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Emma Curtis
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Opera News - Sound Bites, August 2007 Calliope, Beautiful Voice, Volume the First "Emma Curtis's voice finds much scope for its innate versatility." - The Independent Album of the Week "Frolicking amid the songs of this handsomely packaged and copiously annotated two-disc set is indeed God's plenty, and we are much indebted to contralto Emma Curtis and The Frolick for bringing English eighteenth-century domestic music-making so vividly to life. 'Calliope' should properly grace the shelves of many a lover of English opera and theatre music as a necessary appendix to the more 'serious' body of core repertoire...Curtis demonstrates her remarkable vocal range in songs like 'A Favourite Aire in Ariadne' by Mr. Handel (words fitted to the symphony from the first scene of Handel's Arianna in Creta') and her equally remarkable dramatic range in the many character pieces such as 'The Thirsty Toper'. In between are songs rendered with great beauty and delicacy, like the widely published 'The Forsaken Nymph' by Henry Holcombe and 'The Address to Sleep', written for Rove's play 'Tamerlane' by Jonathan Martin." Robert Levett, International Record Review"Engaging, intelligent performances of little-known English songs, many of which have a distinctive charm and power...hugely enjoyable..Emma Curtis sings with both appropriate gusto and fitting delicacy, with both humour and subtlety, as she explores the range of attitudes and emotions to be found amongst these songs....Her theatrical experience and her versatility serve her well in this project. If this repertoire is new to you, I urge you to let Emma Curtis and The Frolick effect an introduction. If you know some of these songs, you will surely want to possess so engaging a recording of them. " - Glyn Pursglove, MusicWeb Curtis is the type of presenter who overflows with both knowledge and enthusiasm for her subject, and she is extraordinarily successful here in taking the listener into the world she knows...delivered with maximum effectiveness by Curtis, who sings directly and clearly in a voice that one imagines was perfectly appropriate for the London drawing-rooms in which these songs would originally have been performed -- the voice of a young and talented stage actress. This is apparently the first volume of an eventual set; one awaits subsequent releases as Phyllis awaits her handsome swain -- with bated breath. James Manheim, All Music Guide Cavalli Giasone, Aspen Music Festival, Harry Bicket "Committed performances by a brilliant cast. Singing and acting was of such high quality.. an admirable level of vocal prowess. Emma Curtis sang Jason (Giasone) with restraint and a purtiy of tone that drew her audience in. The stressful shenanigans of Jason as he carried on with two queens clearly took its toll in real [dramatic] fashion." - Rocky Mountain News "Imported contralto Emma Curtis does not try to be unquestionably masculine in this trouser role, but she does convey the callous and fickle way Giasone approaches women. Curtis' wry facial expressions and studiously studly moves make the role come alive. Her voice is dark enough to suggest a male, and she uses it with fine effect, moving easily between impassioned pleas and almost conversational banter." - The Denver Post Handel Atalanta International Handel-Festival, Göttingen, Nicholas McGegan"The four leads were cast well, some even very well. Dominique Labelle as Atalanta sang colorfully, filling the room. Emma Curtis turned the shepherdess Irene into a veritable vocal competitor of the Princess of Arcadia. Her acting was by far superior, and with her flexible singing, she definitely reached Labelle's level." - Opernwelt "The singers' laurel goes to contralto Emma Curtis, with amazing vocal presence as the coquettish shepherdess Irene." - HNA (Kassel, Germany) "The musicians and singers earned unanimous storming applause...rightfully so: Michael Slattery (tenor) and Emma Curtis (contralto) for a hilariously over-the top, beautifully sung Aminta and an enchanting Irene." - Rheinische Post "Down into scarcely believable depths reaches the voluminous, but agile contralto voice of Emma Curtis (Irene)." - Göttinger Tagesblatt "Susan Rydén, soprano, and Emma Curtis, contralto, have many glorious moments. Enthusiastic applause for the entire cast" - Braunschweiger Zeitungsverlag Handel la Resurrezione The English Concert, Trevor Pinnock "Recitative was also the strong point of Emma Curtis, whose Mary Cleophas was distinguished by her lovely, burnished tone and serene manner: she was a discovery for me, a truly balanced middle register and a secure low range being far thinner on the ground than one might imagine, and she was a treasure in the ensembles." - Seen & Heard Handel Rodelinda Music Academy of the West, Randall Behr "the fine young British contralto Emma Curtis performed the male role [Bertarido] to dazzling, and slightly disarming, effect." - Opera Now "Ms. Curtis earned a solid thumbs up for lovely singing and a moving portrayal. Her Vivi tiranno was certainly a powerful, rousing, crowd-stirring hit." - Santa Barbara News "On Saturday the Bertarido role was sung by the gifted English contralto Emma Curtis, adding an air of gender ambivalence during the love scenes." - Los Angeles Times .
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| photo:©Dorothea Heise +49 163 437 3437 | |||||
