mozart ASCANIO IN ALBA / oper frankfurt

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"In der Hosenrolle des ungeduldigen Ascanio glänzt Cecelia Hall"

"Cecelia Hall shines in the trouser role of the impatient Ascanio."
Markus Gründig, Kulturfreak.de (22 December 2023)

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"This boy, completely under his mother’s thumb and not necessarily through any fault of his own, came vividly to life in Cecelia Hall’s performance. ... both Ascanio’s anguish and subsequent joy, in exhilarating duet with Karolina Bengtsson’s Silvia, stepped out of the confines of occasion and even genre, reminding us that Mozart already had not only experience of writing operas seria and buffa, but also a good amount of affecting sacred music."
Mark Berry, Seen and Heard International (19 December 2023)

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rossini LA CENERENTOLA / Boston lyric opera

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"The leading role of Angelina, La Cenerentola, lies primarily in the middle register of the voice, and mezzo Cecelia Hall was an ideal choice for the part. Her voice is quite rich in the middle, with a warm and beautiful timbre. She is more a lyric than a coloratura mezzo, but she managed to admirably negotiate all the bravura passages in the famous, final aria, "Non piu mesta." Her acting was quite natural, and she created a convincing and sympathetic heroine."
Ed Tapper, Edge Media Network, (November 11, 2023)

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handel XERXES  / komische oper berlin

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"Fast gänzlich neu war die Besetzung, die jener vor elf Jahren nicht nachstand, ja diese sogar noch überbieten konnte. Cecelia Hall hatte schon mit Xerxes’ Auftritt, der berühmten Arie „Ombra mai fù“, alle Sympathien auf ihrer Seite. Der helle, obertonreiche Mezzo und der überaus kultivierte Vortrag ließen diese sattsam bekannte Nummer wie neu wirken – betörend der Klang, mirakulös die schwebenden Töne. Sie wurde wie manch andere im italienischen Original gesungen, während die Rezitative generell in deutscher Übersetzung zu hören waren. Bei „Se bramate“ und der Furien-Arie imponierte die Sängerin mit fulminantem Aplomb und bravouröser Bewältigung der Koloraturrouladen."

"Almost completely new was the cast, which was not inferior to that of eleven years ago, and even surpassed it. Cecelia Hall already had all sympathies on her side with Xerxes' performance of the famous aria "Ombra mai fù". The bright, overtone-rich mezzo and the extremely cultivated performance made this well-known number seem new - the sound beguiling, the floating notes miraculous. Like many others, it was sung in the original Italian, while the recitatives were generally heard in German translation. In "Se bramate" and ”Crude furie”, the singer impressed with brilliant aplomb and bravura mastery of the coloratura roulades."

Bernd Hoppe,  Der Opernfreund (May 2023)

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massenet WERTHER  / oper frankfurt

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"Cecelia Hall war die neue Besetzung der Charlotte, ihr warmes Mezzosopran-Timbre floss wunderschön strömend voller weicher Farben dahin, klang in allen Registern ausgewogen, blieb selbst während der dramatischen Ausbrüche angenehm wohlklingend. Zur bewundernswerten Vokalleistung profilierte sich die amerikanische Sängerin mit dezenter darstellerischer Präsenz."

"Cecelia Hall was the new casting of Charlotte, her warm mezzo-soprano timbre flowing beautifully full of soft colors, sounding balanced in all registers, remaining pleasantly melodious even during the dramatic outbursts. In addition to the admirable vocal performance, the American singer distinguished herself with a discreet acting presence."
Gerhard Hoffmann,  OnlineMerker.com (January 2023)

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handel SERSE  / opera holland park

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"Hall's Serse is beautifully performed, both musically and in her acting. Her voice dominates the stage whether in more sensual arias, to which she brings a lyric sensuality, or her later rage-filled moments; and all the while her facial expressions and gestures are absolutely spot on to highlight the ridiculousness of her character."
Michael Higgs, broadwayworld.com (July 1, 2022)

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"Like Orsino in Twelfth Night, Serse finds music to be the food of love. Beautifully sung by mezzo soprano Cecelia Hall, Serse has already shown himself to be a man of sensibility, his famous opening aria, ‘Ombra mai fu’ (‘never was a shade dearer of more lovely’), extolling the consolations of his favourite plane tree."
Jane Darcy, The Reviews Hub (July 1, 2022)

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"impressively secure-sounding, mellow-toned"
Erica Jeal, The Guardian (July 1, 2022)

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bellini I Capuleti e i Montecchi  / opera omaha

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“It was Cecelia Hall who outshone them all as Romeo. The dynamic flexibility with which Hall sang, shaping every phrase with dramatic intention was a delightful example of bel canto singing.”
Opera News (October 2021)

handel TAMERLANO / oper frankfurt

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"Cecelia Hall als Glitzerschnecke Irene, die Kaugummi kauend und mit Motorradhelm in die Szene platzt, lässt zeitgleich ihren Mezzosopran zu hochdramatischen Girlanden auffahren, sodass nicht nur dem bewegenden Bariton Liviu Holender als Leone beim Auftritt der Mund offen stehen bleibt."

