Handel: Semele: Myself I shall adore

“De Niese demonstrates good technical skills and a keen sense of character, but above all there's a strong artistic personality at work that enables her to make each statement her own.” BBC Music Magazine, March 2008 ****

“When it comes to sorceresses, de Niese is splendid. The two arias for Medea in Teseo are well contrasted. "Dolce riposo" is a duet for voice and oboe over a pulsating string accompaniment, sung with an affecting gentleness, while "O stringerò nel' sen" is a fiery expression of jealousy. ” Gramophone Magazine, June 2008

“Her singing is utterly delectable and completely assured.” The New York Times

“De Niese can certainly "sell" a number. She makes each of these arias an emotional journey, heightening the expression when the first section is repeated. Semele's "Myself I Shall Adore" becomes increasingly, and delightfully, dizzy, with narcissistic flights of ornamentation, while at the opposite end of the spectrum she suggests a new intensity of grief towards the end of Ginevra's "Il mio crudel martoro" ( Ariodante ), with a "soured" colouring on the key word "moro" - dying. What makes me faintly uneasy is the less than even quality of de Niese's voice and her reluctance to sing either a true legato or a true pianissimo, though the ultra-close miking must take some of the blame here. Her bright, slender soprano, with its distinctive quick vibrato, has an attractive hint of smokiness in the middle register. Higher up, it can become thin and squally - I noticed this especially in her no-holds-barred performances of Cleopatra's "Da tempeste" and Morgana's "Tornami a vagheggiar" ( Alcina ). Yet for all her vocal imperfections, De Niese brings each of these characters to vivid life.” The Times, 10th May 2008

“Her vocal and musical vitality shines out of every track” BBC Music Magazine, August 2010 ****

“Their vocal virtues remain unaltered: clarity of attack, a fluidity across all registers, a voice full of sunshine and joy.” The Times, 23rd July 2010 **

“The young soprano displays impressive technical skills in her singing of florid music; scales and other passagework are immaculate in clarity and evenness, and they are blessedly innocent of aspirates and other easing devices.” Gramophone Magazine, September 2010

“[Jenkins's] brief setting of Exsultate Jubilate for de Niese is great fun, with chugging strings and excitable vocal line giving way to a more mellow middle section before returning to the 'A' section with some wildly exciting high B naturals.” International Record Review, September 2010