OPÉRA International
décembre 1998

Alcina

Händel

Yvonne Kenny (Alcina) – Sophie Pondjiclis (Ruggiero) - Christine Brandes (Morgana) - Annelise Theodoloz (Bradamante) - Simon Edwards (Oronte) - Gregory Reinhart (Melisso) - Helene Le Corre (Oberto)
Hervé Niquet (dm) – Carlos Barcena (ms) – Jean Jacques La Corre (d) – Dominique Burté (c)

Nancy, novembre 1998

[...] Carlos Barcena a alterné les images de synthèse projetées en avant-scène et le travail sur le plateau...mais ce qui devrait être une alternance serrée et virtuose se révèle lent et lourd. [...] La distribution vocale a semblé contractée. [...] Parmi les quatre rôles principaux, seule Yvonne Kenny avait réellement la stature du rôle...mais le haut médium est souvent métallique, l'aigu crié et le soutien défaillant. [...] Christine Brandes s'est montrée intéressante, quoique son timbre ait paru plus épais et tendu. [...] En Oberto, Hélène Le Corre séduit par sa vocalité limpide et son charme.

 

culturekiosque.com

OPERA DIARY / Nancy, 3 November 1998

Alcina

by Joel Kasow

Productions of Handel's operas are sufficiently rare, and successful productions even more rare, that we can welcome this Alcina, even with plentiful misgivings. Taking advantage of the regional government's sponsorship of Hervé Niquet and Le Concert Spirituel, the Opéra de Nancy allowed him to inculcate the Orchestre Symphonique et Lyrique de Nancy with baroque music practices. Carlos Barcena's staging could have used a bit more depth and tried harder to bring some basic principles of stagecraft across to the least experienced members of the cast. The sets of Jean-Jacques Le Corre and costumes of Dominique Burté were further positive elements to which must be added the computer-generated imagery of Marc-Joseph Sigaud that supplied some of the requisite magic touches specified in the libretto. Unfortunately, Yvonne Kenny in the title role had difficulty focussing her voice, so that only at rare moments was her dramatic engagement matched by comparable vocalism. Sophie Pondjiclis's Ruggiero had the measure of her role, sufficiently at ease in the higher reaches of what is essentially a soprano role, but with sufficient reserves at the lower end of her register. Annelies Théodoloz's plummy contralto suited Bradamante as did her slim figure, while Hélène Le Corre made the most of Oberto's three arias. Simon Edwards's inelegant tenor and Gregory Reinhart's hollow-sounding bass rounded out the cast. Despite the carping, an enjoyable evening.