La Cenerentola, Barcelona

Nel primo ha brillato la stella incontrastata di Joyce DiDonato, straordinaria Angelina, che ha mertitato le scroscianti ovazioni tributatele dal pubblico. Le ha meritate per la classe musicale raffinatissima con la quale ha pattinato sul canto di coloratura rossiniano, conoscendone ogni segreto e ogni malizia tecnica.

Il suo timbro de mezzosoprano acuto, quasi sopranile in pi di un momento (ideale, quindi, per futuri “ruoli Colbran”…) non ha avuto nessuna difficoltá ad abbandonarsi alla morbida, dolcissima espansione di un canto patetico, pastellato, screziato di sfumature dolcissime e toccanti. Paradigmatico il commovente – si, in Rossini… – duetto del primo atto con l’altrettanto magnifico Juan Diego Florez. La grande scena finale è stata, poi, sicuramente la meglio cantata da noi ascoltata nell’ultimo ventennio, in un crescendo di mirabolanti e brillanti variazioni, sempre di gusto squisito, che hanno letteralmente incantato l’asoltatore. Il pubblico ha gradito entrambe le “locandine” riservando però il clamore a Florez, e il trionfo – insieme alla sua “bontà”, secondo sottotitolo… – Joyce DiDonato.

–  L’Opera, January, 2008

Once upon a time, we used to only dream about a stellar pairing like Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu has fielded for their current offering on display: “La Cenerentola.” I mean, a diva and a divo that could both easily, nay joyfully negotiate the considerable and varied vocal demands of the title role and the Prince? And handle spot-on comic acting as effortlessly as they embodied well-judged sentimental moments that truly touched the heart? And on top of it all, both be possessed of exceptional, unassuming youthful good looks and that truly elusive “star quality”? Well, ’tis the season, and dreams do come true. Those who whine and pine for some elusive “Golden Age” or another should shut up and hurry to Catalonia to catch Joyce DiDonato and Juan Diego Florez in what may just be definitive performances in Rossini’s enchanting rags-to-riches-rendition.

The beautiful, blond, Ms. DiDonato quite simply has it all. She can dispatch roulades with aplomb; color and vary seamless melismas to convey any variety of emotions; float high, middle, or low notes (and everything in between); spout out fiery dramatic phrases; or pull back to pianissimi of crushing frailty. It seems nothing in the role eludes her. She is a major artist with a beautifully schooled, richly handsome instrument, at the top of her game. Above all, she invites us into her world with a winning presence and an infectious delight, sharing her prodigious gifts in the service of one of Rossini’s most enchanting characters.

That she brought us to our knees and then to our feet with a perfectly judged “Non piu mesta” almost goes without saying. It was one of those thrilling performances when my heart began racing as fast as the coloratura, and the entire audience scarcely dared breathe. Applause and a low roar began as soon as she released the climactic note, and it built and built until the play-off finished and we seemed helpless in wanting to out-do each other in shouting our approval.

This is the kind of moment we dream of encountering in our years of routine, nicely competent opera-going, isn’t it? A spontaneous communal moment mercifully unspoiled by the likes of the Met Shush-ers (aka “The Applause Police”), where sudden perfection and the outpouring of recognition collide to make for an electric, one-of-a-kind shared experience. But far before this famous set piece, our star impressed from her very first, firmly-voiced “Una volta cera un’ re,” and then she just went from strength to strength. I felt much like Renee Zellweger in “Jerry Maguire” when she said “You had me from ‘hello’.”

–  Opera Today, January, 2008

…la mezzo-soprano ligera Joyce DiDonato, que supo situarse a la altura del papel cantando con voz clara y limpia, añadiendo variaciones en las repeticiones de sus frases y exhibiendo un estilo preciso e impecable.

–  La Vanguardia, January, 2008

Los grandes triunfadores fueron también la paraja protagonista. Joyce DiDonato posee una voz muy bella, de mezzo soprano lírica, con expansión suficiente, pero donde destaca es su sentido de la interpretación, lleno de detalles, su exquisita musicalidad y su fraseo de una comunicabilidad impactante.

–  El Mundo, January, 2008

La destacada emisión de la mezzo-soprano de Kansas Joyce DiDonato, el cuidado fraseo y una coloratura impresionante la han convertido en posos años en una de las intérpretes rossinianas más destacadas. Su interpretación como Cenerentola, muy encorsetada en el frágil personaje de la hermana infamada, due ganando enteros en el segundo acto y se destapó definitivamente en su espectacular aria final y la subsiguiente «calableta».

–  La Razon, January, 2008