Arias (Schrott, Frizza, Schrott)

It’s a CD.....! What else could I use it for?

Spiffingly well sung!

Erwin Schrott is a ten star voice if you enjoy the baritone voicethough still young this is a voice the like some wine will improve with age

A delightful first compilation of arias by Erwin Schrott. I thoroughly enjoyed this Cd and highly recommend it. I will listen to it often...buy it you won't be sorry!!

This is pretty good as far as debut recitals go. The "cheesecake" image on the front notwithstanding, this is a disc to be taken seriously as this is clearly a major voice and a major talent. Mr Schrott is chiefly famous for his Mozart roles and it is in these that he is at his considerable best. As far as the "heavier" roles are concerned, well, he certainly has all the notes, but the voice is too young-sounding to do full justice to King Philip and Procida (both sung in French, incidentally), however beautifully he sings. Nevertheless, this is a major talent, which needs careful nurturing. Don't be put off by the cover; there is much to delight and admire here!

Despite the over-selling of a visual image (more G4 than Covent Garden?!) Schrott actually has a very exciting voice, very much more CG than G4. It's not quite the instrument (say) Boris Christoff had, but amid today's contenders the instrument itself easily stands comparison with - say - Bryn Terfel, and is a real pleasure to listen to. Unfortunately, sometimes it seems that Schrott has not decided how to use his voice to act purely in sound - and that's where he is outclassed at this early stage in his career. Sometimes, all you are doing is listening to the sound...King Philip's aria is engaging and deeply felt, and I felt the same intermittently in "O tu Palerme"; yet the Mozart pieces vary between strong characterisation and mere routine. On this basis, a man to watch (in both senses of the word!) in the hope that the strengths of this debut disc will develop, and the (relative) weaknesses be overcome. Still, even now I think this has to be a four-star debut.

I first saw Erwin playing Don Giovanni at Covent Garden and what an effect he had. Previous Dons have suffered from a slight lack of credibility given that the majority of woman do not swoon weak-kneed at the sight of a 22 stone lumberer however great his voice. Having said that though, a toned, muscled, oiled and handsome young man without an incredible bass baritone wouldn't make much of a Don either. This man has it all. The looks, the voice, the fluid strut of an animal barely concealing how dangerous it is, the acting - by the time the commendatore arrived in Act 1 I was spellbound - he has all of it. I bought this album with some tripidation because few things live up to a live performance that has left you breathless with excitment. I was not disappointed. The rich well rounded voice is there and the humour and pleasure in the music that marks Erwin out for me is clearly audible. Highly recommended for opera fans and red blooded women everywhere.