Amelia Farrugia - Critical Acclaim

Opera Australia, MANON, Sydney Opera House, January 15
"Amelia Farrugia as Manon has good vocal precision and well-controlled evenness as she negotiates the part's effervescent virtuosity, and the colour and warmth in her voice continues to grow. Dramatically she is pert and energetic and the portrayal is poised on the boundary between the slick surface of operetta and the ponderous depth of opera”.
Peter McCallum, January 20, 2010. The Sydney Morning Herald

"Soprano Amelia Farrugia is an impressive Manon. Sustaining bright-toned clarity and strong dynamic control, she delivers Massenet’s coloratura set pieces with agility and accuracy. Her strong dramatic presence also captures Manon’s capriciousness and complexity”.
Murray Black, January 21, 2010. The Australian

Photo: Braco Gaica

"Versatile soprano Amelia Farrugia has come a long way - from her stage debut at the age of six years as the "woof" in her school production of How Much is that Doggy in the Window - to her latest performance as Jules Massenet's doomed heroine Manon at the Sydney Opera House.

In this, the most popular of Massenet's 30-odd operas, she uses all the tricks in the coloratura armoury - vocal agility, lightness, an awesome top E - and more impressively she sings with charm and dramatic insight. She's blessed with good looks too, so much so that it is asking rather a lot of the audience to accept her as a 16-year-old on her way to a convent. But that's the wonder of opera: suspend belief all ye who enter here.

Waiting for her at an inn in Amiens is her cousin Lescaut, played with raffish charm by Jose Carbo, whose fine (baritone) provides a perfect foil for Farrugia's smooth, silvery and extremely expressive soprano.”.
Tom Pillans, January 22, 2010. North Shore Times

"Over the past decade Farrugia has established herself in the first rank of Australian opera singers and is already being touted as the next superstar of opera”.
The Sydney Morning Herald, Mark Chipperfield, The Sydney Magazine - February 2006

UK REVIEWS FOR AMELIA FARRUGIA’S DEBUT SOLO RECORDING
Joie de vivre! (Universal Music / Decca) BBC Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Alexander Briger.

Metro - www.metro.co.uk
***** (Five stars)
Amelia Farrugia: Joie De Vivre!
Warwick Thompson - Monday, October 23, 2006
Australian coloratura soprano
Amelia Farrugia isn't well known here yet but with the release of her firecracker solo disc Joie De Vivre! I predict an epidemic of Farrugiamania.
Here is technical mastery – agility, lightness and a brilliant top E – but also a magical vividness that makes these coloratura classics more than lovely bon bons.
Gounod's Je Veux Vivre bursts with youth and vitality; Meyerbeer's Ombre Légère is a convincingly hysterical mad-scene; and Ore Dolci from Puccini's La Rondine drips with bittersweet nostalgia.
Her diction could be crisper but, with excellent support from Alexander Briger and the BBC SO, this is already one of my favourite current discs.

Classic FM magazine
**** (Four stars)
Warwick Thompson - November 2006
Australian soprano Amelia Farrugia has got all the tricks in the coloratura armory - agility, lightness, a brilliant top E - but more impressively, she sings with bags of charm and dramatic insight too. Juliette's 'Je veux vivre' is full of youthful high spirits, 'Je suis Titania' drips with appropriately arrogant self-confidence, and she puts convincing giggles and chuckles (a rare achievement) into the 'Laughing Song' from Auber's Manon. Her diction is sometimes a little woolly and her sustained legato phrases aren't always as rock-solid as her fast trills and scales, but with good support from Briger and the BBC SO, it's still a disc of many delights.

HMV Choice magazine
Amelia Farrugia - Joie de vivre!
Decca 987 5237
Terry Blain - Nov/Dec 2006
Hear this online at hmv.co.uk
Echoes of Joan Sutherland in young Aussie's exuberant debut recital
Soprano Amelia Farrugia is big in her native Australia, and has performed in Britain with the prestigious Glyndebourne opera company. Her voice is a bright, glittering soprano with a special gift for coloratura: extended sequences of short notes fired off rapidly on the same syllable very impressive.
All this is prominent in Farrugia's opening selection of items from the nineteenth century French repertoire- A breathily excited Ah! Je veux vivre from Gounod's Romeo et Juliette, an elated Je Suis Titania from Thomas' Mignon, and a friskily balletic Laughing Song from Auber's Manon Lescaut.
Snippets of Puccini and lilting snatches from waltz king Johann Strauss II emphasise the irrepressible high spiritedness of Farrugia's nimble artistry, while Novello's Waltz of my Heart acknowledges her early experience in musical theatre.
Farrugia would probably wince at comparisons with that great Australian soprano of the past, Dame Joan Sutherland, but on the evidence of this debut recital they are inevitable.

