REVIEWS
The Coronation of Poppea (Drusilla & Fortuna) - English Touring Opera 2023
"...the most impressive performances come from Amy J Payne's Arnalta, a servant with ideas above her station, and from the Drusilla of Elizabeth Karani, silky-toned but with an edge of steel as she plots the murder of her rival Poppea."
Evening Standard
"...there are strong performances from Elizabeth Karani as Drusilla..."
The Times
"...Elizabeth Karani's excellent Drusilla stood out among the principals..."
Opera Magazine
"Cuts to the score mean we don't hear quite enough of Karani's beautiful Drusilla as one might like."
The Guardian
"...and British soprano Elizabeth Karani’s Drusilla sing faultlessly, fleshing out their characters sympathetically."
Plays to see
"Doubling up, Karani's pliant soprano matches nicely with Drusilla."
The Stage
"Elizabeth Karani’s Drusilla is sweetly affecting, and her attractive soprano gifts a gentle feel to the role."
Mark Aspen
La bohème (Musetta) - Opera Holland Park 2023
"Elizabeth Karan, meanwhile, gives an outstanding realisation of Musetta."
The Stage
"Karani makes a glamorous, wonderfully self-assured Musetta opposite Ramgobin’s wide-eyed, ardent Marcello."
The Guardian
"There’s also much full-blooded singing from Elizabeth Karani as Musetta..."
The Times
"alluringly sung by Elizabeth Karani"
Evening Standard
"Elizabeth Karani's vivid Musetta, lightly attached to the arm of film-mogul Alcindoro (an impressive Sydney Greenstreet dead-ringer from Henry Grant Kerswell, who also played Benoit), easily took charge at the café, and was very affecting in her tortuous relationship with Marcello.."
Opera Magazine
"It is thanks to Katie Bird’s ardently sung Mimì and Elizabeth Karani’s vibrant Musetta that this production does at times convince and compel…. Wearing a Bardot-blonde wig and tight top, Karani’s ‘Quando me’n vo’ was a superb ‘diva’ aria, one of the few moments where a singer was really able to hold the stage, and Musetta’s anxious entrance in Act 4 was similarly engaging and persuasive."
Opera Today
"Elizabeth Karani's Musetta actually opened proceedings, miming to a recording of Piaff's 1957 recording of La Foule (music by Angel Cabrel, words by Michel Rivgauche) for the delectation of her lover, Henry Grant Kerswell (Alcindoro, the film's director). Musetta's waltz song is a gift, and here staged with Karani sitting atop a piano, there was no question, Karani took hold of the entire stage and lit it up, and the tension and crackle between her and Ramgobin's Marcello was palpable, even though the two were half a stage away from each other for much of the time. Karani was touching in Act Four (wearing yet another wig and an outfit that looked rather 1960s)."
Planet Hugill
Ottone (Gismonda) - English Touring Opera 2022
"…however owing to illness her place was taken by Elizabeth Karani; evidently this happened at short notice, but Karani performed the role on stage and gave little evidence of her assumption being last-minute….Elizabeth Karani was mesmerising, great beauty of tone softening the edge of the character, but with Karani still keeping Gismonda's wonderful killer instincts. Definitely the mother from hell."
Planet Hugill
"As the ruthless, conniving Gismonda Elizabeth Karani was absolutely engaging from the first, leaving us in no doubt of her treacherousness and fire. But, while one might recoil at such deviousness, Karani used her beautifully limpid tone to bring about a volte face in the listener’s response to Gismonda, through her wonderful rendition of the serene aria in which the distraught mother professes her love for her imprisoned son. Gismonda’s Act 2 duet with Matilde, in which the two women prematurely celebrate their joint emancipation of Adelberto, was another highlight."
Opera Today
"Stepping in at the last minute for an indisposed Gillian Webster, Elizabeth Karani is excellent as Gismonda."
