Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice

Carlo Vistoli was the ideal Orfeo. Vocally and dramatically. His resounding and perfectly placed countertenor voice attended to the thousand nuances and registers of a role that seems tailor-made for him. He shone, convinced, and fascinated from his first intervention, in the initial scene, with a "Basta, basta, o compagno !" full of pain and vocal credibility, which instantly places the spectator at the heart of the tragedy. Then, in the sorrowful and more than famous "Che farò senza Euridice?" he unfolded his homogeneous and meticulously calibrated range, imposing with the style and class of a great artist a meticulously phrased singing line that exudes intelligence and expressive sense.

Justo Romero — Scherzo

 

In the cast, the great triumph of the night was the magnificent Orfeo of the Italian countertenor Carlo Vistoli. A beautiful, resonant, and musical voice that moved from the beginning with its cries of pain in the opening chorus, but also with its clarity in the recitative and its flexibility in the phrasing. He turned his two laments for each of Euridice's deaths, in the first and third acts, into the highlights of the night. Two musical numbers with a structure similar to a rondeau with a refrain and stanzas that allowed him to juxtapose the sudden psychological changes of the protagonist.

Pablo L. Rodríguez — El País

 

Here in Valencia, Vistoli made an unbeatable impression, establishing himself in a few years as one of the most outstanding countertenors with a clean and clear tone, and a technique that allows him to move with agility throughout his entire range.

Antonio Gómez Schneekloth — docenotas.com

 

From a vocal standpoint, Carlo Vistoli was a great protagonist as Orfeo; the countertenor is one of the leading figures in his field today and stood out especially for the timbral quality of his velvety tone, particularly rich and natural in the middle register. Moreover, from a stylistic perspective, he was impeccable, with exquisite phrasing and an absolute mastery of resources, finding the appropriate color to express each of the emotions that the work encompasses.

César Rus — ÓPERA ACTUAL

 

The countertenor Carlo Vistoli embodied a sorrowful Orpheus, nuanced in every aspect and, in line with what was said before, iridescent in his vocals according to the demands of expression. The aria "Che farò senza Euridice" came out as natural as it was moving—very well sung. Capuano helped by infusing renewed interest into the third repetition. This is another innovation brought by Gluck, not writing a typical da capo aria.

Daniel Martínez Babiloni — Bachtrack

 

Carlo Vistoli sang exquisitely. With refined intonation and a clear, homogeneous tone, he portrayed a sentimental Orpheus without falling into pathos. His restrained and minimalist gestures were in line with the scene, although his warmth contrasted strongly with the prevailing gray of the atmosphere. I found him somewhat lacking in volume; perhaps that's what the ominous warning referred to, but in truth, I have never heard a powerful countertenor.

Pedro Valbuena — Opera World

 

The stellar singer, the Italian from Lugo, Carlo Vistoli, gave a truly spectacular and memorable performance. He is a contralto countertenor, a rare bird in the world of opera. He exuded lyricism and drama wisely. The various arias he sang were wonderful, even better in the recitatives. This native of Ravenna has a dark tone that moves the audience.

Francisco Bueno Camejo — Valencia News

 

[Vistoli] dedicated his entire arsenal of artistic qualities to conveying emotions, to show that music and love can defy death itself. The Italian is a countertenor with a dark voice, but not especially deep. He possesses a color that is as arid as it is smooth, and a body that is as compact as it is versatile. With these qualities—great musicality, good volume in the middle register, and richness of harmonics—he crafted an Orpheus that was as brilliant musically as he was dramatic. He painted the most famous aria of the opera, "Che farò senza Euridice?", with overwhelming sorrow, interpreted as skillfully as the rest of the moments, integrating it intelligently into the development of the work. Always with spirit and involvement, fully committed on stage, and rolling up his sleeves from the second act onwards, he delivered a precise and enormously professionally honest performance, full of fiery passion, to move both the gods and the audience at Les Arts.

Jacobo Ríos-Capapé Carpi — Valencia Plaza