Review - Norina in Don Pasquale

Florida Grand Opera

[...] The outstanding voices of the evening belonged to bass Kristopher Irmiter (Don Pasquale) and soprano Laura Tatulescu (Norina). [...] The perky and petite Tatulescu possesses a strong soprano, capable of the soaring runs, flutters and speedy clarity required for Norina. Her musing on how to ensnare a man (“So anch'io la virtù magica”) was delicious, claiming, “…a charm of a smile, a seductive look… are some of the thousand tricks to get my way in life.” Her duets with all three of the men were on the money, Tatulescu adjusting her character to fit the moment and man with whom she was dealing. Announcing that she was ready to carry out their elaborate plan, masquerading as Dr. Malatesta's sister to trick Pasquale into marrying her (“Pronta son; purch'io non manchi”), she and Nisticò matched up nicely for the lively duet. Tatulescu ascended and bloomed into her upper voice as Nisticò coached her on how to act "cat-like," a sexy persona she would exhibit throughout the opera. During the confrontation between Pasquale and Norina, Tatulescu’s detachment and indifference played beautifully against Irmiter’s bewilderment (“Via, caro sposino”), dismissing him with “…go to bed, Grampa,” her splendid runs a high point. She combined effectively with tenor Jesús Álvarez (Ernesto) for the love duet (“Tornami a dir che m'ami”), Donizetti sublimely and beautifully crafting the final intertwined notes with the tenor voice on top and soprano on the bottom. [...]

Miamiartzine - 15 May 2015

[...] The Romanian-American soprano Laura Tatulescu was an excellent Norina on opening night Saturday at the Ziff Ballet Opera House. Her voice is powerful without being particularly large, and she sang the flourishes of things like “Caro sposino” with fluidity and accuracy. [...]

Palm Beach Arts Paper - 12 May 2016

Santa Fe Opera

[...] The earthy Italian neo-realist actress, Anna Magnani, had a telling nickname, “La Lupa,” that might easily be applied to Norina, sung by SFO newcomer, Laura Tatulescu. She first presents as a cynical gal in a black slip, down on her luck and ready to scheme with Malatesta for a chance at Ernesto plus a probable cash windfall. Her transformation from pretend-shy innocent to Pasquale’s termagant “bride” makes for edgy fun. Tatulescu commands a terrific trill, confident passagework and plenty of red hot brio [...]

Santa Fe Reporter - 8 July 2014