NORMA - BELLINI

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ROH Covent Garden - May 24th 2000 

 

"THE DIVA MAKES THE EVENING........Nelly Miricioiu has never received the attention that is her due.........If this Norma was intended to make ammends, it did so handsomely, atleast insofar as Miricioiu had a showcase for her talents.......she was as successful in the role as any of the singers of the last quarter century.....It was Nelly Miricioiu's evening"

FINANCIAL TIMES - RICHARD FAIRMAN - MAY 26TH 2000 

 

Amsterdam Concertgebouw - Jan 16th, 1999  

 

"...Nelly Miricioiu creates furore in exceptional Norma"

NRC - Kasper Jansen - 18th Jan 99 (Translation)

 

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IL PIRATA - BELLINI

  

WASHINGTON  CONCERT OPERA - April 20th 2001 

 

"The Romanian-born, England based soprano Nelly Miricioiu made Friday's performance worth hearing even for finicky opera lovers for whom Bellini isn't exactly novel territory.........Miricioiu's voice has a lovely passage in the middle to lower range, where Bellini's sprawling melodic lines takes on a weather-beaten smoothness and glow. She throws herself into the music, leading it along with her, with a precipitous sense of interpretive daring. 

 

WASHINGTON POST - APRIL 23RD  TIMES - PHILLIP KENNICOTT - APRIL 26TH 2000

 

CHELSEA OPERA GROUP - May 5th 2001 

 

A devastating tribute to Bellini:

"Nelly Miricioiu  gives a performance of a lifetime as Imogene, her dark, veiled tone hinting at terrible anguish, her coloratura ricocheting with pain and derangement" 

 

THE GUARDIAN - MAY 22, 2001 - TIM ASHLEY

 

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I CAPULETI E I MONTECCHI - BELLINI

 

Teatro Massimo Bellini - March 14, 1986

 

"..For her fresh colour of the voice and prestigous singing, not separated from the acting and always ready to give up virtuosity to express the truthful sense of the words, and that essential  feeling of being alone and apart..."

 

Nel Mondo Dello Spettacolo - Domenico Danzuso

(Translation) 

 

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MEFISTOFELE - BOITO

 

Washington - February 29, 1996

 

"Nelly Miricioiu, in the dual role of Margherita and Elana (Helen of Troy) is also extraordinary, delving deeply for the impossible low notes while soaring like a bird in the higher registers."

 

T.L. Ponick - Washington Times

 

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ANNA BOLENA - DONIZETTI

 

Brussels 1993

 

"As for Miricioiu, it is hard to imagine the heroines role being done more excitingly or effectingly.........

and it was impossible to detect any lack of beauty in the perfectly produced seamlessly threaded legato of her final scene-she has a technique second to none for a part such as Anna's whilst the voice itself, is Callas-like in timbre, encompasses a range of expression from gleaming half-light to bright beautifully controlled full throttle."

 

John McCann - (OPERA -1993)        

 

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LUCREZIA BORGIA - DONIZETTI

 

Washington Concert Opera 1990

 

"Lucrezia ...was sung with a magnificent voice and intense dramatic projection by soprano Nelly Miricioiu.  Nelly Miricioiu was not simply given a standing ovation at the end but a stamping, shouting one..."

 

Joseph Mclellan - Washington Post

 

Marseille Opera  2002

 

"Nelly Miricioiu and Donizetti's  Lucrezia Borgia are a potent mix, as was  demonstrated at the OPERA DE MARSEILLE (Oct 8)  ...That it was Miricioiu who was singing, one of the few sopranos today able to impart dramatic potency to the bel canto idiom, seems not to have been a consideration, despite the fact that the composer himself sanctioned a conflation of the new and old finales...........to give a multi-dimensional portrayal."

 

Joel Kasow - OPERA/April 2003

 

 

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MARIA STUARDA   - DONIZETTI

 

Lyon - 1996

 

"Nelly Miricioiu was in excellent form once again making one wonder at the lack of imagination manifested by the recording companies in their consistent neglect of an incomparable performer"

 

Joel Kasow - Opera - March, 1996        

 

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ROBERTO DEVEREUX  - DONIZETTI

 

Royal Opera, Covent Garden, July 8

 

But it was Miricioiu's opera, and ultimately her evening. Hers was the longest role and the most demanding, not merely in its manifold technical difficulties but in its range of mood - suspician, hope, love, hate, joy, pride and finally a bitter, crazed fury. All of these require expression, both in the enunciation of Cammarano's text and in the vocalizing of Donizetti's taxing music. Even the greatest bel canto exponents might experience mishaps over such a long ordeal, but Miricioiu's diligent connection to words, music and meaning held out to the end in singing of outstanding consistency and command.

 

George Hall - Opera News (online)        

 

 

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THAIS  - MASSENET

 

Concertgebouw 1985

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"She is being compared with Callas and this is no exaggeration.  What a voice!  Agility, pure intonation, wonderful pianissimo - she has got it all...this was a magnificent performance of a full-blooded diva"

 

Frits Van Der Waal - (VOLKSKRANT - JAN 85)

(Translation) 

 

 

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ORAZI E CURIAZI - MERCADANTE

 

Opera Rara recording

 

"...in her interpretation the technique is perfect, attractive, assimilated with the length of breath and impressive agility in the passages with ornamentation, which she never uses as just a demonstration of her virtuosity but always serving to express the internal torment of the character"

(translation from French) 

 

La Discotheque de L'Avant-Scene - 

Damien Colas - Opera June 1996

(Translation) 

 

 

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ROBERT LE DIABLE  - MEYERBEER

  

 As Isabelle,Nelly Miricioiu revealed impeccable technical  control of her soprano. Wisely, the singer occasionally used a harsh quality for even more expression and insight into the character; she turned her great aria "Grace pour toi" into one of the evenings high points. Histrionically, she was beyond fault as well."

