Reviews
‘Marie’ in ‘La Fille du Régiment’ Donizetti at Grange Park Opera, 2024
‘Julia Sitkovetsky, as Marie, is a proper star. Her coloratura is like sunlight on water; and when she soars, shining, over the soldiers’ chorus it might be the single most exciting sound you’ll hear all summer’
‘It’s carried by Sitkovetsky’s clear diction (and) her creamy coloratura soprano…
…(she) hits a comedic beat (with) a pitch perfect Queen of the Night reference..’
‘…she’s a vivacious stage presence with a superbly controlled coloratura.’
‘Sitkovetsky is on top form, her voice effortlessly leaping around while maintaining excellent clarity…(her) powerful voice makes itself heard even above the assembled chorus of soldiers.’
Charles Hebbert, Culture Whisper
’Soprano Julia Sitkovetsky excels as Marie…’
Alice Fowler, The Guildford Dragon
“The vocal demands are fearsome, and in Julia Sitkovetsky and Nico Darmanin Grange Park Opera has secured two outstanding practitioners. Sitkovetsky is one of the reigning ‘Queens of the Night’, a role she wittily quotes from in an improvisatory moment…she dispatches everything Donizetti throws at her with ease, together with presenting a warm and dynamic acting persona…”
Tim Hochstrasser, Plays to See
“Our love birds are well taken by the soprano Julia Sitkovetsky with a cheeky stage presence, her singing lesson was hilarious, and more importantly her controlled and coloured coloratura was thrilling.”
“Julia Sitkovetsky has the notes for the ‘Daughter’, and she presented a winning combination of sweetness and determination in her character – the scene where she ‘mangles’ an aria…was extremely well done.”
“Julia Sitkovetsky gab die Marie mit jugendlich-frischer Strahlkraft” (Julia Sitkovetsky played Marie with young, fresh radiance.)
Klassik-begeistert.de, Dr Charles Ritterband
“Sitkovetsky’s higher register sparkles flawlessly, and she has a lithe, charming voice, perfect for this demanding role.”
Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute at Welsh National Opera in 2023
“Lyric-dramatic coloratura Julia Sitkovetsky does not disappoint with a soaring performance in high-octave and extremely difficult solos which even the most accomplished of singers can struggle to reach”
Barbara Michaels, Get The Chance Wales
“As Queen of the Night, Julia Sitkovetsky prompted enthusiastic applause for her agility and pitch perfect rage aria”
David Truslove, Opera Today
“Julia Sitkovetsky (was) a suitably crazed Queen of the Night. Her big Act Two vengeance aria provided the evening’s biggest starry spectacle…”
“…there are many musical highlights…including Sitkovetsky’s star-bright high notes”
“…Perfectly accurate”
Nicholas Kenyon, The Telegraph
“The Queen of the Night for the premiere was sung by Julia Sitkovetsky who brought bucket-loads of menace to her performance. But all Queens in this opera are judged on one of opera’s most famous and difficult arias for sopranos in Der Hoelle Rache (“Hell’s vengeance boils in my heart”), and Sitkovetsky was sublime.”
David Nicholson, The Morning Star
“…high quality singing from…Julia Sitkovetsky’s assured Queen of the Night”
“…a tingling Queen of the Night…”
Mike Smith, Arts Scene in Wales
“The Queen Of The Night, Julia Sitkovetsky, is afforded the best moment of the evening… her heightened voice livens up.”
James Ellis, Buzz Magazine
Soprano soloist performance with the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra of ‘Ein Deutsches Requiem’ by Brahms in February 2023
“Sitkovetsky’s voice was lyric and dramatic, with great beauty and power that cut clearly through the orchestra.”
