A better cast imaginable for Das Rheingold is hardly imaginable. The chance to hear the American mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton in one of her best roles, that of Wotan's wife Fricka, is very special.

Barton is both a powerhouse and a whisperer. In performance, she can unleash a torrent of vocal sound that seems unconquerable in its heft and intensity — then turn on a dime and shape an intimate melodic phrase with aching subtlety. It’s an astonishing, almost otherworldly combination of gifts.

A revelation in an eyepatch… One of the most commanding performances I’ve seen in years, and a star turn to be sure.

You could almost feel the temperature in the Barbican Hall rise as wattage radiated from star American mezzo Jamie Barton. A singer who refuses to squash herself into small, pretty musical spaces, but instead spills joyously out over the lines, carrying us all along with her.

Barton—she of the withering sneer and creamy tone—ruled as an iconoclastic Carmen. If you were lucky enough to be in the audience…you won’t forget it.

Barton could do no wrong. She brought out the emotional punches with a deep gold tone, jaw-dropping power when needed and satiny textures.

A formidable Brangäne – an ample mezzo voice that gradually seduces with its expansive inflection…

It took no more than a dozen notes, one line of text, to recognize that Jamie Barton possesses a rare voice…a musician of great confidence and courage.

A Verdian voice with a glowing top and as impressive a chest voice… Her performance, capturing every nuance, was the highlight of the concert.

Unexpected Shadows makes the best possible case for the necessity and relevance of modern American classical song.