Opera Singer. A leading bass of the early to mid 20th Century, he is primarily remembered for his Wagnerian interpretations. The child of a noted Chazzan (cantor) he was raised in what was then Austria-Hungary and trained in Vienna with the renowned teacher Adolf Robinson who arranged for him to sing some comprimario roles in Chicago. Schorr made his formal operatic debut at Graz, Austria, in 1912 as Wotan of Wagner's "Die Walkure". Remaining at Graz thru 1916 he was heard in the increasingly important venues of Prague, Cologne, and Berlin where his signature pieces were Wotan in Wagner's "Ring Cycle", Hans Sachs from the same composer's "Die Meistersinger", and Don Pizarro of Beethoven's "Fidelio". Schorr sang at Covent Garden, London, between 1924 and 1931 and at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus from 1925 until it became untenable for Jews in 1933. A regular at New York's Metropolitan Opera after 1924 he lived in the United States from 1931 on, eventually taking American citizenship. Not restricted to the Germanic repertoire, his other noted roles included Amonasaro in Giuseppe Verdi's "Aida", the evil police chief Baron Scarpia of Giacomo Puccini's "Tosca", and the Toreador Escamillo from Georges Bizet's "Carmen". As time went on Schorr's voice showed signs of overuse; after giving his final performance as Wotan in "Siegfried" at the Metropolitan in 1943 he remained in New York City and taught at the Manhattan School of Music. Much of his recorded legacy remains available on CD.
Opera Singer. A leading bass of the early to mid 20th Century, he is primarily remembered for his Wagnerian interpretations. The child of a noted Chazzan (cantor) he was raised in what was then Austria-Hungary and trained in Vienna with the renowned teacher Adolf Robinson who arranged for him to sing some comprimario roles in Chicago. Schorr made his formal operatic debut at Graz, Austria, in 1912 as Wotan of Wagner's "Die Walkure". Remaining at Graz thru 1916 he was heard in the increasingly important venues of Prague, Cologne, and Berlin where his signature pieces were Wotan in Wagner's "Ring Cycle", Hans Sachs from the same composer's "Die Meistersinger", and Don Pizarro of Beethoven's "Fidelio". Schorr sang at Covent Garden, London, between 1924 and 1931 and at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus from 1925 until it became untenable for Jews in 1933. A regular at New York's Metropolitan Opera after 1924 he lived in the United States from 1931 on, eventually taking American citizenship. Not restricted to the Germanic repertoire, his other noted roles included Amonasaro in Giuseppe Verdi's "Aida", the evil police chief Baron Scarpia of Giacomo Puccini's "Tosca", and the Toreador Escamillo from Georges Bizet's "Carmen". As time went on Schorr's voice showed signs of overuse; after giving his final performance as Wotan in "Siegfried" at the Metropolitan in 1943 he remained in New York City and taught at the Manhattan School of Music. Much of his recorded legacy remains available on CD.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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