2008 Reviews
Messiaen: Chants de terre et de ciel
ATMA Classique
"The most fascinating work on this CD, for me, is La mort du nombre, a nine-minute cantata for soprano, tenor, violin, and piano. More than any piece I've heard by Messiaen, it owes a heavy musical debt to Debussy and, in some respects, Wagner, particularly in the final piece where the soprano and violin ascend to a sort of "trembling ecstasy." Here, LeBlanc's performance is indeed emotionally involved, and appropriately so. Tenor Lawrence Wiliford, like LeBlanc, has a beautiful timbre and is, in fact, a more intense interpreter. I'd love to hear him sing Pelléas.
There's one other recording of Trois melodies, Von Stade and Katz (RCA), but the mezzo's imperfect French mars an otherwise good performance. In La mort du nombre, Françoise Pollet's very French vibrato (Jade 36352) may seem a trifle ripe to American ears, but her performance is quite interesting; Ann Murray is excellent in the recording on Virgin Classics 91179, but tenor Philip Langridge is not the equal of Wiliford here. Of Chants de terre et de ciel, neither of the competing versions are in LeBlanc's class, despite the presence of Messiaen's second wife, pianist Yvonne Loriod, on the massive 10-CD set on Warner Classics. There seems to be, alas, only one other recording of the Vocalise-étude (with Nathalie Manfrino on a DGG 32-CD set), which makes their decision to give this to the violin all the sadder. Nevertheless, this is a disc of high and unusual musical interest, highly recommended."
- Lynn René Bayley, Fanfare Archive, 2009
"LeBlanc has a strong pedigree in Baroque repertoire, and her clear fresh voice is especially effective in the Trois mélodies and as the pure 'first soul' in La mort du nombre, Lawrence Wiliford providing a robust foil."
- BBC Music Magazine, December 2008
Messiah
Tafelmusik
"Tenor Lawrence Wiliford has the ideal voice, technique and sense of drama for baroque-era music." Read Full Article
- John Terauds, Toronto Star, December 18, 2008
Messiah
Grand Philharmonic Choir
"Tenor Lawrence Wiliford eased into his Comfort Ye with tender evocation, working into full steam with Every valley. As the drama unfolded, he evoked even greater musical bravado with his damning Thou Shalt Break Them. Wiliford's voice was both sinewy and supple, allowing a wide range of interpretive expressions."
- Stephen Preece, The Record, December 8, 2008
Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Opera Atelier (Pedrillo)
"Lawrence Williford is a hoot as hyperkinetic manservant Pedrillo"
- John Terauds, Toronto Star, November 10, 2008
"Tenor Lawrence Wiliford was a delightful Pedrillo, [...] lively as a flea and very funny. [...] He sang up a storm."
- Ken Winters, The Globe and Mail, November 10, 2008
Opera Canada Article
Lawrence Wiliford Read Full Article
- Rick MacMillan, Opera Canada, Sept-Oct, 2008
Richter Missa Hyemalis / Mozart Requiem
St. Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue, NY
Classical Favorites and Surprises Read Full Article
- James R. Oestreich, The New York Times, October 19, 2008
Recital
St. Olaf College, MN
Alum Vocal Artist Stuns Read Full Article
- Meg Granum, Manitou Messenger, October 3, 2008
Pygmalion
Festival Vancouver / Early Music Vancouver (Pygmalion)
"Watching it, you imagined it being done in 1748 and could well see how it must have enchanted people, that is, if the first Pygmalion was anything like the amazing tenor, Lawrence Wiliford. This was a voice that owed its origins as if to something supernatural with a concluding aria dense with ornament and florid with long brilliant lines."
- Lloyd Dykk, Vancouver Sun, August 15, 2008
"Wiliford, who possesses an impossibly clear tone and lyrical sensitivity, was a revelation in the title role, to which he brought depth and humanity."
- Jessica Werb, Georgia Straight, August 15, 2008
"The star of the evening though was Lawrence Wiliford whose sensitivity and skill brought extraordinary humanity to Pygmalion and whose choice and control of line, articulation and ornament produced a performance of unutterable beauty."
- Elizabeth Paterson, Review Vancouver, August 15, 2008
Solomon
Elora Festival (Zadok the High Priest)
"...But it's not every year that we get to hear Solomon, especially with soloists the calibre of soprano Karina Gauvin and young tenor Lawrence Williford."
- John Terauds, Toronto Star, July 14, 2008
"As Zadok the Priest, U.S.-born tenor Lawrence Wiliford outdid himself in the longest role outside Solomon's own. Wiliford improves with every hearing. His fundamentally light tenor is so well supported by his breathing and his coloratura is so finely attuned to the music's long phrases that he makes an ideal baroque singer."
- Ken Winters, The Globe and Mail, July 14, 2008
Regina
Pacific Opera Victoria (Leo) *Canadian Premiere*
"The dramatic content carries the production and, happily, the acting throughout was solid. Tenor Lawrence Wiliford, as the hapless Leo, was particularly engaging."
- Naomi Lester, Monday Magazine, April 24-30, 2008
"...Lawrence Wiliford provides delicious comic relief as Leo Hubbard...."
- Grania Litwin, Times Colonist, April 19, 2008
St. John Passion
The Grand Philharmonic Choir
"Wiliford, in the part of the Evangelist, sang with an expressive clarity that drew [the audience] into the setting."
- Susan Deefholts, The Record, March 22, 2008
A Song of Enchantment
The Aldeburgh Connection
"But it was tenor Wiliford who made the most passionate and affecting use of a true legato."
