Don Giovanni - Rene Jacobs New CD 22007 Harmonia Mundi
Here we have the final installment in the René Jacobs-led trilogy of the Mozart/da Ponte operas, and it's something to behold. It is enthralling from start to finish, played with more color than any other version I know of, led with an occasional eccentricity of tempo that justifies itself almost invariably in context, sung beautifully and expressively,...
Kenneth Tarver as Ottavio exhibits a tightly focused tenor, fearless of any heights, fluent in fast music and endless of breath (he takes the ridiculously long one in "Il mio tesoro" with ease). Jacobs gives him appoggiaturas and embellishments and grants him plenty of rubato--perhaps a sign of strength. ..
Jacobs and his cast present a glorious, well-characterized, energetic, spontaneous-seeming performance, vocally and instrumentally. You will hear things you've never heard before and wonder why other conductors haven't spotted certain subtleties and not-so-subtleties. You may not always agree but you won't find it "wrong"...
At this point, my recommendation for a complete recording favors this new Jacobs...The sound on this new recording is grand and pungent with balances among voices and between players and singers just about perfect. .. it's like hearing Mozart anew. [9/24/2007] www.classicstoday.com -- Robert Levine - September 2007
Three cheers for someone having the sense to record Kenneth Tarver’s graceful, agile Ottavio."
Gramophone (Editor's Choice-Recording of the Month) October 2007
Kenneth Tarver's elegant, firm-toned Ottavio
Andrew Clements - The Guardian September 2007
Kenneth Tarver's Don Ottavio stands out for his clarion delivery and limpid phrasing.
Stephen Eddins Barne & Noble.com
Don Giovanni - Rene Jacobs Brussels/Paris
November 2006
Le ténor Kenneth Tarver est un Don Ottavio magnifique de finesse et de musicalité… cet excellent chanteur qui ne déçoit jamais mériterait une plus belle place médiatique chez les ténors légers.
Pierre Jean Tribot www.Resmusica.com
...dominé par l’Ottavio suprêmement élégant, au timbre melliflu de Kenneth Tarver...
Mehdi Mahdavi www.altamusica.com
La Donna del Lago - Edinburgh Festival
Maurizio Benini - August 2006
CD Opera Rara
Opera Rara presenta una extraordinaria grabación procedente del Festial de Edimburgo con un reparto encabezado por Carmen Giannattasio, en otra lujosa y completísima edición…y el emergente Kenneth Tarver hace gala de un bonito color vocal, fraseo con gusto y voz fácil y razonablemente extensa…
www.diverdi.com
The great performance, though, comes from Kenneth Tarver as James, who spins out his coloratura with glorious ease and superbly captures both the king's easy-going charm and the ruthlessness that lurks beneath it.
Tim Ashley - The Guardian
Eine neue Generation von Belcantisten präsentiert sich hier, die sich nicht im vokalen l’art pour l’art erschöpft...
Kenneth Tarver erweist sich in der Rolle des Königs als ein tenore di grazia par excellence.
Opernwelt - Ekkehard Pluta August 2007
… in many ways a remarkable achievement…Tarver, a great artist, was glorious, delivering his coloratura with jaw-dropping ease, and perfectly capturing the king’s complex mix of dangerous charm amd lethal political ruthlessness. There was thrilling singing elsewhere too…
Tim Ashley - The Guardian
…es uno de los mejores productos de la reciente discografia rossiniana…Kenneth Tarver
puede rivalisar sin pestañear con Juan Diego Florez…de obligatorio adquisicion para rossinianos irrendentos!