The Stage
"As the sixth cast member, an unfortunate indisposition allowed soprano Elizabeth Karani to step up late in the day from cover to player and give a poised, pleasing account of Aldeberto’s suffocating mother Gismonda, one of the opera’s more interesting characters. Both women blended beautifully in one of the opera’s highlights, the duet “Notte cara”."
Bachtrack
Little Women (Amy) - Opera Holland Park 2022
"Soprano Elizabeth Karani completes the quartet of sisters in the role of Amy. She sings with sure phrasing and exudes star quality and presence. Her delivery of “Joy beyond measure, Mother”, alongside her love interest, Laurie, where she radiates ecstasy on learning that her love is requited, is genuinely heartfelt and moving. Her utterance of the passage, “For I am loved. I am loved”, is quite breath-taking in its execution, her shrill, resonant crescendo, utterly captivating. Again, I would love to have heard more of her in isolation, over and beyond her fine contributions to the quartets."
Operawire
"Karani's Amy is delightfully petulant and endearingly vulnerably, and her fiery, yet silken soprano possesses an easily accessed upper register and bags of personality'.
Musical America
‘Elizabeth Karani as Amy (who, rather than Jo, marries Laurie) added an impressive Straussian gleam to the many ensembles’
Opera Magazine
"Elizabeth Karani displays a highly accomplished soprano as Amy...'
MusicOMH
"Karani deserves to win Laurie's hand with her lovely singing.'
The Stage
Le Nozze di Figaro (Susanna) - Opera Holland Park 2021
'Here his cast is strong on team spirit, with a few individual performances of exceptional promise. The linchpin — as Mozart surely intended when he “demoted” his prima donna, Anna Storace, from the Countess to the longer role of her chambermaid Susanna — is the young soprano, Elizabeth Karani, new to me, who establishes her star potential with a vividly acted, brightly sung performance crowned by an exquisitely phrased, tastefully decorated Act IV aria. Her Shawshank Redemption duet, Song to the Breezes with Nardus Williams’s luscious Countess, was a moment of sublime beauty that made you forget the singers’ silly wigs and bask in Mozart’s ravishing music.'
The Sunday Times- Hugh Canning
'Karani’s silvery voiced Susanna, wonderfully self-assured, gives him as good as she gets in their confrontations, sounds lovely in the act three Letter Duet with Williams, and is touchingly affectionate in her scenes with Ramgobin’s naive, attractive Figaro."
The Guardian- Tim Ashley
'The role of no-nonsense Susannah was intelligently played by Elizabeth Karani, her assured soprano giving way to an exquisite tender solo in Act IV. ' ArtMuseLondon- Karine Hetherington
'Karani being the more experienced singer, exuded confidence but equally displayed great lyricism in the ‘moon’ aria'
ArtMuseLondon- Karine Hetherington
'...while Elizabeth Karani as Susanna reveals a beautiful soprano and some astutely observed gestures.'
Music OMH- Sam Smith
'Karani and Ramgobin judged their standing at the centre of every intrigue extremely well: a musical just as much as a stage matter. Handling of recitative was just as impressive as their arias, which grew out of the former as musico-dramatic necessity.'
Opera Today- Mark Berry
"She brought great comic potential to such scenes as the one where the Count tries to seduce her, and her managing of the Count was delightful, but you sensed the serious woman underneath ending of course with a beautifully judged account of 'Deh vieni' in Act IV. But it is in the recitatives and ensembles that we really get to know Susanna and Karani brought a sense of character into every moment.”
Planet Hugill
'Elizabeth Karani's capable Susanna pulls off her musical marathon with energy to spare, her relationship with the Countess one of female mutual understanding, as if they share a silent coded language.'