CARMINA BURANA, SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Conductor Arvo Volmer
The soloists were a highlight of the performance. Amelia Farrugia floated through the ecstatic "Eia's" with a wonderfully casual ease and soared with simple grace up to the climactic "Dulcissime".
Harriet Cunningham -The Sydney Morning Herald- 06.07.09

AS NEDDA, PAGLIACCI, OPERA AUSTRALIA

Amelia Farrugia (Nedda), for so long noted for her light, bright soubrette qualities, has acquired significantly more tonal depth and colour to go with her formidable stage command.
Deborah Jones - Opera - June 2009

AS MUSETTA, LA BOHEME, OPERA AUSTRALIA

Amelia Farrugia's Musetta was vocally bright and involving in the second and final acts, although cluttered direction deprived her vocally fine Quando M'en Vo Soletta in Act II of seductiveness, pushing it towards meretricious parody, to which John Bolton Wood (Benoit and Alcindoro) was a willing fall guy.
Peter McCallum - The Sydney Morning Herald - 7.1.08

…Soprano Amelia Farrugia embraces her inner diva, clearly relishing the strutting burlesque of Musetta's waltz and the comic possibilities of her role while singing with rich, commanding tone.
Melissa Lesnie - The Mosman Daily - 9.1.08

AS ROSINA, BARBER OF SEVILLE, OPERA AUSTRALIA

In the part of Rosina, Amelia Farrugia, always noted for precise clarity, is singing better than ever and produced a glistening tour de force in the coloratura moments, particularly the Act II singing lesson.
Peter McCallum - The Sydney Morning Herald - 28.6.07

AS ADELE, DIE FLEDERMAUS - GLYNDEBOURNE TOURING OPERA
Glyndebourne Festival Theatre

"Raising the Glyndebourne Roof
Amelia Farrugia... her Laughing Song practically raised the roof..."
The Sydney Morning Herald - 13.10.06

"Amelia Farrugia makes a vocally agile and suitably stratospheric Adele, her dialogue peppered with a cockney twang"
The Stage - 13.10.06

Theatre Royal, Plymouth

www.musicomh.com
Die Fledermaus **** (4 stars)
Johnny Johnson - 8.11.06
Beautifully sung, artistically creative and visually stunning, GOT provided a wonderful two hours with Strauss' frothy comic opera set in turn of the century Vienna.
All the main players do full justice to their roles. Amelia Farrugia as Adele dominated much of the action in her soubrette role, with a vibrant personality and superb singing verging on the stratospheric.
Click here for the full review

Herald, Plymouth
Philip R Buttall - 8.11.06
The principals' singing is of the highest quality, with Amelia Farrugia (Adele) and Majella Cullagh (Rosalinde) in particularly fine voice, with an excellent orchestra and chorus in support.
Click here for the full review

Milton Keynes Theatre

The Oxford Times
Giles Woodforde - 16.11.06
The object of Alfred's attentions is Rosalinde, currently wife of Count von Eisenstein. She is not in a good mood, as she is having trouble with her pert maid (Amelia Farrugia, who gives the star singing performance of the evening).
Click here for the full review

Norwich Theatre Royal

EDP 24
Frank Cliff - 22.11.06
Amelia Farrugia is an enchanting Adele who delivers the same (tremendous spirit) as "my dear Marquis" with great aplomb.
Click here for the full review

bbc.co.uk
Tom Simmons - 22.11.06
The energetic forward thrust of Strauss's dance music was combined with superbly dramatic musical performances from Amelia Farrugia (Adele), Majella Cullagh (Rosalinde), Peter Hoare (Alfred) and John Graham-Hall (Eisenstein).
Click here for the full review

