American Café: Songs of Love
Voice of American Radio
by David Byrd
February 21, 2017
by David Byrd
February 21, 2017
Cathedral Choral Society and Eya pay enthralling tribute to two mystics
Concert Review: Cathedral Choral Society and Eya present "Visionary Women," featuring Richard Einhorn's Voices of Light
by Cecelia Porter, The Washington Post
February 24, 2014
"Eya, a remarkable, unaccompanied quartet of women’s voices, delivered two of Hildegard’s florid chants, one an intense allegory of “Celestial Harmony.” Eya also included an anonymous Latin 13th-century part song and a gorgeous medieval chanson of Guillaume Dufay. Eya delivered these with precise ensemble, a strong sense of presence and ringing vowels that reverberated to the farthest reaches of the cathedral."
"Einhorn’s piece... was beautifully rendered by [Reilly] Lewis’s forces with meticulous ensemble, buoyancy and attention to the gripping innuendos of the screen drama."
by Cecelia Porter, The Washington Post
February 24, 2014
"Eya, a remarkable, unaccompanied quartet of women’s voices, delivered two of Hildegard’s florid chants, one an intense allegory of “Celestial Harmony.” Eya also included an anonymous Latin 13th-century part song and a gorgeous medieval chanson of Guillaume Dufay. Eya delivered these with precise ensemble, a strong sense of presence and ringing vowels that reverberated to the farthest reaches of the cathedral."
"Einhorn’s piece... was beautifully rendered by [Reilly] Lewis’s forces with meticulous ensemble, buoyancy and attention to the gripping innuendos of the screen drama."
The Anti-Glam Gala
Concert Review: Washington Early Music Festival Gala
by Stephen Brookes, The Washington Post
July 10, 2011
"The most affecting performance may have come from young soprano Allison Mondel, who brought a kind of spare, otherworldly radiance to the medieval works she sang — a performance from across the centuries, full of distant and irresistible beauties."
by Stephen Brookes, The Washington Post
July 10, 2011
"The most affecting performance may have come from young soprano Allison Mondel, who brought a kind of spare, otherworldly radiance to the medieval works she sang — a performance from across the centuries, full of distant and irresistible beauties."
Armonia Nova's arresting concert of early music at St. Mark's, Capitol Hill
Concert Review: Armonia Nova "When Love was Art," Washington, DC
by Joe Banno, The Washington Post
June 28, 2010
"An ample audience turnout Friday might have been due to the guest artist -- the pearl-toned soprano Jacqueline Horner-Kwiatek, a member of the popular early-music quartet Anonymous 4. The vocalists of the D.C.-based Armonia Nova, however, sounded fully up to Horner-Kwiatek's level. Allison Mondel's ethereal soprano, Marjorie Bunday's warm and pure-toned mezzo, and Jay White's alternation of supple tenor and focused countertenor (shifting registers as individual pieces required), blended beautifully in a recital of songs from roughly 1200 through the late 1400s."
"In an anonymous duet, "Dites, seignor," White and Horner-Kwiatek created an operatic level of engagement (in a piece written 300 years before opera was invented), as did Mondel in a rendition of another score of unknown origin, "S'on me regarde," that exuded erotic longing and fear of discovery."
by Joe Banno, The Washington Post
June 28, 2010
"An ample audience turnout Friday might have been due to the guest artist -- the pearl-toned soprano Jacqueline Horner-Kwiatek, a member of the popular early-music quartet Anonymous 4. The vocalists of the D.C.-based Armonia Nova, however, sounded fully up to Horner-Kwiatek's level. Allison Mondel's ethereal soprano, Marjorie Bunday's warm and pure-toned mezzo, and Jay White's alternation of supple tenor and focused countertenor (shifting registers as individual pieces required), blended beautifully in a recital of songs from roughly 1200 through the late 1400s."
"In an anonymous duet, "Dites, seignor," White and Horner-Kwiatek created an operatic level of engagement (in a piece written 300 years before opera was invented), as did Mondel in a rendition of another score of unknown origin, "S'on me regarde," that exuded erotic longing and fear of discovery."
Armonia Nova's Elegant Hildegard
Concert Review: Armonia Nova "A World Lit by Fire," Washington, DC
by Ronni Reich, The Washington Post
June 23, 2008
"Armonia Nova's program was fresh, impassioned and elegantly presented. Each member of the vocal quartet displayed a different strength. Soprano Allison Mondel's range and interpretation were impressive..."
by Ronni Reich, The Washington Post
June 23, 2008
"Armonia Nova's program was fresh, impassioned and elegantly presented. Each member of the vocal quartet displayed a different strength. Soprano Allison Mondel's range and interpretation were impressive..."
Williamstown Early Music: Gods, Goddesses and Handel
Concert Review: Williamstown Early Music "Handel Gala," Williamstown, MA
by Andrew L. Pincus, The Berkshire Eagle
May 1, 2007
"In Chapin Hall, excerpts from Acis and Galatea, Saul, Semele, Giulio Cesare, Rinaldo and L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato provided the evening's morsels. Williamstown Early Music co-director Richard Giarusso knowingly conducted a smart 14-piece orchestra, which played modern instruments with period-instrument snap, lightness, pictorial effect and tenderness of feeling."
