Press

Filling out the famous quartet in Act II was American mezzo-soprano Nicole Piccolomini, who brought a fulminous tone quality and a sexy stage presence to the role of Maddalena.

Particular excitement was generated by mezzo-soprano Nicole Piccolomini … Her full-bodied voice had a dramatic edge that made it more than usually interesting. One hopes this company debut will not be her last appearance here.

Ms. Piccolomini shines as Maddalena. (Her) smoky mezzo is at once sexually alluring while radiating an entirely different, almost seductive kind of menace.

The Maddalena, Nicole Piccolomini, contributed a dusky, well-focused near-contralto.

Maddalena, the seducee who begs her brother assassin not to kill the Duke, fit mezzo-soprano Nicole Piccolomini’s (debut) voice so perfectly as to have been written for her.

Mezzo-soprano Nicole Piccolomini was also making her Lyric debut as Maddalena, really shining both vocally and dramatically in her saucy scene with the Duke, as well as in her interaction with her brother and assassin Sparafucile.

The alluringly dusky-voiced American mezzo Nicole Piccolomini, in her house debut, smoldered sexily as Sparafucile’s sister and partner in crime, Maddalena.

Nicole Piccolomini was a sexy, smokey-toned Maddalena.

In the role of Maddalena, Nicole Piccolomini sang with a riveting middle and low register, her voice penetrating throughout the quartet and in her subsequent demands to Sparafucile to spare the Duke’s life.

Making her Lyric debut, Nicole Piccolomini offered both a dusky mezzo-soprano and earthy dark-haired beauty as Maddalena.

Nicole Piccolomini’s resonant, hard-edged mezzo made for an effective Maddalena –– especially coupled with her dark, slinky good looks.

Nicole Piccolomini was equally strong as Maddalena, with her full-bodied mezzo soprano adding richly to the final act quartet, as well as her part in the dénouement.

Nicole Piccolomini sang a refulgent Maddalena , reminding us that Azucena was just around Verdi’s compositional corner.

Nicole Piccolomini grundierte ihre Erda kernig, fruchtig, schollenstark.

Die Solisten? Nicole Piccolomini als Erda für mich das Erlebnis des Abends.

Nun zu den Damen des Abends. Da zeigte der Waldvogel Eun Yee You stimmlichen Glanz, der aber von Nicole Piccolomini als Erda noch in den Schatten gestellt wurde. Mit ihrem dunklen Mezzosopran agierte diese hier auch darstellerisch überzeugend und verwies Wotan in seine Schranken

Ganz anders dagegen die Erscheinung der Erda von Nicole Piccolomini, die im schillernden brokatseidenen Kleid mit langer Schleppe glänzte und mit einigen, sich windenden Schleppenträgerinnen im Gefolge nicht nur die Assoziation an den Lindwurm erweckte, sondern mit Stimme, Darstellung und besonderer gesanglicher Gestaltung eine Erda von Format und auf hohem Niveau verkörperte.

Nicole Piccolomini sang die Allwissende mit nachtschwarzem Alt, der auch in der streng vibrierenden Höhe enormes Potential hat und der Figur eine geheimnisvoll-magische Aura verlieh

Nicole Piccolomini commanded the stage. No tired harridan this, but a glamorous woman, every inch a queen. Piccolomini also caressed the text, singing her music in a full, resonant contralto with a fabulously rich chest register.