DEBORAH YORG

Carnegie Hall recital of Handel operatic duets and arias with counter tenor Daniel Taylor met with universal critical acclaim.

'In 'Bel piacere', Handel demands an athletic series of barely prepared leaps, which Ms York handled so gracefully that she made her ornamentation of the top notes sound natural and comfortable.   In 'Lascia ch'io pianga', one of the several tragic arias that gave the program its emotional richness, she sang with a wrenching dynamic suppleness.....  In the ebullient 'Scherzano sul tuo volto', also from Rinaldo, Ms York's bright, tightly focused timbre perfectly complemented Mr Taylor's velvety tone, and when Ms York darkened her sound in the mournful duet 'Io t'abbraccio' from Rodelinda, the blend was just about perfect.'

Allan Kozinn, New York Times  17.11.11

'Deborah York and Daniel Taylor perform Handel to perfection....York tossed off Cleopatra's difficult aria 'Tu la mis stella sei' with ease, reaching up to the highest vocal register without undue strain or thinning out....this led into a wonderful and difficult aria 'Se pietà de me non senti' from Giulio Cesare. Built on a chromatically descending triplet played repeatedly through the whole piece, with Ms York's impassioned voice doubled or echoed by the strings, this was certainly the most moving aria in the concert, and the considerable applause that followed was appropriately long.'

Stan Metzger, Seen and Heard International 18.11.11

Deborah York's most stunning aria, perhaps, was Cleopatra’s “Tu la mia stella sei” from Giulio Cesare. Her da capo ornaments were subtly chosen and highlighted her vocal agility. The gorgeous and expansive “Se pietá”, another aria for Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare received thunderous applause from the audience. During the fermata at the first presentation of the A section, one audience member exclaimed “It’s a beautiful aria!”

While the rest of the program contained arias and duets that are familiar to the point of being hackneyed, Taylor and his colleague Deborah York gave fresh interpretations to these old favorites.

Stephen Raskauskas, Bachtrack  17.11.11