Tuesday night marked the somewhat long overdue debut of bel canto royalty Juan Diego Flórez and rising star Pretty Yende at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. The programme consisted mainly of arias and duets by Bellini and Donizetti, with a French interlude (Offenbach, Gounod and Massenet) … during almost three hours, Juan Diego Flórez and Pretty Yende, alone or in duet, repeatedly descended and ascended the infamous red-carpeted stairs that lead to the great hall’s stage – a particularly perilous-looking exercise for Ms Yende in her lovely fuchsia gown … from the instant she started singing, the young South-African soprano had the public around her finger. How not to fall under her charm? Ms. Yende is a most endearing and generous performer …
… the sheer joy of listening to such a beautiful voice: a silky soprano with shimmering colours, luminous high notes and a rich bottom, superbly suited to bel canto music. The Donizetti heroines were lovely and, especially as Adina in the L’elisir d’amore duet with Mr Flórez’s Nemorino, she demonstrated she acts the comedy well too. But it is her Bellini arias I loved the most, because they showcased the voice, with its rich colours and admirable legato, best. Amina’s aria from La sonnambula “Ah! Non credea mirarti”, which she sang after a dreamy recitative, was particularly delightful. Her singing as much as her obvious joy of performing on stage unleashed loud enthusiasm from the public and, without waiting for the concert to end, a fan approached the stage to offer her a bunch of flower between two numbers.
-Bachtrack