The New Zealand Herald, 6
April 1999
Tara Werner, music critic
"... Secchi
is a dramatic mezzo with a big sound that could fill any venue ... She is most at
home with large roles such as the gypsy Azucena in Il Trovatore and Dalila in
Samson et Dalila, and she sang their arias with practised ease. And she
was truly in her element with composers such as Mussorgsky, singing a powerful
interpretation of The Songs and Dances of Death."
L.A.
Weekly, September 18, 1998
Robert Rogers, contributing music critic,
reviewing a performance of Berlioz's Mort de Cleopatre with the San Fernando
Valley Symphony Orchestra:
"... Secchi's
richly-colored mezzo-soprano negotiated the high tessitura of Berlioz's score
with powerful and steady tone ... her emotional intensity, combined with exemplary
diction and style, contributed to a riveting performance as Shakespeare's and
Berlioz's suicidal queen ..."
Burbank
Daily News, April 24, 1997
Nelson Sardelli, reviewing a concert
performance of Aida with the San Fernando Valley Symphony Orchestra:
"Mezzo-soprano
Caterina Secchi, thrilled the audience with her voice and beautiful stage
presence. From her glisteningly delicate invocation to love in "Ah vieni"
to her clarion outburst of despair at the end of the Judgement Scene, she
revealed an Amneris of uncommon vocal beauty, power and dramatic intent."
L'Eco
di Bergamo, 7 February, 1996
N. Filippini Fantoni, music critic:
"... Caterina
Secchi, mezzo-soprano with a beautiful voice and an elegant figure, immediately
earned the full satisfaction, not to mention the admiration, of the public
which, at the end of each of her arias, showered her with applause ..."
Il
Resto Del Carlino, 17 January, 1995
Daniele Rubboli, guest music
critic. Reviewing a gala concert in honor of Magda Olivero, with the
participation of Francesca Pedaci, Tino Cecchele, Caterina Secchi and Garbis
Boyagian:
"... the mezzo-soprano, Caterina Secchi revealed rich and
voluptuous tone in Carmen's "Habanera," noble phrasing and breadth of tone in the
aria of La Cieca, and vocal steel mixed with total dramatic abandon in Azucena's
terrifying "Condotta ell' era in ceppi"...The public thoroughly
enjoyed the evening and lavished the artists with at least twenty minutes of
applause ..."
