Julianna Di Giacomo

• Soprano

Reviews

Julianna Di Giacomo press reviews

With the arrival in Act II of the soprano Julianna Di Giacomo as Mathilde, came the evening’s first lightning bolt: a show-stopping account of the aria “Sombre forêt,” ravishing in its emotional efficacy and nuance. Ms. Di Giacomo had a lustrous evening.

Steve Smith, New York Times

The vocal star of the evening was Julianna Di Giacomo as Mathilde. When she finally appeared at the start of Act II, her big dramatic soprano and flawless opening aria and duet with Arnold put her in a different league from the other singers. Ms. Di Giacomo’s performance conveyed the work’s relationship to more heroic styles of operatic writing that would follow Rossini; she combined power and weight with bel canto flexibility and line.

Heidi Waleson, Wall Street Journal

But the icing on top of the cherry was our heroine sung by American soprano Julianna Di Giacomo. Rarely does any audience get the chance to witness greatness on stage. Those of us there that night can count ourselves among those few. Ms. Di Giacomo’s performance was a tour de force of the human condition. Perfectly acted with the right balance of young love and restrained maturity, she had the audience in the palm of her hand the entire evening. With flawless coloratura and beautifully sustained lyric lines, it was sheer vocal fireworks!

Jake Johansen, Examiner.com

The new Leonora was on another level altogether. Julianna Di Giacomo, whom last season I had already had the chance to appreciate as Lina in Stiffelio, restored a partial sense of normalcy as soon as she opened her mouth. Her crystalline, well-equalized, plangent soprano had no problems in crossing over the orchestra and filling the big hall. She seems to have the equipment necessary for the bel canto repertoire: beautiful trills, legato, masterful use of the messa di voce and pianissimos, and easy agility. She also displayed an impressive low register, which she used to remarkable effect in the Miserere. Once again, the cabaletta was truncated, which is a pity, even more so when a soprano like Ms. Di Giacomo is at hand. But her Leonora was not limited only to vocal bravura; she showed considerable fire in the act IV duet with Di Luna, where her repeated, spasmodic, obsessive pleas “Lo salva” acquired a certain subterranean vein of sensuality, and was very affecting in her death scene, with a beautiful legato in the phrase “Prima che d’altri vivere, io volli tua morir”, sung in a single breath…Ms. Di Giacomo moves graciously and convincingly around the stage.

 Nicola Lischi, Opera Britannia

Quite stunning were the three big voices of the evening. Julianna Di Giacomo, vocally radiant as the Young Prioress and commanding on stage, gave a heartrending delivery of her discourse on courage to the doomed women in her charge.

Robert Croan, Opera News

Led by the two prioresses, Sheila Nadler and Julianna Di Giacomo, the cast was brilliant…Ms. Di Giacomo is a marvel, her broad voice like a palette with many colors from which to choose. Hers is an essential role, but the soprano stole the stage nonetheless.

Andrew Druckenbrod, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Singing the part of Lucrezia was the American soprano Julianna Di Giacomo, recently heard at the Metropolitan Opera in Bellini’s “Norma” — she had the small role of Clotilde, but she still made you sit up and take notice. And you really had to take notice on Thursday night, in “I Due Foscari.”  Ms. Di Giacomo’s voice is big, juicy, pulpy, vibrant, beautiful — an outstanding instrument. The singer combines power and lyricism, the way Deborah Voigt did, when young.  As Lucrezia, Ms. Di Giacomo was often scalding; but even when she was scalding, she was elegant. I might say further that this voice is big, cutting, and beautiful — which is rare. You can pretty easily get two for three, but not three for three.  This was nothing but a triumphant outing for this young soprano, and the audience cheered its head off.

Jay Nordlinger, New York Sun

Some of the vocal writing is more ornamental than in most early Verdi, particularly for Lucrezia, who refuses to accept her husband’s fate.  The soprano Julianna Di Giacomo brought passionate intensity to the role, her large, bright, agile voice surpassing most of the coloratura demands with expressive ease.

Vivien Schweitzer, New York Times

The role of Foscari’s Lucrezia is a punishing one; every part of the voice, over a two-octave span, is under scrutiny.  Di Giacomo was impressive in all areas.  She has the agility for the wide-ranging, quick runs Verdi flung about at this stage of his career.  Her phrases begin dead on pitch, without initial explorations.  She has already thought about the ways in which the sound of her voice can be expressive.

William R. Braun, Opera News

What a joy it was also to hear the luscious soprano of Julianna Di Giacomo in her high-floating aria, “Hear ye, Israel.” Her voice had dramatic heft and lyrical beauty, and she and Blythe blended well in their ensembles.”

Janelle Gelfand, Cincinnati Enquirer

Julianna Di Giacomo’s Lina is stunningly sung…her accuracy in coloratura and high notes most welcome. Her guilt seems real.

Robert Levine, Classics Today

Taking the small role of Clotilde was Julianna Di Giacomo, a soprano making her Met debut.  She was solid, glowing – very impressive.  How good it will be to hear her in leading roles.

Jay Nordlinger, New York Sun

Julianna Di Giacomo, a soprano, was equally distinguished as Leonora.  She sang with a bright, elegant tone, cleanly executing florid lines and trills.  Her account of “D’amor sull’ali rosee” in the fourth act was the evening’s most glorious moment.

Steve Smith, New York Times

Soprano Julianna Di Giacomo, still young but a real star on the rise, was entirely winning as Leonora.  Her sweet, even girlish timbre could swell effortlessly from a whisper to a huge, thrilling bloom, and she tossed off the difficult trills and roulades with full-throated authority.

Variety

The greatest exponent of passionate intensity was the strongest singer.  Julianna Di Giacomo, as Donna Elvira, was a definite vocal presence with a firm, vivid sound that should herald a fine future.

Anne Midgette, New York Times

Julianna Di Giacomo

The cast on offer was generally young and amiable, with one truly outstanding talent – Julianna Di Giacomo, who fulfilled the promise of her eager Fiordiligi at NYCO last season with a compelling Donna Elvira.  Di Giacomo’s ‘Mi tradi’ and her Act II scene, beginning with “Ah! taci, ingiusto core,” were poised and tender, her characterization assured and her shaping of the vocal line impeccable and imaginative.  It has been a long time since New York audiences have heard this character’s music sung this well.”

Opera News

Julianna Di Giacomo did extremely well in her company debut.  “Come Scoglio” was overcome with a kind of careful, guarded grace.  “Per pieta” found this young singer fully confident and very successful.  Ms. Di Giacomo should be proud of herself.

Bernard Holland, New York Times

In her company debut, Di Giacomo sang a moving, sensitive Fiordiligi. She has a rich, full soprano sound that was persuasive in its own right.

David J. Baker, Opera News