Timothy H Lindeman, Classical Voice America
“… soprano soloist Julia Sitkovetsky sang ‘Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit’ pensively, her vocalism disclosing little difficulty with the tessitura. When joined by the chorus, she shaded her timbre to shimmer above the cascades of sound.”
klassik-begeistert.de ‘Die Zauberflöte’ Staatsoper Hamburg
“Eine richtig dicke positive Überraschung…: Julia Sitkovetsky als Königin der Nacht. Mit einer atemberaubenden mozartischen Leichtigkeit turnte sie über die Koloraturen wie eine schwerelose und mit Sternenmantel umschlungene Trapezkünstlerin…”
Translation:
“There was a really positive surprise…Julia Sitkovetsky as The Queen of the Night. With breathtaking Mozartian ease, she performed gymnastics over the coloratura like a weightless trapeze artist wrapped in a cloak of stars…”
Written by Johannes Karl Fischer for klassik-begeistert.de from the production of ‘Die Zauberflöte’ at the Staatsoper Hamburg in December 2022.
'Where Corals Lie' Album
“…light, sparkling soprano…displays a vivid response to the text of Elgar’s cycle…a quite different sound from the usual contralto…”
Hugh Canning, The Times and Sunday Times (selected as Best Albums of the Week)
“Julia Sitkovetsky…addresses (the songs) with the full might of a fine coloratura.”
“The sublime opening of ‘Sea Pictures’ are deeply promising…Sitkovetsky’s voice is infused with wonder and awe…’Where Corals Lie’ shows how her sense of the music’s contours is a great expressive element…in the limited discography of ‘Sea Pictures’ with female voice and piano…Sitkovetsky is among the better recordings.”
David Patrick Stearns, Gramophone
“…Julia Sitkovetsky is…at ease in this anthology that are by turns tender, melancholy and fragile (on ‘When the Spring comes round again’).
…(She has) the ability to give these poems and this intimate music their share of finesse, the voice showing flexibility and nuances…”
Jean Lacroix, Crescendo Magazine
(Translated from French)
“…sensitively rendered by young star soprano Julia Sitkovetsky…”
“…this new disc is highly impressive, and Julia Sitkovetsky and Christopher Glynn present readings of great sensitivity and nuance…many Elgar aficionados will feel obliged to add it to their collection.”
“…The British soprano Julia Sitkovetsky…sounds radiant throughout…they are a persuasive partnership…I confidently predict you will find a real treat.”
David Mellor, The Daily Mail, 4/5 stars
“…they give a richly detailed and highly coloured performance…Sabbath Morning at Sea and The Swimmer are particularly well done…Like to the damask rose…is dramatic and sung with great empathy by Julia Sitkovetsky…a delightful and finely performed collection of music and poetry…”
Alan Cooper, British Music Society
(translated from French) “…It must be recognised, however, that Julia Sitkovetsky does not have the timbre of a little nightingale…the voice has enough substance to…offer a broad scope…of beautiful expressiveness…proof that (she) could without doubt embody other roles onstage other than The Queen of the Night…”
“Julia Sitkovetsky is a high soprano…but unlike so many, her voice is both full and strong, yet capable of the most exquisite beauty…this Elgar disc is Julia Sitkovetsky’s Chandos debut; but on the strength of this magnificent disc, it won’t be her last.”
'Rachmaninov Songs' Album
“Sitkovetsky sings with real passion and is emotive…very flirtatious in ‘The Rat-Catcher’ and floats mezza voce with intimacy in ‘A Dream’…she hits the top notes of ‘How fair this spot’ with beautiful shading of dynamics.”
“…Sitkovetsky’s fluency and flexibility of phrasing are eminently satisfying… a remarkable achievement by an artist making her debut on disc.”
Terry Barfoot, Musicweb International
“He’s matched well by Sitkovetsky, who doesn’t let the beauty of her voice, and her ability to handle Rachmaninov’s treacherous high notes, get in the way of appreciating the various modes of expression in these pieces. Many of the songs are quite short, but she creates a little world in each one.”
James Manheim, AllMusic
Snape Maltings, Two concerts, Britten/Shostakovich weekend, October 18th-19th 2019
The Queen of the Night, 'The Magic Flute', Mozart, Scottish Opera, (touring the UK), 2019
“…a thrilling Queen of the Night from Julia Sitkovetsky…”
Simon Thompson, The Times
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/review-the-magic-flute-at-theatre-royal-glasgow-552l6rdxq
“…Julia Sitkovetsky (was) deliciously precise in the show-stopping stratospherics of the Queen of the Night.”
