The Barrak’s wife in ”Die Frau Ohne Schatten” at Helsinki National Opera
BITTE KEINE EXPERIMENTE
Trotz einer famosen Kirsi Tiihonen: Strauss hat es in Finnland nicht leicht
... "Doch die Szene überstrahlt eine Sängerin: Kirsi Tiihonen als Färberin. Die
finnische Sopranistin singt die Partie fast lyrisch, leicht, schlank, mit einem
seltenen Nuancenreichtum, ohne jede Anstrengung, ohne je zu forcieren. Dadurch
bekommt die Figur eine andere Dimension, wird vielschichtiger und in ihrer
Aggressivität, ihrer Wut und Unberechenbarkeit nachvollziehbarer, zwingender,
menschlicher. Von der launischen, keifenden, frustrierten und unbefriedigten
Frau, auf die die Färberin oft reduziert wird, ist Kirsi Tiihonen weit entfernt.
An sie reicht in dieser "Frau ohne Schatten" niemand heran, obwohl die Finnische
Nationaloper auch auf die übrige Besetzung stolz sein kann." (...)
NO EXPERIMENTS PLEASE
In spite of a splendid K.T.: it's not easy for Strauss in Finland
The scene was predominated by one singer: Kirsi T. as the Färberin. The Finnish
Soprano sings this part in a very lyrical way, light and slim, with a rare
richness of nuances, without any effort or forcing. This way she opens a new
dimension to the character, becoming more complex and comprehensible in her
aggressiveness, rage and unpredictability, more compelling and human. K.T. is
far away from the
moody, nagging, frustrated and unsatisfied woman, to what the Färberin is often
reduced to. Nobody in this Frau ohne Schatten reaches her level, even though the
Finnish National Opera can also be proud of the rest of this cast.
Jochen Breiholz, Opernwelt 3/2006
"Solisteista suurin sankari on Kirsi Tiihonen, ... Hänen sopraanonsa säteili
valloittavan loistokkaasti ja vapaasti, leiskuvin linjoin ja sähäköin purkauksin.
Kirsi Tiihosesta on ilmeisen hauska esittää Värjärinvaimoa, tätä oopperamaailman
ehkä äkäisintä akkaa." / ”The biggest hero among the soloists was Kirsi Tiihonen...
Her soprano-voice shined brillantly and freely. It seems that she enjoyed to
play the most ill-tempered woman of the opera literature.”
Hannu-Ilari Lampila, Helsingin Sanomat 21.1.2006
Kirsi Tiihonen gjorde en fantastisk tolkning från bitter kvinna till älskande
hustru. Hon sjunger denna krävande roll suveränt med intensiva, väl fokuserade
höjdtoner. Hennes prestation var nära nog kvällens största behållning. / Kirsi
Tiihonen made a fantastic interpretation from a bitter woman to a loving wife.
She sings the demanding role sovereign with intensive high tones. Her
presentation did deserve the biggest applauds of the evening.
Jan Grönlund, Huvudstadsbladet HBL21.1.2006
Mimi in La Bohème
(Aalto-Musiktheater) !
Olga Mykytenko celebrated with ovations! Sensational Aalto debut of the young
Ukrainian Olga Mykytenko in the role of Mimi. Her Soprano voice shows ease in
the high register and a considerable volume, full of nuances and impeccable
style. She moved her audience with beautiful pianos and her naturally floating
voice. A fantastic debut for a new artist who will also be Essen's next "Lucia"
in march.
„Olga Mykytenko mit Ovationen gefeiert. (...)Furore machte bei ihrem Aalto-Debüt
die junge Ukrainin Olga Mykytenko in der Partie der Mimi. Ihr Sopran verfügt
über eine mühelose Höhe und ein beachtliches Volumen, das die Sängerin
differenziert und stilsicher einsetzt. Anrührend das tragfähige Piano ihrer
gleichmäßig flutenden Stimme. Dabei glänzte Mykytenko durch bruchlose Übergänge
ebenso wie durch eindrucksvolle Reserven, deren Durchschlagkraft kein störendes
Vibrato überschattet. Ein fabelhafter Einstieg für die Künstlerin, die ab März
Essens neue "Lucia" sein wird.“
Westfälische Allgemeine Zeitung, 19.12.05
-
Kirsi Tiihonen’s Isolde
at the Halle Opera House on 30.10.2004!