Rafael Banus - El Cultural (El Mundo)
Sets the gold standard for recorded performances of Rossini’s opera seria composed for Naples. This cast on DVD, in the Pesaro production, would be manna from heaven in the dreams of Rossini enthusiasts ...Recording of the Month
www.musicweb.uk.net
I gloried in the singing of Carmen Giannattasio as Elena and Kenneth Tarver as Uberto. Both voices are new to me. The Neapolitan Giannattasio has an evenly produced soprano with a lowish centre so that the vocal outcome is a creamy tone allied to the capacity for subtle characterisation. Add to this good diction and flexible coloratura technique and the role of Elena seems ideally suited to her. The American Kenneth Tarver matches Giannattasio for even vocal emission to which he adds comparable beauty of toneÉ the sheer beauty of tone of his tenor counterpart Kenneth Tarver.
www.musicwebinternational.com
L’Italiana in Algeri - Alberto Zedda -
Palm Beach Opera Febuary 2007
The evening's love-smitten Lindoro, tenor Kenneth Tarver, proved a vocal highlight of the evening. His dulcet timbre and technical mastery of the bel canto style were a joy. His opening Cavatina, Languir per una bella, an aria of legendary difficulty, was handled with ease. The innumerable agile leaps into the upper reaches of high B flats and high Cs were delivered with dazzling accuracy while maintaining a smooth and elegant vocal line. Tarver also is a very convincing actor.
The Palm Beach Daily News
Most noteworthy is Kenneth Tarver's light, clear tenor and unpretentious acting performance. Each are particularly suited to the role of Lindoro,…
…Tarver's opening "Languir per una bella" stirs the romantic flavors deep in the center of the comedy…it's Tarver's appealing phrasing and vocal color that consistently draws attention.
Sun-Sentinel
As Lindoro, tenor Kenneth Tarver scaled the nosebleed heights of his high vocal role with a confident, lovely tone. It was his vocal energy that got several other singers back on track for the grand finish.
Palm Beach Post
Benjamin Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings - Febuary 2007
Baltimore Symphony - Andrew Constantine
Tarver's limpid timbre and thoughtful phrasing got to the heart of the matter. He made the distinctive contours of Britten's melodic lines speak naturally and truly.
Tim Smith - The Baltimore Sun
Otello - OONY Carnegie Hall – Eve Queler -
January 2007
Rossini called for no fewer than six tenors to fill the cast of Otello…remarkably, all were of high quality. Standout among them was Kenneth Tarver as Roderigo. Tarver’s blessed with an attractive stage presence and a lovely, effortlessly produced voice that had no trouble meeting Rossini’s stratospheric demands.
Eric Myers - Variety
Equally impressive was Kenneth Tarver as Roderigo, whose lyricism and light touch complemented the role. His high-lying aria, Ah, come mai non senti, was one of the best moments of the night.
www.operatoday.com
Otello - Washington Concert Opera
Antony Walker - April 2007
The evening's discovery was tenor Kenneth Tarver, who played Otello's rival, Rodrigo. He has a healthy, ringing, fluent high tenor voice of considerable beauty and freedom; no wonder he is already singing at the Metropolitan Opera, at Covent Garden in London, and with the Cleveland and Boston symphony orchestras.
Tim Page - Washington Post
DON PASQUALE -DEUTSCHE OPER BERLIN November 2003
Opera Now, January/Febuary 2004 As Ernesto, Kenneth Tarver...with natural musicality, magical top notes and creamy legato…Shirley Apthorp
Opéra International, December 2003 ...L'Italianita. On trouve par contre celle-ci présente chez Kenneth Tarver, dont le timbre charmeur et la ligne vocale subtilement modelée dispensent les séductions du bel canto. Son Ernesto constitue le point fort de la distribution….Jacques Fournier
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, October 2003 Kenneth Tarver als Liebhaber Ernesto ist eine lyrisch sich verströmende Ich-AG, wie sie nur je im Tenor-Buch stand...Eleonore Büning
Die Welt, October 2003 In Kenneth Tarver hat sie überdies einen Tenorpartner wie aus dem Märchenbuch der Oper gefunden…Klaus Geitel
Radio 3 RBB, October 2003 Aber mit Kenneth Tarver hat man einen Ernesto engagiert, der ein Glücksfall von hohem Tenore di grazia darstellt, eine echte Alternative zum derzeit konkurrenzlos gefeierten Juan Diego Florez…Dr.Dieter David Scholz
