Musik / opera

Hulda


Anmeldelser (9)


The guardian

d. 10. aug. 2023

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Andrew Clements (musikanmelder)

d. 10. aug. 2023

"Based on a play by the Norwegian Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, Hulda is a bloody revenge tragedy, set in medieval times ... As Hulda, Jennifer Holloway copes wonderfully well with what is a fearsomely demanding role of Wagnerian proportions ... The rest of the cast is very capable, too, while having Véronique Gens as Gudrun, the ruler of the Aslak clan, is a nice touch of luxury casting. Connoisseurs of operatic curios shouldn't hesitate".


RBB Kultur

d. 27. nov. 2021

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Matthias Käther

d. 27. nov. 2021

"César Franck war kein routinierter Musikdramatiker ... Seine posthum uraufgeführte Oper "Hulda" ist ein bisschen so etwas wie Paprika im Schokoladenmantel ... klingt eine Spur zu sehr nach Salon. Das hätte eher ein Strawinsky adäquat vertont. Oder, ganz anders, Mascagni. Trotzdem - eine unerhört vielschichtige, hochambitionierte Musik, dirigiert von einem der empathischsten Kenner der Epoche, den wir zur Zeit in Deutschland haben".


MusicWeb international

2023 August

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Stephen Barber (musikanmelder)

2023 August

"Recording of the month: Even Franck's greatest admirers were hardly aware that he had written operas ... Last year I reviewed a recording of Hulda ... [This one] outclasses Bollon's estimable version in every way: it is better sung, better played, better recorded and comes with a full libretto and translation ... The cast is a strong one. The title role is taken by the American soprano Jennifer Holloway ... She dominates the action and she has taken care with her French ... This is not a curiosity but a really worthwhile and impressive work ... Franckists should not hesitate to snap it up".


MusicWeb international

2021 December

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Robert Cummings (musikanmelder)

2021 December

"This is a world premiere recording of Franck's opera Hulda in its original version ... Franck's music is very compelling throughout the opera, with not a pedestrian moment anywhere ... Meagan Miller as Hulda is dramatically effective, but her voice is not particularly outstanding and her vibrato can at times turn toward wobble. Neither is Anja Jung a great asset, but the rest of the cast is fine and Fabrice Bollon's conducting is simply excellent ... In addition, the Freiburg choruses sing quite convincingly throughout ... Despite these encumbrances, my verdict is still very positive about this opera. Franck mavens will certainly want this set and I believe many other lovers of opera, Wagnerians in particular, will find this an intriguing and worthwhile acquisition".


BBC music magazine

2023 August

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John-Pierre Joyce

2023 August

"César Franck meet Wagner by way of Grieg in this splendid opera ... An impressive cast is led by Jennifer Holloway as Hulda ... She skilfully scales the gamut of vocal characterisation, from vengeful fury to tender introspection. Véronique Gens's darker hues are employed to full effect as Hulda's mother, Gudrun ... Gergely Madaras and Liège's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra expertly paint ... with Franck's full palette of orchestral colours. The Namur Chamber Choir adds drama and urgency in their guises of fishermen and clansmen".


Fono Forum

2023 Oktober

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Manuel Brug

2023 Oktober


BBC music magazine

2021 Christmas

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Christopher Cook (musikanmelder)

2021 Christmas

"An intrepid cast led by Meagan Miller as Hulda and Joshua Kohl's Eiolf, her faithless lover, negotiates a top-heavy score that mixes Franck's thunderous organ chords with Berlioz and Wagner ... Oddly the most appealing music is for the obligatory ballet. And all credit to Fabrice Bollon and the Freiburg Philharmonic Orchestra for taking it seriously".


The gramophone

2023 September

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Tim Ashley

2023 September

"Jennifer Holloway is magnificent in the immense title-role here, if occasionally steely in tone, marvellously alert to the text...and superb in her delineation of Hulda's transformation from victim to monster ... Edgaras Montvidas, sounding really sexy, plays Eiolf, the unheroic hero, as a dithering sensualist ... and Judith va Wanroij does wonders as the enigmatic Swanhilde ... Matthieu Lécroart makes a terrific Gudleik, stroppy and very dangerous indeed, while Véronique Gens is impeccable, as one might expect, as the Aslak matriark Gudrun ... This is a fine achievement, and well worth hearing".


The gramophone

2022 January

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Tim Ashley

2022 January

"Fabrice Bollon and his Freiburg forces have done much of late to re-examine the lesser-known operatic repertory ... Their latest venture is the first uncut recording of 'Hulda', César Franck's 'légende scandinave' ... based on a play by the Norwegian writer Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson ... The conducting, playing and choral singing here are all excellent. Bollon impressively ratchets up the dramatic tension with measured inexorability".