Stoke-on-Trent

bbc.co.uk
Chris Ramsden - 30.11.06
Ah, the voices. Great vocal acrobatics from Amelia Farrugia, as Adele, the lady's maid who becomes a made lady; (please see photo on website)
Click here for the full review

"Amelia Farrugia’s Adele was spot-on in her showpiece, ‘Mein Herr Marquis’, bringing laughter to the music."
Opera Magazine - December 2006

AS MANON IN MANON 2004

Amelia Farrugia as Manon in Opera Australia's 'Manon' Photo - Jeff Busby 2004

The overall success of Manon often rests on its female lead, and Amelia Farrugia was a fine choice as Manon, one of the great operatic female characterisations. Farrugia delighted audiences with her consistently fine singing, acting and all round stagecraft. The fact that she also looked the part helped too.

Ronald McCoy, State of the Art , 02.12.04

Manon from heaven **** (four- stars)

Most outstanding is Amelia Farrugia in the lead. It is difficult to imagine a soprano who could be a more perfect Manon. Farrugia takes a startling journey with Manon… but it is her glorious voice that is most impressive. Warm, strong, almost husky at times and then spiralling into crisp heights, she is in full command… Farrugia has power enough to transcend the limitations that microphones can bring to natural vocal hues. It was a challenge for Farrugia, developing from her more comic roles, but she is triumphant in the role, proving that she has so much to offer as singer, actor and complete artist. The passionate spark between the two (Manon and Des Grieux) resonates through the entire opera and Gavin’s voice matches Farrugia’s in agility and force…

Catherine Lambert, Sunday Herald Sun, 28.11.04

Manon **** (four- stars)

If Massenet had written a better opera this would be a five-star show.
Soprano Amelia Farrugia brings a strong voice and a bold presence to the title role; she goes for drama rather than romance in stressing Manon’s dedication to wealth and heartless pleasure above any loyalty to Des Grieux… Julian Gavin matches Farrugia’s vocal power… Guided by Maunder’s carefully paced directing, these two fine actor-singers give a powerful charge to the lovers’ key scenes of reconciliation and fatal disagreement…

Neil Jillett, The Sunday Age, 28.11.04

To serve God or Manon

Farrugia used to specialise in soubrette roles in such operas as Cosi fan tutte and Fledermaus, but experience has given her a fine coloratura attack. She demonstrates a lyrical tactfulness in the many elegant passages that Massenet wrote for his heroine, but is at her most moving in the little aria to the table she and her lover have shared. She knows how to float open vowels in the French style above the orchestration. The dazzling accuracy of her upper register could shatter glass…

John Slavin, The Age, 23.11.04

Amelia Farrugia, a young Australian-born soprano making a name for herself overseas, is as petite and pretty as the character of Manon demands. But there is nothing wispy about her poised portrayal of Manon as shallow but alluringly feminine…

Sybil Nolan, The Herald Sun, 22.11.04

Photo by Branco Gaica

AS TYTANIA IN A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

Amelia Farrugia brought delightful vocal clarity and brightness to the vocally florid role of Tytania, coming into her own in the second-act scenes with Bottom where Tytania’s aristocratic grace is infiltrated with subliminal bestial venality.

Peter McCallum, The Sydney Morning Herald, 3.10.03

Amelia Farrugia is fantastic as the Fairy Queen. She really is beautiful and sings wonderfully. She could have any donkey she wants.

Conal Coad (Bottom), The Daily Telegraph, 4.10.03

(Graham Pushee) is ravishing and so is Amelia Farrugia, who sings Tytania with crystalline beauty and, in her midriff-baring sparkling red sari, could double as a movie star.

Deborah Jones, The Australian, 6.10.03

As Tytania – Queen of the Fairies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Amelia Farrugia plays a role that could have been written for her. Her purity of tone and her appealingly feminine portrayal of passion and guile convince the audience as no other.

Michal McKay, The Wentworth Courier, 8.10.03

The cast was of course a specimen of Opera Australia’s ensemble excellence at its very best…Tytania, Amelia Farrugia, was a worthy partner (to Graham Pushee) in this other-worldly stage marriage- acting with her usual infectious vivaciousness and producing a wealth of shimmeringly beautiful soprano sound.

