REVIEWS

'”In recent years, the standard of singing has risen consistently with some outstanding young artists emerging to confirm burgeoning careers: Andrew Kennedy, Iestyn Davies and Lucy Crowe to name just three. The winner of both the Adair (First) Prize and the Audience Prize (for once there was no difference of opinion) was clearly not a difficult choice for the jury: young Ruby Hughes, soprano, showed a professionalism and vocal finish in her programme which stood out head and shoulders above her rivals. Her larger instrument, with a warm, bright tone that was even through the range, enabled an expressive delivery that drew every bit of drama from her choices from Theodora, Giulio Cesare, Jephtha and Samson”
London Handel Singing Competition / Opera Today

“…Ruby Hughes (as Lucinda) stood out with her beautifully inflected, well produced voice…”
Lucinda: Don Chischiotte in Sierra Morena / Musikwerkstatt Wien / Kultur

 “Ruby Hughes brings Atalanta to palpitating life. She invests her coloratura arias with ravishing beauty.”
Atalanta / London Handel Festival / The Independent

“The singing is generally of a high standard, with a vocally brilliant (and suitably athletic-looking) Atalanta, sung by Ruby Hughes…”
Atalanta / London Handel Festival / The Stage

“...Ruby Hughes’ flutey, radiant Atalanta...”
Atalanta / London Handel Festival / The Times

"For example, one of the most beautiful and moving moments in this Judas Maccabaeus was in the air and chorus “Ah! Wretched, wretched Israel!” Scored by Handel with a string accompaniment that lent an almost Purcellian melancholy, this section produced a deeply felt performance from all of the singers and the instrumentalists of the Manchester Camerata, coaxed beautifully by conductor Takuo Yuasa.”
Juda s Maccabaeus / Huddersfield Choral Society / Huddersfield Examiner

“…soprano Ruby Hughes (as Poro’s lover Cleofide) brings a melting warmth of tone to her arias.:
Cleofide: Poro / London Handel Festival / Evening Standard

“Of the young cast, it’s the expressive soprano Ruby Hughes, as Cleofide, who makes the biggest, brightest impression.”
Cleofide: Poro / London Handel Festival / The Guardian

“Hughes’ powerful, well-rounded soprano shows huge promise.”
Cleofide: Poro / London Handel Festival / The Independent

“But on the singing front only counter-tenor Christopher Ainslie (Poro) and soprano Ruby Hughes (Cleofide) possess which might be described as the essential quality of rapture. Individually they shine, together they entwine with touching awareness of the orchestra’s luscious harmonic suspensions.”
Cleofide: Poro / London Handel Festival / The Times

“The tender, warm-toned soprano Ruby Hughes…the radiantly sensitive young soprano was outstanding…”
B Minor Mass / Kammerchor Stuttgart / Eßlinger Zeitung

“If Handel's life story was a bit laboured, the playing of 16 baroque trumpets and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under Benedict Hoffnung was not, combining with the voices of the Oriel and St Cecilia Singers to make a cathedral of the Town Hall. More memorable still was the singing of Ruby Hughes, Neal Davies and Iestyn Davies.”
A Handel Celebration / Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment / The Guardian

“But the real jewel in the crown was young soprano, Ruby Hughes, whose agile and well-pointed voice was the ideal vehicle for the many coloratura passages, while possessing the necessary tone and sufficient weight for moments where dramatic expression was required.”
Exploring Handel / Ten Tors Orchestra / What’s On South West

“She displayed a warm, lithe, bell-like vocal presence in virtuosic arias from Alcina and Giulio Cesare and in “Rejoice Greatly” from Messiah.”
Handel Anniversary Concert / RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra / Irish Times

“None of the concert’s five other Steffani arias could match it for quality: Handel never stole dross. But each vocal item here was socked out with equal commitment by the gifted young soprano Ruby Hughes, winner of last year’s London Handel Festival Singing Competition. No shrinking violet, this. She squeezed expression from every word. Torment transfigured her face, particularly as Handel’s heroine Agrippina…she’s made for the opera stage because she sings with such ringing belief.”
Handel’s 1710: Venice-Hanover-London / Wigmore Hall / The Times

“…the delectable soprano Ruby Hughes…”
Narcisa: Philemon und Baucis / Musikfestspiele Potsdam Sansoucci / Potsdamer Neueste Nachrichten

“…Ruby Hughes, a resplendent, totally fearless coloratura soprano, filling the abbey with effortless power.”
Haydn: Nelson Mass / Chantry Singers / Bath Chronicle

“With a glistening clarity that was a joy to hear…”
Belinda: Dido and Aeneas / West Green House / Opera Now

“…Ruby Hughes performed the small role of Tancredi’s Page Roggiero with skill and energy displaying a youthful, clear soprano.”
Roggiero: Tancredi / Theater an der Wien / OMM

“Isaura (Liorna Grodnikaite) and Roggiero (Ruby Hughes) completed the cast. The soprano Ruby Hughes appeared very youthful, she impressed with a nicely sung aria.”
Roggiero: Tancredi / Theater an der Wien / Oper in Wien

“…Ruby Hughes an engaging Roggiero.”
Roggiero: Tancredi / Theater an der Wien / Opera

“But this moving, sexy show was a company effort, and the 10 ensemble singers, most of them German, were its motor, vocally and physically, with Ruby Hughes and Matthias Viewig the pick.”
She: King Arthur / Der Lautten Compagney / Opera Now

“…Ruby Hughes performed the small role of Tancredi’s Page Roggiero with skill and energy displaying a youthful, clear soprano.”
Roggiero: Tancredi / Theater an der Wien / OMM

“Ruby Hughes as Rose and Adrian Dwyer as Sam hit exactly the right note of thwarted longing.”
Rose Maurrant: Street Scene / The Opera Group / The Guardian

“Ruby Hughes’ Rose is also touching in her struggle to cling to her dreams, as in the exquisite ‘What Good Would the Moon Be?”
Rose Maurrant: Street Scene / The Opera Group / The Independent

 “Rose was sung with an open, appealing tone by Ruby Hughes…”
Rose Maurrant: Street Scene / The Opera Group / Opera

“As usual it was the RCM singers who impressed me the most. Ruby Hughes, a poised singer with a lovely soulful tone and great legato who I've seen in a couple of Handel productions and a Purcell…she has great stage presence too.”
Who’s Hot in Opera / OPERA NOW

"One must pick out, in particular, the sweet and sensitive Rose of the English Ruby Hughes."
Rose Maurrant: Street Scene / Opéra de Toulon / Le Figaro