Swiss soprano Gabriela Scherer is in high demand for her lyric German roles with her Arabella and her Senta in “Der fliegende Holländer” among her most popular warhorses. But she isn’t letting anyone put her in a box. The soprano is leading her career on her own terms and performing roles that speak to her.
This season she made her role debut as Leonore in “Fidelio” followed by her role debut as Chrysothemis in “Elektra.” She quickly switched to Mozart for her role debut as Donna Elvira in “Don Giovanni” and this summer she makes the leap to Bayreuth where she will sing the role of Gutrune in “Götterdämmerung.” She will also sing her signature role of Senta.
But then Scherer is making sure to continue expanding her repertoire by singing more Mozart and Verdi. OperaWire had the chance to speak with the soprano on her career path, the challenges she has faced to get to where she is and how she keeps her voice healthy singing so many dramatic roles. OperaWire: Tell me about your debut as Chrysothemis in “Elektra” which you just did at the Semperoper Dresden? Gabriela Scherer: Yes, that’s right.
I sang it at Semperoper Dresden. But I have to be honest, I prefer to sing the Strauss roles that have lyric parts. Chrysothemis has some lyric lines but the orchestra is always full.
So it’s different than “Arabella.” I love to use my piano and I also think it shows the beauty of my voice because I like the piano and the pianissimo in my voice. I�.
