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"Arianna Zukerman possesses a remarkable voice that combines the range, warmth and facility of a Rossini mezzo with shimmering, round high notes and exquisite pianissimos that would make any soprano jealous. An intense presence with sparkling eyes, the younger Zukerman showed an affinity for drama through vivid characterizations and smart use of vocal color in Pauline Viardot-Garcia's emotionally charged 'Plainte d'amour' and a set of Reynaldo Hahn songs, including the sentimental 'Si mes vers avaient des ailes.'"
—Ronni Reich, Washington Post, February 11, 2007
SOPRANO CELEBRATES THE SERENADE
Singer Arianna Zukerman educates, elates Bryson audience
Monday evening, Savannah Music Festival Director Rob Gibson noted
that classical musical "is a hard sell right now" to the younger generation.
Then he introduced Arianna Zukerman, a young, hip, talented soprano
who could easily serve as classical music's ambassador to the younger
set.
Coincidence? You decide.
More than 100 people gathered at Bryson Hall for Zukerman's recital,
which marked the start of the festival's Jepson Classical Series.
The venue, a new addition to the festival lineup, provided an intimate,
if unconventional setting for the vocalist. In the '30s, '40s and
'50s it was an automobile showroom, among other things, before it
was revamped and reopened in December.
Zukerman, accompanied by pianist Craig Ketter, sang the entire first
half of the program in German, focusing on serenades by Schubert,
Brahms, Wolf and Strauss.
On paper, that roster may seem a little tedious, but Zukerman took
the time to explain what appealed to her about each composer, then
ably demonstrated those elements in song. She ended with a brief but
fierce rendition of Strauss's Zueignung, Op. 10, No. 1.
The second part of the program featured selections from English and
American composers. Audience favorites included "The Tout-ensemble,"
a challenging piece by Arne; and "Taylor, the Latte Boy," Zina Goldrich
and Marcy Heisler's hilarious take on "caffeinated love."
Critics have described Zukerman's voice as "luminous," and I agree.
Her mastery of both the scale and the German language is admirable,
but she has something else - accessibility.
While the word "diva" was arguably created for someone else who once
had Zukerman's job - opera legend Maria Callas - last night Zukerman
easily poked fun at composers, lyrics, even herself.
Can you imagine Callas doing that?
—Amy Morris, The Savannah
Morning News (03/21/05)
"[Arianna Zukerman] has been endowed with a soprano voice of unusually
well-rounded tone, which she has trained intensively at the Juilliard
School in New York and uses with intelligence, superb control, a strong,
attractive stage presence and a deep knowledge of 18th- and 19th-century
styles"
—Joseph McLellan, The
Washington Post
"Ms. Zukerman, the daughter of the violinist Pinchas Zukerman and
the flutist and television commentator Eugenia Zukerman, offered gracefully
shaped and deeply felt accounts of Schubert's An Silvia and
Ständchen, and a nicely paced version of Stephen Sondheim's
Send in the Clowns, as well as lively contributions to duets
by Mozart and Cole Porter."
—Allan Kozinn, The New
York Times
"The young soprano…is an artist through and through. Her voice
is fresh and expressive. Given her acute vocal skill, she focuses
on technique and hearing herself, rather than being carried away by
her theatrical acumen….More than a debut, Arianna Zukerman's
recital…was truly a lesson in how to sing, how to select a seductive
program, and to allow oneself to be taken by the skills of an accomplished
pianist…"
—Àlex Robles Fitò, La
Vanguardia (Barcelona)
"In her October 4 appearance in the Myra Hess concert series, she
displayed not only a lovely voice, but a clarity, ease, and expressiveness
of phrasing that surely were absorbed from both parents….Zukerman's
opening selection 'So shall the lute and harp awake' from Handel's
Judas Maccabeus, left the happy impression of a person who
simply cannot help singing. Not every singer conveys that impression."
—Dan Tucker, International
Music Foundation
"…Arianna Zukerman has been for us a very pleasant discovery.
She has a voice with an enviable characteristic: personality. The
program she offered with the pianist, Brian Zeger was quite committed,
varied, and intense….The best was the depth with which she faced
the Deux Mélodies Hébraiques by Ravel. Her Kaddisch
was especially impressive due to the maturity she showed…Also,
the songs she performed by the well-known Leonard Bernstein showed
her ability to make us feel the text."
—M. R. Sánchez M., Canarias
7 (Canary Islands)
IN CONCERT
An Evening in Paris
Sarasota Opera
"…Arianna Zukerman had a remarkably fluid soprano that shifted
with the colors and nuances of a set of three art songs by Reynaldo
Hahn. She later confirmed her interpretive prowess with a fresh version
of La Vie en Rose, a song burned in our memories by recordings
of the famed chanteuse Edith Piaf. Zukerman didn't imitate and was
all the more convincing."
—Gayle Williams, The
Longboat Observer
Franz Schubert: Unfinished/Refinished
EOS Orchestra
"…[T]o suggest a narrative behind some of Schubert's finest songs,
Mr. [Peter] Kazaras dressed the [shapely] Ms. Zukerman in a Depression-era
dress. She sat in a livingroom chair as she listened to a phonograph.
I think we were supposed to imagine that she was hearing records of
the songs she would eventually sing. The first Schubert song, after
all, was a true, historic recording (unidentified, infortunately).
But the rest of the lieder were all rendered live, and Ms. Zukerman
did them fine justice, displaying a full, buttery voice and stern
dramatic focus…Ms. Zukerman's rendition of Offenbach's orchestration
of Ständchen… she sang…lovingly. Gretchen
am Spinnrade — orchestrated traditionally by Reger —
was also fine.
Throughout these works, Ms. Zukerman traversed an enormous range of
emotions, using her impulsive vocal talent to sell the works' narrative
mood changes. At the tragic end of the devilish Der Erlkönig
— orchestrated with Romantic fire by Berlioz — she broke
a 45 over her knee. It was effective shtick.
The concert closed with Renderings…But to my mind the
evening's bright spot had already passed."
—Adam Baer, The New York
Sun
Franz Schubert: Unfinished/Refinished
Red (a boldly innovative, fascinating evening)
"...soprano Arianna Zukerman appeared on another platform, an imaginary
room where she settled into an easy chair and took out an LP, which
she subsequently placed on an old record player and ultimately smashed.
Seemingly lost in memory, she sang six of Schubert's most famous songs,
including 'Ständchen,' 'Gretchen am Spinnrad,' 'Doppelgänger'
and 'An die Musik.' Her big, warm voice soared easily over orchestrations
of the composer's piano accompaniments by Offenbach, Reger, Berlioz
and Red's own Sheffer. While she clearly elucidated the German poetry
(which was translated in English supertitles behind the orchestra)..."
—Wilma Salisbury, Cleveland Plain
Dealer
Seeing Red: The Experience @ Masonic Auditorium 10/23
Experiencing a performance of Red {an orchestra} is the musical equivalent
of a full body massage: It soothes the aching soul, heals an otherwise
dreary existence, and electrifies a murky mood. Last Saturday night,
Red’s top-notch ensemble created contemporary masterpieces from Franz
Schubert that were so invigorating, yet relaxing that the music eased
into the auditory nerves in a wave of sheer pleasure. ...The intensity
of Saturday evening’s performance elevated when soprano Arianna Zukerman
took center stage. Her breathtaking performance and crystal clear
voice reached deep into the soul.
—TL Champion, CoolCleveland.com
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