Gianandrea Noseda and National Symphony Orchestra’s Vanessa Captures a Landmark American Opera at Full Force
"The success of this concert performance derives from the conducting of Gianandrea Noseda, the orchestra’s music director for nine years and one of the most reliable leaders, and often more, of operas throughout the world. His ‘Vanessa’ is clear and propulsive.[…] Noseda emphasizes the music’s originality in an unapologetic performance.”
Bay Area Reporter, T. F. S., 10 May 2026
“Conductor Gianandrea Noseda lets ‘Vanessa’ swing luxuriantly between nostalgia, excitement, and doom.”
de Volkskrant, Jenny Camilleri, 11 June 2026
“Gianandrea Noseda and the National Symphony Orchestra present a gripping new recording of Samuel Barber’s Vanessa, the Pulitzer Prize-winning American opera of love, longing, and illusion. In Barber’s atmospheric, emotionally charged score, echoes of Verdi, Puccini, and Hitchcock-era Hollywood intertwine with a distinctly modern American voice. This performance brings together an exceptional cast, including Nicole Heaston, J’Nai Bridges, Matthew Polenzani, Susan Graham, and Thomas Hampson, who illuminate Gian Carlo Menotti’s haunting tale of desire across generations.”
NativeDSD Music, New DSD Releases, 29 May 2026
“Gianandrea Noseda donne à son orchestre, le National Symphony Orchestra, un rôle de tout premier plan et exprime, comme Mitropoulos avant lui, ce que la musique de Barber peut avoir de raffiné et de cultivé.”
Opéra Magazine, Pierre Cadars, July 2026
"NSO’s new recording of Vanessa is a strong contender for Best of Place."
San Francisco Classical Voice