Berliner Morgenpost, October 2003 Kenneth Tarver ist es nicht minder. Er taucht im letzten Akt mit seiner Serenade tief ein in den dahinflötenden Karneval der Liebe und bedient dabei seinen hohen Tenor wie eine zusätzliche Zauberflöte…. Klaus Geitel
Berliner Zeitung, October 2003
Kenneth Tarver singt den Ernesto mit makellos lyrischem Glanz…Klaus Georg Koch
Der Tagesspiegel, Oktober 2003 Kenneth Tarver hat für die todtraurige Arie des verliebten Ernesto, das wunderschöne “Chercheró lontana terra“ genau den richtigen melancholisch angehauchten Tenorschmelz.… Jörg Königsdorf
www.ya.com El papel de Ernesto, enamorado correspondido de Norina, es interpretado en el Don Pasquale de Berlin por el tenor Kenneth Tarver, invitado frecuente de el Covent Garden de Londres. Su voz aterciopelada, lirica y tan personal, le convierte en el Ernesto ideal -su solos fueron maravilloso- y a su vez en la pareja ideal por Ofelia Sala, para la trompeta. Tarver canta su desconsuelo en el segundo acto acompanado per el trompetista,(Martin Baeza Rubio)miembro de la orquestra, con nariz de payaso.Una belleza!
LA SCALA DI SETA - DEUTSCHE OPER BERLIN March 2004
Berliner Zeitung, März 2004 Mit Kenneth Tarver in der Rolle des Dorvil ist ein kommender großer Rossini-Tenor zu erleben…Klaus Georg Koch
Oranienburger Generalanzeiger, März 2004 …Und warum sie sich für diesen Dorvil entschied, wusste man in dem Augenblick, als der attraktive, äußerst stimmschön singende Kenneth Tarver seinen lyrischen, schlank geführten Tenor in den Rossini-Himmel schickte…Harry Wangerin
Berliner Morgenpost, März 2004 Das Schmuckstück der Aufführung ist der hochansehnliche farbige Tenor Kenneth Tarver. Er singt und bewegt sich durchgehend gentlemanlike. Man hört ihn mit ebenso großem Vergnügen, wie man ihn sieht; eine Seltenheit bei Tenören. Klaus Geitel
LES TROYENS – BBC PROMS, ROYAL ALBERT HALL August 2003
Opera, November 2003 Among the rest of the cast, Kenneth Tarver got one of the biggest ovations of the evening, having made Iopas’s “O blonde Cérès” a belcanto gem…Patrick O’Connor
“L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI (kzt.)” Sonntagskonzert, Münchner Rundfunkorchester, October 2002
Süddeutsche Zeitung, October 2002 …Kenneth Tarver charmiert als Lindoro mit hochlyrischer Mittellager…
DIE ENTFÜHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL- AVERY FISHER HALL, Lincoln Center N.Y., New York May 2002
ClassicsToday.com, May 2002 …As her lover rescue Belmonte, lyric tenor Kenneth Tarver proved a real find; his colourful, supple voice easily negotiated the high-flying elements of the role and he brought a velvet-cushioned timbre to his lovely soft singing…Dan Davis
DON GIOVANNI - NATIONALTHEATER MANNHEIM (Mozartwoche), December 2001
Mannheimer Morgen, Dezember 2001 Schon mal was von Kenneth Tarver gehört? Der junge, farbige amerikanische Tenor gehört mittlerweile zu den Lichtgestalten im lyrischen Fach, ihn jetzt in Mannheim als Ottavio kennengelernt zu haben, ist auch dem neuen Konzept der Festlichen Opernabende zu verdanken, das bewusst auf junge Stars setzt. Tarvers charakteristisches, blühendes Timbre, überhaupt seine hohe Musikalität, verbunden mit Leichtigkeit und Eleganz der Stimmführung nahmen dann auch rückhaltlos für sich ein…Stefan Koch
COSI FAN TUTTE- ROYAL OPERA November 2001
The Times, November 2001 Isokoski was partnered by Kenneth Tarver as Ferrando. Since he is one of today’s leading Rossini tenors, neither the range nor the technical demands hold any fears for him, which made one regret more than ever the traditional cutting of the treacherous ‘Ah, lo veggio’: he could have sung the socks off it, as he did his other two arias…Rodney Milnes
The Guardian, November 2001 Kenneth Tarver spins out Ferrando’s stratospheric music with sensual ease…Tim Ashley
ARMIDA– EDINBURGH FESTIVAL August 2001
The Guardian, August 2001 The dreamy voiced Kenneth Tarver …. Tim Ashley
www.EdinburghGuide.com August 2001 The highlight for me, however, was Kenneth Tarver. He had such perfect technique. A pure, finished, professional and really very beautiful voice, I would love to hear more of him…
Kenny Morrison
The Independent, August 2001 ...as Rinaldo's antagonist Gernando, Kenneth Tarver added an exciting shimmer to a tone of great purity…Raymond Monelle
BÉATRICE ET BÉNÉDICT – LSO LIVE CD Sir Colin Davis
Gramophone, December 2000 Kenneth Tarver’s singing of Benedict is simply beautiful. Rarely have I felt so strongly how mean Berlioz was to phase Benedict out so completely in Act 2 ... hear Tarver’s‘Ah! Je vais l’aimer’ if you can.
