Wagner: Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond (from Die Walküre) (Lenzlied)

“his Siegmund, naive and ecstatic rather than virile and forceful, is striking. Vogt's vocal ease and cleanness of line is appealing in Weber and Wagner, and he proves an accomplished, elegant Mozartian.” The Guardian, 12th April 2012 ***

“Vogt has an attractive if slender voice, and for him to sing on this album called Heroes seems a bit odd, since he is more suited to tender regrets than to thrilling outbursts of tone. He shows a Lieder singer's sensitivity to words, and is almost ideally suited to Lohengrin's narration, perhaps the high-point of his recital.” BBC Music Magazine, July 2012 ***

“[Vogt] offers the gentlest presentation of [Siegmund's] music that I've heard, and notably touching it is. He impresses even more with Lohengrin's narrative, where stage experience pays dividends...Vogt phrases exquisitely, and though the gentleness of sound is again evident, the strength of the character's convictions throughout is clear.” International Record Review, July/August 2012

“This is an exciting calling card from a singer with every chance of a big Wagnerian future.” The Observer, 18th April 2010

“Bleeding chunks of Wagner can make for awkward home listening. But clever programming and the ringing heldentenor of O’Neill make this opera recital less bloody than some...O’Neill wrestles with father figures and magic swords in a voice powerful and noble.” The Times, 1st May 2010 ****

“His tone is more clean-cut [than Domingo's]...silver to Domingo's gold. His delivery...[is] thrilling, and not without real character and verbal sensitivity...He is lavishly supported here by his homeland orchestra..Altogether, this recording, in good sound, is more than promising.” BBC Music Magazine, June 2010 *****

“All credit to O'Neill for being able to make so much of this difficult assignment...in the more robust passages - Siegfried's reaction to the sleeping Brünnhilde, Parsifal remembering Amfortas's suffering - [his] authority and potential are unmistakable.” Gramophone Magazine, August 2010

“This disc, which has the luxury of Claudio Abbado's magisterial, refined conducting, shows that Kaufmann is at least as fine a Mozart singer as a Wagner one… His outburst from Act II of Parsifal… is a thrilling foretaste of things to come… In Florestan's great aria from Fidelio we have a perfectly controlled expression of agony and exaltation. Everything here makes you crave to listen to this major artist in complete recordings, preferably, given his acting, on DVD.” BBC Music Magazine, November 2009 *****

“…Fidelio, is the centrepiece of this disc: it receives a powerful performance from both tenor (his opening "Gott" is heart-piercing) and conductor. Kaufmann ends where he began, with Wagner. …his beautiful phrasing and controlled singing in the "Winterstürme" shows why he has become the most sought-after tenor of his generation, and is a highlight of this exciting new release.” Gramophone Magazine, Awards Issue 2009

“No other compilation that has crossed my path comes within striking distance of this collection...The baritone-like richness to his singing in the Wagner extracts is especially compelling. That Kaufmann has Claudio Abbado and the superlative Mahler Chamber Orchestra to accompany him only makes the project even more special.” The Guardian, 27th November 2009 *****

“Aside from the smooth, warm masculinity...he has enormous versatility, helped by a voice that, whilst tenor, has the deep tone and resonance of a baritone...These qualities also make Kaufmann the perfect Wagnerian tenor, his voice soaring above Wagner’s lush orchestral textures, and dramatically upping the ante for the many heart-on-sleeve climaxes.” Charlotte Gardner, bbc.co.uk, 24th September 2009

“Kaufmann is slowly but surely demonstrating that he may be the next hot tip. A calling card to be treasured.” Classic FM Magazine, November 2009 ****

“… over the last 15 years, certain Wagner roles have been the "property" of Ben Heppner – of all things, a Wagner tenor who, in addition to the requisite power, has what might be called a "conventionally beautiful" voice which he actually uses with some discretion and imagination… It's a wonderful piece of singing…” Fanfare

“Ben Heppner is not scheduled to make his debut as Wagner's dwarf-beating, anvil-busting hero until 2008 (Aix, under Sir Simon Rattle) so the present disc will have to suffice as a rain check. It does so because the Canadian tenor (whom we never seem to see in the UK) is in prime vocal form and… is in constant search of original, unhackneyed line readings” Gramophone Magazine

“He seems to have everything – power, stamina, a bright, truly tenorial timbre… and he has grown up vocally, through Walther and Lohengrin into Tristan, at an intelligent pace, while mixing in some Italian roles to keep the voice supple. Now, on this recital, he tackles Siegfried and Siegmund, from what we hear, he's more than ready for them and Wagnerians should be waiting in line… His combination of lyricism and sheer power are unique today: his cries of “Wälse!” are as brilliant as his “Winterstürme” is caressing and tender. He also never resorts to crooning soft moments; what we hear is a true range of dynamics, in real voice. Here and throughout his diction is impeccable and the forward placement of his voice brings real urgency to his exclamation. On to Siegfried. Not enough praise can be lavished on his Forging Song. I, certainly, have never heard it sung as effortlessly, energetically, expressively, fearlessly, and with such true boyish joy before. He attacks the music and text heroically – this Siegfried seems indomitable – and his tone never falters: it's always big and bright… The “Forest Murmurs” shows us an entirely different side of Siegfried, tender and pensive, and Heppner delivers the solo to us with beautiful tone, enraptured… Heppner's amazement is palpable, and he phrases each mood-change and new sensation with great freshness of tone… Overall, the Staatskapelle Dresden plays with lustre and rhythmic thrust. This is a stunning CD, sure to delight and tease Wagnerians. It gets the highest recommendation.” International Record Review

“This is work of a resourceful, imaginative artist…” John W. Freeman, Opera News

“a performance with the blast of the winds and whiff of the sea” Gramophone Magazine (Fliegende Holländer)

“the chivalrous James King will impress you as being one of the purest, most unidiosyncratic Lohengrins you’ll have heard” Gramophone Magazine (Lohengrin)

“Fischer-Dieskau’s interpretation is as musical, as richly varied, as intelligent as one could hope for […] The great and unexpected revelation is Domingo’s Walther … he provides the most lyrically ardent Walther in any of the sets to date, seconding his conductor in his long-breathed, eloquent phrasing.” Gramophone Magazine (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg)

“Nilsson rises to great heights … is predictably glorious in her pleading for mercy to be shown to her lover and Windgassen is equally good in his defiance and contrition” Gramophone Magazine (Tannhäuser)

“Fischer-Dieskau and Veasey establish their characters with amazing clarity and speed” Gramophone Magazine (Rheingold)

“Vickers is a passionate Siegmund … his performance is superb … and as he is in splendid voice the heroic moments are most exciting.” Gramophone Magazine (Die Walküre)

“Kollo matches Price’s beauty of line with his own, so that for lyrical refinement their love duet is in a class of its own” Gramophone Magazine (Tristan und Isolde)

“Helge Dernesch is at her very peak” Penguin Guide ***