David Gyger, Opera-Opera, November 2003

The Herald and The Weekly Times Photographic Collection

AS EURYDICE IN ORPHEUS IN THE UNDERWORLD

Amelia Farrugia as Eurydice confirms her status as one of Australia’s finest artists. There is an intensity of colour in her voice that is quite outstanding.

Michael Easton, Herald Sun, 14.5.03

Amelia Farrugia as Eurydice has that rare combination of operetta essentials a beautiful voice with easy high notes and lots of character. Farrugia has them in abundance, like her famous predecessor June Bronhill. She even takes an on stage bubble bath as Bronhill did in the famous Sadlers Wells production 40 years ago. Farrugia’s solos were the highlights, with Offenbach’s natural charm and wit shining through.

Michael Magnusson, MCV, 23.5.03

The cast is vocally strong and energised. Amelia Farrugia is a charmingly venal Eurydice, using her bell-like purity and clarity to bring to each phrase the polished shape of an immaculate manicure.

Peter McCallum, The Sydney Morning Herald, Feb 1-2, 2003

Orpheus, like all operetta, needs real singers to carry it off, and gets them, led by the high-kicking, effervescent Amelia Farrugia (a warmly sexy Eurydice).

Deborah Jones, The Australian, 3.2.03

OA was canny enough to cast its Oz version with genuine opera singers, not with lightweights from the music hall. And it made all the difference. The pert silvery-voiced Amelia Farrugia was the ideal choice for that strong-willed minx Eurydice...

Maria Prerauer, Opera 2003

Of the principal performers, Amelia Farrugia as Eurydice takes the honours with her nice line in coloratura soprano trills…

Barry Quigley, The Mosman Daily, 6.2.03

It’s fascinating to see some of Australia’s better opera stars, including…Amelia Farrugia… let their hair down and have some fun.

David Wicks, The Central Coast Herald, 6.2.03

More than any other performer, Amelia Farrugia performs with lightness, grace and confidence. She also sings with a wonderfully breathy crystal soprano. Every time she sings, or smiles, or kicks up her heels, the production works…

Chris Boyd, The Australian Financial Review, Weekend, Feb 8-9, 2003

Amelia Farrugia as Eurydice made the most of the vocal opportunities to respond to sex, shrill in resentment when deprived of satisfaction, and sweet when the centre of attention…

Humphrey McQueen, The Bulletin, 11.2.03

Amelia Farrugia’s delicious Eurydice looks, sings and acts so well that she would grace any production of this work, anywhere…

Ken Healey, Opera-Opera, March 2003

Amelia Farrugia is given her head to do what she does so well: run up and down the scale, hectically ornament her line, dominate the stage with one of the loudest sopranos in the country. At the same time, she makes an attractive character…

Clive O’Connell, Opera-Opera, July 2003

Quote from Ignatius Jones, Director:

She’s perfect for the role. She’s sexy and sassy, yet she can play a bit of a bimbo, somewhere between Marilyn Monroe and Gina Lollobrigida. Eurydice could have been written for her…

Jill Fraser, Herald Sun, 27.5.03

Adele in Fledermaus Branco Gaica Photographer

AS ADELE IN DIE FLEDERMAUS

Amelia Farrugia’s maid, out on the town for the night in a borrowed scarlet evening gown, is a showstopper. The excited vulgarity of the character is matched by splendid gymnastic coloratura, for example the trills of delight when she receives her invitation to that party.

John Slavin, The Age, 27.11.00

The show-stopping performance was Amelia Farrugia’s as the irrepressible maid Adele. Slim, lithe, beautiful and powerful of voice, she dominated the action whenever she appeared and was deliciously funny and sexy.

Tristram Cary, The Australian, 17.5.99

Stealing the show altogether is Amelia Farrugia as their wisecracking wannabe-actress maid Adele, with an accent from Hell’s Kitchen and an attitude to die for.

Jackie Tracy, Sunday Mail, 23.5.99

Amelia Farrugia kicks off the show with a vibrant impersonation of the maid with aspirations, Adele. Her coloratura singing is superb and she sets the audience expectations at a level that keeps the rest of this fine cast on their toes.

