Richard Wagner

“The great achievement here is Terje Stensvold's Wotan, doubl remarkable in that the Norwegian bass-baritone was 67 years old at the time...Stensvold understands exactly how to pace the long narration - he truly lives it, with the bitter frustration deeply felt...The Frankfurt orchestra under Sebastian Weigle offers high competence (that counts for a good deal in Walkure).” International Record Review, February 2012

“Wolfgang Koch [sic - Koch actually sings Alberich, Robert Bork Gunther] and Anna Gabler are outstanding as Gunther and Gutrune. Simone Young's conducting is ardent, sometimes coarse, but always engaged; her orchestra is almost tireless; and the ecstatic reception of the audience is fully understandable.” BBC Music Magazine, March 2012 ***

“Young is no cosseter of purple passages: set pieces...always serve the drama rather than becoming time out for purely orchestral display. The cast is headed by veterans...experience which shows in their working of Wagner's text. Tomlinson in particular takes Hagen into areas several layers above mere black villainy. Franz is a brave and enthusiastic actor of Siegfried's moods; Lang makes much of Waltraute's emotional blackmail.” Gramophone Magazine, April 2012

“Young gets admirable playing through all three acts, yet without any real dramatic coherence...Among the cast, I'll certainly want to return to John Tomlinson's Hagen. At this stage the voice has its rusty edges, but the veteran bass's craggy strength is entirely suited to the role...This justly celebrated Wagner interpreter has a more than worthy partner in Wolfgang Koch, who firmly projects Alberich's bitterness, desperation and outrage.” International Record Review, March 2012

“The unguarded emotionalism that has made this not-so-cool Canadian endearing is in evidence in almost every song here, with a particularly penetrating response to 'Schmerzen' in the Wesendonck songs. However, such interpretative responses come in primary colours, tempered by a steady stream of vocal tone....admirers of Lemieux will understand and appreciate this artist more having heard this recital.” Gramophone Magazine, March 2012

“Her French is, as you'd expect, impeccable; so is her German, in the Wagner and Mahler sets. Each unfolds unhurriedly but with a clear sense of direction...Lemieux sustains a fine flow of even tone across all the range...Lemieux's beautifully controlled performance suggests that the [Concours Reine-Elisabeth de Belgique] jury back in 1998 was more than justified in its verdict.” International Record Review, March 2012