Fedora Reviews

"John Lloyd Davies's lavish verismo staging, in Bob Bailey's elegant period design. Brad Cohen, conducting a City of London Sinfonia who play Giordano's score as though their lives depended on it. Di Toro is indefatigable. So is Kenny who maintains a right royal presence and thrilling intensity of focus as the dramatic screw is turned tighter and tighter.
In Lloyd Davies's beautifully paced and minutely observed production, a cast of vividly drawn characters people the stage. A Cherubino of a servant boy, Dimitri, irresistibly played by Catrin Johnsson. Stephen Gadd as De Siriex is a diplomat of considerable presence; Natasha Marsh a glittering Olga."
Hilary Finch, The Times

"Fedora is stuffed with exactly the kind of melodic generosity and high drama to ignite OHP's tenth season into explosive life. Brad Cohen and John Lloyd Davies have pulled off a hugely enjoyable show... and Bob Bailey's designs have Merchant Ivory clarity and elegance. Yvonne Kenny looks magnificent and held the stage, her voice at its glowing richest... the astonishing Aldo Di Toro pulled out top notes magically...performances like this touch the heart"
Fiona Maddocks, Evening Standard

"John Lloyd Davies' production to period designs by Bob Bailey maintains a clear narrative and we are able to believe in the characters and their situations.Yvonne Kenny brings class and stature to the part. The Australian tenor Aldo Di Toro is well equipped for the demands of Loris and his strong tone consistently impresses. Both Stephen Gadd's De Siriex and Natasha Marsh's Olga make much of their opportunities in supporting roles, while Brad Cohen's astute conducting brings out the best in the piece itself."
The Stage

"Fedora has it all: big tunes, passion, conflict, conciseness and a great central role. As a thrilling new production at London's Opera Holland Park proves, it hits every operatic G-spot. Yvonne Kenny's portrayal is a triumph.. As her lover, Loris, Aldo Di Toro has a firm, rounded and passionate sound, and brings all the lyric possibilities of the part. A great show."
Warwick Thompson, Bloomberg

"Fedora is grand, glamorous, flirtatious - she wears vengeance like haute couture and she certainly knows how to make an entrance... Yvonne Kenny is a talent we have savoured over the years. The object of her hatred and heart's desire - Aldo Di Toro - has a wonderfully natural, open sound throughout the range. A name to watch."
Edward Seckerson, The Independent

"Yvonne Kenny does some wonderful things. Implacable hatred seems burnt into her lower registers. There are thrilling eruptions of passion and despair. The Australian tenor Aldo Di Toro is fabulous as Loris, the victim of Fedora's machinations, while Stephen Gadd is mightily impressive as De Siriex, the sybaritic French diplomat, who casually destroys both of them in his turn."
Tim Ashley, The Guardian

"Aldo Di Toro, a highly promising young Australian tenor with the Italianate voice and style for the role of Loris Ipanov... where most tenors attack this kind of verismo with the subtlety of a sledgehammer, Di Toro chisels away elegantly at the music, singing with a refinement that would be worthy of a bel canto opera. The smaller roles, notably Natasha Marsh's glamorous Olga and Grant Doyle's Cirillo, are well taken and Brad Cohen keeps the opera on the move. John Lloyd Davies... does Giordano the courtesy of treating the drama at face value &ndash no mean achievement in itself."
Richard Fairman, Financial Times

"Two consecutive evenings that end with the glamorous heroine dying in the arms of her dashing young lover: what is Opera Holland Park trying to do to our fragile hearts? In each case, moreover, the diva manages to turn her femme fatale into a much more lovable character than she really is, lending both finales all the potent poignancy invoked by their soaring strings and emotion-choked voices. As post-interval darkness gradually falls over west London, and the music grows more passionately intense, the audience falls still and two ravishing scores work their tearjerking magic." 

"As Fedora the seasoned eloquence of Yvonne Kenny in the title-role, as luminous as ever and the ringing Italianate tenor of her fellow Australian, Aldo Di Toro. Natasha Marsh's dazzling Olga also shows strong promise of a lustrous career."
Anthony Holden, The Observer

"Gripping... Giordano boasts the heavy plus of dramatic instinct... and works a treat in the theatrical moment... not so easy to resist. Yvonne Kenny was singing with forceful eloquence. Aldo Di Toro cut an elegant figure and sang with firm line and sweet tone. Terrific fun of a kind Holland Park specialises in."
Rupert Christiansen, The Daily Telegraph

"Yvonne Kenny is thrilling as Fedora and Aldo Di Toro's Italianate voice is a joy. Why can't all operas be like Giordano's shamefully neglected barnstormer? OHP deserves gongs galore for it."
Metro

"Yvonne Kenny her exquisitely engaging and detailed acting, her tremendous stage presence and her wonderfully rich middle and lower registers are all so captivating that one could not help but be moved by this powerful performance. Aldo Di Toro matches Kenny's vocal stature as Loris. He has a lyrical voice with the heft to project over the rich orchestration. And the final scene was very moving indeed. Stephen Gadd was an imposing De Siriex. As Olga, Natasha Marsh's physical beauty was enhanced by a sweet voice and a well-trained vibrato. Malcolm Rivers as Gretch and Catrin Johnsson in the trouser role of Dimitri both stood as vocally strong."
Dominic McHugh, MusicOMH.com