Reviews (Selection)

Edward Elgar „Sea Pictures“
„Passionate Ambassadors of music. Enchanted sound. Edward Elgars „Sea Pictures“ fro mezzosoprano and orchestra built an atmosphere so beautiful as to weep, a moment of respite in times of fear of existence. Mezzosoprano Janina Baechle of the Vienna State opera is an immensly talented artist on the verge of a world carreer. Her mezzo has a wonderful timbre, shimmering like glowing velvet with radiant high notes. “ (Der Westen, may 13th 2009)

Recital and Brahms alto rhapsody
„Many unfamiliar works freshly highlighted. Overall very highclass (inspite of a text-lapse in op 32) also how Janina Baechle performed 26 songs by Johannes Brahms and Claude Debussy. Vocally very intense and still almost the whole time (apart from the „proses lyriques“) a very intimate rendering of the complete opus groups performed here. Added to that the sensitive accompaniment by Jonas Vitaud: This morning at the concert hall of Bad Salzuflen was a trifle long, but had a very intelligent and demanding programme, almost perturbing in highlighting the more dark sides of love and passion. But wonderful precisely because of that.
A positive surprise the rhapsody for alto voice, men´s choir and orchestra op.53: Clearly structured and impeccably sung (Janina Baechle with pleasing dark timbre and the men´s choir „coruso“ vocally lucid ) and without false pathos. A pity that the piece only lasts 15 minutes (Mindener Tagblatt, june 3rd 2009)

Rheingold/Fricka.Vienna State Opera, premiere may 2nd:
„Welser-Möst structures the sound very intelligently, supports the singers like on a silver platter. So Juha Uusitalo as Wotan is able to let his beautiful baritone flow like in belcanto . Janina Baechles differentiated Fricka (…) also benefits from the care of the conductor. (opernwelt 6/2009)

„Some of the leading parts were sensational. Above all Tomas Konieczny, an Alberich with cutting edge and immense vocal power. Janina Baechle´s Fricka is touching with beautiful notes of suffering.“ (Heinz Sichrovsky, news)

„Ricarda Merbeth (Freia), Janina Baechle (Fricka) and Anna Larsson (Erda) were an ideal cast.“ (OÖNachrichten, may 4th 2009)

„Adding to the vocally high level of this evening were Janina Baechle as differentiatedly coaxing Fricka, Anna Larssons misteriously canorous Erda (...) as well as the homogenous Rheintöchter of Ileana Tonca, Michaela Selinger and Elisabeth Kulman.” (Ernst Naredi-Rainer, Kleine Zeitung,may 4th 2009)

“Janina Baechle was persuasive as Fricka, Wotan´s godly consort a.k.a nagging wife.” (Charleston Daily Mail.AP)

“The score is filled with solos- for horns, winds and brass, and, of couse, the breathtakingly beautiful vocal solo, Urlicht, sung with grace and intensity by mezzo-soprano Janina Baechle” (Mahler 2nd New York Philoharmonic, G. Kaplan/A.J. Klotzko, concerto.net

“Janina Baechle sang with rich tone and understated intensity” (Mahler 2nd New York Philharmonic, NYT Dec.10th 08)

„Wonderfully sonorous alto voice. Janina Baechle appears in the cycle „New Stars“ at the Goetheplatz. (..)Even though Diana Damrau had to cancel her appearance in the cycle „New Stars“ due to illness on short notice, the public was presented with far more than a simple replacement in the person of Janina Baechle. It turned out to become a recital of the most intensive kind, enthralling the public with mostly melancoly notes. Janina Baechle, a canstant member of the Vienna State Opera and lately become a real favourite with the audience at the Donau has a wonderfully sonorous alto voice with for the high notes at the same time the possibility of incredibly light and soft floating notes as well as highly dramatic outbursts of metallic shining force. Added to that is the intelligent and subtle treatment of the words that give her interpretation of Lieder security in style and emotional depth. She demonstrated this in the Rückert songs by Gustav Mahler ( with the melancoly and sad Um Mitternacht and the completely intimate Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen) as well as with the Mignon songs by Hugo Wolf that were sung with emphatic uplifting. Especially impressive were two groups of french songs with works from the turn to the 20th century that are little known in Germany. On the one hand there were the Quatre Chants by the at the young age of mid twenties already deceased Lili Boulanger.(..) Janina Baechle found in her interpretation very convincing, subtle and sublime notes for these tender songs. (..) Equally unknown were the seven Chansons Grises by Reynaldo Hahn who in France is very well known and esteemed.(…)These are miniatures rich in melody, full of longing and passion and euphoria, showing an exquisite delicatness and an astonishing mastership of the 12 to 15 year old Hahn. The singer painted these treasures(..) with a musical and vocal concentration that made the audience almost breathless.(..) Encores by Mahler and Hahn and long and enthusiastic applaus and one left the concert feeling to have received a generous gift.“ ( Recital Bremen/ Gerhart Asche, Weser Kurier, February 29th2008)

