REVIEWS

“...the remarkable Rachel Nicholls, who gave us the most beautiful moments and the only dramatically convincing performance of the evening.”
Dorinda: Orlando / Atelier Lyrique, Tourcoing / Forum Opéra

“The exciting new find on Bach Collegium’s latest recording is the voice of second soprano Rachel Nicholls...on this evidence is destined to be a big star. Her voice is tight and spring with a rare silvery sheen; she sings bang in tune and ornaments in intricate knots.”
B Minor Mass / BIS CD / Classic fM Magazine

“The soloists themselves are a fabulous team, all singing from the same hymn sheet – sounding very natural, with minimal projection, sensitive application of vibrato, and singing from within the ensemble as part of the polyphonic texture, rather than stick out on top showing off.”
B Minor Mass / BIS CD / International Record Review

“Carolyn Sampson and Rachel Nicholls duet sweetly...”
B Minor Mass / BIS CD / The Times

"Strong, too, are (i.a.) the glorious blossoming of Rachel Nicholls as the ripe-for-plucking Flora..."
Flora: The Knot Garden / Scottish Opera / The Scotsman

"...the singers manage to extract all the beauty latent in the score, with Laura Mitchell and Rachel Nicholls trading on the complementary colouri
Erismena: Erismena / English Touring Opera / The Observer

"...Rachel Nicholls filled out the character pf Erismena with her purposeful singing and presence."
Erismena: Erismena / English Touring Opera / Opera

"...the remarkable Rachel Nicholls, who gave us the most beautiful moments and the only convincing dramatic characterisation of the evening.
Dorinda: Orlando / Atelier Lyrique de Tourcoing / Opéra Forum

“...powerful production, legato and the best sense of ornamentation in the cast...”
Dorinda: Orlando / Atelier Lyrique, Tourcoing / ResMusica

"Rachel Nicholls' unwavering line and the beauty and clarity of her tone echoed Theohano's steadfastness in the face of many vicissitudes, and her soprano soared gloriously to the upper reaches of the Britten Theatre."
Theophano: Ottone / London Handel Festival / Opera

"Rachel Nicholls sings Metella's music in a pleasant, natural and very even voice, strong and resolute in the big aria that ends Act 2."
Metella: Silla / SOMM CD / Gramophone

"Rachel Nicholls as Silla's wronged but loyal wife Metella makes skilful work of her character's wide range of moods..."
Metella: Silla / SOMM CD / International Record Review

"Rachel Nicholls brings out the emotional power of 'Io non ti chiedo più', in which Silla's long suffering wife ask, in hesitant phrases, for a tender farewell from her husband."
Metella: Silla / SOMM CD / Opera

"Rachel Nicholls was glorious as Susanna, looking like Britney and sounding like Joan Sutherland."
Susanna: Susanna / Early Opera Company / ConcertoNet

"...Rachel Nicholls gave an impressive account of 'Mi tradi', the voice free and flowing in the recitative, the notes of the aria fairly and squarely centred."
Donna Elvira: Don Giovanni / London Royal Schools' Opera / Opera

“Of the principals, Neil Jenkins in the title role and Rachel Nicholls as Elettra were immense...she grew in authority, bringing light and shade to a part that can often be one-dimensional.”
Elettra: Idomeneo / New Sussex Opera / Sussex Express

"...Rachel Nicholls was an attractive Lauretta."
Lauretta: Gianni Schicchi / Central Festival Opera / Opera

"...a wonderful, dreamy voice, whose haunting sound resonates in the memory."
Echo: Ariadne auf Naxos / Royal Opera / Opernwelt

“...she had her delicate moments, as in Rachmaninov's Daisies and Tchaikovsky's The Bride's Lament, out of which she made a small personal tragedy, as well as some grand ones, such as Strauss's Zueignung.”
Strauss Song Series / Wigmore Hall / The Guardian

”...sumptuous in "Ich liebe dich"...”
Strauss Song Series / Wigmore Hall / Independent on Sunday

"Rachel Nicholls, his Maria, sang with a sweet, innocent tone, beautifully simple in the haunting, closing lullaby."
Maria: Mazeppa / University College Opera / Opera

"Rachel Nicholls is a wonderful Tatyana. Her solo as she writes the offending love letter is sensual, evocative and downright sexy"
Tatyana: Eugene Onegin / Scottish Opera Go Round / The Evening News (Scotland)

"...Hers is a focussed, creamy lyric sound, sensitive rather than volatile, a very useful instrument."
Tatyana: Eugene Onegin / Scottish Opera Go Round / Opera

"Rachel Nicholls is a deliciously romantic Tatyana. Her strong clear voice ripples with sensuality while her acing clearly shows an innocent who would love to lose that status to the sophisticated Onegin."Tatyana: Eugene Onegin / Scottish Opera Go Round / The Stage

"...Rachel Nicholls, a crystalline Prilepa..."
Prilepa: The Queen of Spades / Royal Opera / Opera

"And Rachel Nicholls as Jenny excelled in swapping quickly between great sensitivity and calculating sensuality."
Jenny: Mahagonny Songspiel / Cantiere Internazionale d'Arte, Montepulciano / Opera

"Rachel Nicholls, one of the most exciting and versatile voices on the current scene, gave intelligent, persuasive performances of the songs ... this remarkable young lady ... sang with the power and projection I have always admired on the several occasions I have been lucky enough to hear her."
Recital / Presteigne Festival / The Birmingham Post

"...the soprano Rachel Nicholls. She was suffering from a virus, she told us; though nothing prevented her trumpet voice from scaling heights no sane invalid should attempt - and emerging unscathed."
Recital / Presteigne Festival / The Times