Richard Mayr

as Escamillo in "Carmen" by Bizet

Richard Mayr
1877-1935
Austrian bass baritone
Studied at the Vienna Music Academy and studied with Johannes Ress . Debut at the Bayreuth Festival in 1902 as Hagen in “ Götterdämmerung” by Wagner. This led to his being engaged as a principal singer at the Vienna Hofoper by Mahler where his career lasted for three decades. His debut role in Vienna was Silva in “ Ernani.” By Verdi . He created Barak in “ Die Frau ohne Schatten” ‘ by Richard Strauss in Vienna, 10 October 1919. He also sang at the Royal Opera, London from 1911-1913 and again from 1924 -1931. He sang for three consecutive seasons at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, making his Met début as Pogner in “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg ‘ by Wagner in 1927. He was also a mainstay at the Salzburg Festival, appearing every year there from 1921 until his retirement from the stage in 1934. Roles included Baron Ochs in “Der Rosenkavalier” by Strauss , Saint Bris and Marcel in “Les Huguenots” by Meyerbeer , Figaro in “the Marriage of Figaro” by Mozart , King Mark in “Tristan und Isolde” , Fasolt in” Das Rheingold” , Hunding in “Die Walkure” , Gurnemanz in “Parsifal “ all by Wagner