Keith Bruce, The Herald Scotland
“…Julia Sitkovetsky’s Queen of the Night made the high notes sound sweet, her high-octane coloratura earning cheers as she absolutely nailed her difficult arias.”
David Smythe
“…a talent to look out for, Julia Sitkovetsky, who handles Der Hölle Rache, one of the most famous arias in all opera, absolutely beautifully.”
Lauren Humphreys
https://www.thereviewshub.com/the-magic-flute-theatre-royal-glasgow/
“…All cast members generally impress – though Gemma Summerfield and Julia Sitkovetsky shine above them all vocally, commanding powerful yet elegant and agile instruments in the roles of Pamina and The Queen of the Night respectively.”
William J A Parker
“…The musical performances are exquisite, with the iconic Queen of the Night’s aria in Act II providing the spine-tingling apogee from Julia Sitkovetsky, with a stunning delivery of one of Mozart’s most astonishing and acrobatic demonstrations of the power and range of a soprano voice. Goosebumps.”
David Petherick
https://edinburghfestival.org/2019/05/06/the-magic-flute/
“…while the Queen, Julia Sitkovetsky, sings her famous Act II aria perfectly, full of impassioned rage – dramatic and impressive all at once.”
Rowan Anderson
https://www.artmag.co.uk/scottish-opera-the-magic-flute-2/
“…performances that are nothing short of glorious, from Julia Sitkovetsky’s exquisitely sharp Queen of the Night aria …”
Kelly Apter
“…British soprano Julia Sitkovetsky sings the Queen of the Night’s famous aria with awe-inspiring vocal dexterity.”
Mark Brown
https://www.heraldscotland.com/arts_ents/17649698.mark-browns-opera-theatre-reviews/
“Julia Sitkovetsky was stunning as the Queen Of The Night, with that famous rage-filled aria of the second act showcasing how powerful an instrument the human voice can be.”
Scott Begbie
The Queen of the Night’s tricky aria…is deftly handled by Julia Sitkovetsky.
Claudia A
…The Queen of the Night (Julia Sitkovetsky) gives an impressive display of the vocal techniques required for this role.
Tom King
Julia Sitkovetsky is another one to watch out for – she navigated the Queen of the Night’s high-lying arias with consummate ease and the audience was duly appreciative.
Brett Herriot
Julia Sitkovetsky…made a near-ideal Queen of the Night. The voice is big, but she had no difficulty with the notorious high notes. Even more unusual was her confidence in the phrasing of the difficult coloratura roulades that powerful sopranos usually struggle with.
Julia Sitkovetsky gives another outstanding performance as The Queen of the Night, whose famous second-act aria sounds almost more instrumental than human at its highest notes. She makes the most out of a challenging piece, and brings the house down with her unbelievable vocal ability.
Julia Weingaertner
http://young-perspective.net/scottish-operas-magic-flute-festival-theatre/
Paris Opera Competition, Paris, France, January 2019
“Et on espère avoir bien vite l’occasion de réentendre la voix de Julia Sitkovetsky qui fait preuve d’une grande homogénéité de registres lors de ses trois interventions aux vocalités extrêmement contrastées (Elvira de Don Giovanni, la Reine de la nuit de La Flûte enchantée et Lucia di Lamermoor).”
One hopes to soon have the occasion to hear again the voice of Julia Sitkovetsky, who show great homogeny throughout the registers (of her voice) in her three extremely contrasting selections (Donna Elvira from Don Giovanni, The Queen of the Night from Die Zauberflöte and Lucia from Lucia di Lammermoor)”
Laurent Amourette, Classicagenda
“Julia Sitkovetsky presse dans les terribles et fameuses vocalises de La Reine de la nuit mais avec un ancrage énergique. Elle rappelle ainsi qu’elle n’est pas que colorature, a fortiori en chantant une Lucia di Lammermoor… qui s’appuie sur un souffle sûr et contrôlé, en longueur et en débit.”
Julia Sitkovetsky presented the terrible and famous vocals of The Queen of the Night but with anchored energy. She showed she was not only a coloratura, singing a Lucia di Lammermoor with sure and controlled breath, in legato and flow.”