Culture Whisper- Claudia Pritchard
'there are some velvety moments from Karani'
The Telegraph- Claire Jackson
'This is still a youthful company by opera standards, but for the past decade OHP has nurtured young artists, with a perceptive eye for talent. The fruits were on offer in a new staging of The Marriage of Figaro (sung in Italian) in which three of these homegrown singers took principal roles, triumphantly: Elizabeth Karani (Susanna), Nardus Williams (Countess Almaviva) and Julien Van Mellaerts (Count Almaviva)'.
The Guardian- Fiona Maddocks
'…with Elizabeth Karani and Ross Ramgobin working hard as the artful Susanna and Figaro, both vocally secure and alert to all the comic possibilities as they plotted to outwit the lecherous Count of Julien Van Mellaerts...'
Stephen Pritchard- Bachtrack
'indeed Elizabeth Karani, as Susanna, found a special kind of quiet yearning in her nocturnal “Deh, vieni non tardar."'
OperaWire
Die Walküre (Helmwige) - Hackney Empire/Arcola Theatre 2021
'the trio of valkyries (Elizabeth Karani, Katie Stevenson, Bethan Langford) are vibrant and exciting...'
The Reviews Hub- Karl O’Doherty
'Our Valkyries (cut to just three) get the best costumes (sassy leather coats and boots), with Elizabeth Karani’s super-feisty Helmwige throwing some much-needed fire on the stage...'
operaCat- Charlotte Valori
'We also have a fine set of Valkyries, here only three rather than eight in number, but fully up to the vocal and dramatic challenge of protecting their sister against Wotan’s wrath.'
Plays to See- Tim Hochstrasser
L'Inganno Felice (Isabella) - West Green House Opera 2019
'Elizabeth Karani projects the part of the wronged Isabella strongly, with accomplished coloratura which demonstrates the full command of vocal technique Rossini was already demanding at so young an age.' Curtis Rogers - Classical Source
'The piece is sung and acted to excellent effect by Thomas Humphreys (Tarabotta), Timothy Dickinson (Ormondo), Adam Temple-Smith (Bertrando), Jan Capinski (Batone) and especially Elizabeth Karani as Isabella.' Sam Smith - MusicOMH
Lucio Papirio Dittatore (Rutilia) - Buxton International Festival 2019
'In Buxton, a top cast tackled this work with enthusiastic commitment...Robert Murray, William Towers, Elizabeth Karani, Eleanor Dennis and Gareth Brynmor John all shone’ Fiona Maddocks - The Observer
‘...Elizabeth Karani and Eleanor Dennis as the lovers Rutilia and Cominio, all cope heroically with the coloratura challenges set by Caldara’s score.’ Andrew Clements - The Guardian
‘The cast assembled for this rare revival are all accomplished Baroque stylists, with all the flexibility, technical security and range of colours this music demands...Elizabeth Karani as Rutilia, Fabio’s other daughter, has a different timbre from her sister’s, but is her equal in fine singing and acting. Just as one is wishing Caldara had made more of her, she is given a testing dramatic aria, and seizes her moment.’ Michael Tipler - Bernard Lee Music
‘Soprano Elizabeth Karani, played the part of Rutilia. She made a strong impression in her aria, directed towards Servilio who was pursuing her, but for whom she only had hatred; it was expressively rendered, and displayed an attractive depth to the voice. She has a strong coloratura, and delivered her recitatives with versatility and purpose.’Alan Neilson - The Operawire
'A strong team of young singers had been assembled....There were fine supporting performances from William Towers, Eleanor Dennis, Elizabeth Karani and Gareth Brynmor John’ Anthony Ogus
‘Elizabeth Karani and Eleanor Dennis provide an equally competent, though lighter-veined, romantic partnership as Rutilia and Cominio respectively, often even comically so in Karani’s case as she fends off the unwelcome attentions of Servilio.’ Curtis Rogers - Classical Source
