Elle in La Voix Humaine
“Supreme Vocalism”
Even more than most, this is a piece that lives or dies with its performer, and Sunday's singer, soprano Suzan Hanson, brought Poulenc's score irresistibly to life.
Her singing was fresh and forceful, with pointed rhythmic clarity in the score's talky stretches (which is most of it) and blazing dramatic fervor in the few bursts of connected phrasing. And together with director Layna Chianakas, she kept the level of emotional volatility well judged, providing a study in turmoil without turning the piece into a full-blown mad scene. San Francisco Chronicle, Joshua Kosman
“Simple enough and simply, effectively delivered. With Hanson subtly negotiating the emotional emotional ebb and flow, and without overstating the character’s desperation, we became slowly wrapped up in her situation, eavesdropping on her phone call. The rich amplitude of Hanson’s climaxes was earned, the quieter passages were clearly articulated and enunciated.” Orange County Register, Timothy Mangan
“Tour de Force”
“Hanson’s performance is a tour de force as we watch her emotional state decompose before our eyes, one desperate crack at a time.” Press Telegram, Jim Farber
“As Elle, she has no use for pretense. The words are hers; the conversation is hers. In English with piano, she has no place to hide vocally or theatrically. Yet with her flawless articulation and vocal nuance true to every dramatic utterance, Hanson produces a raw immediacy that adds a remarkable authenticity.” LA Times, Mark Swed
“Hanson is an extraordinary actress whose subtle facial expressions or sudden posture changes show the spinning thoughts she entertains while she is listening to her lover’s responses on the telephone. She is utterly in the skin of Elle as she trudges around the apartment, one hand holding a highball, the other holding her lover’s coat sleeve to her cheek, so as to feel his caress; casually looking out the window or frantically lighting a third cigarette. And while the tessitura of the piece is in the mid-range, much musical and emotional drama is delivered late, on long, high, beautifully resonant notes that befit the cry of a crushed woman’s heart. She has us in the palm of her hand. This is opera at its most intimate and spell-binding. “ Singerpreneur , Lauri Goldenhersh
“Rarely have I encountered performers whose voices are as compelling and accomplished as their acting, and while the same can be said for actors who sing, in the world of opera, one tends to run into the former far more than the latter. Hanson is one of those rare performers who physically and vocally inhabit material so fully it becomes difficult to observe either her voice or her acting in isolation. Her commitment and the flawless integration of both of these elements into one another offers the rare treat of experiencing good opera that also feels like good theater.
Hanson’s performance here is less manic than I have seen from others who have performed this material, but also more grounded and convincingly heartbreaking. In particular, her ability to shift between plainly spoken or sung lines to those more grandiose and lyrical created a believability and immediacy that the actress, the musical director and the stage director should all be proud of.” Long Beach Post, Joanthan Ross