"Four more unlike soloists in voice and style would have been hard to find. Soprano Allison Mondel, Giarusso's co-director, was fairest of the fair."
"... the purity and velvet [of her] voice, plus Mondel's ability to enter into a role both musically and dramatically, made her a consistently touching Galatea, Semele and Almirena. If she lacked the regal power of a Cleopatra, it was a gentler pleasure to hear her shoot her arrows of love at Caesar."
by Andrew L. Pincus, The Berkshire Eagle
May 1, 2007
"In Chapin Hall, excerpts from Acis and Galatea, Saul, Semele, Giulio Cesare, Rinaldo and L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato provided the evening's morsels. Williamstown Early Music co-director Richard Giarusso knowingly conducted a smart 14-piece orchestra, which played modern instruments with period-instrument snap, lightness, pictorial effect and tenderness of feeling."
"Four more unlike soloists in voice and style would have been hard to find. Soprano Allison Mondel, Giarusso's co-director, was fairest of the fair."
"... the purity and velvet [of her] voice, plus Mondel's ability to enter into a role both musically and dramatically, made her a consistently touching Galatea, Semele and Almirena. If she lacked the regal power of a Cleopatra, it was a gentler pleasure to hear her shoot her arrows of love at Caesar."
Superb performance of Heinrich Schütz's choral masterpiece
Concert Review: Aoede Consort performance, Williamstown, MA
by Michael Miller found on www.berkshirefinearts.com
February 21, 2007
"Mr. Giarusso and the Aoede Consort offered a remarkably polished fully realized performance... The singers of the Aoede ensemble are superb, both as a group and as soloists. I especially enjoyed the beautiful production and phrasing of sopranos Katherine Dain and Allison Mondel and contralto Mary Abba-Gleason, not to slight the fine singing of the male soloists."
"Williamstown Early Music has shown once again what an asset it is to the Northern Berkshires."
by Michael Miller found on www.berkshirefinearts.com
February 21, 2007
"Mr. Giarusso and the Aoede Consort offered a remarkably polished fully realized performance... The singers of the Aoede ensemble are superb, both as a group and as soloists. I especially enjoyed the beautiful production and phrasing of sopranos Katherine Dain and Allison Mondel and contralto Mary Abba-Gleason, not to slight the fine singing of the male soloists."
"Williamstown Early Music has shown once again what an asset it is to the Northern Berkshires."
Williamstown Early Music Presents Seven Times Salt
Concert Review: Seven Times Salt performance, Williamstown, MA
by Michael Miller found on www.berkshirefinearts.com
December 23, 2006
"As harmonious as she appeared to be with her collaborators, she enriched the evening by adding an additional individuality of particular authority and charm. Her voice is flexible and attractive in all registers, and she projected a thorough command of the music and texts, whether they were pastoral, devotional, humorous, or simply full of jolly spirits."
by Michael Miller found on www.berkshirefinearts.com
December 23, 2006
"As harmonious as she appeared to be with her collaborators, she enriched the evening by adding an additional individuality of particular authority and charm. Her voice is flexible and attractive in all registers, and she projected a thorough command of the music and texts, whether they were pastoral, devotional, humorous, or simply full of jolly spirits."
Yule concert a holiday haven
Concert Review: Seven Times Salt performance, Williamstown, MA
by Andrew L. Pincus, The Berkshire Eagle
December 19, 2006
"While all four of the group's members could carry a tune in the ensemble numbers, Mondel, a co-director (along with Richard Giarusso) of Williamstown Early Music, sang with a voice of angelic lightness, tenderness and purity. It was almost a surprise, given the silken tones, to discover in her biography that she also sings opera (mostly baroque)."
"Founded by Mondel and Giarusso, Williamstown Early Music is in its second season. If this concert was typical in its blend of scholarship and musicianship, the organization has earned a place in the community."
by Andrew L. Pincus, The Berkshire Eagle
December 19, 2006
"While all four of the group's members could carry a tune in the ensemble numbers, Mondel, a co-director (along with Richard Giarusso) of Williamstown Early Music, sang with a voice of angelic lightness, tenderness and purity. It was almost a surprise, given the silken tones, to discover in her biography that she also sings opera (mostly baroque)."
"Founded by Mondel and Giarusso, Williamstown Early Music is in its second season. If this concert was typical in its blend of scholarship and musicianship, the organization has earned a place in the community."
To Hell and back
Opera Review: Harvard Early Music Society, Cambridge, MA
by Richard Buell, The Boston Phoenix
November 26, 2004
"The entire performance came across with honesty and integrity... Allison Mondel had a powerful turn as Silvia, the maiden who gets the thankless task of telling Orpheus that Euridice has died."
by Richard Buell, The Boston Phoenix
November 26, 2004
"The entire performance came across with honesty and integrity... Allison Mondel had a powerful turn as Silvia, the maiden who gets the thankless task of telling Orpheus that Euridice has died."
