Yves Abel
Conductor
2010
November 2010
ORCHESTRA HAYDN DI BOLZANO
"Delius, Faurè, Strauss e Respighi diretta dalla bacchetta gioiosamente imperiosa di Yves Abel. Programma per certi versi leggero ma non troppo, grazie a una direzione che non indulgeva mai alla retorica più facile: “Summer night at the river” di Delius era un palpito, affidato prima ai fiati – sezione morbida come nelle migliori serate – poi con discrezione al corpo esteso degli archi: e un Abel misuratissimo seguiva il prezioso svolgersi di una partitura fatta principalmente di delicatezza; così come la delicatezza riservata, l’espressione accorata ma contenuta addomesticavano certi wagnerismi di “The walk to the Paradise Garden” dal “Romeo and Juliet” dello stesso Delius. Dove invece la retorica si sfogava allegramente era la “Boutique Fantasque” di Respighi..."
Emilia Campagna
"Delius, Faurè, Strauss e Respighi diretta dalla bacchetta gioiosamente imperiosa di Yves Abel. Programma per certi versi leggero ma non troppo, grazie a una direzione che non indulgeva mai alla retorica più facile: “Summer night at the river” di Delius era un palpito, affidato prima ai fiati – sezione morbida come nelle migliori serate – poi con discrezione al corpo esteso degli archi: e un Abel misuratissimo seguiva il prezioso svolgersi di una partitura fatta principalmente di delicatezza; così come la delicatezza riservata, l’espressione accorata ma contenuta addomesticavano certi wagnerismi di “The walk to the Paradise Garden” dal “Romeo and Juliet” dello stesso Delius. Dove invece la retorica si sfogava allegramente era la “Boutique Fantasque” di Respighi..."
Emilia Campagna
September 2010
NORDWESTDEUTSCHE PHILARMONIE
"...unter der Leitung des fabelhaften Gastdirigenten Yves Abel"
Matthias Gans, Neue Westfaelische Zeitung, 21 September 2010
"Als Frankokanadier hat Yves Abel eine besondere Affinitaet zum franzoesischen repertoire... Abel begegnete den Werken der beiden so unterschiedlichen Impressionisten mit betonter Sachlichkeit. Er wählte geradezu flotte Tempi, vermied jede unnötige Tempoverschleppung , dirigierte mit sparsamen, kurzen, knappen, Bewegungen und verzichtete auf jegliche Art von Effekthascherei...Doch gerade durch dieses entschlackende Freilegen des absoluten musikalischen Kerns öffnete er die Sicht auf die unendliche Farbigkeit dieser Kompositionen....Herrlich das unendliche Fluten der motivischen Gebilde, der permanente Wechsel der Farben, ihr stetiges Ineinandergreifen und Auseinanderstreben. Das alles dargeboten von einem blendend aufgelegten Orchester, führte zu mitreißenden enden Klangerlebnissen."
Gisbert Hänsel, Neue Westfälische Zeitung, 20 September 2010
"...unter der Leitung des fabelhaften Gastdirigenten Yves Abel"
Matthias Gans, Neue Westfaelische Zeitung, 21 September 2010
"Als Frankokanadier hat Yves Abel eine besondere Affinitaet zum franzoesischen repertoire... Abel begegnete den Werken der beiden so unterschiedlichen Impressionisten mit betonter Sachlichkeit. Er wählte geradezu flotte Tempi, vermied jede unnötige Tempoverschleppung , dirigierte mit sparsamen, kurzen, knappen, Bewegungen und verzichtete auf jegliche Art von Effekthascherei...Doch gerade durch dieses entschlackende Freilegen des absoluten musikalischen Kerns öffnete er die Sicht auf die unendliche Farbigkeit dieser Kompositionen....Herrlich das unendliche Fluten der motivischen Gebilde, der permanente Wechsel der Farben, ihr stetiges Ineinandergreifen und Auseinanderstreben. Das alles dargeboten von einem blendend aufgelegten Orchester, führte zu mitreißenden enden Klangerlebnissen."
Gisbert Hänsel, Neue Westfälische Zeitung, 20 September 2010
August 2010
ROSSINI OPERA FESTIVAL - 'La cenerentola' -
"Leading the Bologna orchestra, Yves Abel provided the most authoritative conducting thus far on a well-paced performance. If his tempos tested the singers, they were well up to the challenge."
Carlos Maria Solare, Opera, November 2010
"Dal podio, Yves Abel dà un contributo decisivo alla brillantezza complessa dello spettacolo con una lettura di notevole profondità e sottigliezza, efficace nella ricerca dei colori (risponde bene l'orchestra del Comunale di Bologna), trascinante nello stacco dei tempi, nervosi ma non precipitosi, raffinata nella sottigliezza di un fraseggio mobile e franto, sempre «pensato».
