Joyce DiDonato and Antonio Pappano in Concert
“Joyce DiDonato manifested once again how easily her voice adheres to various eras and manipulations and techniques, clinging as naturally to both classical German arias and voice-bending Ravel as sugary glaze sticks to pastry.
It was another reminder that DiDonato is not a star in opera – but the star.”
Broadway World
“The second half started with Ravel’s Shéhérazade… DiDonato provided the focus of beauty and sensuality. They really gel, though, when they turn to the American songbook. DiDonato hits the schmaltzy spot and Pappano has a cabaret pianist inside him struggling to get out. In Jerome Kern… and Richard Rogers they had the audience eating out of their hands.”
Financial Times
“DiDonato has that ability to get to the heart of a song’s mood and location through her vivid tonal colouring as well as her bodily movement.”
“A recital from Joyce DiDonato and Antonio Pappano was never going to be anything less than superb. DiDonato’s performances of the Broadway songs admirably avoided sentimentality and were rather poignant, particularly the Jerome Kern”
Planet Hugill
“The most substantial work in DiDonato’s entire programme was the one she began with: Haydn’s cantata Arianna a Naxos, and here we first experienced how sensitive an accompanist Antonio Pappano would prove to be throughout the concert. They had performed together at the Wigmore Hall in 2014 and this was sung then. DiDonato captured every emotion that Haydn puts his heroine through; love, desolation, grief and vengeful fury with all her consummate vocal skill.”
Seen and heard international