Opera Now! magazine gives ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ to Isabel Bayrakdarian, Constantine Orbelian, Jory Vinikour, and the Kaunas City Symphony’s The Other Cleopatra: Queen of Armenia recording:
“Soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian combines some fascinating Armenian history and rare C18th music combine to make a heady mix in a new album of arias sung by the character of Cleopatra of Pontus… Bayrakdarian’s soprano is fluent and nimble… Her current timbre is curious and arresting. … The bottom of the voice is fearsome and she nails some astonishingly baritonal notes. … She can certainly steam ahead through some fiendishly tricky fiorature with great confidence – the Gluck aria Nero turbo il ciel imbruna displays all of these attributes over eight minutes of vocal knitting, not least the tricky arpeggios that plumb down into chest voice and sail back up into head. … Constantine Orbelian conducts with vigour, which particularly suits the Hasse. The sound is crisp and very present”
—Francis Muzzu, Opera Now!
See the full review in the May/June 2020 issue of Opera Now!