September 13, 2019 September 13, 2019/ Jonathan Santagada Reviews of LE NOZZE DI FIGARO with The New Generation Festival ©Guy Bell, GBPhotos.com “Die fulminanten Gesangsleistungen werden getragen und befördert durch Jonathan Santagada. Der Assistent von Sir Antonio Pappano am Opernhaus von Covent Garden sorgt am Pult des seinerseits jung besetzten Orchestra Senzaspine für den idealen Mozart-Puls, in dem sich die klare Artikulation der Klangrede wunderbar in den emotional empfundenen Phrasierungssog einbettet” — Peter Krause - Concerti.de “Applausi scroscianti per Le nozze di Figaro. L’opera di Mozart, diretta dal maestro Jonathan Santagada con l’Orchestra Senzaspine, ha infiammato il pubblico internazionale che stasera ha partecipato alla prima serata della terza edizione del The New Generation Festival” — Elettra Gullè - La Nazione “Jonathan Santagada, pregevole direttore allievo di sir Antony Pappano, ha agito con un’orchestra dal nome promettente: “Senzaspine”. Hanno suonato bene, pulitamente, come le grandi orchestre “serie”.” — Carla Maria Casanova - Lo Spettacoliere ©Guy Bell, GBPhotos.com “The Mozart ensemble was very well cast. Jonathan Santagada kept the Orchestra Senzaspine in motion with young musicians from Bologna, set, appropriate to the open air, rather on romantic fullness of sound” — Andreas Berger - Oper Magazin “La parte musicale riserva vere e proprie sorprese a partire dalla direzione briosa e scattante del giovane Jonathan Santagada, alla guida dell’Orchestra Senzaspine, da cui ottiene un suono compatto e levigato. I tempi serrati non fanno passare in secondo piano un discreto approfondimento della partitura, e sono sempre ben calibrati per non mettere in difficoltà gli interpreti. Il direttore sa anche distillare con cura le oasi liriche, contribuendo a creare una lettura di notevole passo teatrale, che valorizza appropriatamente l’opera mozartiana ” — ★★★★ Filippo Antichi - Connessi all'Opera ©Guy Bell, GBPhotos.com “ Der Instrumentalnachwuchs des hauseigenen Orchestra Senzaspine unter dem tempohurtigen, aber nie verhetzten Pappano-Assistenten Jonathan Santagada klingt wirklich dornenlos und fein, freiluftgemäß freilich auch wenig füllig. Doch mit ein wenig elektroakustischer Unterstützung balanciert sich das gut aus.” — Manuel Brug - Welt “Under the quick tempi of Jonathan Santagada, assistant to Pappano, this Figaro whilst sounding under-powered, was nevertheless light and fine und thus perfect for a cheerful open air event.” — Von Thomas Migge - Klassikinfo “The youthful Orchestra Senzaspine, under its conductor Jonathan Santagada, struck up an ouverture that sounded particulary crisp and urgent” — ★★★★ Ashutosh Khandekar - Opera Now “An evidently talented young conductor, Jonathan Santagada, directed a well-paced account of the score, drawing stylish, rhythmically buoyant playing from a fine orchestra of equally young players, rather more of them than usual for Mozart” — Brian Robins - Opera Magazine
November 18, 2018 November 18, 2018/ Jonathan Santagada Reviews of Tosca with Opera North Photo by © Richard H Smith “Conductor Jonathan Santagada did full justice to the ebb and flow of Puccini’s lavish score” — Gavin Engelbrecht - The Northern Echo “The music, under the baton of Jonathan Santagada, was authentic in style and paired perfectly with the interpretations of the singers on stage while also colouring the emotions of the various scenes effectively” — Aaron Loughreyon - Number 9 “On the musical side the orchestral playing under Jonathan Santagada was quite outstanding. His tempi and modulation of the orchestral forces, and support for his singers, could hardly be better” — Robert J Farr - Seen and Heard International “The orchestra of Opera North, under the baton of Jonathan Santagada, provides wonderful support for the singers and, when the ten-strong brass section comes thundering in, the audience experiences more than a frisson!” — Peter Lathan - British Theatre Guide Photo by © Richard H Smith