Askonas Holt

Haitink, Mackerras, Mehta, Emmanuel Pahud, John Williams & Yo-Yo Ma named in @GramophoneMag's #HallofFame http://t.co/GsWjZ1knBU

AskonasHolt | 14.41 | 23.05.2013

Chris Merritt

Introduction

In recent seasons Chris Merritt has sung Schönberg's 'Moses und Aron' for the Netherlands Opera (with Pierre Boulez, also recorded by DG), at the Salzburg Festival, at the Deutsche Oper Berlin and with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in Chicago and Berlin. He has sung 'Ariadne auf Naxos' in Lisbon, Munich and Dresden, Henze's 'Venus und Adonis' in Munich and in Japan, 'Rusalka' and 'Katya Kabanova' at the Metropolitan Opera, Loge, Oedipus, Herod, 'Katya Kabanova' and Shuisky in Amsterdam, Loge in Toulouse, Messiaen's 'St. François d'Assise' in Salzburg, Herod in Bologna, 'Wozzeck' in Hamburg (recorded by EMI) and Busoni's 'Dr. Faustus' in Salzburg and San Francisco. He sang Nono's ‘Intolleranza’ in Stuttgart and Berlin, ‘Mahagonny’ in Hamburg, Henze’s 'Boulevard Solitude’ for the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, 'Katja Kabanova' for the Glyndebourne Festival and the Royal Opera, 'St François d’Assise' in Paris and San Francisco, Herod in Genoa, Aegisthus in both Hamburg and Munich, 'Moses und Aron' in Stuttgart, ‘Le Grand Macabre’ in Brussels and Rome, ‘La Juive’ in Stuttgart, ‘Il prigioniero’ in Paris and ‘Salome’ in Berlin.

This is for information only and should not be reproduced. Please contact Marcus Spreitzer for a full biography and for performance details.

Repertoire

Please contact Marcus Spreitzer.

Press

Le Grand Macabre: 21 April 2013

Komische Oper Berlin

"Le spectacle, qui a ses moments de magie scénique, est remarquablement structuré, à la fois varié et construit, et il peut s’appuyer sur une troupe qui aime le théâtre autant que le chant, dont le meneur incontesté est le vétéran Chris Merritt, parfait clown qui n’oublie pas d’impressionner par l’aisance et la pertinence de son timbre et de sa projection, dans un rôle qu’il a beaucoup chanté ces dernières années."

"The show, which has its moments of stage magic, is remarkably structured, both varied and built, and can rely on a company whidh loves theater as much as singing, of which the undisputed leader is veteran Chris Merritt, perfect clown who does not forget to impress with the ease and relevance of his timbre and his projection in a role he has sung a lot in recent years."
Dominique Adrian, RESAMUSICA, 8 May 2013

Chris Merritt als Piet vom Fass in einer seiner besten Rollen in einer Fabel vom Sterben des Todes. Die sympathische Moral der Geschichte: Den Weltuntergang kann man auch verschlafen.

"Die Besetzung ist großteils hervorragend. Besonderes Lob und Anerkennung gebührt dem ehemals famosen Rossini-Tenor Chris Merritt, der mittlerweile dank seiner musikalischen Intelligenz, einer stupenden Stimmtechnik und darstellerischen Entäußerung ein Geheimtipp im schweren Charakterfach geworden ist. Mit welcher Raffinesse er die vokal vertrackten Passagen des „Weinabschmeckers und Totengräbers“ Piet singt, säuselt, deklamiert, allein das ist der Besuch der Aufführung wert"

Chris Merritt as Piet the Pot in one of his best roles in a fable about the death of death......
"The cast is mostly excellent. Particular praise and credit is due to the once famous Rossini tenor Chris Merritt, who has become an insider's tip in serious character roles thanks to his musical intelligence, a stupendous vocal technique and representational alienation. With what sophistication he sings, whispers, declaims the vocally intricate passages of "Weinabschmeckers and gravedigger" Piet......this alone is worth the visit to the show"
Dr. Ingobert Waltenberger, Online-Merkur, 25 April 2013

"Piet vom Fass joué par Chris Merritt se taille également un franc succès en modulant subtilement ses interventions pour en accentuer la musicalité"
"Piet the Pot played by Chris Merritt also carves out for himself a frank success by subtly modulating his interventions to accentuate the musicality."

Thierry Bonal, forumopera.com, 21 April 2013