The Mail on Sunday, David Mellor 2nd August 2009 4 stars
‘…there is always room for an evening as good as this…it all works beautifully.’
‘…musically it is so good under the inspiring baton of Maurizio Benini…This was riveting account of the score, with the London Philharmonic in cracking form.’
‘Peter Auty… was a marvelous Nemorino, firm of tone and charming of manner, extracting real pathos...’
‘She (Ainhoa Garmendia) was a charming, totally accurate Adina, and was given as big a hand by the cast as by the audience.’
The Observer, Fiona Maddocks 2nd August 2009
‘…musically there are treats, with good ensemble singing and idiomatic conducting from Maurizio Benini. Luciano di Pasquale’s oleaginous Dulcamara and Alfredo Daza’s wolfish Belcore bring smiles.’
The Sunday Express, Clare Colvin, 2nd August 2009 4 stars
‘The orchestra under conductor Maurizio Benini, captures the delicious Italianate flavour of the score.’
The Stage, George Hall, 30th July 2009
‘Outstanding too is the contribution of Spanish soprano Ainhoa Garmendia…Never less than confident in her singing or her acting, she meshed perfectly with her colleagues and the staging in an entirely remarkable piece of professionalism and savoir faire, saving the show in style.’
‘Peter Auty’s Nemorino is world-class in his vocal accomplishment and touching presentation of the character’s plight. Alfredo Daza sounds exactly the right notes as God’s gift to women, bumptiousness and fundamental decency with his good-looking, healthy sounding Sergeant Belcore.’
The Times, Neil Fisher, 25th July 2009 Four stars
‘Everything that Arden clearly wanted from this Adina (Ainhoa Garmendia) – spunky but vulnerable, desperate for her man but not so desperate that she would ever show it – she delivered with gusto.’
‘…this had to be Auty’s night…plenty of Italian tenors would kill for his natural pliancy and power in shaping the line.’
‘It is this tenderness in Arden’s approach which gives her staging, …, the drop on the competition.’
‘..the acid wit of Maurizio Benini’s conducting, leading the London Philharmonic in a brilliantly thought-through performance.’
The Guardian, Tim Ashley, 25th July 2009 Four stars
‘Auty is naively endearing and breaks your heart with Una Furtiva Lagrima. Daza gets Belcore’s course sensuality absolutely right. And Maurizio Benini’s beautiful conducting adds to his growing reputation as an interpreter of choice in the 19th century Italian repertoire.’