“As the title character, Willis-Sorensen brought a smart sensibility and a rich sound to her music—totally believable as someone who wasn’t going to let herself be married off casually, just to save the family’s finances, no matter how much she loved them. She has a major voice—a big sound—and knows how to use it to express a variety of emotions.”
Broadway World
Press:
"...a naturally powerful instrument."
New York Times
“The first performance of Arabella this season was distinguished by a felicitous series of debuts. Chief among them was Rachel Willis-Sørensen’s first stage performance of the title role, portrayed with warmth and dignity...Willis-Sørensen’s soprano, even and unforced across its range, projected easily through the house, and her phrasing in ‘Mein Elemer!’ revealed genuine introspection. She sang not as the flirtatious ingénue of tradition but as a young woman quietly testing the limits of her resolve.”
Seen and Heard International
“That being said, the soprano Willis-Sørensen displayed an opulent tone that had a variation of dynamics. The soprano could display a floating piano, especially in her first solo, “Mein Elemer!.” Here she also showcased a spectacular legato line with a resonant middle voice. Her voice rode over the orchestral waves with delicacy, the dynamics never soft. It all felt organic as she sang the lyric lines of this introspective section, and when she got to the waltz part of the aria, her voice displayed a gleaming quality, flexible runs, and brighter timbre as she rode the legato lines in her higher tessitura. In her duet “Aber der Richtige,” she began with a lush middle voice and a piano sound that slowly grew into her higher range.”
Operawire
“Rachel Willis-Sørensen, making her role debut, was a creamy-voiced, elegant Arabella, with sympathetic characterisation which perfectly suited the character as a focus of calm and wisdom amid her chaotic family. The soprano projected her lines with clarity and precision…”
Bachtrack
“...she is at the zenith of her voice...”
Le Monde
Rachel Willis-Sørensen speaks with Met Opera Radio ahead of the broadcast of Arabella.