„But the hightlight of the evening was Janina Baechle. Strong in expression, limitless in the expansion of her voluptious mezzosoprano, exemplary in her diction, in the final Abschied of the highest intensity: One cannot sing this more beautifully. (Mahler „Lied von der Erde“ Nagano/Vogt/ Ensemble of the Vienna Philharmonics/ Österreich February 18th 08)

„With courage to do the unusual. Janina Baechle enthralles with French in the Gläserener Saal. Janina Baechle could have chosen an easier path. Put on a programme with Schubert, Wagner or Strauss (..) so she merits even higher credits for risking more for her second recital in the Musikverein and focussing on french songs by Reynaldo Hahn and Lili Boulanger.(..)Both french composers have lots to offer: L´allee est sans fin, En sourdine, Paysage triste (all on poems by Paul Verlaine) by Reynaldo Hahn or Lili Boulangers Le retour are lyrical treasures that match Baechles warm , well balanced Mezzo perfectly. It is impressive of which subtle differentiations Baechle is capable in the piano passages- by no means self evident for an opera singer. Her tremendous vocal capacities, perfect pitch, diction and intelligent interpretation she also demonstrates in the final group of Strauss songs (Zueignung, Morgen..). Wonderful as her accompanist:Charles Spencer.” ( Recital Musikverein Vienna/Die Presse, January 17th08)

„The Beauty of her Mezzo(..)After four songs by Alma Schindler Mahler(on poems by Richard Dehmel) Baechle concentrated on highly romantic descriptions of nature by Reynaldo Hahn (on Verlaine poems) and deeply sad songs by Lili Boulanger: In each case she demonstrated the beauty of her voice, refined art of expression and outstanding French. In the Strauss songs op 10 she was completely at ease. Very touching her rendering of Allerseelen.
Enthusiastically the public thanked especially for encores by Hahn, Satie and Strauss. (und morgen wird die Sonne wieder scheinen)“ ( Die Krone, January 17th 08)

“The highlight was, by far, the oracular reading of he fourth movement by Janina Baechle, whose warm, feminine, earth-mother mezzo finally caught the spirit of the work” (musical america, Larry L.Lash, May 21st 07)

“Beauty. The peak of the evening was the Urlicht-Solo by Janina Baechle. The beauty of her dark mezzosoprano with the lightly applied pitch, the intensity of her interpretationand the sensible inner calm, which she shaped Mahler´s lyrics with, were mesmerizing.” (österreich, Karl Löbl, May 18th 07)

„Janina Baechle (Gaea) combines exemplary legato in the mezzo range with a contralto low register that is reached without any pressure“(Vienna State Opera, Daphne- österreich May 2nd-.07)

„Without any doubt the revelations of the evening are the two female roles: With uninhibited power and smoothness, with impressive impact and reliability, with an exemplary techique, with a rich colurful voice that nourrishes true evocative powers, Janina Baechle is a truly exceptional Brangaene” (Toulouse Tristan, anaclase March,12th.07)

„eine Maßstabsetzende Brangäne_-die stets ausdrucksstarke Brangäne von Janina Baechle ,weiblicher und strahlender in den Klängen als ihre Herrin ,verströmt ebenso viele Nuancen wie klangliche Opulenz“ (Tristan Toulouse, March 12th.07)

„Janina Baechle sings the most beautiful Brangaene calls in the second act that I´ve heard in a very long time“ (Vienna Satate opera Tristan; österreich, Jan12th.07)
„Janina Baechle is a firstclass Brangaene“ (News, Jan.15th.07)
„Very noble Janina Baechle as Brangaene with warm, rich timbre—moving her Éinsam Wachend`calls in the 2nd act” (Kronenzeitung, Jan.12th.07)

„Gleaming and radiant – Baechle convinces her audience profoundly in each of her superb interpretations of songs by Mahler, Berg, Schumann, Loewe and Wolf. The artist carries a overwhelming voice, a beautiful middle range, a dramatic coloured contralto register and a brilliant and radiant height including perfect intonation and clearest articulation .“ (Recital Vienna Musikverein, Kurier Nov.11.06)

„Hearing the in Vienna already beloved opera singer in a lied recital was fascinating in every sense: Amazing how sophisticated and always with the right intesion she uses her dramatic as well as smooth and gleaming mezzo soprano. Janina Baechle interprets precisely and according to each word and all meanings of the lyrics. Mahlers almost floral style of three early songs as well as the sadness and longing of the Kindertotenlieder were well grounded and the Berg songs and Schumanns Mary Stuart songs as well as the Mignon songs by Hugo Wolf highly impressive. .“ (Vienna Recital Musikverein; Presse Nov.18th.06)

„Noble „“Lied“singing - Mahler, Berg, Loewe , Hugo Wolf and Schumann. A rich mixture that enabled Baechle to demonstrate her abilities and all nuances of her artistry.Mahler breathes intensity, Berg receives a finetuned portrait, Loewe the big lines and flow of melody. She exactly finds the style for Schumann and Wolf and allows her mezzo to radiantly blossom at the right spots.” (Recital Vienna Musikverein;Kronenzeitung Novem. 16th.06)

