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Kara Cornell, Mezzo-soprano
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Reviews
|
“Carmen” in The Tragedy of Carmen – Hubbard Hall Opera Theater |
“Kara Cornell's performance
was truly extraordinary. Dianna Heldman's staging
called for a
great deal of action, which never
unseated Ms. Cornell's totally secure production for a
second. She sang impeccably
throughout, with a rich lower register and a golden top.”
-
Michael Miller, The Berkshire Review for the Arts, February 2010 Link to full review
“The completeness of Kara
Cornell's Carmen at Hubbard Hall was something to behold. Every part
of the role was
integrated...no, it's better than that...was at one with its interpreter. I
have rarely
seen so young a performer understand so well what an opera singer needs to do to be real on stage.”
- Keith Kibler,
The Berkshire Review for the Arts, January 2010 Link to full review
“Kara Cornell as Carmen is a riveting actress, at once
seductive, wounded, damaged and dangerous,
and possessed
of a beautiful and smoky mezzo perfect for the dizzying range
of Carmen’s
sometimes-taunting, sometimes-tawdry, sometimes-tender emotions.”
- Phil Drew, The
Troy Record, August 2009 Link to full review
“
performance I think
revealed herself here my heart sank because her blonde good looks
didn’t immediately make me think
of a hot-blooded gypsy. But
that fear was quickly laid to rest as Cornell’s powerful soprano,
her fine acting, and her
sensuous dancing overcame all ethnic boundaries and made her Carmen
through and through. In
fact, Cornell completely eclipsed everyone else on stage…
they were not as
electrifying or vocally excellent as Cornell’s performance.”
- Gail M. Burns, gailsez.org, August 2009 Link to full review
“This
production is by no means lesser than larger productions of the traditional
version,
because of an
extraordinary performance by Kara Cornell as Carmen. She is by turns imperious,
sultry,
passionate,
and devious - everything that a great Carmen should be… so by all means at some
point
in your life
catch a production of the traditional Carmen
with all the bells and whistles. But when you do,
you will not
get the experience offered at this Hubbard Hall opera - of experiencing in
an intimate
setting a first rate portrayal of Carmen
by a performer of Cornell’s immense talent.”
- Alex Brooks, The Eastwick Press, August 2009 Link to full review
“If you want to see what singing acting really is, go see
Kara Cornell…
Voice, face and body are one thing. She makes opera a
completely believable speech.”
- Keith Kibler,
The Berkshire Review, August 2009 Link to full review
|
Soloist in Bach’s Christmas Oratorio – Burnt Hills Oratorio Society |
“Outstanding among the 4 soloists was alto Kara Cornell… she
sounded
as if she
understood and felt the meaning and emotions of the words she was singing.”
- Peter C. Gerdine,
voxincamera, December 2009 Link to full review
“Cornell [had a] lovely way with a phrase and sang with a
smile in her voice”
- Geraldine Freedman, The Post Gazette, December 2009
|
“Cinderella” in Into the Woods – |
“Her performance grew nicely, and by the time she reached
the witty On the Steps of the Palace she was
totally endearing.”
- John Fleming,
|
“Cherubino” in Le nozze di Figaro – Capital Opera |
“Cornell’s intense acting and her apparent sympathy for the
vagaries of the adolescent male
gave her Cherubino an appealing vulnerability and comic
extravagance…throughout
Cherubino’s
escapades her voice was impeccably focused, bright but rich in color,
and her
phrasing was a marvel of taste and an intuitive sense of form.”
- Michael Miller, The Berkshire
Review, April 2009 Link to full review
|
“It featured… fine solos… from mezzo-soprano Kara Cornell, who had a lovely unbroken sound whether singing in chest or head voice.”
- Joseph Dalton, The Times Union, March 2009 Link to full review
“There was good interplay between the chorus and orchestra
[in Corigliano’s Fern Hill]
as well as an interlude in the middle that Cornell sang with
lush tones…
her agile voice and strong range skipped through it all.”
- Geraldine Freedman, The Daily Gazette, March 2009
|
Vocal Recital – U |
“[Cornell] gave a splendid recital… [she]
is a singer who can balance impeccable
production and phrasing with enthusiastic and colorful dramatics.
Rossini and Heggie
gave her plenty of scope to act, and her bright, coherently
balanced mezzo voice richly expressed
the beauty and intimacy of Berlioz’ floating lines. And, thanks
to Heggie, she proved herself
a top blues singer, as well!”
- Michael Miller, The Berkshire
Review, February 2009 Link to full review
|
“Dorabella” in Cosi fan tutte –
Hubbard Hall Opera Theater |
“Cornell brought a rich, generous mezzo-soprano voice to her
Dorabella. Not
only did she sing and act her character with imagination and
flair, she achieved
some truly impressive moments, not the least of which was her “Smanie implacabili”,
which she sang with security, style, and a fine sense of Dorabella’s extravagance.”
- Michael Miller, The Berkshire
Review, August 2008 Link to full review
“Besides singing
beautifully, Cornell was the comic star of the evening, with her facial
expressions worth the price of admission. Of the two sisters, Dorabella is much more
willing to fall under the spell of the “Albanians” and Cornell
makes this obvious with
every twitch of her nose.”
- Bill Rice, Schenectady Post
Gazette, August 2008 Link to full review
|
Mendelssohn’s Elijah – Octavo Singers |
“Cornell had a big voice, and an
even range that projected easily.”
- Geraldine Freedman, Schenectady
Daily Gazette, April 2008 Link to full review
“Zweite Dame” in Die
Zauberföte –
|
“The Queen’s three
attendants have some of the evening’s most beautiful music,
and these three fine
voices blend gorgeously.”
- Steve
Callahan, KDHX Theater Review, July 2007 Link to full review
|
World premiere
of Sacred Songs and Interludes – The |
“Cornell's voice was lyric and flexible, and soared through her top
register beautifully.”
- Eric Haines, Pittsburgh
Post Gazette, March 2006 Link to full review