Charles Arden, Olyrix
Maria, 'Was ihr wollt', Manfred Trojahn, Staatsoper Hannover, Hannover, Germany, 2018-19
“Als ‘prolliges’ Kammermädchen Maria trat Julia Sitkovetsky mit sicher geführtem Sopran auf.”
“As the ‘chavvy’ chamber maid Maria, Julia performed with a secure, well-managed soprano.”
“Dagegen ragt Julia Sitkovetsky als Haushälterin Maria mit klarem Sopran hervor.”
“By contrast, Julia Sitkovetsky as the housemaid Maria stood out with her clear soprano”
'Le Feu/La Princesse/Le Rossignole' in 'L'enfant et les sortilèges', Ravel, Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Düsseldorf/Duisburg, Germany 2018
“…Julia Sitkovetsky als Sonne, Prinzessin und Nachtigall gleich drei starke Auftritte hat. Die junge Sängerin überzeugt mit ihrer schönen und klaren Sopranstimme…”
“…Julia Sitkovetsky as the Sun, Princess and Nightingale gave three strong appearances. The young singer convinced with her beautiful and clear soprano…”
Rudolf Hermes, WAZ.de
'Gilda' in 'Rigoletto', Verdi, Landestheater Linz, Linz, Austria 2017-18
“Allen voran Julia Sitkovetsky als faszinierende Gilda mit stimmlichen Glanzlichter…. Julia Sitkovetsky begeisterte als Rigolettos Tochter Gilda mit ihrer faszinierenden Stimme das Publikum”
“Above all, Julia Sitkovetsky was a fascinating Gilda with many splendid vocal colours. Julia Sitkovetsky, as Rigoletto’s daughter Gilda, thrilled the audience with her fascinating voice.”
Fred Dorfer
Der Kronenzeitung (Austria)
“Gilda kreeg gestalte in de in Londen geboren Julia Sitkovetsky, een bijzonder fijne lyrische sopraan. Haar acteer- en zangprestaties overtuigden ons volledig. Ze beheerste de hoge noten – vooral in “Caro Nome” – met zo’n zuiverheid en helderheid dat het een genot was om ernaar te luisteren. Elegante coloraturas en cadenzas in combinatie met dat fantastische acteertalent vormden een waar genot. Voor haar waren er dus zeer verdiende “brava’s”.”
“Gilda was created by the London born Julia Sitkovetsky, an especially fine lyric soprano. Her acting and singing convinced us completely. She controlled the high notes – especially in ‘Caro Nome’ – with such purity and clarity that it was a huge pleasure to listen to. Elegant coloratura and cadenzas combined with that fantastic acting talent were a real pleasure. For her, therefore there were deserved ‘bravas’ “
Gabi Eder / Olivier Keegel
http://operagazet.be/recensies/recensies-2017-2018/at/linz-rigoletto/
“Mädchenhaft, innig singt Julia Sitkovetsky die Gilda mit saubersten Koloraturen.”
“With an innocent manner, Julia Sitkovetsky sang Gilda intimately/profoundly with the cleanest coloratura.”
Helmut Chr. Mayer
https://www.pressreader.com/austria/kurier/20171107/282046212371468
“Das stimmliche Ereignis des Abends bietet die Gilda Julia Sitkovetskys mit feiner bis dramatischer Gesangskultur”
“The vocal event of the evening was the Gilda of Julia Sitkovetsky who ranged from delicate to dramatic singing.”
Paul Stepanek
https://volksblatt.at/rigoletto-versus-trump/
“Die Gilda von Julia Sitkovetsky überzeugt mit einem kraftvollen, höhensicheren Sopran, der trotzdem auch die nötige Kindlichkeit und Zerbrechlichkeit vermitteln kann. Wie ihr „Vater“ ist sie in allen Lautstärken sattelfest, und auch ihre Koloraturen sitzen.”
“The Gilda from Julia Sitkovetsky convinces with a powerful soprano (especially in the top), which also can convey the necessary child-like qualities and fragility. Like her ‘father’, she is at her best in all volumes, and her coloratura is secure too.”
Petra und Helmut Huber
http://der-neue-merker.eu/linzmusiktheater-rigoletto-premiere
“…und Julia Sitkovetsky als seine Tochter Gilda sind eine gesangliche Wuch.”