- Ken Winters, The Globe and Mail, January 15, 2008
A Feast of Beautiful Sounds Read Full Article
- John Terauds, Toronto Star, January 14, 2008
Messiaen: Chants de terre et de ciel
ATMA Classique
"The most fascinating work on this CD, for me, is La mort du nombre, a nine-minute cantata for soprano, tenor, violin, and piano. More than any piece I've heard by Messiaen, it owes a heavy musical debt to Debussy and, in some respects, Wagner, particularly in the final piece where the soprano and violin ascend to a sort of "trembling ecstasy." Here, LeBlanc's performance is indeed emotionally involved, and appropriately so. Tenor Lawrence Wiliford, like LeBlanc, has a beautiful timbre and is, in fact, a more intense interpreter. I'd love to hear him sing Pelléas.
There's one other recording of Trois melodies, Von Stade and Katz (RCA), but the mezzo's imperfect French mars an otherwise good performance. In La mort du nombre, Françoise Pollet's very French vibrato (Jade 36352) may seem a trifle ripe to American ears, but her performance is quite interesting; Ann Murray is excellent in the recording on Virgin Classics 91179, but tenor Philip Langridge is not the equal of Wiliford here. Of Chants de terre et de ciel, neither of the competing versions are in LeBlanc's class, despite the presence of Messiaen's second wife, pianist Yvonne Loriod, on the massive 10-CD set on Warner Classics. There seems to be, alas, only one other recording of the Vocalise-étude (with Nathalie Manfrino on a DGG 32-CD set), which makes their decision to give this to the violin all the sadder. Nevertheless, this is a disc of high and unusual musical interest, highly recommended."
- Lynn René Bayley, Fanfare Archive, 2009
"LeBlanc has a strong pedigree in Baroque repertoire, and her clear fresh voice is especially effective in the Trois mélodies and as the pure 'first soul' in La mort du nombre, Lawrence Wiliford providing a robust foil."
- BBC Music Magazine, December 2008
Messiah
Tafelmusik
"Tenor Lawrence Wiliford has the ideal voice, technique and sense of drama for baroque-era music." Read Full Article
- John Terauds, Toronto Star, December 18, 2008
Messiah
Grand Philharmonic Choir
"Tenor Lawrence Wiliford eased into his Comfort Ye with tender evocation, working into full steam with Every valley. As the drama unfolded, he evoked even greater musical bravado with his damning Thou Shalt Break Them. Wiliford's voice was both sinewy and supple, allowing a wide range of interpretive expressions."
- Stephen Preece, The Record, December 8, 2008
Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Opera Atelier (Pedrillo)
"Lawrence Williford is a hoot as hyperkinetic manservant Pedrillo"
- John Terauds, Toronto Star, November 10, 2008
"Tenor Lawrence Wiliford was a delightful Pedrillo, [...] lively as a flea and very funny. [...] He sang up a storm."
- Ken Winters, The Globe and Mail, November 10, 2008
Opera Canada Article
Lawrence Wiliford Read Full Article
- Rick MacMillan, Opera Canada, Sept-Oct, 2008
Richter Missa Hyemalis / Mozart Requiem
St. Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue, NY
Classical Favorites and Surprises Read Full Article
- James R. Oestreich, The New York Times, October 19, 2008
Recital
St. Olaf College, MN
Alum Vocal Artist Stuns Read Full Article
- Meg Granum, Manitou Messenger, October 3, 2008
Pygmalion
Festival Vancouver / Early Music Vancouver (Pygmalion)
"Watching it, you imagined it being done in 1748 and could well see how it must have enchanted people, that is, if the first Pygmalion was anything like the amazing tenor, Lawrence Wiliford. This was a voice that owed its origins as if to something supernatural with a concluding aria dense with ornament and florid with long brilliant lines."
- Lloyd Dykk, Vancouver Sun, August 15, 2008
"Wiliford, who possesses an impossibly clear tone and lyrical sensitivity, was a revelation in the title role, to which he brought depth and humanity."
- Jessica Werb, Georgia Straight, August 15, 2008
"The star of the evening though was Lawrence Wiliford whose sensitivity and skill brought extraordinary humanity to Pygmalion and whose choice and control of line, articulation and ornament produced a performance of unutterable beauty."
- Elizabeth Paterson, Review Vancouver, August 15, 2008
Solomon
Elora Festival (Zadok the High Priest)
"...But it's not every year that we get to hear Solomon, especially with soloists the calibre of soprano Karina Gauvin and young tenor Lawrence Williford."
- John Terauds, Toronto Star, July 14, 2008
"As Zadok the Priest, U.S.-born tenor Lawrence Wiliford outdid himself in the longest role outside Solomon's own. Wiliford improves with every hearing. His fundamentally light tenor is so well supported by his breathing and his coloratura is so finely attuned to the music's long phrases that he makes an ideal baroque singer."
- Ken Winters, The Globe and Mail, July 14, 2008
Regina
Pacific Opera Victoria (Leo) *Canadian Premiere*
"The dramatic content carries the production and, happily, the acting throughout was solid. Tenor Lawrence Wiliford, as the hapless Leo, was particularly engaging."
- Naomi Lester, Monday Magazine, April 24-30, 2008
"...Lawrence Wiliford provides delicious comic relief as Leo Hubbard...."
- Grania Litwin, Times Colonist, April 19, 2008
St. John Passion
The Grand Philharmonic Choir
"Wiliford, in the part of the Evangelist, sang with an expressive clarity that drew [the audience] into the setting."
- Susan Deefholts, The Record, March 22, 2008
A Song of Enchantment
The Aldeburgh Connection
"But it was tenor Wiliford who made the most passionate and affecting use of a true legato."
- Ken Winters, The Globe and Mail, January 15, 2008
A Feast of Beautiful Sounds Read Full Article
- John Terauds, Toronto Star, January 14, 2008