Nerone in Handel Agrippina / Opera de Dijon
Cond. Emmanuelle Haim / Dir.Jean-Yves Ruf
“Vocally, the cast of brilliant singers formed a well-balanced ensemble, most notably Renata Pokupic as Nero.”
Jean-Marie Duhamel, La Voix Du Nord, November 2011
Mozart's Requiem / Royal Albert Hall / Polyphony with the City of London Sinfonia
Cond. Stephen Layton
“With persuasive solo singing from Renata Pokupic… this was a performance of discipline but also one of impressive humanity.”
Geoffrey Norris, The Telegraph, August 2011
Octavian / Strauss Der Rosenkavalier (concert performance) / Minnesota Orchestraal Association / Cond. Andrew Litton
“Similarly strong was mezzo Renata Pokupic in the trouser-clad title role. Vividly conveying a teenager's mood swings and limited impulse control, she also brought a tender tone to the beautiful love duets she shared with sopranos Katie Van Kooten and Emma Pearson”
Rob Hubbard, The Pioneer Press, July 2011
“Mezzo-soprano Renata Pokupic brought a ringing top to Octavian … The impetuousness of her ardent performance was thoroughly winning… The Act III trio for the three women, about love and renunciation, is one of the most sublime moments in all opera and was here transcendent.”
William Randall Beard, The Star Tribune, July 2011
Opera arias / Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh
Scottish Chamber Orchestra, cond. Jean-Christophe Spinosi
“[There was] a miniature exploration of the wiles, whims and ways of love by the Croatian mezzo Renata Pokupic who, like any self-respecting opera singer, could more than match Spinosi for charisma.”
“Pokupic, very much the up-and-coming young mezzosoprano, has a rich tone and a great sense for drama. Her Voi che Sapete (The Marriage of Figaro) was beautifully sung, and Dorabella’s Smanie Implacabili from Così, at the other end of inexperienced love’s emotional scale; effective. Breathlessly sob-sighing and feeling her way through unfamiliar despair, the artifice was complete as Pokupic fainted, delicately, into Spinosi’s arms.”
“Pokupic proved to be most impressive in the Rossini duo that followed, throwing off the coloratura of Cruda Sorte (L’Italiana in Algieri) with ease. Her Rosina ('Una voce poco fa' from The Barber of Seville) was syrupy sweet, crafty and so resolutely defiant as she grabbed Spinosi’s baton to conduct the final chords herself.”
Sarah Unwin Jones, The Times, 2 May 2011
Wigmore Hall debut recital with Alek Shrader
Pianist Roger Vignoles
“The Wigmore recital brought together the noble-voiced Renata Pokupić, who has been making a name for herself in pre-classical music, notably as the isolated high-point of Royal Opera production of Handel’s “Tamerlano” (generally considered indifferent) and the lyric tenor Alek Shrader.”
“…she entered the emotional world of this set of songs.”
“In the final prayer Pokupić caught the true despair of Mary’s utterance.”
“Pokupić took the opportunity to display delicate vocal graces, which may be her forte, in ‘Il rimprovero.’”
Richard Nicholson, Classical Source, April 2011
“Watching how acclaimed young opera singers adapt to the more intimate and nuanced business of delivering lieder is always fascinating. The Croatian soprano Renata Pokupic excited the critics, me included, when she sang a minor role in Tamerlano at the Royal Opera. In fact she was the best thing in a woeful show. And at the Wigmore she once again revealed the qualities that could take her to the top.
Her voice has a Ferrier-like sonority, yet with a seductive husk. It is superbly even-toned from top to bottom… on the whole keeps good control. And she projects each song’s miniature emotional world effectively, yet without effusive gush… She captured perfectly the poignant joyousness of Yeats’s The Secrets of the Old in Samuel Barber’s beautiful setting. And I loved the way that she and the pianist Roger Vignoles phrased four Fauré Mélodies: respecting their reticence, delicacy and grace rather than loading them with heavy-duty emotions… She brought a similarly noble restraint to Schumann’s dark settings of poems supposedly written by Mary, Queen of Scots.”
