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Press
"Soprano Anita Watson captured the opera’s true tragedy, that of the spurned Micaëla and her devotion to José and to his dying mother, in an impeccably sung account of her exquisite music.”
Mark Valencia, Bachtrack
Micaëla, Carmen, Welsh National Opera
"Of the principals, Anita Watson's radiant Micaëla, a homely foil for the fickle heroine, is well worth catching"
Hugh Canning, The Sunday Times
Micaëla, Carmen, Welsh National Opera
“Ms Watson had a strong dramatic presence and was stentorian or radiant as the music demanded.”
Jim Pritchard, Seen and Heard
Verdi Requiem, Royal Opera House Fused Festival
“It’s hard to imagine a more ideal Pamina than Anita Watson. Her rich, silky soprano wrapped itself lovingly round Mozart’s delicious melodies, and Watson’s well-shaped phrasing created strong character and spirit.”
Claire Seymour, Opera Today
Pamina, The Magic Flute, Welsh National Opera
“As the Governess, Anita Watson sang with a beautifully sweet tone and finely, entrancingly nuanced phrasing; her words - there were no surtitles though copies of the libretto were supplied - were as crystalline as her conception of her own ‘mission’.”
Claire Seymour, Opera Today
Governess, The Turn of the Screw, English National Opera at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
“Hers is a gorgeous, liquid lyric soprano...”
David Nice, The Arts Desk
Governess, The Turn of the Screw, English National Opera at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
“The central figure, the Governess, is sung here by Anita Watson. The gentle radiance of her soprano and the unforced clarity of her diction (there are no surtitles) are matched by an economical, but always eloquent physical performance. Her smile speaks volumes".
Yehuda Shapiro, The Stage
Governess, The Turn of the Screw, English National Opera at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
“Capturing the audience with her clear and pure tone, Anita Watson plays the role of Donna Anna...Watson gave a most moving performance of her anguished character.”
Claira Prider, Out in Perth
Donna Anna, Don Giovanni, West Australian Opera
“Anita Watson was Anne Trulove, showing not only beautiful voice, since her dynamic handling is excellent, her pianissimi are marvellous and her forte are solid; her performance is convincing in the pursuit of the libertine in which Tom has become”.
Gilberto Ponce Veras, Visonescriticas.com
Ann Trulove, The Rake's Progress, Teatro Municipal, Santiago de Chile
"Both Anita Watson and Ji-Min Park were Leeds debutants. She had a special charisma right from the start, so much so that she threatened to deter her suitor with her glossy veneer. Their interaction peaked in the final scene. Watson made the production of a lovely sound her real priority. In that she succeeded handsomely.”
Martin Dreyer, Opera Magazine
Mimi, La Bohème, Opera North
“Anita Watson (Freia) contributed a voice of lustrous beauty and enough power to serve as a potential Valkyrie"
Robert Markow, Opera Magazine
Orchestra of the Music Makers, Singapore
"Watson is another singer I believe I was hearing for the first time and if tonight’s performance is anything to go by then I hope to hear much more of her in the future. Hers was one of the best assumptions of the soprano role in The Kingdom that I have heard, whether live or on CD. I think her smiling demeanour helped; that smile was transferred into the sound of her voice. Like her mezzo partner, her tone and diction were clear throughout the performance, and I enjoyed every note she sang. She made an excellent contribution to ‘At the Beautiful Gate’ but she saved her very best for the great soprano aria ‘The sun goeth down’, which closes Part IV. In this extended number the soloist is required to produce a great deal of thoughtfully poetic singing, but rapturous singing is needed in the middle of the aria, as well as the ability for the voice to ride a large Elgarian orchestra in full spate. Watson was equal to all of these challenges and gave a really committed and very moving account of the aria. The subdued end was excellently achieved. I should also mention the Philharmonia’s leader, Zsolt-Tihamér Visontay who played the solo violin part in this aria with fragile beauty. Listening to him, I was reminded of the poetry that he brought to the slow movement of Elgar’s Violin Concerto during his superb performance of the work at last year’s Festival. ‘The sun goeth down’ should be a pinnacle of any performance of this oratorio. With superb singing from Anita Watson and the Philharmonia contributing with great sensitivity, her outstanding rendition of the aria was indeed a pinnacle".
John Quinn, Seen and Heard,
The Kingdom (Elgar), Three Choirs Festival
