will marry, I do not know yet. I love my life the way it is.”
And she quickly added:
“Even if he looks marvelous, Simone is not actually not my type!”
Everyone pinpoints at her sudden success and the long distance love affair.
When the two met each in the 1990s, Anna was a nobody making her way to the ladder. In 1999 the two got engaged. But in 2002 came the production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Anna played as Donna Anna at the Salzburg Festival and immediately her success was clearly mapped out.
The last time the public saw the two as a couple was in March 2006 at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. But in August that year Anna mentioned in one of her interviews:
“I have already planned what will I do for the next four years. I do not have time for marrying.”
Post a Comment
<< Home