As Iphis, soprano Katherine Watson brings a pure, bell-like timbre and stylish ornamentation to her arias, evolving from a girlish coquette into a pious martyr.
Vashegyi directs his Hungarian forces in a lively, touching reading [of Isbe, by Mondonville], and Watson and Van Mechelen excel in the lead roles
[Watson] sang with fervour and elegance... The Italian influence was underlined in Watson’s shapely reading of Carissimi’s Lucifer, coelestis olim.
Katherine Watson’s rendition of ‘I know that my redeemer liveth’ that took the palm, wedding glorious tone to musical intelligence. It was breathtaking.
A fine roster of soloists was led by the creamy-voiced soprano Katherine Watson as Theodora... In air after air, Ms. Watson brought vocal bloom, emotional depth and beguiling phrasing to her exemplary performance.
A voice which combines strength and shape, her Theodora has serious dramatic impact and beauty
Singers interwove a tissue of masques and dances with songs of the period, soprano Katherine Watson and tenor Samuel Boden being outstanding
Soprano Katherine Watson delighted with Quoniam tu solus. Her voice continued to move during her aria in the Credo. Layton permitted his choir some leeway during the Sanctus, as it bursts with joy in Hosanna in excelsis. Mezzo-soprano Kitty Whately emerged in a tender back and forth with Watson during the opening of the Agnus Dei
Katherine Watson made quite an impression at Glyndebourne this year with her Diana in Hippolyte et Aricie; she allies a bell-like clarity of tone with gravity of manner, and her recitatives and aria gave constant pleasure.
The pure voice of Watson is full of beauty and inner persuasion. In her duets with Didymus it blended beautifully with the tones of Jaroussky...there were moments when the voices of Watson and Jaroussky were completely at one with the orchestra, growing out of it, melting with it in perfect harmonic expression.
The playing and choral singing had all the familiar Arts Florissants finesse, while the classy lineup of soloists included exquisite soprano Katherine Watson
This concert was the most completely satisfying of the three Jardin performances I’ve heard...Katherine Watson, has a brighter, freer sound, and plenty of power. Her solo spot, the closing lament from Carissimi’s “Historia di Jephte,” was the program’s most affecting moment
The soprano for this performance, Katherine Watson, was so terrific that I actively missed her when we moved on to the purely instrumental Handel concerto that closed the first half, even though Handel may well be my favorite composer of all.
With the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment supplying sinuous instrumental timbres, and vocal delights also coming from Katherine Watson’s Diana...Rameau’s music is one reason to hasten to East Sussex
The Celia of baroque specialist Katherine Watson was deliciously stylish
Katherine Watson’s soprano was of the highest standard throughout especially in the beautiful Aus Liebe Will Mein