Mary Nelson - soprano
‘Asteria was sung with gripping conviction by Mary Nelson. She delivered the role with vocal surety and a smooth, even tone.’ Opera Now, Tamerlano 2009
‘One of the highlights had to be Mary Nelson’s heartfelt delivery’ Northern Echo, Northern Sinfonia 2008
‘Mary Nelson gave a mammoth performance. Her ability to support her high notes over long phrases, and the plain joy one feels when listening to her, is miraculous.’ musicOHM.com 2006
‘Mary Nelson’s soprano combined clarity of diction with the ability to float long, florid phrases accurately and beautifully.’ The Chicago Tribune, Alexander’s Feast, Music of the Baroque 2002
‘But the real surprise was Mary Nelson, a young soprano who has an amazingly beautiful voice. I am sure we will hear a lot about her in the future’
Israeli Classical Music 2003
‘The Irish soprano Mary Nelson was immediately noticed as a ‘winning horse’. A penetrating voice with conquering beauty, easily produced.’
Ha-aretz (Israel) 2003
‘ Impressive… is the word for Mary Nelson’s singing of the lady-in-waiting Dalinda. The purity and clarity of her Handel, particularly in the difficult florid passages, were very good indeed.’ The Sunday Telegraph, Ariodante, ENO 2002
‘Mary Nelson uses her gorgeously burnished tones and impressive coloratura technique to wonderful effect’ Metro, Ariodante, ENO 2002
‘Mary Nelson is excellent as the blonde Dalinda, her clear, bell-like soprano voice possessing a power that belies her slender frame.’
What’s On, Ariodante ENO 2002
‘…here (Mary Nelson’s) clear diction and bright, agile soprano projected Dalinda’s character vividly.’ Opera Magazine, Ariodante, ENO 2002
‘Best of its members was Mary Nelson, whose Susanna had an easy charm, rising to a shapely account of Deh vieni non tardar.’ The Telegraph, The Marriage of Figaro, ENO 2001
‘With a cast of eager, ripe young voices, such as Mary Nelson’s honeyed and beautifully prepared Susanna’ Opera Magazine, The Marriage of Figaro, ENO 2001
‘…and Mary Nelson the best Lucia I have heard, with a real full tone’
The Sunday Telegraph, The Rape of Lucretia, ENO 2003
‘Mary Nelson sings brightly and sweetly as her adolescent maid, Lucia’
The Sunday Times, The Rape of Lucretia, ENO 2003
‘ Mary Nelson just bloomed rapturously in that sexy aria in the final act.’
Evening Standard, The Marriage of Figaro, ENO 2001
‘Best of all, however, was Mary Nelson as the drover’s nymphet daughter, spinning out the lines of her brief, but difficult aria with a flawless purity of tone and exquisite ease- a moment of genuine Straussian radiance’.
The Guardian 2000
‘Best of all was the Salustia, the Irish soprano Mary Nelson, an alert, fresh, attractive artist who alone on the Britten Theatre stage had presence, communicated truthful musicianship through phrase-shaping and did something with the words. Whenever Salustia was about, the feeling of mist and fog began to clear’. Opera Magazine, Alessandro Severo
‘Mary Nelson… has proved one of the finest young emerging sopranos of today…With a voice of excellent quality and technique that coped easily with the florid writing, this was a prestigious performance’. Belfast Telegraph, Exsultate Jubilate 2006
The soloist was Ulster born soprano Mary Nelson who delighted everyone with three Mozart arias. Come Scoglio showed a singer of excellent technique and musicianship who is able to project her fine voice with ease. Mary must be one of Ulster’s busiest and best musical exports.
Ulster Orchestra Online Review 2006