2015-11-12 featured press

de Volkskrant – William Christie ontlokt veerkracht, stuwing, kleur en eendracht – Translation

2015-11-11, de Volkskrant, by Frits Van Der Waa

Please scroll down for an English translation

Alle vijf zangers, voorop sopraan Katherine Watson en countertenor Philippe Jaroussky, leverden geweldige prestaties, op de voet gevolgd door de mooie donkere mezzo Stéphanie d’Oustrac, tenor Kresimir Spicer en bas Callum Thorpe. En de spil was, in alle bescheidenheid, de intussen 70-jarige éminence grise van de barokmuziek, dirigent William Christie, die zijn equipe veerkracht , stuwing, kleur en hartverwarmende eendracht ontlokte.

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All five singers, first of all soprano Katherine Watson and countertenor Philippe Jaroussky, delivered a great performance, closely followed by the beautiful dark mezzo Stéphanie d’Oustrac, tenor Kresimir Spicer and bass Callum Thorpe. And pivotal in all modesty was the now 70-year-old eminence grise of Baroque music, conductor William Christie, who elicited resilience, trim, color and heart-warming unity from his team.

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Translation to English, by MVK

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William Christie elicits elasticity, trim, color and harmony from his team

All five singers in Handel’s Theodora deliver great performances. The performance of Les Arts Florissants has an enjoyable easiness about it.

At a concert performance of an opera it does not happen that the choir joins a party scene and loosely runs across the stage. However, on Saturday at the Concertgebouw, it happened when all the singers were in front instead of neatly behind the orchestra. 

All five soloists delivered a great performance

That’s only possible if you know the music by heart. Having sung played it several times in staged performances before, the singers of Les Arts Florissants know the music of Handel’s. Therefore everyone felt completely at home in his role, which resulted in a performance that had a pleasant easiness about it. Incidentally, in Händel’s time, such an oratorio was performed on stage; the musical difference to an ordinary opera lies mainly in the name of the beast.

Theodora is not really exciting. The story is about the early Christians persecuted by the Romans. The contrasts in the first act are effective: the Romans are being accompanied by trumpets and timpani, while the Christians who renounce the world are drawn in sparse, sometimes monophonic lines. Eventually the pace slows down, the contrasts blurs and the result is a more average Händel – which still is not bad, especially in the choral passages.

All five singers, first of all soprano Katherine Watson and countertenor Philippe Jaroussky, delivered a great performance, closely followed by the beautiful dark mezzo Stéphanie d’Oustrac, tenor Kresimir Spicer and bass Callum Thorpe. And pivotal in all modesty was the now 70-year-old eminence grise of Baroque music, conductor William Christie, who elicited resilience, trim, color and heart-warming unity from his team.

Theodora G. F. Handel, by Les Arts Florissants conducted by William Christie. Seen: 7/11, Concertgebouw, Amsterdam.

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2015-11-07 featured press

Place de l’Opera – Christie opent de hemel in Theodora

2015-11-07, Place de l’Opera, by Jordi Kooiman

Haar geliefde Didymus kreeg in Philippe Jaroussky een voortreffelijke vertolker. Deze countertenor laat het nooit afweten: met die unieke klankrijkdom in zijn stem en zijn voorbeeldige muzikaliteit weet hij iedere keer weer je hart binnen te dringen.

 

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2015-02-25-featured-press

Opera Magazine – Een hebbeding: Jaroussky zingt mélodies

2015-02-26, operamagazine.nl (Piacer de l’Opera)

De cd is echt een hebbeding. Niet in de laatste plaats ook vanwege het omhulsel. In het doosje vind je behalve de twee schitterende cd’s ook een dik boek met liedteksten, veel informatie en tientallen sfeerfoto’s van de componisten en de dichter.

Source/Read more: Opera Magazine

2015-01-28-featured-press

Bachtrack – Jaroussky and Gauvin star in Steffani’s Niobe, regina di Tebe

2015-01-28, Bachtrack

…”As Anfione, Philippe Jaroussky was phenomenal. The French countertenor demonstrated his impeccable coloratura in the fiendishly difficult “Trà bellici carmi” but it was the contemplative aria “Dell’alma stanca… Sfere amiche”, all delicately chiselled phrases, exquisitely accompanied by the violas, that showcased his vocal qualities at their best. This was the highlight of the whole evening.”

Source/Read more: Bachtrack