Ethel Smyth DER WALD (recording) / BBC Symphony Orchestra

“Perhaps ironically, the finest voice in this cast is mezzo-soprano Claire Barnett-Jones as the villainess Iolanthe. She sounded to me like a mezzo version of Joan Sutherland, but with clearer diction and a more straightforward singing style; her technique, even in the few fast passages she is called upon to sing, is faultless. Even better, Barnett-Jones also acts well with the voice and sings with a great deal of nuance. She is, truly, a first-class singer, so much so that her every vocal utterance dominates the scenes she is in. Curiously, Smyth’s music for the villainess is much more lyrical than one might think or like. This is, I feel, the one weakness in the score…unless, of course, her intention was to make Iolanthe sound like a reasonable woman so that she might hold sway over Heinrich.”
Lynn René Bayley, The Art Music Lounge (August 2023)

Dvořák RUSALKA / Théâtre du Capitole, Toulouse

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“As the witch Jezibaba, Claire Barnett-Jones plays with intensity and sings admirably. The voice is dark and disturbing and the singer is aided by a spectacular costume.”
Hubert Stoecklin, Classicalnews.com (October 2022)

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Wagner THE VALKYRIE / English National Opera

"Suffering from a cold, Susan Bickley acted Fricka while the mezzo-soprano Claire Barnett-Jones — one of the Valkyries — sang it, with articulate power, from the side of the stage.”
Zachary Woolfe, New York Times (November 2021)

"having two Frickas reminded us what a superb singer Barnett-Jones is becoming”
Tim Ashley, The Guardian (November 2021)

"Fricka – played by the indisposed Susan Bickley in a regal white trouser suit, but sung superbly from a side box by Claire Barnett-Jones, doubling as the Valkyrie Rossweisse"
Barry Milligton, Evening Standard (November 2021)

"Claire Barnett-Jones’ luscious mezzo made for an outstanding, incisive Fricka, sung from a box while the ailing Susan Bickley acted the role waspishly."
Mark Pullinger, Bachtrack (November 2021)

"Belting out Fricka from a box stage right, Claire Barnett Jones enjoyed a triumph on opening night in a role you could easily imagine her tackling for real. Her rich, burgundy mezzo has terrific body, and the top should gain in power with a little more experience."
Clive Paget, Limelight (November 2021)

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"it was the third vocal treat of the evening, after Spence and Sherratt, to hear Claire Barnett-Jones – later singing Valkyrie Rossweise – bring lustrous Wagner-mezzo tones to the role from a box at the side."
David Nice, The Arts Desk (November 2021)

Tippett THE MIDSUMMER MARRIAGE / London Philharmonic Orchestra

"Claire Barnett-Jones as Sosostris has a challenging aria but showed clarity and drama in her rendition alongside the soaring brass crescendos”
Aliye Al-Hassan, Broadway World (September 2021)

"it was a treat to have recent Cardiff Singer alumnus Claire Barnett-Jones as an Erda-like Madame Sosostris"

Matthew Rye, Bachtrack (September 2021)

 

CARDIFF SINGER OF THE WORLD

"mezzo Claire Barnett-Jones showed in the earlier round where she’s heading with an impressive Waltraute’s narrative from Wagner’s Götterdämmerung. There was more of that in her most successful choice for the final, the stormy third song from Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, “Ich hab’ ein glühend Messer”.
David Nice, The Arts Desk (June 2021)

"reflecting her remarkable feat in stepping in at the eleventh hour as the official reserve and winning her round. She betrayed no nerves then – no time for that – and, in this final, her Ich hab’ ein glühend Messer from Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen showed the same fearsome immediacy."

Rian Evans, The Guardian (June 2021)

 

DAS RHEINGOLD / Grimeborn Festival

"Barnett-Jones’ Fricka exudes emotional intelligence, yet remains vulnerable in her permanent suspicion of Wotan"
Charlotte Valori, Operissima (August 2019)

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