“Her soprano voice, powerful but still presice, did not leave any wishes open.”
// „Ihr mächtiger und doch sauber intonierender Sopran liess kaum zu wünschen
übrich.“ E.Rossner, Opernglas 12/04
- „She sang Isolde admirably well, clear, bright and highly dramaticly. When
she transformed the "Liebestod" scene into a virtuosic show piece - well, who
can do, can do.” // „Sie sang die Isolde bewunderungswürdig, klar, leuchtend,
hochdramatisch. Dass sie den "Liebestod" zur virtuosen Gesangsnummer
umfunktionierte - nun gut, wer kann, der kann.“
- Volker Boser, Abendzeitung /München, 3.11.2004
-
- “Kirsi Tiihonen with a strong and balanced forte, dark sounding low range
and with a stream of held-back passion full of nuances” // “Kirsi Tiihonen mit
kräftigem unverwackelten Forte, dunkel gehauchten Tiefen und nuancenreichem
Strom der gedämpften Leidenschaft“
- Prof. Stuke, Das Opernnetz 04.11.2004
“The Finnish Soprano K.T., receiving ovations for her Isolde debut in Germany,
singing - especially during the extended final scene – in the most colorful,
intimate and moving way.” // “Die finnische Sopranistin Kirsi Tiihonen singt
in diesem umjubelten Deutschlanddebüt als Isolde vor allem ihre ausgedehnet
Schlussszene farbenreich, innig und berührend.“ - Leipziger Volkszeitung, Tobias Wolff 01.11.2004
“The young K.T. is a new recommendable Isolde with a big, penetrating and
stable voice.” // „Die junge Finnin Kirsi Tiihonen ist eine neue, durchaus
empfehlenswerte Isolde mit großer, durchschlagskräftiger und standfester
Stimme. „ - Dieter David Scholz, Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk
1.11.04
“Rene Kollo's staging reduced itself to a perfect positioning of the singers,
but doesn't allow to experience any intense moments of great emotions - with
the exception of Kirsi Tiihonen's overwhelming singing in the final scene. „
// „René Kollos Regie beschränkt sich auf die optimale Positionierung der
Sänger , lässt aber keine intensiven Erlebnisse grosser Emotionen zu - und
wenn , dann durch das grossartige Singen Kirsi Tiihonens im Schlussbild“ - Prof. Stuke, Das Opernnetz 04.11.2004
Olga Mykytenko
as "Nedda" in Savonlinna!
“The star of the Pagliacci premier is the young
Ukranian soprano Olga Mykytenko as Nedda. Her voice has the beauty, lightnes
and sensitivity of a lyrical soprano, but it rises also to a shining power and
manages without problems the high register.”
-Hannu-Ilari Lampila,
Helsingin Sanomat 23. July 2004
- "The aria of Nedda was one of the great
moments of the evening. It was nice to hear this role finally to be
interpreted by a singer of the highest standards."
- -Riitta-Leena
Lempinen, Itä-Savo 23.7.2004
NEW RELEASE by NAXOS
Opera Classics!
Complete Recording of Verdi's
"Don Carlos" under Alberto Hold-Garrido with Ryhänen,
Cleveman, Mattei a.s.o..
Some reviews:
-"the spanish conductor Alberto
Hold-Garrido direct an incisive performance of this long work, with warmly
flexible rubato in such big moments as the oath duet and Elisabetta´s great aria
in the last act.(...)It says much that this version stands up so well in direct
comparison with the finest existing sets."
-Edward Greenfield, "The
Guardian"
-"recorded live at the Royal Swedish Opera, it is
masterfully driven by Alberto Hold-Garrido, whose full-blooded, immaculately
detailed account of the score is its strongest suit."
-Claire Wrathall, "BBC Music
Magazine"
-(...)"The spanish-born
conductor Alberto Hold-Garrido is all fire and steel, propelling Verdi´s
churning arpeggios and throbbing rhythms with a raw, nervous urgency."
