Wesendonck, Les Nuits d'été
June 2012
Sourouzian, who recreated the magic of midrichness nineteenth century Romantic lieder. Programming the exquisite Songs d' Eté from the pen of Hector Berlioz, as well as the great Wesendonk Lieder of Richard Wagner, Ms. Sourouzian handled potential excesses of the Berlioz compositions with exquisite phrasing and understatement, and was expertly accompanied by her pianist Frederico Nicoletta.
The Wesendonk Another Friday evening at 9, on 15 June, we were served the charming and world class mezzo soprano Nora, named for the poetess of the texts, wife of his host in Zurich, delivered the lavish and more chromatically complex sculpting of themes that Wagner would further develop in his beloved Tristan and Isolde. Ms. Sourouzian adeptly inferred the powerful inspiration that the composer received
from this muse, in an effortlessly yet dramatically poised generosity. The effect of these songs was stunning and intoxicating.
Lynda DiMartino Wetherill
Pénélope
Financial Times
« N.S. was Pémélope of one’s dream, with her external beauties of physique and voice ( a lustrous, high mezzo) communicating an inner beauty and resolve.
Andrew Clark
Irish Independent
Canadian soprano N.S. perfectly captured the emotional confusion of the title role…
Pat O’Kelly
The Independent
The Canadian-Armenian mezzo NS makes an ideal, touching Pénélope : She moves wonderfully, her phrasing is acutely sensitive, while the voice transforms to a musical fieriness apt for pained outburst.
Roderic Dunnett
Opera news
There were strong performances, despite all the extra-curricular goings-on, from the Canadian mezzo Nora Sourouzian as Penelope and American tenor Gerard Powers as Ulysses,
The Times
and musically the performance was fine indeed, eloquently conducted by Jean-Luc Tingaud, with thrilling singing from Nora Sourouzian and Gerard Powers as the reunited husband and wife.
Callas
Opera Magazine, DVD-Review
As Maria Callas she is incandescent. She has immediate presence, and brings a compellingly Callas-like intensity to the role. Her singing is glorious - by some distance the most artful on offer
Opera News
The high point of the opera comes in an imagined dialogue with Maria Callas - dazzlingly captured in the depiction by Nora Sourouzian - in which the two women come to peace with each other. Here, both singers use all they have to bring the scene to life. It is one of the few truly engaging moments in the opera, one in which music, text, stage direction and cast combine to make artistic magic.
Tutti Magazine 2009
Le plateau infaillible est dominé par les artistes qui incarnent Jackie O et Maria Callas, respectivement Fiona Mc Andrew et Nora Sourouzian. Il n’échappera à personne la ressemblance troublante avec les postures de leurs modèles, et même au-delà sur certaines couleurs vocales du personnage de Callas.
Carmen
kulturkompasset, critics of culture events
Nora Sourouzian is a first class, sensual Carmen.
Henning Hoholt
Planete Québec
Carmen (Nora Sourouzian) est superbe de sensualité – surtout quand elle se retrouve poignets attachés — en plus d’avoir une voix magnifique; et dans le cas de ce personnage, c’est essentiel — la sensualité, mais pas la vulgarité
Uparathi
24 Heures
Et C’est l’entrée en Scène de Carmen (N.S.), la sorcière infâme, l’ensorceleuse amoureuse aguicheuse, qui chante sur le dos, alanguie séductrice, avec une expressivité jamais prise en défaut.
Christophe Jamelin
Le Temps
NS magnifique dans le rôle-titre, déploie un jeu très physique et un timbre riche, effrontément juvénile. Dans la fameuse Habanera, sa voix se fait plus voluptueuse que puissante. Particulièrement chaleureuse dans les médium et les graves.
Jonas Pulver
Le Soleil
Quand à la Carmen de Nora Sourouzian, celle-ci charme à tous points de vue. Elle danse bien et elle chante encore mieux.
Isolier
Buhnen Halle
Sinnlichkeit eine ebenso gute Figur wie Nora Sourouzian als quicker Diener Isolier
operapoint
Nora Sourouzian (Isolier), die charmant ihre spielte und selbstbewußt ihre Partie präsentierte
Tom Zackl