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Sonya Yoncheva received enthusiastic praise from The Sunday Times for her role debut as Rusalka with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

In a four-star review, Chief Culture Writer Richard Morrison hailed Sonya as “a diva on magnificent form,” noting that she possessed the rare vocal scope required to “ride the orchestral storm as well as bring tenderness to the lyricism.” Highlighting a sound that was “thrillingly full-bodied and perfectly focused,” Morrison praised her seamless command of “veiled timbres for darker moments,” celebrating her “genuine diva quality of making every phrase uniquely hers.”

Commending her absolute mastery of the role – observing that she “clearly knew the part backwards” – the review offered a definitive summary of her evening: “Vocally, what a night.”

Link to the complete review: https://www.thetimes.com/culture/classical-opera/article/rusalka-review-sonya-yoncheva-domingo-hindoyan-5jc3r3cq8

Hamburger Abendblatt has published a glowing review of Sonya Yoncheva’s all-Händel concert with the Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal Versailles at the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie.

Under the headline “Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal Versailles and a Soprano Who Brings Tears to the Eyes”, critic Helmut Peters praised Yoncheva’s “vocal power across her entire range”, her “enormous dynamic spectrum”, and a voice that “never disappeared, not even in the softest pianissimo”.

“One can only hope that this singer and the ‘royal’ orchestra will return to Hamburg again very soon,” Peters concluded.

You can read an English translation of the review below:

“Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal Versailles and a Soprano Who Brings Tears to the Eyes
In a flowing evening gown and to thunderous applause, Sonya Yoncheva steps onto the stage. What follows is a spellbinding display of vocal power and emotion.

By Helmut Peters

Hamburg – Given the name Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal Versailles, one might assume it is a centuries-old ensemble with deep historical roots. In fact, the orchestra was founded only seven years ago for a production of John Corigliano’s opera Les Fantômes de Versailles, a work that virtuously plays with the ghosts of the past, at the Royal Opera of Versailles.

Since then, it has rapidly developed into one of the most renowned ensembles dedicated to early music and historically informed performance practice. On Friday, the orchestra finally made its debut at Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie together with its conductor, the Polish violinist Stefan Plewniak, accompanying the magnificent Bulgarian soprano Sonya Yoncheva in arias by George Frideric Handel, performed on period instruments.

The evening opened dramatically as the double bassist struck the body of his instrument with his bare hand, producing surprisingly loud drum-like sounds. The small string ensemble, joined by a lutenist, two baroque oboists, and a baroque bassoonist, entered the stage while playing and moved seamlessly into the equally theatrical overture to Handel’s entertaining opera Xerxes.

When Sonya Yoncheva Appears, the Applause Will Not End
Unlike many Italian, German, or Austrian period-instrument ensembles, the French musicians tend to avoid overly sharp contrasts and emphatic accents. Instead, they favour a flowing style, refined phrasing, and a richly coloured sound. In the overture’s sudden pianissimo passages and its rapid rebuilding of momentum, the distinctive timbres of the historical wind instruments and gut-stringed strings emerged in all their variety.

Sonya Yoncheva appeared in a radiant red evening gown with a long train, and unfortunately the opening orchestral introduction to Handel’s Ombra mai fu from Xerxes was almost lost because the applause simply refused to die down. Possessing vocal power across her entire range and an enormous dynamic spectrum, she immersed herself deeply in Handel’s ironic and harmonically sophisticated musical setting of a lovestruck Persian ruler’s declaration of affection-not to a woman, but to a plane tree.

In Cleopatra’s aria Non disperar, chi sa? from Handel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto, Yoncheva also demonstrated her considerable acting talent, flirting with the bassoonist and supporting every coloratura passage with expressive gestures and body language. Striking contrasts between profound hurt, anger, and defiance were vividly conveyed in Ah, mio cor! Schernito sei! from Handel’s Alcina. Here, the Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal, with an accompaniment that faltered like a beating heart, brought to life the sorceress’s deep suffering from the epic Orlando Furioso.

Corelli’s exquisitely performed Concerto Grosso in D major, Op. 6 No. 4 served as both a moment of respite for the outstanding singer and an opportunity for a costume change. She reappeared afterwards in a shimmering silver gown. It was breathtaking to watch Stefan Plewniak and one of the orchestra’s violinists perform the concerto’s dazzlingly rapid solo passages, moving toward one another with expressive body language and almost seeming to dance, much like Yoncheva herself.

Hopefully This Singer Will Return to Hamburg Soon
After descending into profound melancholy in the slow movement, the agitated climaxes of the finale seemed almost like a struggle for dominance between the two violinists, brought to an end by two forceful concluding orchestral chords.

Wherever she stood – whether moving around the orchestra or singing with her back turned – Yoncheva’s remarkably distinctive voice never disappeared, not even in the softest pianissimo. With complete assurance and deeply moving emotion, she sang Che sento? Oh Dio! from Giulio Cesare, With Darkness Deep from Handel’s oratorio Theodora, portraying the suffering of a Christian woman oppressed and persecuted under Roman rule, and naturally the indispensable audience favourite Lascia ch’io pianga from Rinaldo.

One can only hope that this singer and the “royal” orchestra will return to Hamburg again very soon.”

[Photo: Tim Weiler / O-PR]