- Rachel Willis-Sørensen Rachel Willis-Sørensen

22 Sep 2025

“Rachel Willis-Sorensen sings one of the most demanding roles - Massenet wrote it for her muse, the Californian singer Sibyl Sanderson, an exceptional voice with three octaves. But the American soprano is one of those few, who have weapons in hand. At 41, she is at the zenith of her voice, a voluptuous medium, beautiful lower voice, but also impetuous middle voice which…calls for admiration and respect.”
Le Monde

“Rachel Willis-Sorensen sings one of the most demanding roles – Massenet wrote it for her muse, the Californian singer Sibyl Sanderson, an exceptional voice with three octaves. But the American soprano is one of those few, who have weapons in hand. At 41, she is at the zenith of her voice, a voluptuous medium, beautiful lower voice, but also impetuous middle voice which…calls for admiration and respect.”

Next & Prev. Articles

Sep 2025 / Critical Acclaim

“Following in the footsteps of other great American sopranos who have distinguished themselves in the title role (such as the creator of the work, Sibyl Sanderson, in 1894), Rachel Willis-Sørensen has established herself as a great Thaïs. Her musicality and fantastic technique allow her to handle a wide range and project powerful, stratospheric high notes, all with a beautiful mastery of French prosody.”

Bach Track

Sep 2025 / Critical Acclaim

“The final duet in the opera, set in the convent where Thaïs breathes her last, is all the more heartbreaking because the performers are of the highest caliber. Following in the footsteps of other great American sopranos who have distinguished themselves in the title role (such as the creator of the work, Sibyl Sanderson, in 1894), Rachel Willis-Sørensen asserts herself as a great Thaïs. Her musicality and fantastic technique allow her to manage a wide range and project powerful, stratospheric high notes, all with a beautiful mastery of French prosody. But her dramatic soprano sometimes seems a little too generous for a role where one might imagine more fragility.”
Le Monde