-Tim Ashley, The Guardian Unlimited
-(...)"after their
dodgy moments in Parsifal, it was good to hear the orchestra-like the
splendid chorus - in such lusty form under Alberto Hold-Garrido. His direct,
no-fuss style-strong attack, incisive rhythm-was the real justification for
the low profile staging".
-Stephen Walsh,The Independent
-(...)"with Verdis
whole score the conductor Alberto Hold-Garrido was swift, sensible,
no-nonsense and effective".
-David Murray, The Financial Times.
-(...)"chorus and
orchestra, conducted by Alberto Hold-Garrido, are both admirably forthright.
The main thing is to emerge from Trovatore feeling as though your guts have
been scoured and your soul scarified - and that’s exactly what this staging
does."
-Robert Thicknesse, The Times.
-(...)"the soloists
main rival for best performance of the night goes, unusually, to the
orchestra, under the magic baton of Alberto Hold-Garrido. They were
confident, dynamically sensitive and blended within an inch of their lives
to a creamy, full-bodied sound that added richness to the choruses and arias
alike. They gave rise to some fantastic moments when, with the orchestra
swelling under them, the singers’ voices lifted up and soared, giving us
true romantic opera at its best".
-Isabel Owen,Oxford/Daily
Info/Reviews
CRITICAL REVIEWS
TRISTAN UND ISOLDE AT
Gothenburg Opera Premier 29.3.2003
Kirsi Tiihonen imponerar i kraft av sin vokala stadga” /// Kirsi Tiihonen
impresses with her vocal power and stability. Tony Lundman (Svenska
Dagbladet 31.3.2003)
”Största behyllningen är Kirisi Tiihonens Isolde. Med en stor och
uttrycksfull stämma når hon ut över rampen, också då hon oförsynt placerats
i fonden.”/// The greatest praise goes to Kirsi Tiihonen. With a strong and
expressiv voice she reaches over to the audience, also when she is placed in
the back of the stage. Thomas Anderberg (Dagens Nyheter 31.3.2003)
”Isoldes, Kirsi Tiihonens, vredesutbrott har magnificens, höjdtonerna lyser
med trumpetglans, och när hon tömt kärleksdrycken tillför hon en varmare
färgton till sin annars svalt nordiska sopran mycket vackert.” /// Isolde’s,
Kirsi Tiihonen’s, burst of anger has magnificens, the high tones shine with
tumpet sound and when she empties the love potion, she adds very beautifully
a warmer scale of colours in her nordic timbred soprano. Lennart Bromander (Aftonbladet
31.3.2003)
”Som Isolde imponerar Kirsi Tiihonen med bade uttrycksfullheten och värmen i
sin expansiva sopran” /// KT as Isolde impresses as well with her
expressiveness and warmth in her expansive soprano. Jan Hakanson (Hallandsposten
2.4.2003)
Valet av Kirsi Tiihonen som Isolde kunde inte varit bättre. Med sin starka
och genom hela föresrällningen osvikligt bärande sopran gestaltar hon med
full övertygelse den komplexa psykologin i denna roll. Här finns hatet,
ironin, den vitglödgande kärleken, desperationen, dödslängtan. Hon utgör
föreställningens dramatiska centrum och motor. /// There could not have been
a better choise for Isolde as Kirsi Tiihonen. With her strong soprano that
carries out the whole performance without any difficulties she manages to
bring out the complex psykology of this role to the fully satisfaction.
There is hate, irony, overwhelming love, desperation, longing for death. She
is the dramatic center and motor of the performance. Jan-Axel Axelsson (Boros
Tidning 31.3.2003)
Kirsi Tiihonens tolkning av Isolde gör ännu en gang sa svart att första
varför vi i Sverige sa sällan far höra de finska sangarna. Tiihonen är
aggressiv när det behövs, annars varm i sin ovanligt mörka sopran./// KT:s
Isolde interpretation makes it ones again incoprehensible why we in Sweden
so seldom get to hear the Finnish singers. Tiihonen is aggressive when it’s
needed, otherwise warm in her exceptional dark soprano. Per Feltzin (Sveriges
Radio)
