“Wagner and Strauss in the Superb Performance of Volle and Scherer at the Real”
“Last Saturday, March 29, the Teatro Real hosted a gala as part of the “Voces del Real” series, dedicated primarily to Wagner and, to a lesser extent, Richard Strauss. The undisputed protagonists were baritone Michael Volle and his wife, soprano Gabriela Scherer, who delivered a solid, classic, and moving interpretation of several scenes from three different works by both composers.
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Gabriela Scherer took the stage for the evening’s first duet, “Wie aus der Ferne” (Act II), in which Senta meets the Dutchman—whose image, depicted in a mysterious painting, she had fallen in love with before ever meeting him—and swears eternal fidelity to him. Scherer recently performed this role in Berlin and will reprise it this April in Düsseldorf and Luxembourg.
Gabriela Scherer was equally impressive in every aspect, showcasing a beautiful, full-bodied voice with remarkable uniformity, which she maintained skillfully even in the high Bs (…) The complicity between the two singers was evident, as their musical interpretation of the scene was clearly aligned, and their habit of performing together allowed them to listen to each other perfectly and adapt seamlessly.
(…) “Allmächtige Jungfrau”, Elisabeth’s prayer invoking the Virgin to receive her in her bosom. Once again, we could appreciate the beauty and fullness of Scherer’s voice, which achieved an interpretation filled with intimate expressiveness despite a very theatrical and expansive score. Superb phrasing imbued with solid delicacy (allow me the almost conceptual oxymoron).
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However, the truly superb performance was Gabriela Scherer in her solo part “Das war sehr gut, Mandryka” and the final duet, with great control of the nuances and a superb legato in those long, enormously lyrical phrases. The Real Orchestra was up to its illustrious soloists (we had the opportunity to hear this opera on the same stage just two years ago) and Gimeno provided an effective accompaniment that was always attentive to the singers, with the orchestra responding with clarity and always in a concise manner.
After the applause, they performed the love duet from Arabella, “Un du wirst mein Gebieter sein,” in which they only deepened the sense of affectedness previously achieved, and Scherer even delivered some beautiful nuances in pianissimo in the high register, especially in that high B… . It was a superb evening during which we enjoyed the fine craftsmanship of this pair of great musicians.”

Ana García Urcola, Scherzo

“Gabriela Scherer, in the duet with the Dutchman (“Wie aus der Ferne”) was the perfect complement for the Seaman, humanizing him even in the brutal volume that she knew how to regulate so that hers would not be lost.
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Gabriela Scherer possesses a rich, large, lyrical voice with an attractive timbre, well-controlled throughout her range… .
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Scherer closed the official program on a high note with the aria “Dann aber, wie ich Sie gespürt hab hier im Finstern.” It was wonderful to hear resonant voices, well-handled and with precise intention.
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The “encore” from the pair debuting at the Real was a delicate and marvelous performance of the duet “Und du wirst mein Gebieter sein” from the opera Arabella. The audience was enthralled, and the artists received a well-deserved round of applause.”


Federico Figueroa, Opera World

“Wie aus der Ferne”… marks the first encounter between the Dutchman and Senta, where she decides to help him upon learning his story. In this section, we observed how well Volle’s and Scherer’s voices blended. (…) Both singers demonstrated great ability in shading and singing softly together, essential elements for building the synergy of their romantic connection.
From “Tannhäuser”, the first piece in the second half was “Wohl wusst ich hier”, in which Wolfram meets Elisabeth as she fervently prays for Tannhäuser’s return. Here, we could appreciate the qualities of Scherer’s voice, which sits between lyric and dramatic—a jugendlich-dramatische—with rich nuances and colors, well-structured from the lower to the upper range, allowing both power and lyricism, with well-placed high notes. (…)
Similarly, in “Allmächt’ge Jungfrau” Elisabeth prays to the Virgin, asking to be taken to heaven if Tannhäuser does not return. Scherer delivered a more desperate interpretation to reflect this situation. (…)
Finally, in “Dann aber, wie ich Sie gespürt hab hier im Finstern”, Mandryka recalls a moment of connection and mutual understanding with Arabella, which was beautifully captured by Volle and Scherer in their love duet.
Judging by the prolonged rounds of applause, the concert was very well received by the audience that filled the Teatro Real. The performers were greeted with repeated applause and ovations, a testament to the enthusiasm for this repertoire and the appreciation of such distinguished artists as Michael Volle and Gabriela Scherer—perhaps less known to the broader public than more media-prominent figures. (…)”

Óscar del Saz, Codalario

“Next came the Act II duet “Wie aus der Ferne”, where the opera’s protagonist meets his future “redeemer,” Senta.
Gabriela Scherer showcased her strengths with a solid, full lyric voice (…) well-handled across her entire range.
She is undoubtedly a fine singer, demonstrating control and skill throughout her performance. (…)
The concert concluded with an excerpt from Strauss’s Arabella, featuring Volle as Mandryka and Scherer in the title role. It was gratifying to hear such resonant voices, with both singers delivering a remarkable and dynamic performance.”

Javier Pérez, Platea Magazine