Gluck, Iphigénie en Tauride (Deuxième Prêtresse/Une femme grecque), Opéra national de Lorraine, 2023
“Grace Durham’s beautiful, burnished mezzo stayed ringing in our ears, and we were disappointed not to hear more of her” “Le beau timbre mordoré de mezzo de [Grace Durham] retient l’oreille et fait regretter la brièveté de ses interventions” Première Loge
Dvořák, Rusalka (Kuchtík), Garsington Opera/Edinburgh International Festival, 2022
"a lush mezzo, Grace Durham, a name to watch" Opera Magazine
“Grace Durham was a spirited, strong-voiced Giovanna.” I Hear Voices
Recital with Edward Liddall, Bibliothèque La Grange-Fleuret, 2022
“Is it impossible to sing French as it is spoken? Of course not – and it is a British artist who proves it, aligning herself with a long tradition of French singer-speakers in a way that many native Francophones would envy.” “Impossible de chanter le français comme on le parle ? eh bien si, on le peut, une chanteuse britannique nous le prouve, renouant avec un art de dire/chanter notre langue que bien des francophones pourraient lui envier.” Première Loge
Recital with Edward Liddall, Musée d’Orsay, 2022
“In Haydn’s Arianna a Naxos, Edward Liddall – so virtuosic in Ravel and Dvorak – played with pianoforte-like refinement, and Grace Durham allowed her true talent as a tragic actress to bloom. […] But it was in La dame de Monte-Carlo that all her qualities really came together: French that the French themselves would envy, a natural theatricality that brought every line of Cocteau’s text to life, and a superbly rich vocal timbre” “Le récital s’était ouvert avec […] Ariane à Naxos de Haydn. Si virtuose dans Ravel et Dvořák, le pianiste Edward Liddall y trouvait des grâces de pianofortiste, et la chanteuse laissait s’y épanouir un vrai talent de tragédienne. […] Mais c’est avec La Dame de Monte-Carlo que se trouvent réunies toutes les qualités de Grace Durham : un français à rendre jaloux nos compatriotes ; une nature théâtrale qui fait un sort à chaque vers du texte de Cocteau, avec des gestes toujours adéquats ; un timbre superbe” Première Loge
“One of the great joys in a music-lover’s life is discovering new talents at the dawn of their career – and that of the London-born, Francophile mezzo Grace Durham is quite obviously exceptional. Her voice is rich and mellifluous, perfectly projected and technically secure; her charisma and intelligence are evident. […] This recital will remain a high point of the season, and the revelation of a radiant artistic personality.” “Un des grands bonheurs de la vie de mélomane est de découvrir, tout à l’aube de leur carrière, de nouveaux talents. Celui de la mezzo londonienne francophile Grace Durham s’impose d’évidence comme tout à fait exceptionnel. Outre sa voix opulente et ductile des plus suaves, parfaitement projetée et totalement maitrisée, elle fait montre d’autres qualités majeures comme le charisme et l’intelligence des textes. […] Ce récital restera comme un sommet de la saison et la révélation d’une personnalité artistique radieuse.” ODB-Opéra
Bizet, Carmen (Mercédès), Théâtre du Capitole, Toulouse, 2022
“Very natural, and with a tangy, well-projected mezzo and effortless high register, Grace Durham’s Mercédès brings energy to the ensembles and finales.” “Très à l’aise la Mercédès de Grace Durham, au mezzo bien projeté sur un timbre acidulé. Sa grande facilité dans les aigus lui permet d’assurer vaillamment sa partie dans les ensembles et finales.” Olyrix “Grace Durham, a sparkling Mercédès” “Grace Durham, pétillante Mercédès” Forum Opéra Plaisir d'amour ne dure qu'un moment, solo recital with Christophe Rousset and Les Talens Lyriques, Festival Antiqua Bolzano, 2021
"Qui la cantante inglese ha veramente [portato] del genuino teatro sul semplice palco di legno nella nuda pietra del castello bolzanino. […] Purcell è stato l’apice dell’intero concerto. Qui la vocalità piena ed estroversa di Durham ha avuto modo di espandersi con naturalezza, senza mai perdere di eleganza ma innervata di una teatralità dirompente. Senza scena, senza oggetti, senza nient’altro che la voce e qualche gesto, il mezzosoprano inglese è riuscito a dipingere con sapiente effetto il carattere di ogni frammento." The English singer […] brought genuine theatre to the simple wooden stage and bare stone walls of the Bolzano castle. […] Purcell was the high point of the entire concert. Here, she could allow her full-bodied, extroverted singing to bloom completely naturally, never losing elegance, but steeped in exuberant theatricality. Without a stage, without props, with nothing but her voice and the occasional gesture, the English mezzo-soprano gave an intelligent depiction of the character of each fragment" Le Salon Musical
“Grace Durham’s performance of this music, traditionally sung by lighter voices, surprises us with its fullness – her rich, round, supple mezzo gives weight to every note and every word. The text is as clear as if it were spoken, and we discover this music in a new light.” “L'interprétation qu'offre Grace Durham dans cette musique, traditionnellement servie par des voix légères, surprend par son plein investissement vocal, son mezzo riche, rond et souple qui donne corps à toutes les notes, à tous les mots. Le texte en sort limpide et déclamatoire. On redécouvre alors cette musique sous un jour nouveau.” Baroque News
International Cesti Competition for Baroque Opera, 2019
