THE wisdom of asking singers to perform at 11 o'clock in the morning is questionable, as often their voices need a little more of the day to warm up. Not so with Katarina Karnéus, who performed bright and early at the Queen's Hall yesterday. The Swed
e, a past Cardiff Singer of the World winner, was in top form from the outset. Her mezzo-soprano voice sounded rich, well-rounded and powerful, and she exuded a confidence on stage that is only achievable through intense and immaculate preparation.
Starting with three Italian arias – a form either loved or loathed by just about every student of singing who has ever attempted to establish some sort of vocal technique – these three short pieces demonstrated that Karnéus had authoritatively mastered hers.
Their exquisitely controlled lines gave way to the light flutterings of Poulenc's Métamorphoses, music that showed off the consistency of Karnéus's tone from top to bottom of the range, though they were not as achingly moving as the poetry of Louise de Vilmorin might suggest.
In accompanist Johan Ulléen, Karnéus has a gem of a partner, even though he did rather steal the show in Grieg's Six Songs Op 25.
The full article contains 220 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