Ewart Shaw, The Advertiser, 17.5.99

Never have I seen anyone steal a show so blatantly. She sure leaves all the others flat-footed and by the way they are no slouches…

John Carmody, The Sun-Herald, Feb 1997

Happily there are delicious performances from a polished, clever cast…Best are Warlow and a spectacularly vivacious Amelia Farrugia as the cheeky maid, Adele. It’s no coincidence that Farrugia… has had success on the commercial musical stage. A work like this requires the triple-threat skills of singing, acting and movement, and Warlow and Farrugia were unmatched for their confident ease… Farrugia had the advantage of the “laughing song” which showcased her high, bright, accurate soprano…

Deborah Jones, The Australian, 4.2.97

Adina in The Elixir of Love, with Conal Coad as Dulcamara

AS ADINA IN THE ELIXIR OF LOVE

… Farrugia stops the nonsense to sing. Her singing is captivatingly seductive. She manages the coloratura passages with ease and she has the charm to be a lovable heroine in a part not always lovable… Farrugia is also a natural comedian with a light, bell-like soprano…

John Slavin, The Age, 23.4.01

The Elixir of Love drew a rapturous response from its capacity audience… a triumphant winner… unmissable. The Elixir of Love demands, and is in this instance illuminated by, a fresh and uniformly strong cast. Every one of the cast, (including) Amelia Farrugia’s sparkling Adina… sings and acts delightfully…

Peter Burch, The Australian, 23.4.01

The small group of performers is ideally cast: Amelia Farrugia as the occasionally innocent but self-possessed love interest Adina is a perfect foil for the simpleton shepherd Nemorino. Farrugia actually looks the part, which makes a nice change, and her physical charms are matched by a voice that was made in heaven. It all sounds so effortless and easy (which it is not), and her stagecraft is exemplary.

Michael Easton, The Herald Sun, 25.4 01

What makes this production a stand-out is the exceptional cast. Each is individual, each talented and each a good actor. The frivolous Adina is sung by Amelia Farrugia with supreme confidence.

Graham Pearce, Sunday Herald Sun, 29.4.01

Amelia Farrugia… became happier in her higher notes and carried tints of coloratura to a fine finish.

Humphrey McQueen, The Bulletin, 1.5.01

AS DESPINA IN COSI FAN TUTTE

Amelia Farrugia’s Despina is a conventional hard-headed soubrette, taking pleasure in contrasting her practical good sense with the vapouring daydreams of her employers… Farrugia’s performance… is a classic exposition of the personality of the soubrette, communicated through gesture, deportment, facial expression and, above all, through the bright, clear, exemplary focus of the voice.

Roger Covell, The Sydney Morning Herald, 12.2.01

Amelia Farrugia has played the role of Despina since the initial production and each of her performances has been first class. This is an exhausting role in which she plays no less than three characters and she carries each off with style.

Graham Harris, Wentworth Courier, 14.2.01

John Pringle and Amelia Farrugia have their names stamped all over these roles now, singing with immense authority and precision.

Deborah Jones, The Australian, 16.2.01

Amelia Farrugia is the show-stealing, mischievous servant Despina.

Fred Blanks, North Shore Times, 21.2.01

STAGE WHISPERS

Quick Result
Less than two months after announcing her decision to cut the Opera Australia apron strings in search of international stardom Amelia Farrugia has struck gold, with rumours she is close to signing up to perform in Gian Carlo Menotti’s June Spoleto Festival in Italy. Whispers hears Menotti- close to Australia’s heart as the founder of Melbourne’s Spoleto Festival, forerunner of the city’s annual cultural gig- wants Farrugia for a special production of The Saint of Bleecker Street, being staged to celebrate the great composer’s 90th birthday.

Menotti plans to direct the production himself- must be a sprightly 90- in which Farrugia is likely to be offered the role of Maria Corona. And just to add to her international operatic debut nerves, opening night invitees include Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo.

AS TYTANIA IN A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM 2000

Some of the most beautiful music in the opera attends his luscious interlude in the arms of the spellbound Tytania (Amelia Farrugia)

Roger Covell, The Sydney Morning Herald, 20.7.00

As Tytania, Queen of the Fairies, Amelia Farrugia is given the opportunity to reveal her dramatic skills.

