May 29, 2006
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The Washington Post:   The Washington National Opera closed out its three-week run of Mozart’s “La Clemenza di Tito” on Saturday night at the Kennedy Center, replacing Tatiana Pavlovskaya (in the cheerfully evil role of Vitellia) with young up-and-comer Cristina Nassif. It was an inspired choice: Nassif’s a gifted soprano, with a powerful and expressive voice and a stage presence that can only be described as electric.


Marina DomashenkoAnd that’s all for the good, since the plot of “Clemenza” needs all the juice it can get. While the music is sublime – some of the most beautiful in any of Mozart’s operas – the goody-goody characters have all the dramatic depth of cottage cheese. But Nassif, with her flashing eyes and floating hair, conjured up a convincingly nasty would-be empress -- even if she did have to display a good side in the end.

The supple, detailed performance was conducted by Steven Gathman (sitting in ably for Heinz Fricke), and there was fine singing in every corner. But a special bouquet goes to the stunning Russian mezzo Marina Domashenko (in the breeches role of the love-stupid Sesto), whose creamy, elegant voice and flawless command were riveting throughout the evening.