“And Julia Sitkovetsky as his daughter Gilda is a vocal force.”
Josef Gruber
https://www.tips.at/news/linz/land-leute/408390-umjubelte-premiere-von-verdis-rigoletto
“… war stimmlich so ausdrucksstark und anrührend”
“… was vocally so expressive and touching.”
Peter Jungblut
https://br24.de/nachrichten/donald-laesst-es-krachen-rigoletto-im-trump-tower,Qa3UyUq
'Ida' in 'Der Junge Lord', Staatsoper Hannover, Germany 2017
“Unmöglich ist es, aus dem singeden Ensemble einzelne herauszugreifen, dennoch verdienen….Julia Sitkovetsky als Ida ganz besondere Erwähnung.
“It is impossible to single out one from the singing Ensemble, however special mentions go to…Julia Sitkovetsky as Ida.”
Christian Schütte
Online Merker
“Julia Sitkovetsky (war) ihre volltönend warmherzige Vertraute.”
“Julia Sitkovetsky (was) her full-toned, warm-hearted confidante”
Stefan Arndt
Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung
'Louise' in 'Die Englische Katze', Staatsoper Hannover, Germany 2016/17
“Julia Sitkovetsky ist eine bezaubernde Louise und mit ihrer glasklaren, anrührenden Stimme geradezu eine Idealbesetzung der kleinen Waisenmaus.”
“Julia Sitkovetsky is a charming Louise and with her crystal-clear, touching voice is an ideal casting for the little orphan mouse.”
Bernd Stopka
http://www.omm.de/veranstaltungen/musiktheater20162017/H-die-englische-katze.html
“…Mit glasklarem, vibrato-reduziertem Sopran stach vor allem Julia Sitkovetsky (Louisa) hervor.”
“With a crystal clear, vibrato-reduced soprano, Julia Sitkovetsky especially stood out.”
Florian Amort
http://www.opern-kritik.de/hans-werner-henze-die-englische-katze-staatsoper-hannover/
“…Julia Sitkovetsky ist mit gibt mit hell-leuchtendem Soubrettenklang anrührend die Maus Louise…”
“…Julia Sitkovetsky is touching with the brightly coloured Soubrette-sound of the mouse Louise…”
Christian Schütte
http://der-neue-merker.eu/hannover-staatsoper-die-englische-katze-von-hans-werner-henze-premiere
“…Die Maus hat das letzte Wort…und die werden gesungen ausgerechnet von Louise, der klugen Waisenmaus, die das Miauen auf der Schule gelernt hat. Louise, Mezzosopran, ist die einzige Überlebende eines Massakers, bei dem ihre gesamte Familie aufgefressen worden war…Auch Sung-Keun Park als Puff, ebenso Julia Sitkovetzky als Waisenmaus können sich hören lassen…”
“…The mouse has the last word…and they are sung by Louise, the clever orphan who learned ‘meowing ‘at school. Louise…is the only survivor of a massacre in which her entire family had been devoured…Sung-Keun Park as Lord Puff as well as Julia Sitkovetsky as an orphan can be heard and stand out…
Eleonore Büning
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
“Julia Sitkovetsky rührt zu Tränen, wenn sie vom Schicksal ihrer ehemals weitreichenden Familie berichtet – alle tot – oder sie verblüfft und amüsiert durch ihre genauen, pointierten Beobachtungen der Nicht-Mäuse.”
“Julia Sitkovetsky comes to tears when she tells of the fate of her formerly extensive family – all dead – or she is amazed and amused by her precise, pointed observations of the non-mice.”
Jörn Florian Fuchs
“Am Ende kommt die kleine Maus Louise auf die Bühne und verkündet, dass sie mit diesen Katzen nichts mehr zu tun haben will: „Quiiiieek“. Das Publikum schon, Riesenapplaus, viele Bravos.”
“At the end, the little mouse Louise comes to the stage and announces that she does not want to have anything to do with these cats, with a : “Quiiiieek”. The audience responded with applause and many Bravos.”
