“La mezzo soprano Marie Hamard envoûte par sa présence et son chant le cœur du jeune Janíček mais aussi celui du public. Sans surjouer, elle apporte toute la sensualité tzigane, aussi bien par son jeu que par sa voix chaude.”Inferno, Art attitudes, Pierre Salles, 19th of october 2019
“Marie Hamard, dont la présence incandescente illumine la scène de son mezzo charnu, jamais appuyé et d’un grand naturel. Elle passe avec aisance d’un timbre rond à une voix très droite – mais toujours séduisante – pour les morceaux contemporains.”Forum Opera, Tania Bracq, 1st of october 2019
French mezzo-soprano Marie Hamard confidently makes her ROH debut in the role of Zefka. [She is] poised and melancholic on stage. The work’s temperament is equally as bleak, with Hamard’s Zefka truly masterful. The richness of her lower register underscores the often demanding Czech text-setting, though, her assured enunciation guides the audience.
(…)Both leads are also capable actors; ranging from sheepishly tenuous to overtly erotic.”Playtosee, Shadi Seifouri, 8th of june 2019, Playtosee, ****
It’s beautifully acted and sung. In terrific voice, Lyon generates considerable onstage chemistry with Hamard’s self-assured Zefka.”The Guardian, Tim Ashley, 6th of june 2019, The Guardian, ****
The performances are excellent. (…) Marie Hamard’s involvement is expanded by the addition of songs by Annelies Van Parys that are interspersed / intertwined with Janáček’s settings. They are beautifully complementary, and they give Hamard great opportunities to showcase her sultry-sounding voice. (…) All of the performers are utterly committed to the concept”Classical Source, Alexander Campbell, 5th of june 2019, Classical Source, ****
Marie Hamard as the temptress Zefka is beguiling both vocally and physically, the edge to her voice compelling.Theartsdesk.com, Bernard Hughes, 7th of june 2019, Theartsdesk.com
In this production, Zefka is powerful presence, representing an earthy passion. (…)The part is ably sung by French mezzo-soprano Marie Hamard, who imbues the role with strengthOpera for all, Rebecca Armstrong, 6th of june 2019, Opera for all
The stunning tenor vocals of Andrew Dickinson offset the enchanting,captivating voice of mezzo-soprano Marie HamardStageBiz, Cindy Sibilsky, april 2019, Stage Biz
Hamard’s chest voice has a lovely richness.Parterre.com, Sylvia Korman, 8th of april 2019
The singing was beautiful; tenor Andrew Dickinson and mezzo Marie Hamard brought out the subtleties as well as the conspicuous drama in the music.blogcritics.org, Jon Sobel, april 2019
Mezzo Marie Hamard has made the role her own, and is as mysterious and exotic in person as she is in the composer’s infatuated mind.Concertonet.com, Jon Sobel, april 2019
There was subtlety in Lada Valesova’s piano playing, and some richness in Ms. Hamard’s voice.New York Times, Zachary Woolfe, 5 april 2019
The piece was incisively performed by tenor Andrew Dickinson and mezzo-soprano Marie Hamard in the singing roles of the young lovers.Interludes, Adrian Dimanlig, April 2019
Van Hove is served well by the cast. Dickinson and Hamard render the songs with the tempered tone of the production, honoring the director’s vision and his search for the speech-like qualities of Janáček’s score.Classical Voice North America, Xenia Hanusiak, 8 april 2019
Mezzo-soprano Marie Hamard was just as convincing as Zefka, especially in the additional graceful songs composed by Annelies Van Parys and set to Romany verses.Bachtrack, Edward Sava-Segal, 8 april 2019
The performances by Andrew Dickinson, Wim van der Grijn, Marie Hamard (…) were universally superb.Feast of Music, Steven Pisano, 9 april 2019
Some lovely performances, from mezzo Marie Hamard, as the liveliest “ghost” around, and pianist Lada Valesova in particular.Broadway World, Richard Sasanow, 9 april 2019
In Czech, Ms. Hamard sings with an earthy, robust sensuality.Cadenza, Brian Taylor, 6th of april 2019
Ms. Hamard’s mezzo gave Zefka the right level of sultry magnetism.Wall Street Journal, Heidi Waleson,
8 april 2019
L’Opéra de Lyon (…) a eu la main heureuse en choisissant deux chanteurs et une pianiste de grand talent : le timbre clair du jeune ténor néerlandais Peter Gijsbertsen, la jeune ardeur de la mezzo française Marie Hamard (…) suscitent l’enthousiasme.ConcertoNet.com le 08/02/2018- Emmanuel Andrieu
Marie Hamard, que l’on découvre dans cette production, est un splendide mezzo, chaleureux, aux
graves solides et à l’émission toujours naturelle.Classiquesnews.com le 12/02/2018- LYON
Le mezzo de Marie Hamard, voluptueux, séducteur, est bien timbré, d’une émission sonore.
Incapable d’apprécier l’authenticité de sa langue, force nous est de reconnaître ses qualités musicales et
dramatiques. On oublie que la partition lui donne peu d’occasions de chant tant sa présence
ensorcelante s’impose. Forumopera.com le 12/02/2018- LYON
Pour sa part, Marie Hamard est une tzigane envoutante, parvenant à relever tous les défis de Janáček qui impose pourtant à sa voix de véritables loopings entre graves et aigus. Femme renfermée dans les premiers instants, elle se métamorphose dans ce second rôle et fait montre d’une belle présence
scénique en plus d’une ligne de chant lumineuse et ambrée. Opera online 10/02/2018 – LYON
Si la mise en scène intellectualisée peut être discutée, l’aspect musical, quant à lui, ne déçoit pas. La
mezzo-soprano Marie Hamard possède le physique et la voix de la tsigane sensuelle, voire insolente.Olyrics le 09/02/2018 – LYON
“And also all praise to the mezzo Marie Hamard: precise, warm and passionate, and moreover a very natural presence on stage.”
Guido Defever, Klassiek Centraal
“Mezzo-soprano Marie Hamard knew how to shape the gypsy girl Zefka.
With long black hairs and shrouded in a red dress she definitely had her appearance (…).
Hamard is a beautiful mezzo-soprano with a nice timbre and good acting, and so she managed to pull the action to a large extend.”
Peter Franken, Opéra Magazine
“Ed Lyon (Janik) and Marie Hamard (Zefka) sing passionately and engaging.”
Joep Stapel, NRC
“An even better impression was made by the young French mezzo soprano Marie Hamard as Zefka. Hamard has a distinctive color of voice.”
Mirek Černý, Harmonie Online