Alessandra Visentin / Critiques

The title role of Juditha was placed in the hands of the 24-year-old soprano Caterina Meldolesi. That she was to an extent dwarfed by the performances of Vivica Genaux and Sara Mingardo was neither surprising nor a major criticism: in fact, there was plenty to admire in Meldolesi’s performance. She possesses a securely grounded voice with a pleasing tone which she used with ability to successfully characterise the role. In her opening aria, “Quocum Patriae me ducit amore,” she immediately showed off her fine vocal control, delicate phrasing and the appealing timbre of her voice. In the aria, “Veni me sequele fida,” accompanied by the fluttering sound of a flute, her sensitive connection to the text enabled her to produced one of the most charmingly delivered pieces of the evening. Later, while Holofernes sleeps, Juditha takes his sword and beheads him, which she gives voice to in the aria, “In somno profundo” and the in following accompanied recitative, “Impii, indigni Tiranni” in which she produced an expressive performance, accenting and coloring the voice with skill, and displaying versatility.