 

JOCHEN BREIHOLZ  - “OPERA NEWS" - July 2000  

 

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TOSCA - PUCCINI

 

Covent Garden 1996

 

"Nelly Miricioiu had the requisite passion for the title role plus a melting pianissimo that ravished the house with its purity of tone." 

 

Clive Hirshorn - Daily Express

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"Nelly Miricioiu is the finest Tosca I have seen on stage.  She sings with tremendous ease ... the lower register rich and strong, and the top clear and bright.."

 

CD Review

 

 

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LA FIAMMA - RESPIGHI

 

Rome 1997

 

"...One of the chances of La Fiamma to retain the attention is to have a great primadonna ... and Nelly Mirioiciu offers a striking portrait of Silvana ... sensuous pianissimi and perfect (morbidi) her acting gifts ... everything recalls Callas...."

 

Opera International - Sergio Segalini

(translation)

 

Rome 1997

 

"The opera demands a soprano with a great vocal presence as Silvana - The flame of the title - and Nelly Miricioiu supplies that in abundance"

 

John Allison - The Times - Dec, 1997

 

 

Rome 1997

 

"Nelly Miricioiu proved an unforgettable Silvana, her vocal line exquisitely shaped and colored; the soprano's hauntingly emotional voice and presence are reminiscent of Claudia Muzio"

Steven Hastings - Opera News - Feb, 1998

 

Rome 1997

 

"The power surfaces whenever 'the flame' flickers behind the figure of Silvana, and it can only burn brightly when her role is taken by a soprano of real dramatic gifts and vocal allure. Miricioiu is in both respects ideal: she has the vocal strength for the Act 2 recognition of her powers but in the duet can fine her voice down to a hushed and beautiful sotto voce; throughout she is quite riveting"

 

Michael Oliver - Gramaphone - Dec, 1999

 

 

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SEMIRAMIDE - ROSSINI

 

Concertgebouw, Amersterdam - Jan 28, 1995

 

”QUEEN OF BEL CANTO TRIUMPHS IN ROSSINI "

 

"Miricioiu's interpretation of Queen Semiramide was phenomenal. There is at this moment in time no other singer that can match the Rumanian soprano in this reportoire."

 

Roeland Hazendonk -TELEGRAPH

(Translation) 

 

 

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ERMIONE  - ROSSINI

 

Brussels - April 1, 1995 

 

"...a never so intense sounding Miricioiu ...as far as I remember, I have never heard a voice making such an intense, pure, and exciting impression on my eardrums.

Bravissima."

 

Peter van der Lint - Trouw - April, 1995

(Translation) 

 

 

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LA TRAVIATA - VERDI

 

San Francisco 1983

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"Miricioiu was breathtaking. She must be believable. People around me were sobbing in her death scene. She must have the voice and "presence". In 1955, Callas had both, but first the presence. With Miricioiu, first the voice. Even Callas could not outdistance the even and brilliant tone of this star."

David Hunter - Opera Review

 

San Francisco - October 5, 1983

 

"Nelly Miricioiu, in her American opera debut, both sang and acted in world-class style, and won rising cheers for her performance as Violetta.....she is superb."

Scott Beach - S.F. Examiner

 

ENO/London Coliseum - JAN, 1984

 

"Gave a performance the like of which has not been heard in London for a very long time"

Harold Rosenthal (OPERA -1984)

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Washington Opera 1988

 

"Nelly Miricioiu's voice thrills in Verdi's 'La Traviata' .... Nelly Miricioiu conquered Washington ......she had the audience at her feet after what must be counted as the most thrilling local debut in years.......the party in Act 3 came alive when this woman sang...........this was Verdian artistry of the highest order."

Octavio Roca - Washington Times

 

Bath & Wessex Opera - 1993

 

"....it was, rather, the aquisition of one of the worlds tiny handful of "real" Violetta's currently before the public. This soprano, a Rumanian now resident in this country for a decade, has for some strange reason never arrived at an established position of eminence that her special gifts should assure her. All of our opera intendants ought to drop in on the Theatre Royal this week, to remind themselves how Verdi singing of Mediterranean intensity, colour and musical grace, can sound...............her  control of portmento phrasing, tapering of dynamics (with soft high shadings of exquisite delicacy) and generously vibrant emotional attack are all characteristic of a noble tradition in the role - a tradition exemplified by fewer and fewer singers, which is why this particular exempler deserves to be cherished"

Max Loppert (FINANCIAL TIMES  - 1993)

 

 

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OTELLO - VERDI

 

Copenhagen 1993

 

"...at times it seemed like magic.  When Nelly Miricioiu sang with vocal art like a sacrificial lamb and an angel of innocence"

(Translation) Tivoli Festival Info - Sept, 1993

 

 

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FRANCESCA DA RIMINI

 

The Netherlands 25th Nov 2000 

 

 "...It was a historical 'Matinee' last saturday.....There were two diva's. Nelly Miricioiu gave everything in the title role..........................Olivero, the queen-mother of the Matinee, listened full of admiration to the current queen of the 'Matinee', Miricioiu. Those are event opera lovers dream of....................................Olivero whispered "brava, brava,brava" in Miricioiu's ear. Other words cannot be found for Miricioiu's magnificent performance"

 

Peter van der Lint - Trouw