'Rutillia est la sœur du condamnée. Elizabeth Karani lui prête un soprano habile et un grand sens de la scène.' ('Rutilia is the sister of the condemned. Elizabeth Karani lends her a skilled soprano and a great sense of the stage.' trans.) Anaclase
Hansel and Gretel (Gretel) - English National Opera 2019
'The singers’ words work well in an English translation by David Pountney, and come across clearly without surtitles, with the main vocal pairings strongly executed by Heather Lowe (Hansel) and Elizabeth Karani (Gretel)' Clive Burton - Theatre World
'We enjoy the sweetness that Heather Lowe and Elizabeth Karani share as the siblings. Lowe is incredibly playful as Hansel, and has the childlike physicality down to a tee. Karani is the perfect contrast as Gretel; disciplining her brother, being the firmer of the two. Both are strong storytellers and their performances are charming.' Charlie Wilks - Broadway World
'Heather Lowe and Elizabeth Karani bring a youthful energy to the roles of Hansel and Gretel, bounding around the stage with glee.' Rhiannon Evans - West end Wilma
'The singing, in English, is clear and audible throughout. Heather Lowe as Hansel and Elizabeth Karani as Gretel convince as brother and sister and as children.' John O'Brien - London Theatre 1
'Heather Lowe and Elizabeth Karani in the title roles are frisky kids, dancing away their hunger pangs with the Floss. ' Claudia Pritchard - Culture Whisper
The Monstrous Child (Nanna/Embla) - Royal Opera House, Covent Garden 2019
'Elizabeth Karani provided strong support in a pair of soprano roles.' Planet Hugill
Die Fledermaus (Rosalinde) - Diva Opera 2018
'Elizabeth Karani masters the role of the formidable Rosalinde to perfection, with a charming sound and a stunning Czardas.' Robert Pénavayre
‘La très sûre Elizabeth Karani, alias Rosalinde, est magnifique dans sa Czardas...' Victoria Okada - Les Clefs ResMusica
Eugene Onegin (Tatyana) - Mid Wales Opera 2018
'Given the earlier suggestion that Tatyana is really the centre of the opera it was important than Elizabeth Karani’s Tatyana was well, if quietly acted, plausibly both innocent and strong of character and sung with considerable beauty of tone.' Glyn Pursglove - Seen and Heard International
'Elizabeth Karani’s Tatyana reacted to her rejection not with tears and tantrums but a cool dignity. This Tatyana particularly, and rightly, grabs us during the wonderful letter scene and then the final showdown with Onegin.' Mike Smith - Art Scene in Wales
‘His Tatyana is Elizabeth Karani: she fields a warm and secure soprano.’ Rupert Christiansen - The Telegraph
‘Tatyana is played by young British soprano Elizabeth Karani. It is refreshing to see young artists playing characters of roughly their age throughout this production...Ms Karani is at her best during her lengthy letter scene in scene two of act one. She portrays the passion that Tatyana is expressing in her letter to Onegin with both power in her singing and movement in her acting’. Roger Barrington - Get The Chance
‘Tchaikovsky's second scene is a tour de force for Elizabeth Karani holding the stage alone for an extended period. She takes her character on its arc of maturity. At the opening she is a meditative reader of novels and impulsive letter-writer. By the third act she has moved to a position possessed of the grace for the renunciation of impulse.' Adam Somerset - Theatre in Wales
‘Tatyana, Elizabeth Karani, has more clarity and drive, gamely supported by Maria Jagusz’ Filipyevna...’ Steph Power - The Stage
La Bohème (Musetta) - Opera Holland Park 2016
'Elizabeth Karani was a pert and pretty Musetta, singing the waltz song with a lovely sense of clarity which suggested an admirable fluency in coloratura, yet combined with wit and a sense of humour.' Robert Hugill - Planet Hugill
Der Schauspieldirektor (Mademoiselle Silberklang) - Opera Box 2017
'Karani, her fitness-freak challenger, was her match in their vocal duels, displaying lots of vocal colour and evenness across the registers.' Claire Seymour - Opera Today