Critical Acclaim

…de la Guardia was stellar. Her natural sound is lovely, as clear and powerful as grain alcohol. In addition, her control of “in the margin” techniques is super—Sprechstimme, inhaled singing, dramatic recitation, extremes of range and volume, articulation of tiny shards of words, and (since this a work for amplified singer and instruments) expert microphone control. She also put some splash into the performance, providing some gentle hip sway in the Dylan and Amon Düül settings that added much-needed irony, and for a minute or so pacing the stage with her mic, freed from the score.

(DW-16 Songbook 1 at The Boston Conservatory New Music Festival – The Arts Fuse – December 2011)

intelligent, expressive, and well-considered rendition…

The Boston Musical Intelligencer (The Ludovico Ensemble, Schoenberg String Quartet No. 2)

A role [Heart of a Dog] that demands a lot of acting… Guardia plays it up well, and rather perversely, while attached to a simple Bunraku dog puppet for most of the show.

Boston Lowbrow (Guerilla Opera, Heart of a Dog)

Brilliant

The Boston Musical Intelligencer (Guerilla Opera, Heart of a Dog)

De la Guardia’s work in new opera is proof of the genre’s viable potential as entertainment. By working directly with composers, she is a part of the creative process of inventing new styles and techniques for singing. Her contemporary music projects are able to connect young audiences with music about the cultural fascinations of our times.

Operagasm (from the feature “Combating opera’s death sentence with a Guerilla-style attack: Soprano Aliana de la Guardia on overcoming fears for opera’s future”)

Likable and pleasing

The Boston Globe (The Boston Conservatory, A Midsummer Night’s Dream)

Triumphed

Scene and Heard International (Granite State Opera, La Traviata)

Soprano and actress Aliana de la Guardia was at her excellent best… de la Guardia proved her ability to give lightning-quick changes of mood and the rare quality to convey instantaneously the meaning of a short song.

The Boston Musical Intelligencer (Ludovico Ensemble, Complete Works of Kurtág with Cimbalom)

Aliana de la Guardia not only is a dead ringer for Sarah [Palin], but she nicely captures her eccentricities and gestures.

The Boston Musical Intelligencer (Guerilla Opera, Say It Ain’t So, Joe)

Stunning

The Boston Musical Intelligencer (dirtyPALOMA, Dirty Paloma at St. Paul’s)

Soprano Aliana de la Guardia’s powerful pipes and dedication to contemporary classical music make her a refreshingly anomalous player on the Boston music scene… Move over, pop princesses — this prima donna is headed for the top.

Stuff Magazine (“Rising stars: Local talents shine bright”)

De la Guardia’s focus, control, expressiveness, not to mention beautiful singing, continues to impress, and her commitment to the music drew the audience completely in.

Nine Dots Boston (The Ludovico Ensemble, From Britain)

Soprano Aliana de la Guardia has yet to disappoint.

Nine Dots Boston

A splendid rendition!

Jonathan Harvey, Composer (Ludovico Ensemble performance of Cantata X: Spirit Music)

Aliana stepped in as Flora in our production of La Traviata on one rehearsal, and was terrific! I am looking forward to working with Aliana again.

Phillip Lauriat, Former Director of Granite State Opera

Features

Sing a New Song: How Contemporary Vocal Music Will Save the World

by AMANDA KEIL, New Music Box (November 10, 2010)

Full article »

Combating opera’s death sentence with a Guerilla-style attack: Soprano Aliana de la Guardia on overcoming fears for opera’s future.

by EMILY ŠARAS, Operagasm (March 19, 2010)

Full article »

Soprano de la Guardia’s First Dirty Paloma

by LARRY PHILLIPS, The Boston Musical Intelligencer (November 20, 2009)

Full article »

Rising Stars: Local Talents Shine Bright

by SARAH FAITH ALTERMAN, Stuff Boston (April 03, 2009)

Full article »

“Puccini Goes Punk” by Sara Faith Alterman of The Boston Phoenix

by SARAH FAITH ALTERMAN, The Boston Phoenix (January 23, 2009)

Full article »

Audience Response

I wasn’t really a Kurtág fan before, but I certainly am now.

From the Ludovico Ensemble’s Roman Garnett Concert Series, Kafka Fragments

[de la Guardia] sang very beautifully, and the whole event had a very pleasant atmosphere that added to everyone’s enjoyment.

From a Dirty Paloma performance, Dirty Paloma at St. Paul’s

Favorite Press Quotes

I want people to think about going to new music the same way that they think about going to the movies… People forget that Mozart was a premiere.

Interview by AMANDA KEIL, from “Sing a New Song: How Contemporary Vocal Music Will Save the World,” New Music Box

If opera doesn’t get us young people now, the audiences will not be there in the future.

Interview by EMILY ŠARAS, from “Combating opera’s death sentence with a Guerilla-style attack: Soprano Aliana de la Guardia on overcoming fears for opera’s future.” Operagasm

It’s something that’s necessary today — to cultivate new works and not just reinvent the standard repertoire into new productions… Mozart is always Mozart, but he’s dead now — and he’s not writing anything else.

Interview by SARAH FAITH ALTERMAN, from “Puccini goes punk” The Boston Phoenix