„But the new favourite of the audience became our latest Ortrud- discovery: Janina Baechle. Already in the part of Erda vocally an ideal cast, she now –for the first time –as Waltraute engaged all her abilities to demonstrate her walkyrie heritage. Supported by the conductor she took all the time in the world to irresistably portray with vocal depth all the glory of Walhall for poor Brünnhilde. Time seemed to stand still in passages like “lächelte ewig der Gott“, „er gedachte, Brünnhilde, dein“ and „erlöst wär Gott und Welt“- you could`t hear even one person coughing or clearing their throats. It seems to me this remarkable young artist has made her way to the top!” (Vienna State Opera, The Ring- Der neue Merker, Feb.2006)

„In Siegfried Janina Baechle, the same excellent Erda as in Rheingold commands attention. (Götterdämmerung) Facing Brünnhilde Janina Baechle reappears, but as Waltraute come to ask her sister for help: One of the highlights of the Ring. In her narrative she demonstrates that art of singing lied that simply is the art of singing beautifully without any effort..an unforgettable moment.” (Vienna State Opera, The Ring- les identitaires, Jan. 25th, 2006)

“Janina Baechle (Magdalena) continues her siege of Vienna, pouring out the most voloptous mezzo tones since Christa Ludwig retired.” ( Vienna Evangelimann - opera news 6/2006)

“J.E. Köpplinger prescribes a key function to the part of Magdalena and for this he can rely on the extraordinary stage presence of Janina Baechle who transforms the vocally not very extended role into a strong figure. Her powerful, low anchored Mezzo is beautifully placed and full of warmth and tenderness. She changes the “sentimental Bänkelgesang” (Hanslick) of her song of the days of youth into an interpretation full of heart and warmth in the best sense, that received spontaneaus applause on stage.” (Vienna Evangelimann – opernglas 6/2006)

“A true revelation with perfectly focussed voice, rich copper colour and radiant high notes the mezzosoprano Janina Baechle, originally second cast for Ortrud who stepped in for the premiere because of the short notice cancellation of Agnes Baltsa.” (Vienna State Opera, „Lohengrin“ –Opernwelt 2/2006)

„Her richly radiating mezzo is well focussed and the vocal registers are perfectly blended. Baechles powerful performance didn´t leave room for a doubt: In future she is to be reckoned with when the parts of this category are cast. She took a very controlled approach to Ortrud and was able to give profile to the decisive moments. With extreme precision and clearness in her articulation, vocal lines strong in legato and strength ressources for the dramatic outbursts she gave imposing character to the intriguing scheming manipulator. “ (Opernglas 1/2006)

„Janina Baechle sings Erda overwhelmingly.“ ( Rheingold, Kurier 09.01.2006)

„Outstanding(..) Janina Baechle as darkly whispering Erda“ (Vienna State Opera, The Ring-Kronenzeitung Jan. 15th,2006)

„...Janina Baechle was a zia principessa of impressive opulence in both higher and lower extremes of the tessitura.“ (Das Opernglas, 7/8 1997 – Puccini: „Suor Angelica“)

„The only lasting impression is left by Janina Baechle in the part of Amneris.“ (Die Welt, Sept.27th,2001)

„The duettos of the two rivals were dramatic duels one couldn´t wish for being musically more exciting and thrilling.“ (Amneris) (Opernglas11/2001)

„…only in the countess Geschwitz one discerns a character of flesh, blood and tragedy (…) Janina Baechle in the role of Geschwitz was the second star of the evening. In spite of Beyer´s ideas she impressively succeeded to transport the tragic-comical multi-layered aspects of the part and commanded also vocally the necessary richness of colours . “ (Opernglas 1/2003)

„In the part of Fenena Janina Baechle demonstrated with rich mezzo how Verdi is supposed to be sung.“ (Orpheus 9/10 2003)

„Janina Baechle, a true contralto with a dramatic soprano`s high notes, virtually combusted as the evil Nurse. I have never heard the role sung so magnificently: secure, blazing, and exactly as Strauss wrote it.” (Innsbruck, “Frau ohne Schatten”-Financial Times, 30. 09.2004)

“Janina Baechle – a rich voiced contralto who commanded attention as the Rheingold Erda” (The Met opera news, 4/2005)

„But also the last minute substitute Janina Baechle performed her part magnificently. She roars – nay sings- effortlessly above the orchestra, -for where one often gets Ortruds who shriek, Baechle maintains her beauty of tone even in the most highly dramatic passages. “ (Kurier, Dec.5th 2005)

„Her counterpart Janina Baechle who stepped in for Agnes Baltsa on short notice seized her opportunity with both hands: Her Ortrud doesn´t descend to petty bickering but with light shading makes cynism and anger audible. (Die Presse, Dec.5th, 05)

„Janina Baechle delivers a cultivated yet deliciously wicked Ortrud“ (Financial Times, Dec.6th,2005)

“Janina Baechle is on the way to become a peerless Ortrud. Her mezzo has power and brilliance.” (Neue Kronenzeitung, Dec.5th 2005)