“One of opera’s most demanding soprano roles, Juliette requires a voice that can tackle intricate coloratura as well as extended passages of near-spinto. None of this intimidated Ailyn Pérez, who mastered Juliette’s different modes with seeming effortlessness, from the elaborate filigree of “Je veux vivre,” through the Gothic drama of “Amour ranime mon courage,” to the intense lyricism of the final duet. This incandescent Juliette grew confidently from childhood to adulthood and moved us profoundly as she died: this performance places Pérez in the top rank of today’s sopranos.”
Simon Williams – Opera News