reviews
AZUCENA (IL TROVATORE)
"First-class in her role was Ensemble member Katherine Lerner (Azucena), who added another highlight to her brillaintly successful heavy parts, such as the Amme or Fidès. Her "Stride la vampa" gives you goosebumps, and not just because of her powerful (yet never strident!) voice; facial expressions and body language are also wonderfully calibrated -- tireless, perfect, stirring to the gloomy end."
-Petra und Helmut Huber, Onlinemerker.com
"Linz can be proud of their outstanding singers. The old gypsy Azucena is very touchingly and convincingly portrayed by Katherine Lerner, with unbelievably powerful vocals and a dramatic presence to match any actor's, and was rewarded with a chorus of enthusiastic bravos."
-Carola Baumann-Moritz, Passauer Neue Presse
"Katherine Lerner was a touching, deeply traumatized Azucena."
-Br-klassik.deM
"Superb was Katherine Lerner, for whom Azucena was a dream role; she perfectly embodied that traumatized, revenge-seeking woman."
-Oberösterreicher Nachrichten
"Verdi originally wanted the focus on Azucena and named the opera after her; here in Linz she is shown as a modern-day homeless woman with a shopping cart, in which she carries all her belongings. Katherine Lerner totally embodies this role and fills it not only with her enormous voice, but also with an immense stage presence and glowing, creative power."
-Dr. Helmut Christian Mayer, Opera-online.com
"Katherine Lerner, costumed as a bag lady, sings dramatically and powerfully as the gypsy Azucena."
-Volksblatt.at
"With her dramatic mezzo voice, secure and enormous throughout her entire range no matter the altitude, Lerner achieves an inkling of the intent Verdi may have originally had in mind with 'il trovatore.'"
-Kultur und Wein.comutter des Propheten heraus."
Fidès (Le prophète)
"The opera should really be called 'The Mother of the Prophet,' as the entire fourth and fifth acts are an almost non-stop 'Aria Night' for Fidès. Katherine Lerner masters the role sovereignly."-der Standard
"The enormous role of Fidès, written originally for a world-renowned singer, was fulfilled by Katherine Lerner with absolute perfection -- from the lowest, but always ringing, alto register to the complex coloratura in the highest soprano register, everything was perfect, no matter the volume in the orchestra, no matter the intense dramatic situation, no matter at the farthest back reach of the stage or at its edge."
-Petra und Helmut Huber, Onlinemerker.com
"Above all others, the vocally impressive Katherine Lerner deserves the crown of the evening."
-Volkblatt.at
"Katherine Lerner rightfully received the most applause for her poignant vocal interpretation of the mother, Fidès. Her mezzo soprano offers exceptional variety: a rough strength appropriate for the moments of ghastly drama, a soft sharpness for heroic leaps, as well as a warm fullness in the soulful arias. She uses the nuances of her voice and the role while remaining always dramatically present."
-Opera-online.com
"The star of the evening, however, was the heroic mother of the prophet, Fidès, embodied by the American mezzo-soprano, Katherine Lerner, with outstanding technical security and a melodious voice, even in the most challenging passages. The singer so strongly dominated the evening, one could almost re-name the opera, 'THE MOTHER OF the Prophet.'"
-Klassik-begeistert.de
"Of all the soloists, Katherine Lerner as Fidès, the prophet's mother, especially stood out."
-br-klassik.deMutter des Propheten heraus."
"Outstanding among the overall great performances from the entire ensemble: Katherine Lerner in the extremely demanding role of the mother Fidès. Lerned mastered her mission superbly. Her arias were rewarded more than once with applause."
-tips.at
"Katherine Lerner in the role of Fidès, mother of the Prophet, operated her mezzo-soprano to peak performance, offering a poignant image of a mother who has to deny her son."
-Harald Lacina, Deropernfreund.de
"The secret title role, that of Jean's mother Fidès, is embodied with great passion and utmost precision by the American mezzo-soprano Katherine Lerner, especially intensively in the finale of the fourth act."
-Ioco.de
klytämnestra (elektra)
"…the elegant, virtuously acting and singing mother (Katherine Lerner)"
-Die Presse
"Katherine Lerner is a very exalted and very erotically dressed Klytämnestra. With an uncommon stage presence, with exalted and powerful expressiveness in acting and singing, and every word razor-sharp."
