Christina Gansch / Umsagnir

The bright, silvery tones of the Austrian soprano Christina Gansch and her excellent diction – characteristics which made her an ideal soloist in Mahler’s Fourth Symphony – allowed the vocal line to glitter and sparkle, not least when she sang of masked balls, magnificent palaces and noisy celebrations. Her secure lower register was confidently displayed when she emphasised the need to “Give me my fill of gloom”. Fine though her contribution was, I do have a minor quibble. There was a slight tendency to declaim, with little or no body language to support the narration.