Julia Sporsén has made a highly successful return to the stage of Opera Holland Park singing the role of Nedda in Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. “Feisty, fiery, vocally secure and dramatically impressive” (Hugo Shirley, Opera), Sporsén’s “admirable Nedda” (Barry Millington, The Evening Standard) makes an “in-depth exploration of [her] hopes and frustrations” (George Hall, The Stage) and proves herself to be “an actor with genuine range and full of vocal stunts, taking charge as Nedda, a travelling player and scarlet woman par excellence” (Joseph Woby, Metro). Simon Thomas goes on to describe Julia Sporsén as “excellent as the adulterous Nedda” (whatsonstage.com), giving a “vivid characterization” (Rupert Christiansen, The Daily Telegraph), whilst Neil Fisher comments on how she “sings juicily” (The Times). Writing in classicalsource.com, it was left to Mark Valencia to sum up Julia’s performance in glowing terms:
“It fell to the Nedda of Julia Sporsén, a soprano whose star is very much in the ascendant, to show how it’s done – whether revelling in the bliss of plunging tired feet into a wash-basin during “Oh! Che volo d’augelli?” or else struggling to conceal her anguish while vamping a sultry, Commedia dell’arte tart during the clowns’ performance”.
Pagliacci - paired with Cavalleria rusticana in the traditional double-bill - runs until 28th June and tickets can be bought from the Opera Holland Park website.