Compagnia di canto quasi del tutto omogenea ad alto livello."
Cesare Galla, Bresciaoggi, 13 August 2010
"La direzione tersa e divertita di Yves Abel"
Fabio Vittorini, Il Manifesto, 13 August 2010
“El canadiense Yves Abel dirigio estupendamente a la orquesta del teatro Comunal de Bolonia...”
Juan Angel Del Campo, El Pais, 13 August 2010
"L'eccellente direttore canadese Yves Abel"
Mario Messinis, Il Gazzettino 15 August 2010
"In the pit, the Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna responded to Abel’s gestures with verve and sensitivity."
Leonard Turnevicius, The Hamilton Spectator, 15 August 2010
"Leading the Bologna orchestra, Yves Abel provided the most authoritative conducting thus far on a well-paced performance. If his tempos tested the singers, they were well up to the challenge."
Carlos Maria Solare, Opera, November 2010
"Dal podio, Yves Abel dà un contributo decisivo alla brillantezza complessa dello spettacolo con una lettura di notevole profondità e sottigliezza, efficace nella ricerca dei colori (risponde bene l'orchestra del Comunale di Bologna), trascinante nello stacco dei tempi, nervosi ma non precipitosi, raffinata nella sottigliezza di un fraseggio mobile e franto, sempre «pensato».
Compagnia di canto quasi del tutto omogenea ad alto livello."
Cesare Galla, Bresciaoggi, 13 August 2010
"La direzione tersa e divertita di Yves Abel"
Fabio Vittorini, Il Manifesto, 13 August 2010
“El canadiense Yves Abel dirigio estupendamente a la orquesta del teatro Comunal de Bolonia...”
Juan Angel Del Campo, El Pais, 13 August 2010
"L'eccellente direttore canadese Yves Abel"
Mario Messinis, Il Gazzettino 15 August 2010
"In the pit, the Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna responded to Abel’s gestures with verve and sensitivity."
Leonard Turnevicius, The Hamilton Spectator, 15 August 2010
May 2010
ROYAL OPERA HOUSE - 'La traviata'
"Conducting, Yves Abel gives the score some French polish, ensuring smooth playing and sympathetic rapport with his singers."
Neil Fisher, The Times, 13 May 2010
"Yves Abel draws playing of sensitivity and verve from the orchestra."
Andrew Clark, Financial Times, 14 May 2010
"Yves Abel, making his ROH debut, guided the ROH orchestra with finesse"
Melanie Eskenazi, Music OMH, 17 May 2010
"The transition from the prelude to the start of the party was beautifully conducted by Yves Abel, and Act 3 unfolded with impressively gathering weight."
Peter Reed, Opera, July 2010
"Abel kept the evening well-sprung and swift on its toes from the pit, and made some great moments with Gheorghiu: in the juddering, heart-pounding pulse that he set for the dazed finale of Act Two, and in the last act, where the thread of sound that came from her throat alongside the sweet, lonely heedlessness of the violin sounds, as thin and wavering as a candle flame, the gentle valedictory of “Addio del passato”, the gruff grunts of the horns under her dying song, “Se una pudica virgine”, made the tragedy as piercing as it could be. I’m afraid I was in floods."
Ismene Brown, The Arts Desk, 09 July 2010
"Abel's first act prelude and many other incisive touches revealed an instinctive Traviata conductor. "
Martin Kettle, The Guardian, 09 July 2010
"To his credit, Yves Abel, the conductor, sticks to [Gheoghiu] like glue, and there is much to admire about his general pacing."
Richard Morrison, The Times, 09 July 2010
"Conducting, Yves Abel gives the score some French polish, ensuring smooth playing and sympathetic rapport with his singers."
Neil Fisher, The Times, 13 May 2010
"Yves Abel draws playing of sensitivity and verve from the orchestra."
Andrew Clark, Financial Times, 14 May 2010
"Yves Abel, making his ROH debut, guided the ROH orchestra with finesse"
Melanie Eskenazi, Music OMH, 17 May 2010
"The transition from the prelude to the start of the party was beautifully conducted by Yves Abel, and Act 3 unfolded with impressively gathering weight."
Peter Reed, Opera, July 2010
"Abel kept the evening well-sprung and swift on its toes from the pit, and made some great moments with Gheorghiu: in the juddering, heart-pounding pulse that he set for the dazed finale of Act Two, and in the last act, where the thread of sound that came from her throat alongside the sweet, lonely heedlessness of the violin sounds, as thin and wavering as a candle flame, the gentle valedictory of “Addio del passato”, the gruff grunts of the horns under her dying song, “Se una pudica virgine”, made the tragedy as piercing as it could be. I’m afraid I was in floods."