ROMEO ET JULIETTE - BERLIOZ DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON Pierre Boulez , Cleveland Orchestra
www.e-Bay.com
Kenneth Tarver's Queen Mab song is among the best on disc, pointedly phrased and sung in a beautiful lyric tenor.
LES TROYENS – LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA LIVE CD Sir Colin Davis, London Symphony Orchestra, GRAMMY AWARDS 2001: Best Opera Recording & Best Classical Recording
www.Amazon.de
Alle Achtung von den meisterhaften Tenor Kenneth Tarver, für mich eine neue Entdeckung!
msn.com/Classical Mania
I will also mention Kenneth Tarver whose pure tenor voice singing Iopas, well, you could fall in love with that voice!
A WHITE HOUSE CANTATA - DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON Kent Nagano, LSO
www.elcultural.com Interpretacion inmejorable, con reparto all-stars: nada menos que Thomas Hampson, June Anderson, y nuestra reciente premio Principe de Asturias, Barbara Hendricks, a los que se une el joven y excelente Kenneth Tarver.
The Guardian, March 14, 2002
Twenty years ago Rossini, Bellini and Donizetti were primarily synonymous with spectacular female soloists, but Florez, Ford and a number of other singers such as Kenneth Tarver have restored the bel canto tenor to his position of centrality…
Tim Ashley
L’INGANNO FELICE – ROSSINI FESTIVAL Wildbad, July 2005
Das Opernglas October 2005
Als Glücksfall erwies sich der kurzfristig als Bertrando eingesprungene Kenneth Tarver. Nach leicht nervösem Beginn gewann sein angenehm timbrierter lyrischen Tenor schnell an technischer sicherheit und Höhenglanz. Seinen Vortrag zeichnete zudem stilistische Eleganz aus…. J.M.Wienecke
MOISE ET PHARAON – PALAIS DES BEAUX-ARTS Brussels, November 2004
Opera Gazet, Belgium
Kenneth Tarver as his son Amenophis was however a model of style and good taste. Here he had an untypical Rossini role, with no astronomical high notes to deliver, more he showed remarkable intonation and wonderful diction… G.M
I PAGLIACCI – DEUTSCHE OPER BERLIN April 2005
www.berlinertheaterkritiken.de
…der schöne Harlekin mit seinem sanften eleganten Tenor….A.C
Berliner Morgenpost 25 April 2005
Pleasant surprises by her side. Kenneth Tarver presents himself, the reincarnation of tenoral amiability, with vigorous voice… Klaus Geitel
“MESSA DI GLORIA” (Puccini) In Memoriam Marcello Viotti
May 2005
www.daskulturradio.de
Kenneth Tarver ist endlich mal ein Tenor der weder schreit, presst noch knödelt, einfach abhebt und schlank und schön in die Höhe geht. Bravo!…Clemens Goldberg
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