La Scena Musicale - The Lebrecht Report: CDs of the week (January 8, 2012 by Norman Lebrecht) - Being Beauteous *****

New Release Being Beauteous  CD  available, Virtuoso Interpretations of Britten, Henze, Schönberg, Castiglioni and Szymanowski

The internationally known Finnish soprano, Anu Komsi is praised for the angelic quality in her voice, superb musicianship, impeccable technique and pitch. She is active both in the European opera and concert scenes and many contemporary composers write music for her unique talent.

Anu Komsi has been busy in recording the most ambitious programme and several releases are due to come out for sale during 2011-2012;
- "Being Beauteous" /Alba Records/ Britten, Henze, Castiglioni, Schönberg, Szymanowski
- Saariaho: "Leino Songs" / Ondine Records
-"Coloratura Arias" / BIS Records/ Gliere, Mozart, Sibelius, Aljabiev, Delibes

'Pyrotechnic grace' [New York Magazine]

'Wonderful finnish soprano' [Times]

'A marvel as always' [Telegraph]

'Luminous' [New York Times]

'Bravourös Anu Komsi' [Opernwelt]

'Fabelhafte Anu Komsi' [Neue Zürcher Zeitung]

'The best Luonnotar I have ever heard' [Guardian]

Blog: I'll think of something later
Post: Sibelius's 'Virgin' Symphony?
Link: http://davidnice.blogspot.com/2011/10/sibeliuss-virgin-symphony.html

25.3.-8.4.2011 New York City Opera

"The excellent Finnish soprano Anu Komsi threw herself into the music."
"Through the abstraction onstage comes the intense performance of Ms. Komsi, who was riveting on Friday."
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(New York Times / Anthony Tomassini on March 27 2011)
Justin Davidson on Le Comte Ory, Monodramas and The Elixir of Love -- New York Magazine Classical Music Review

25.3.New York Lincoln Center Festival
(19.-20.7.2010)

"The performances were consistently polished and solid, but several stood out. Anu Komsi, a Finnish soprano, brought an expressive warmth to the early “Grand Sommeil Noir” (1906) and two of Mr. Chou’s completions, the intricate “Étude pour Espace” and “Nocturnal,” with its velvety vocal line offset by almost whispered Sprechstimme."

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Winner, Gramophone Award, 2008, Contemporary category
Johnathan Harvey: BODY MANDALA with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Ilan Volkov & Stefan Solom [NMC]

"Jonathan Harvey's music juxtaposes moments of disarming simplicity, of naivety almost, with others of considerable sophistication and intricacy. …all but one of these pieces explore different facets of spirituality… Perhaps the most immediately involving is White as Jasmine, based on texts by a 12th-century Hindu saint. Here, soprano Anu Komsi delivers a superbly controlled performance of great vocal beauty. In her first entry, she is virtually indistinguishable from the surrounding instruments (and it's satisfying ... to hear singing in which each pitch can be clearly discerned, vibrato notwithstanding)." Gramophone Magazine, September 2008


Download critique: Salzburg Nachrichten 13.8.2011: "Jubel für Anu Komsi als grossartige Antiopernheldin" [jpg]
Anu Komsi and Hillary Summers - VII The minister and the stranger, Into the Little Hill (.wav)
Download CV - English/Suomi, English, Deutsch, Svenska [doc]
Anu and Piia Komsi - Duo Repertoire (.pdf or .swf)


Artist's management Raab & Böhm