Henning Queren
'Alcina' in 'Alcina', Longborough Festival Opera, UK 2016
“Julia Sitkovetsky caught Alcina’s dual personality, vengeful one moment, vulnerable the next…”
Nick Kimberley
“Julia Sitkovetsky tackles this larger-than-life role with distinction, appearing regal and terrifying in turn and later becoming an object of pity when she realises the game is up in ‘Ombre pallide’.”
Roger Jones
“Julia Sitkovetsky impressively explored the various facets of Alcina’s character, not just her lurid charm as a man-eater, and showed an astute grasp of the vulnerability lying beneath in her great of aria of self-reflection, ‘Ah! Mio cor’.”
Curtis Rogers
…Julia Sitkovetsky’s veiled tone apt for the regal Alcina…
“…the piercing fragility of (Julia Sitkovetsky’s ) top register made her both otherworldly and strangely touching as she lamented her lost love and fading powers…”
Richard Bratby
“…played arrestingly by Julia Sitkovetsky. One is reminded by her singing why this is such a star making role!”
Mel Cooper
'Mimi' in 'La Bohème', Vaasa Opera, Finland 2015
“Den Brittisk-Amerikanska sopranen Julia Sitkovetsky sjunger rollen som Mimi. Hon sjunger betagande trovärdigt arian “Jag kallas Mimi”. Kampen mellan kärlek och död har börjat. Sitkovetskys röst klingar fint i de högre registren och klangfärgen får fler nyanser under föreställningen.”
“The British-American Soprano sang the role of Mimi. She sang a captivating and believable rendition of ‘Si mi chiamano Mimi’. The struggle between her love and death has begun. Sitkovetsky’s voice resonates well in the upper registers, and her voice gained in nuance and colour as the opera went on”
Sven-Olof Ray – Österbottens Tidning
“Sopranen Julia Sitkovesky gör en alldeles strålande tolkning av rollen som Mimi.”
“Soprano Julia Sitkovetsky gave an absolutely radiant interpretation of the role of Mimi”
Per-Håkan Jansson, Vasabladet
'Danish Lady/Strolling Player' in 'Death in Venice', Garsington Opera, UK 2015
…26 bright young singers prove equal to the annually legendary Glyndebourne team whether in choral paeans or in the multiple small roles of Venetians and hotel guests…
http://www.theartsdesk.com/opera/death-venice-garsington-opera
…The “Strolling Players” scene had a bit more to it of the ‘Venice’ in Las Vegas than the real thing, but it was colourfully entertaining and the ideal contrast to the inner turmoil going on in Aschenbach’s mind…
http://www.musicomh.com/classical/reviews-classical/death-in-venice-garsington-opera-wormsley#Z7IKJvfSGgFyvs2x.99
…superb, suavely embodying the European clientele at the Lido Hotel…
http://www.operatoday.com/content/2015/06/death_in_venice.php
Monica' in 'The Medium' , Grimeborn Festival Opera, UK 2014
“Julia Sitkovetsky was outstanding as the repressed, loving daughter…”
Fiona Maddocks, The Observer (The Guardian)
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/aug/24/classicalmusicandopera
“The singing is strong, particularly…..from Julia Sitkovetsky as a lustrously attractive Monica. [She] draws a movingly accurate portrait of a loving daughter living with an alcoholic parent, constantly negotiating every changing mood, hopelessly desperate to absorb the tension, hide each problem and control what will happen next.
Charlotte Valori, Bachtrack
http://bachtrack.com/review-medium-menotti-grimeborn-august-2014
“Julia Sitkovetsky made a lovely Monica, she got the opera’s most lyrical numbers and gave us a real sense of Monica’s longing to be free of her mother. Sitkovetsky had a touching and believable relationship with Patrick Holt’s Toby”
Robert Hugill
http://www.planethugill.com/2014/08/menottis-medium.html
“The star of the show for me was Julia Sitkovetsky as Monica, the daughter of a medium. She has a beautiful voice and portrayed the character with emotional depth, definitely one to watch, I will certainly be keeping an eye out for future performances from her.”
