"The burnished mezzo of Magdalena Kožená was perfectly apt for this staging, and it was good to hear Kožená at the very top of her game. Her “Du lieber Heiland du … Buss’ und Reu’”, with obbligato flutes, was a highlight in a performance wherein it seems churlish to select highlights. As she sang, she massaged Padmore’s back, her phrasing deliciously shaded. Later, post-interval, her aria “Erbarme dich, mein Gott” was magnificently poignant. And later, the staggeringly original scoring of the recitative “Erbarm es Gott!” seemed to inspire her to deliver a stunningly anguished vocal line."
© Colin Clarke
