Fiorilla in TURCO IN ITALIA - Royal Opera House London, April 2015
Kurzak and Pidò inspire a rumbustious Turco in Italia in Caurier and Leiser's Dolce Vita production
Aleksandra Kurzak sang a sensational Fiorilla. She starts with the advantage of a voice that is prettily sweet-toned and projects plenty of strength, but what impresses most is how she can shape the decorations: what you hear isn’t a virtuosic shower of notes but a beautifully crafted arabesque – all of it produced while executing a variety of slapstick pratfalls and acting her part with verve (and a generous slice of ham, but that’s kind of what’s called for in this opera). Since I saw her in this same production in 2010, when she was fairly new on the scene, Kurzak has just got better and better… And I can’t imagine Il turco in Italia being played, sung and acted better than last night.
Bachtrack.com – David Karlin
Kurzak is beyond reproach as the coquettish Fiorilla, a character my elders would have described as a flighty piece. The Polish soprano perches at the top of today's Italianate heap, blest as she is with a charismatic and expressive beauty that's paired with a resplendent vocal presence… D'Arcangelo's scenes with Kurzak are awash with chemistry and star quality: when they hold the stage together, however ridiculous the situation, you believe them. Ten years on the fire still smoulders.
Whatonstage.com – Mark Valencia
And the singing was superb. The charming Aleksandra Kurzak, perfect for this type of Rossini role, made a beautifully playful Fiorilla with a lovely depth of tone.
Markronan.com
It’s always a special joy to hear singers who are just ‘made’ for their roles, but it’s a rare one to encounter a production where everyone on stage fits that description. Covent Garden regulars fell in love with Alexsandra Kurzak when she nailed some of Mozart’s most fiendish music whist shimmying through doorways clad in six-foot-wide dresses in Mitridate, re di Ponto, and here she is once more singing with silvery tone, insouciant grace and complete mastery of some pretty challenging coloratura. She’s a convincing actress, too, so that when she despairs at the thought of what looks like a not exactly joyful ‘return to Sorrento’ in ‘Squallida veste e bruna’ our sympathies are with her, however annoyed the character might have previously made us feel. Needless to say she looks stunning in her costumes (Agostina Cavalco).
www.musicomh.com - Melanie Eskenazi
It also means some stylish outfits for Aleksandra Kurzak, who, at the 2010 revival, took over the Bartoli role of the flighty Fiorilla. Four parts Sophia Loren to one part Barbara Windsor, she sings it beautifully, her creamy soprano encompassing the leaps and cascades seemingly effortlessly.
The Guardian – Erica Jeal
Kurzak’s soprano has a glistening purity and strength that sees soaring phrases tackled with beauty and clarity
Opera online – Sam Smith
For many reasons eyes are attracted to Aleksandra Kurzak whenever she is on stage and while her voice hints at heavier roles to come her sparklingly sexy persona and generally bright, clear voice and impressive coloratura technique are still ideal for Fiorilla.
Seenandheard-international.com – Jim Pritchard
One singer whose voice is gaining lustre is Aleksandra Kurzak, who delivers a star turn as the minx Fiorilla. Always a vivacious artist, the Polish soprano now displays complete control of her cheeky coloratura, focused all the way to the top to match her bright-eyed performance.
The Telegraph – John Allison
The singers in this revival make an experienced team. Aleksandra Kurzak is a true soprano Fiorilla, rather than a mezzo like Bartoli, and sings with a light touch, topped by a sparkling sheen on the surface of her voice.
Financial Times – Richard Fairman
Kurzak’s majestically pure voice triumphs
newsinlondon.com - Sophia Shluger
The star of the show, however, was most definitely Aleksandra Kurzak, whose creamy soprano voice hit stratospheric heights with the greatest of ease. Her approach to singing is sheer artistry, never too heavy and paying great attention to dynamics and style.
Her voice is sublime and she's got plenty of cheek and sparkiness to pull off the role of the smouldering adulterous little minx Fiorilla...
Spear's - Melinda Hughes
And in Aleksandra Kurzak we once again have the Fiorilla of our dreams: suffering from a throat infection when I heard her, she could still charm the birds off the trees.
The Independent - Michael Church
Aleksandra Kurzak’s good-time girl Fiorilla also gives us most of the necessaries: hard flirting, vocal trills and a flash of her heart right at the end.
The Spectator - Geoff Brown
The part of his flirty wife Fiorilla was played, as it was five years ago, by the Polish soprano Aleksandra Kurzak, whose voice and comic acting skills have both matured delightfully.
Rossini always likes giving his sopranos deliciously difficult arias to twirl around their tonsils, and Kurzak manages them with ease...Having seen this five years ago, I knew it was going to be highly enjoyable but once again it was even better than expected.
Express- William Hartston