CD : Quatre instants - Emilie Suite de Kaija Saariaho/ Marko Letonja, orch phil de Strasbourg



The atmosphere and pastel shades of the opera are preserved, but it’s the song cycle on this disc, Quatre Instants, settings from 2002 of four poems by Maalouf, that shows off Saariaho’s vocal writing more convincingly, with the voice of Karen Vourc’h  wrapping itself around the tendrils of melody.    Andrew Clements - The Guardian


So part of the thrill of hearing the Émilie Suite, drawn from that monodrama, is the chance to discover Karen Vourc’h , a lesser known soprano, who rises to the musical and dramatic challenges of both the Instants and the Suite with aplomb.    WQXR / D.S Johnson
The opera has but a single role, and soprano Karen Vourc'h fills it admirably. Her delivery of Émilie's inner thoughts is both thrilling and disturbing. If you want pretty arias, look elsewhere. If you want an authentic representation of a soul in crises, "Émilie Suite" delivers. DCD-records.com


Soloist Karen Vourc'h brings much passion to the words.
Daniel R.Coombs


Die Stimme der Sopranistin Karen Vourc’h heraushebt mit klarem, leicht wächsern überglänztem Timbre. Quatre Instants, die Orchesterbearbeitung von vier Klavierliedern über das Wesen der Liebe, beeindruckt durch echt französische Clarté.
Andreas Falentin . Concerti.de



The voice you hear join the orchestra at about a minute-and-a-half into this first Instant is that of Karen Vourc’h ‘s agile soprano. Those who know the Russian soprano Anna Netrebko may find Vourc’h’s opening bars almost eerily reflective of the murmuring, deeper-toned  modesty with which she enters the sound-scape. From the panicky, tension of the second movement, Douleur — Torment — past the luxuriant glide of Parfum de l’instant, Vourc’h is unquestionably in command of Saariaho’s material. ( ...) By the fourth movement, Resonances — Echoes — the gathering dread and wonder that Saariaho has conjured is securely entrusted to Vourc’h, who can float up into her top register on a harp’s run and open quick in head-voice — she captures a sort of blossoming sound, at once full of surprise as it might convey warning. Thoughtcatalog.com

« alltigenom övertygande solist hör vi Karen Vourc’h «
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