-Dr. Helmut Christian Mayer, Opera Online
"Katherine Lerner showed, with vocal passion and intense stage presence, the remorse and agony plaguing the husband-murdererer Klytämnestra."
-Salzburger Nachrichten
"The young American ensemblemember Katherine Lerner, plays Klytämnestra as a conglomeration of elegance, malignancy, and destructive fears -- all presented with a large voice that does not need to be afraid of an excitable and lively orchestra"
-Petra und Helmut Huber, Online Merker
"Enthusiastically received by all present, was Katherine Lerner, in a champion's performance of both voice and acting. An attractive woman, she embodied Klytämnestra; in addition to the amazing sounds, her performance was a breathtaking spectacle that will remain unforgettable for a long time to come. Lerner is one of the most interesting opera singers that can be heard on the contemporary European scene. Her mezzo-soprano is a tremendous demonstration of the fact that there are new treasures with an enviable future waiting to be discovered."
-Miloš Bittner, Elegantclassics.cz
"Katherine Lerner was an attractive, middle-aged Klytämnestra and her mezzo was as characterful and resonant in the low register as the high... her dialogue with Elektra was therefore one of the highlights of the evening."
- Klaus Billand
brangäne (tristan und isolde)
"Katherine Lerner, with her colorful and focused mezzo, added drama. Lerner’s rendition of Brangäne’s warning floated into the air out of darkness in seemingly effortless beauty, and she embodied a concerned friend to her mistress in nuanced singing and acting."
-Ako Imamura, Bachtrack
"Brängane was sung with star quality by Katherine Lerner. Lerner has a substantial, full-bodied mezzo-soprano, which she employs with superb technique, vibrant resonance, and perfect declamation. Famous opera houses will be soon be fighting over her. But the winner for the time being is the person in the audience in Linz, who has to travel just a few kilometers from the Czech Republic border to witness her art."
-Miloš Bittner, Elegantclassics.cz
amme (frau ohne schatten)
"The Mephistophelean Amme was our introduction to new ensemble member, Katherine Lerner, sung with a similarly magnificently colored voice as the Färberin (albeit in a slightly lower register) and an elegantly malicious dominance of the scenery. She was quite the experience!"
-der neue Merker.eu
"Katherine Lerner, a newcomer to the ensemble, had much to offer vocally as the Amme, with an intense, exciting, and multi-layered expressiveness. "
-Nachrichten.at
"The American mezzo-soprano Katherine Lerner, costumed as a strict governess in the style of a Mrs. Danvers, sings the role of the Amme with a beautiful, full mezzo and clear diction."
-Ioco.de
"The Lyric Opera of Chicago-trained, dramatic mezzo-soprano Katherine Lerner proved by her dark-voiced demonic Amme, that she is win for the ensemble of the Landestheater Linz!"
-der neue Merker
"Geller's excellent colleague was mezzo-soprano Katherine Lerner. In the very demanding role of the nanny, she performed very complex vocal and actor creations. Her voice is full of color and magical nuances. In Linz, she will soon sing Brangäne in Tristan and Isolde, and one can imagine her singing Fricka or a Valkyre soon. With this wonderful singer like this, we have a lot to look forward to! "
-Elegantclassics.cz
"The production also sheds new light on the one who really pulls the ropes: the Amme, shiningly sung and almost diabolically interpreted by Katherine Lerner. She largely determines the course of the story and manipulates everyone, both the Empress and the Dyer's wife."
-Opera Magazine.nl
"Equally impressive, Landestheater managed to track down electrifying singers to fill the work’s five demanding main roles... Katherine Lerner, the only ensemble singer among the main cast, made for an unusually youthful Amme. Her voice was lustrous, low and lively."
-Opera News
"Katherine Lerner sings the Amme with a powerful, sonorous, mezzo-soprano."
-derStandard
"Katherine Lerner filled the role of the Amme with a beautifully calibrated, credible mezzo-soprano sound."
-Volksblatt.at
erna (morgen und abend)
"Katherine Lerner convinced with a dark mezzo-soprano sound as Erna."
-Das Opernglas
"deep and coppery shinning Arioso"
-Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
"And the role of the dead Erna (Katherine Lerner) is outstandingly cast."
-Rhein Neckar Zeitung
"Katherine Lerner brings a wonderful, soulful, and well-grounded alto voice to the part of Erna."
-Der Opernfreund