“De fait, rien ne semble lui manquer. Ni le placement de la respiration (et le souffle qui va avec), ni la souplesse de la vocalisation, ni la netteté des attaques, ni la qualité de la projection, ni l'énergie, ni le rayonnement. Le timbre est très agréable, le maintien sur scène tout à fait professionnel. […] Cerise sur le gâteau, l'air est précédé d'un récitatif accompagné absolument parfait dénotant un vrai métier théâtral. […] Il fait peu de doute que Durham saura un jour nous étourdir de vocalises en rafale à la Hallenberg ou à la Genaux.” “In fact, nothing seems beyond her; she has a secure grasp of breath control, vocal flexibility, clarity of attack, quality of projection, energy and expressivity. Her vocal timbre is very attractive, and her stage presence entirely professional. […] The icing on the cake was the accompanied recitative preceding the aria – it was absolutely perfect, showing her to be a true actress. […] There is little doubt that one day, Durham will be dazzling us with vocal fireworks in the manner of Hallenberg or Genaux.” (Jacques Duffourg, Baroquiades)
"Jury-Siegerin wird die Mezzosopranistin Grace Durham aus Großbritannien, die auch das letzte Stück vor der zweiten Pause und der anschließenden Preisverleihung vorträgt. Die Wahl ist bei ihr nicht auf Händel sondern auf Johann Adolph Hasses Cleofide gefallen. Aus dieser Oper präsentiert sie die Arie der Titelfigur, "Son qual misera colomba", der sie zunächst ein recht langes Rezitativ vorausgehen lässt, bevor sie die große Flexibilität ihres warm strömenden Mezzosoprans in halsbrecherischen Läufen unter Beweis stellt. Dabei baut sie Verzierungen und Variationen ein, die vermuten lassen, dass dieser Sängerin noch eine große Karriere bevorstehen dürfte." "The jury's winner was mezzo-soprano Grace Durham from Great Britain, who was the final performer of the main concert, and sang again after the prizes were awarded. She chose not Handel but Johann Adolph Hasse's Cleofide, and from this opera presented the title character's aria "Son qual misera colomba". She began with an extended recitative, before putting the great flexibility of her warmly flowing mezzo-soprano to the test in breakneck runs. The variations and ornaments she added further allow us to imagine that this singer has a great career ahead of her." (Thomas Molke, Online Musik Magazin)
"Del tutto condivisibili le scelte della giuria. La vittoria è andata al mezzosoprano britannico Grace Durham, dalla voce di bella pasta e sicura dal punto di vista tecnico. Più che con l’aria dall’opera di Melani – in questo caso quella di Acrimante “Se d’amor la cruda sfinge” – la vittoria, meritatissima è arrivata con la seconda, ovvero “Son qual misera colomba” dal Cleofide di Hasse, pagina irta di scogli non solo sul versante delle agilità ma anche e soprattutto per la varietà di colori richiesti. Tutto ciò dimostra che nei concorsi – o almeno in quelli inoppugnabilmente seri come il Cesti – vince chi osa mettendosi totalmente in gioco." "We agreed wholeheartedly with the jury's verdict. The winner was the British mezzo-soprano Grace Durham, whose voice is rich and technically secure. More than with the Melani aria – in this case, Acrimante's "Se d'amor la cruda sfinge" – her extremely well-deserved victory came with her second aria, "Son qual misera colomba" from Hasse's Cleofide, a score replete with obstacles not only in terms of coloratura but also, and especially, for the variety of colours it requires. All this goes to show that in competitions – at least in those as unarguably serious as the Cesti – the winners are those who dare to put themselves completely on the line." (Alessandro Cammarano, Le Salon Musical)
4.48 Psychose (Clare), Semperoper Dresden, 2019
“Grace Durham sorgt mit einem Song im Stile Purcells für einen der starken sentimentalen Momente” “Grace Durham provides one of the most strongly emotional moments of the evening with a song in the style of Purcell” (Sabine Weber, concerti.de)
“Die sechs exzellenten Sängerinnen spielen und singen die anspruchsvollen Partien in dem kompliziert verschachtelten Gefüge ebenfalls mit packender Leidenschaft und stimmlicher Klasse.” “The six excellent singers act and sing their challenging roles within the complex, multi-layered structure of the piece with intense passion and high-class vocalism” (Elisabeth Richter, Deutschlandfunk)
Le nozze di Figaro (Cherubino), Semperoper Dresden, 2018
"Grace Durham's Cherubino came up trumps" (Mark Berry, Boulezian)
Carmen (Mercédès), Semperoper Dresden, 2018
"Tania Lorenzo als Frasquita und Grace Durham als Mercédès erfüllten ihre Rollen mit Leben, sowohl gesanglich als auch mit ihrem natürlichen Spiel.” “Tania Lorenzo as Frasquita and Grace Durham as Mercédès brought their roles to life, both vocally and with their natural characterisation.” (Ingrid Gerk, OnlineMerker)
Semper Matinee: Songs of Richard Strauss, Semperoper Dresden, 2018 “Die junge Mezzosopranistin Grace Durham widmete sich mit leistungsfähiger Stimme und viel Engagement ihren Liedern" “The young mezzo-soprano Grace Durham performed her songs with dramatic commitment and a powerful voice” (Ingrid Gerk, OnlineMerker)
Jeunes Espoirs competition, Opéra Grand Avignon, 2015 "La pétulante Britannique Grace Durham avait distancé les 29 autres mezzo soprani : sa fantaisie et sa présence avaient largement séduit" “The lively British mezzo-soprano Grace Durham, the only one of 30 to make it to the final, won over the audience with her presence and imagination" (Le Dauphiné Libéré)
"Retenons aussi la jeune Anglaise Grace Durham : une fantaisie de bon aloi en 1e partie et une belle prestation en 2nde partie. Les votes du public l’ont d’ailleurs largement choisie." “Also noteworthy was the young British mezzo-soprano Grace Durham, who gave us a well-judged comic song in the first half and an impressive performance in the second. She was, incidentally, the clear winner of the audience vote.” (Classique en Provence)