"Cecelia Hall as the glittering chick Irene, chewing gum and bursting into the scene wearing a motorcycle helmet, simultaneously lets her mezzo-soprano rise to highly dramatic garlands, so that not only the moving baritone Liviu Holender as Leone has his mouth open during the performance."
Bettina Bodens, Frankfurt Neue Presse and Gießener Allgemeine Zeitung (November 9, 2019)

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"Irene – von der Mezzosopranistin Cecelia Hall als furchtlose Frau trefflich gesungen – wiederum ist die eigentliche Braut Tamerlanos, an der er aber kein Interesse zeigt. In ihrem Glitzer-Jumpsuit passt sie tatsächlich besser zum Manipulator und mit einer gehörigen Portion Selbstbewusstsein ausgestattet, ist sie nicht bereit, von Tamerlano zu lassen."

"Irene – excellently sung by the mezzo-soprano Cecelia Hall as a fearless woman – is again Tamerlano’s actual bride, but he shows no interest in her. In her glittering jumpsuit she actually fits the manipulator better and, equipped with a good portion of self-confidence, she is not willing to let Tamerlano get away."
Ljerka Oreskovic Herrmann, Ioco.de (November 16, 2019)

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"With the aria, “Par che mi nasca in seno,” mezzo-soprano Cecelia Hall restores the character’s humanity. From the first phrase, her voice is placid, shimmering yet unwavering. …Hall becomes a vessel of sincerity. Her genuineness is magnified by orchestral figures that vacillate between nobility and vulnerability."
Jeremy Hirsch, Schmopera.com (November 19, 2019)

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mozart IDOMENEO / oper frankfurt

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"Wunderschön harmoniert dazu der satte Mezzosopran von Cecelia Hall als Idamante. Frau Hall lässt ihre schön timbrierte Stimme mit ausdrucksvoller, jugendlicher Emphase aufblühen."

"The rich mezzo-soprano of Cecelia Hall as Idamante harmonizes beautifully with Ilia. Ms. Hall lets her beautifully timbred voice blossom with expressive, youthful emphasis."
Kaspar Sannamann, Der Opern Freund (September 7, 2019)

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berlioz LA DAMNATION DE FAUST / oper frankfurt

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"Die Mezzosopranistin Cecelia Hall gab vor kurzem einen großartigen Liederabend im Holzfoyer, als Marguerite wandelt sie sich überzeugend von einer unbekümmert verliebten jungen Frau zur hoffnungslos Verzweifelten und sorgt mit der melodischen romantischen Trauerarie „D’amourl’ardente flamme“, der große Hit des Dramas, für herzbewegende Momente."

"Mezzo-soprano Cecilia Hall recently gave a magnificent recital in the Holzfoyer [at Oper Frankfurt]. As Marguerite, she convincingly transforms herself from a young woman unconcernedly in love to a hopelessly desperate one, providing heart-moving moments with the melodic romantic funeral aria “D’amourl’ardente flamme”, the great hit of the drama."
Markus Gründig, Kulturfreak.de (June 19, 2019)

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mozart LE NOZZE DI FIGARO / oper frankfurt

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"Cecelia Hall gab als herziger Narziss Cherubino der Inszenierung mehr als nur einen hübschen Farbklecks."

"Cecelia Hall, as the delightful Narcissus Cherubino, gave the production more than just a pretty splash of color."
Matthias Gerhart, Frankfurt Neue Presse (April 8, 2019)

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"Spätestens jedoch mit dem Auftritt von Cecelia Hall als Cherubino ist das Eis gebrochen. Sie überzeugt als junger Schwerenöter mit herrlich frischem Mezzo vom ersten Ton an. Nach ihrem „Non so piu“ gibt es erste Versuche von Szenenapplaus. Von nun an geht das Publikum mit, amüsiert sich vernehmbar über die zahlreichen kleinen Scherze und läßtsich vergnügt auf das bunte Treiben auf der Bühne ein."

"At last, with the performance of Cecelia Hall as Cherubino, the ice is broken. As a young philanderer, she convinces with wonderfully fresh mezzo from the very first note. After her “Non so piu” there are first attempts of scene applause. From now on, the audience goes along with her, is amused by the numerous little jokes, and merrily laughs at the colorful goings-on on stage."
Michael Demel, Der Opern Freund (April 13 2019)

monteverdi IL COMBATTIMENTO DI TANCREDI E CLORINDA AND BEECHER, I HAVE NO STORIES TO TELL YOU / opera philadelphia

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"Cecelia Hall’s meaty mezzo matches him [Craig Verm] in fierce intensity as Clorinda, and both of them summon heart-rending color in their phrases of anguish and defeat. As the service member Sorrel, Ms. Hall turned in a searing vocal performance as a broken woman ravaged by her war experience, her portentous mezzo imparting tremulous weariness and dread as she tries to hang onto her sanity with fingertips of steel."
James Sohre, Opera Today (September 19, 2018)

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"The protagonist of Lembit Beecher’s searing “I Have No Stories to Tell You,” about a female veteran suffering from PTSD, seemed even lonelier on the museum’s Great Staircase; mezzo Cecelia Hall was striking in the role, and the small period instrument ensemble, led by Gary Thor Wedow, capably created the eerie, flickering sounds of the trauma in her head."
Heidi Waleson, Wall Street Journal (September 19, 2018)

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"Mezzo-soprano Cecelia Hall shows us that she is no stranger to the stylization of Monteverdi, singing with a beautiful depth that matches the surroundings. Philadelphia audiences have now heard Hall within just one year sing Mozart, Monteverdi and Beecher with nuance, class, and superior musicianship. What more proof do we need that she is a world-class vocalist?"
Erik Flaten, Schmopera (September 18, 2018)

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