Ismene Brown, The Arts Desk, 09 July 2010
"Abel's first act prelude and many other incisive touches revealed an instinctive Traviata conductor. "
Martin Kettle, The Guardian, 09 July 2010
"To his credit, Yves Abel, the conductor, sticks to [Gheoghiu] like glue, and there is much to admire about his general pacing."
Richard Morrison, The Times, 09 July 2010
April 2010
METROPOLITAN OPERA - 'La traviata'
"Yves Abel showed admirable refinement from the very first bars of the overture"
An Unanmplified Voice, 19 April 2010
"Yves Abel showed admirable refinement from the very first bars of the overture"
An Unanmplified Voice, 19 April 2010
February 2010
RTE NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF IRELAND
"I doubt that Fleischmann’s perturbed spirit has ever been communicated with the musical lucidity that Yves Abel brought to it here. His approach was patient and intense, and while the music may not always have harmonic solidity, Abel made the most of its assured gestural strength and slow-burning nature.Abel’s finely shaped approach in Tchaikovsky’s Manfred Symphony…"
Michael Dervan, The Irish Times, 25 February 2010
"I doubt that Fleischmann’s perturbed spirit has ever been communicated with the musical lucidity that Yves Abel brought to it here. His approach was patient and intense, and while the music may not always have harmonic solidity, Abel made the most of its assured gestural strength and slow-burning nature.Abel’s finely shaped approach in Tchaikovsky’s Manfred Symphony…"
Michael Dervan, The Irish Times, 25 February 2010
January 2010
SEATTLE OPERA - 'Il Trovatore'
"Yves Abel is an excellent conductor. He conducted with panache, sympathy and even fire when called upon to do so."
R. M. Cambpell, The Gathering Note, 18 January 2010
"In the orchestra pit, Yves Abel brought out the drama of the surging score and kept a strong sense of forward propulsion without ever pushing the singers too hard. He is an adept accompanist, knowing just how long a given singer is able to hold a given note (or when the singer is likely to run out of breath). The crowd scenes worked well musically, too, a credit to Abel..."
Melinda Bargreen, King FM, 20 January 2010
"With excellent orchestral playing under Yves Abel’s baton..."
Bernard Jacobson, Seen and Heard International Opera Review, 02 February 2010
"Yves Abel's bel canto approach to this frequently over-driven score was refreshingly poetic…"
Theodore Deacon, Opera, June 2010
"Yves Abel is an excellent conductor. He conducted with panache, sympathy and even fire when called upon to do so."
R. M. Cambpell, The Gathering Note, 18 January 2010
"In the orchestra pit, Yves Abel brought out the drama of the surging score and kept a strong sense of forward propulsion without ever pushing the singers too hard. He is an adept accompanist, knowing just how long a given singer is able to hold a given note (or when the singer is likely to run out of breath). The crowd scenes worked well musically, too, a credit to Abel..."
Melinda Bargreen, King FM, 20 January 2010
"With excellent orchestral playing under Yves Abel’s baton..."
Bernard Jacobson, Seen and Heard International Opera Review, 02 February 2010
"Yves Abel's bel canto approach to this frequently over-driven score was refreshingly poetic…"
Theodore Deacon, Opera, June 2010
December 2009
WIENER STAATSOPER – ‘Simon Boccanegra'
"The dramatic finale was boldly conducted by Yves Abel and precisely realised by the orchestra"
Daniel Wagner, Wiener Zeitung, 10 December 2009
"So geschehen an der Weiner Staatsoper bei Verdis Simon Boccanegra mit einem engagierten Yves Abel am Pult des homogenen Orchesters, das von zart bis mächtig alle Nuancen bereithielt."
Kurier-Wertung, December 2009
"Conductor Yves Abel provided a strong orchestral underpinning"
George Jahn, San Francsico Chronicle, 12 December 2009
"The dramatic finale was boldly conducted by Yves Abel and precisely realised by the orchestra"
Daniel Wagner, Wiener Zeitung, 10 December 2009
"So geschehen an der Weiner Staatsoper bei Verdis Simon Boccanegra mit einem engagierten Yves Abel am Pult des homogenen Orchesters, das von zart bis mächtig alle Nuancen bereithielt."
Kurier-Wertung, December 2009
"Conductor Yves Abel provided a strong orchestral underpinning"
George Jahn, San Francsico Chronicle, 12 December 2009