Nino Surguladze
mezzo sopran
Eugene Onegin
Exceptional 'Onegin' at Lyric
(...) If Dina Kuznetsova couldn't quite summon the required
vocal power for hermost impassioned outbursts, the Russian-born soprano more
than compensatedwith a Tatyana of affecting vulnerability, poignancy and grace.
The RyanCenter alumna gave the extended Letter Scene everything she had,
refining thevoice to a silvery sliver, soaring in rapturous song. It will be
difficult toforget the exquisite diminuendo she sustained in the final
scene.
Frank Lopardo, an American tenor heretofore identified with the
majorItalian lyric roles, scored a triumph of anti-typecasting as an
exceptionallyardent and sensitive Lensky. The expressive force he summoned for
his ariadrew the evening's longest and loudest applause.
Soviet Georgian
mezzo-soprano Nino Surguladze was pretty of face and voiceas the flirty sister
Olga.
Ukrainian native Vitalij Kowaljow intoned Gremin's princely platitudes
witha deep and sonorous Slavic bass. Keith Jameson, another house debut,
investedthe little serenade of Monsieur Triquet with bel-canto finesse.
http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2008/mar/03/entertainment/chi-ovn_0303eugenemar03
Eugene Onegin, Royal Opera House, London
(...) I cannot remember when this opera was last quite so dominated by a Lensky and Olga. Nino Surguladze's engaging Olga is established early on as a tomboy with irresistible feminine charms. The contralto colour of the voice is beguiling, but as ever it's the belief that sweeps you along on her every word and gesture. The same is true of Rolando Villazon's Lensky; the ardour, the intensity, of the delivery is thrilling. His calling for Olga in the final minutes of his life was the highlight of the evening.
(...) What galvanised proceedings were three outstanding supporting performances. As Lensky, the much-vaunted young Mexican Rolando Villazon took a while to get his exciting tenor flowing, but he was compelling in his pre-duel soliloquy. Pity he lost the duel.
I was also impressed by the Georgian mezzo Nino Surguladze (Olga): sumptuous tone, and her face was the liveliest thing on stage. And the veteran bass Eric Halfvarson stole the show with Gremin?s touching hymn to late-flowering love. (...)
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article742327.ece