“Enthusiastic ovations after a good three and a half hours of musical delight and – something that hadn't happened for a long time – frenetic, never-ending interim applause, especially for Liv Redpath's breathtaking insane aria by Ophélie "À vos jeux, mes amis". Equal to the former bravura aria by Maria Callas. Especially since the young American soprano also visually embodies the ideal Ophelia. Such a radiant voice, effortless even in the highest register and breathtaking coloratura, has probably not been heard for a long time.”
“This act belongs solely to Ophélie, the blond, curly-haired angel in a white dress: Liv Redpath. She, too, is a gifted actress who, right from the start, plays Ophelie's strangeness in this stiff society, with its much too heavy burgandy robes, with those fine nuances that make the theater a place of illusions. A look here, a step there, and you know already how much this young woman is tormented, even before the real suffering (of Hamlet's 'Madness') begins. But now that everything seems decided, Ophélie has her grand entrance. And she makes use of it with a gleaming solo about "to be or not to be", which lacked neither vocal brilliance (what light, lucid heights!) nor dynamic variation”
“The casting of the two main roles in the Berlin premiere is one of those rare strokes of luck, in which the visual and musical impression merge into an ideal stage presence…[with] the pretty blonde curly-haired Liv Redpath, whose technically superior, bell clear soprano voice retained its warmth even in dizzying coloratura. That she even found the energy to climb the stairs during the touchingly sad madness aria – running down without endangering the vocal line for a moment increased the strength of the applause by several phonons”
“This personal drama of two young people is very appropriately played and sung by two exceptional young artists: Huw Montague Rendall with a supple and powerful baritone and Liv Redpath with her wonderfully dazzling soprano, which never gets shrill even in the highest register…With her, every note sits and radiates effortlessly, as if a happy little bird were chirping over a spring meadow. The audience listened as quietly as a mouse and immediately thanked her with thunderous applause.”
“At the end of this premiere at the Komische Oper Berlin there was great cheering from all ranks, after the madness aria by Ophélie even ecstatic bravo shouts, because the American soprano Liv Redpath really made a coloratura event of the first order out of this mammoth scene, in which one as a listener caught his breath as Redpaths' voice climbed to the highest heights with lyrical ease and stayed there floating. Which already gives two main reasons to watch this "Hamlet": These two young singers in the central roles are a stunner. And a real enrichment of the everyday repertoire of the local opera scene.”
“This evening is supported by a fantastic couple: Liv Redpath as Ophélie and Huw Montague Rendall in the title role. Rarely do you experience such believable lovers and sufferers in the opera. Both are agile like straight theater professionals, courageous, agile, touching - and sing so grandiosely that your ears ring…Liv Redpath's coloraturas are as bright as a bell, effortless, seductive, but never act as acoustic ornamentation, but are an honest expression of inner conflict…Anyone who loves opulent opera and misses out on this spectacle has only themselves to blame.”
“On the other hand, there were extraordinary performances from the singers…The blond, curly haired Ophélie by Liv Redpath is already visually ideal. Above all, however, she is a brilliant virtuoso of coloratura, who knows how to sing her two bravura arias – especially her madness aria – with a flexible soprano voice that is sure of heights.”
“...what is best known is Ophélie's mad frenzy in ‘À vos jeux, mes amis’, an aria also made famous by Maria Callas. There was never-ending interim applause.”
“...what is best known is Ophélie's mad frenzy in ‘À vos jeux, mes amis’, an aria also made famous by Maria Callas. There was never-ending interim applause.”
“And then on Sunday you see a production that you haven't seen in Berlin for a long time, not even at the Komische Oper Berlin, which always surprises…What Liv Redpath achieves as Ophélie afterwards is almost sensational: At the moment she switches from elegiac melody or friendly dalliance to ragged coloratura. The initial very innocent sound begins to ache with sadness at the moment of her freaking out. With her as well as with Huw Montague Rendall in the title role, one notices a special focus of the voice on the role from the first note, it is immediately clear what facets these characters encompass.”
“Liv Redpath is simply a vocal wonder. She also masters the skyscraper location…as an outcast going insane. I find the clear soprano voice, which in my ears is rather cool and therefore clear, refreshing, and it also goes very well with Montague Rendall's baritone and the extremely youthful role. Incidentally, the perfect intonation, which is particularly noticeable with the flute, is also fun when making music together. Redpath is rightly celebrated frenetically by the audience.”
“Liv Redpath as Ophélie impresses with crystal-clear, razor-sharp coloratura, which demands a lot of vocal artistry in the madness scene. Playful, attractive and with an intense expression, she is an ideal partner for her Hamlet.”
“{In Huw Montague Rendall,} physical and mental agility are perfect, and the intensity and naturalness of his playing and singing go hand in hand. As his partner Ophélie, Liv Redpath is absolutely equal. Like Hamlet, she is blond and brightly costumed. Thomas wrote two arias for her role that are considered highly challenging in the coloratura soprano repertoire. Redpath masters them both, especially the madness aria, with a lyrical, even soaring, sure-footed high. One could hardly wish for a more beautiful and more suitable pair of lovers. Both with good French pronunciation.”
“It is said that the eye eats, but the eye also listens, and so it is a great asset for this production that the protagonists are extremely attractive people, who are also the youthful age for their roles…Liv Redpath's Ophélie is a delicate blond creature and is therefore visually ideal. She masters her two bravura arias with a crystalline, treble-proof soprano of fine sweetness and has a beautiful melancholy in her voice for the song by Willis.”
“There was cheering and more cheering in the Komische Oper at the premiere of Ambroise Thomas' opera "Hamlet" on Sunday.”