Opera PunkGirl Blog
http://operapunkgirl.wordpress.com/2014/08/16/grimeborn-the-medium/
“…Julia Sitkovetsky convincingly evokes the daughter’s innocent sensuality…”
Nick Kimberley, London Evening Standard
Roger Vignoles Birthday Gala, Wigmore Hall, UK 2015
…Sitkovetsky then gave César Cui’s ‘The statue of Tsarskaya Selo’ from her heart and added soul and intensity for Tchaikovsky’s ‘Was I not a blade of grass’, both mesmeric….
Orpheus in the Underworld, February 2012
Particularly notable performances were Eurydice (Julia Sitkovetsky) whose unfaltering voice was able to reach the highest of falsettos while still upholding her sexy, sassy and seductive persona… “[Sitkovetsky was] sublime…plenty of ooh-la-la in Eurydice’s coquettishly wiggling shoulders and devilishly expressive eyes.
Oxford Theatre Review
http://oxfordtheatrereview.co.uk/r/Tx3DmsXURs67y0fOXDx6yg
“The real outstanding performance was from Julia Sitkovetsky as Eurydice. Along with simply stunning feats of singing she brought a cheeky, slinky spark to the part.”
The Cherwell
http://www.cherwell.org/culture/stage/2012/02/08/press-preview-orpheus-in-the-underworld
“Sitkovetsky’s own stratospheric cadenzas were a real treat, her hip-swaying portrayal of a Eurydices in control of her own sexuality being a stark contrast to her character’s imprisonment in Hades”
Bachtrack
http://www.bachtrack.com/review-new-chamber-opera-orpheus-in-the-underworld
“Julia Sitkovetsky’s sparkling coloratura and sensational top E brings exactly what’s required to the role of Eurydice. Her mincing sauciness and farcical rapport with husband Orpheus (William Blake) had the audience in fits.”
Concert with Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, 2011
“[The Vivaldi Motet] requires a singer with an exceptionally high voice, and Ms Sitkovetsky handled its entire range with ease. The last half, however, broke out into flights of vocal ornamentation like I have seldom heard, except perhaps in some of Rossini’s most extreme coloratura. Ms Sitkovetsky’s accuracy of pitch, time, and articulation was almost more instrumental than vocal. It reminded me of a recording of the Queen of Night’s aria from Mozart’s Zauberflöte by Teresa Stich-Randall. Meanwhile, her face and posture remained as calm as when she was singing easier music.”
Musicology for Everyone
Recital at Newport Music Festival, 2010
Julia Sitkovetsky…opened the evening with some sparkling Mozart, then moved on to more contemporary offerings from Samuel Barber, Charles Ives and Aaron Copland, songs that revealed a singer with real soul, with interpretive insights beyond her years. There is nothing too shabby about her sound either.
Channing Gray
http://news.providencejournal.com/arts-entertainment/2010/07/young-soprano-dazzles-in-newport.html
“In the third work, L’Amero saro Costante, from Il re pastore, the fullness of her voice and talent began to emerge, most evident in the middle and upper registers. Her notes were clear and true, and her voice was seamlessly modulated, easily filling the large room.
…she used her face and eyes continuously as an integral part of her vocalizing. This stood her in great stead as she presented ten Hermit Songs by Samuel Barber… In each of the songs, presented in English with distinct enunciation and crisp delivery, she captured the essence of the presenting narrator, and stayed in character until the very last note faded. Her vivacity, acting ability and body language gave life to songs that in the hands of a lesser artist could have fallen short of audience engagement; instead, her personable handling of them drew listeners directly into the moment, whether of comedy or pathos.
The last song, The Desire for Hermitage, was especially moving, ending with the words: “Alone I came into the world, alone I shall go from it.” Moments passed in silence as she bent slightly backwards, motionless, before the spell was broken and the audience responded. Two gypsy melodies by Antonin Dvorak provided more opportunities to enjoy her stage presence, at times mercurial, at other times intense and piercing. The second of two Aaron Copland adaptations of poems by Emily Dickinson (“Nature, The Gentlest Mother” and “Why Do They Shut Me Out of Heaven?”) provided an opportunity to experience the full reach of her voice on the last sentence — “Did I sing too loud?” — which the audience thoroughly enjoyed.”
Sandra Matuschka
http://classical-scene.com/2010/07/13/making-‘big-daddy’-proud/