Barry Quigley, Mosman Daily, 27.7.00

Photo by Branco Gaica

AS SUSANNA IN THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 2000

Farrugia’s Susanna…is by turns sprightly, waspish, loving and warm. Her rendering of the lovely aria “Deh vieni, non tardar” is one of the magical moments in the theatre.

John Slavin, The Age, 27.3.00

Amelia Farrugia was an excellent foil to the rumbustious Figaro in her role as the ever-sweet but all-knowing Susanna. She has an engaging voice, one that is secure across the whole register, and gave great depth of character to this demanding role.

Michael Easton, Herald Sun, 25.3.00

AS MUSETTA IN LA BOHEME

Amelia Farrugia has the opportunity as Musetta to be outrageous in one brief but effective scene and does so with knock-down directness… her instincts were on target.

Roger Covell, The Sydney Morning Herald, 2.8.99

EUROPEAN CONCERT DEBUT IN MALTA

Whether she sang in English, French, German or (a little) Latin, Ms Farrugia sang with an admirable clarity of diction. Her vocal projection and interpretation of the text was convincing as she went tirelessly from style to style, smoothly and with the greatest of ease.

Albert G. Storace, The Times, 5.1.99

Let the Bright Seraphim introduced Farrugia as a technically accomplished coloratura soprano, handling elaborate ornamentation with agility, clarity and ease. The brilliant timbre of her voice proved to be particularly appropriate for the style of the piece sung.

Martina Caruana, The Sunday Times, 20.12.98

MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, MYER MUSIC BOWL

The soprano soloist was Amelia Farrugia, a woman with stunning classical beauty and a voice to match. The reason for her success at this concert was twofold - the dramatic use of body language and her multi-hued voice. For those of us seated near the front, it was clear that Farrugia could delve into a song and produce a suitable characterisation. Her experience in both the lightweight world of musicals and the more involving environment of opera was clearly apparent in this recital.

Joel Crotty, The Age, 16.2.98

GOOD WEEKEND PROFILE

She’s ambitious, talented and pretty. The” It girl” of opera.

Jane Wheatley, Good Weekend - The Age, 7.2.98

As well, Amelia has a showy coloratura voice, excellent dramatic talent and professional tenacity. It’s a wonderful package really.

Joan Carden, Good Weekend - The Age, 7.2.98

AS NORINA IN DON PASQUALE

Amelia Farrugia is close to perfection as Norina, a superbly attractive stage presence allied to a warm and expressive voice.

Ewart Shaw, The Advertiser, 26.5.97

With a cast of only four main roles, three of them men, a huge burden falls on the female lead and Amelia Farrugia, a rapidly rising star, was a magnificent Norina from every point of view. Not only is her voice clear and powerful, and technically well able to handle Donizetti’s many intricate ornaments and demanding high notes, but she plays her complex character with understanding and wit, changing from fake virago to genuine lover in the turn of a phrase and a meaningful glance. She is also a joy to look at, needing no elaborate make-up and artful suppression of bulges to convince us of her youth and desirability.

Tristram Cary, The Australian, 30.5.97

Amelia Farrugia’s confident Norina ranged between the vixenish display of her cavatina, a bitten-off parody of Rossini, and the elegiac admission of heartlessness after the resounding slap of Act II.

Noel Purdon, The Bulletin, 17.6.97

She is one of the new wave of Australian sopranos and Brisbane is lucky to have her here.

David Bray, Brisbane Courier Mail, 21.6.97

Amelia Farrugia makes a beautiful and vivacious Norina, who tells us in an appropriately cool, bell-toned soprano that she’s a seasoned flirt but has a good heart… Farrugia… has a decided gift for bel canto- literally fine (coloratura) singing.

Time Off, 25.6.97

Amelia Farrugia reveled in Norina’s naughtiness, switching without missing a beat from sophisticate to novice to minx to harridan, slipping between times in and out of her real character as a sweet young thing ardently in love. Her voice is quite remarkably well-developed for her 26 years, evenly centered throughout her range, full of colour and blossoming very prettily with rising pitch. Her coloratura is simply spectacular.

Opera, October, 1997