Artist Of The Week: Eric Cutler Opens A New Production Of ‘Lohengrin’

By Francisco Salazar

For years Eric Cutler was known as a lyric tenor singing high-flying bel canto lines and light tenor roles. He was in demand for operas by Donizetti, Bellini and Gounod.

However, in recent years Cutler’s voice has grown into a dramatic tenor taking on heavier roles from Massenet, Offenbach, Strauss, Bizet, and Beethoven. This week he sings “Lohengrin.”

Cutler makes his debut at La Monnaie du Mont where he will sing one of his first Wagner leading roles. The new production, by Oliver Py with Alain Altinoglu as music director, is Cutler’s first run of Wagner this season, which is set to be followed by Erik in “Die Fliegende Hollander” at the Baden Baden Festival and at the Dallas Opera. For a tenor who started in the Italian repertoire, this is an undertaking that should set his career in a new direction.

Cutler has stated that he wants to add “Tannhäuser” and “Siegfried” to his repertoire so this run of “Lohengrin” should be a preview of what is to come in the future.

Recordings 

For those interested in hearing Cutler before his transition to dramatic repertoire, he is featured on a DVD of “I Puritani” with Anna Netrebko as well as a CD for EMI featuring the music of Liszt and Schumann.

Categories

Artist of the WeekNews