Christmas songs and traditions have long been an inspiration for Diana Damrau – and, the German soprano tells Rebecca Franks, their ability to give comfort and joy to audiences is now more important than ever
Diana Damrau does not own a dog. Neither do I. So it’s a real surprise to both of us when the black bag on the floor begins barking. ‘Is that yours?’ the German soprano asks me, and I tell her it’s not. Bemused and amused, we cross the room to investigate. As interview icebreakers go, this is fairly unorthodox. Backstage at Wigmore Hall, where Damrau gave a recital the evening before, we’re for the moment canine detectives rather than preparing to talk about her new Christmas album. It turns out that inside the bag – which is, on closer inspection, a discreet carrier with mesh panels at either end – is a tiny dog. We laugh and debate what to do. Pieces of the puzzle start to fit into place. We’re sharing a room with the belongings of violinist Hilary Hahn and pianist Lera Auerbach, who are busy rehearsing in the hall, and the staff think the pet must belong to one of them. The dog seems perfectly happy – in fact he or she has gone back to sleep already – so we sit down at the table and start to chat.
Within minutes, I’ve forgotten that I’m in drizzly London. Instead, I’m whisked away to Bavaria, where a young Damrau is sitting on the marble windowsill at home, looking out at the crows in the snow, listening to her favourite LPs of children singing Christmas songs. Then she paints another picture. It’s Christmas Eve. She is looking through the living room keyhole, spying on her mother’s preparations – ‘and the food smells good!’ – but she’s not allowed in, yet. She goes off to watch old movies on TV with her grandparents, until a little bell rings. Then, the door opens.
‘My mum would put on an LP with loud church bells, and there was the Christmas tree with all the candles lit beautifully, and all the parcels and presents,’ says Damrau. ‘We had sparklers in our hands and the whole family would sing two verses of Stille Nacht, the most holy Christmas song. Even then we were still not allowed in – we would just look at this beautiful image. And then, we would wish everyone Merry Christmas and rush to the presents, and the whole night would be Christmas songs, good cheer and food, and a beautiful Midnight Mass in the church.’
Damrau may have long been the go-to soprano for Mozart, Strauss and Donizetti in the world’s top opera hou