Richard Morrison, The Times, April 2011
Cherubino in Mozart Le nozze di Figaro
Los Angeles Opera / cond. Placido Domingo / dir. Ian Judge
“Renata Pokupic’s Cherubino, the young scamp enamoured of all women, shot erotic darts. The mezzo from Croatia passes for boyish, but she is also feminine, and her flirtations with both Susanna and the Countess seemed more than a little loaded.”
Mark Swed, LA Times, October 2010
Irene in Handel Tamerlano
Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / cond. Ivor Bolton / dir. Graham Vick
“But the only accomplished lyricism came from the Croatian mezzo Renata Pokupic in the role of Irene, a rival princess.”
Richard Morrison, The Times, March 2010
“…the bright Croatian debutante Renata Pokupic — who provided the evening’s most radiant singing and won the most enthusiastic ovation in the role of Tamerlano’s spurned betrothed, Irene.”
Hugh Canning, The Sunday Times, March 2010
“Renata Pokupic - bright, open, and seductive of voice – also made an impression as Irene, Tamerlano’s would-be betrothed.”
Edward Seckerson, The Independent, March 2010
“Renata Pokupić’s assumption of the part from the moment of her entry atop a vertiginous royal blue elephant was one of the evening’s most rewarding elements. Musically assured, she expanded the character’s importance in the network of intrigues in her disguise as servant girl and her dignity in propria persona.”
Richard Nicolson, Classical Source, March 2010
“Renata Pokupic makes an impressive house debut as Irene.”
Simon Thomas, What’s On Stage, March 2010
“Another house debutant provided almost equally lustrous performance; the mezzo Renata Pokupic phrased Irene's wonderful aria 'Par che mi nasca in seno' with touching sensitivity, and gave a fully rounded portrayal of her character.”
Melanie Eskenazi, The Opera Critic, March 2010
“Croatian mezzo-soprano Renata Pokupic made a very spirited debut with the Royal Opera in the role of Irene and turned out to be a very pleasant surprise, displaying a warm, full-bodied and velvety timbre which was a genuine delight to listen to. Her Act II aria ‘Par che mi nasca in seno’ was impressively stylish with a very smooth legato line.”
Faye Courtney, Opera Britannia, March 2010
“...debutante Croatian mezzo Renata Pokupic, her lavish voice and personality aiding and abetting her in putting her stamp on the role of Irene”
George Hall, Opera News, June 2010
The Angel in Mendelssohn Elijah
London Philharmonic Orchestra / cond. Kurt Masur
"Topi Lehtipuu and Renata Pokupic gave Obadiah and the Angel a sense of immediacy that was almost palpable."
Peter Reed, Classical Source, October 2009
Title role in Handel Theodora
Gabrieli Consort and Players / cond. Paul McCreesh / Teatro Real, Madrid
“The vocal cast was well suited to their roles in all cases, being well-balanced, and including some excellent singers. The protagonist Theodora was Croatian mezzo soprano Renata Pokupic, who has a beautiful voice and is a very good performer.”
José M Irurzun, MusicWeb International, October 2009
Dorabella in Mozart Così fan tutte (concert version)
Théatre des Champs-Elysées / Le Cercle de l’Harmonie / Jérémie Rhorer
“Croatian mezzo Renata Pokupic sang Dorabella with ease and fluency, demonstrating an impressive fullness and stability of timbre across the whole tessitura, and perfect tuning.”
ConcertoNet, October 2009
“Naturally adorable, Renata Pokupic sang Dorabella with a rich, velvety tone whose opulence gently veiled the exquisitely formed contours of her melodies.”
Altamusica, October 2009
Title role in Cavalli’s Eliogabalo
Grange Park Opera / cond. Christian Curnyn / dir. David Fielding
“As for Eliogabalo, strutting in silver tights, the velvet high mezzo of Renata Pokupic is more pleasing still; quite a star turn, in fact.”
Geoff Brown, The Times, June 2009
Sesto in Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito
Chicago Opera Theater / cond. Jane Glover / dir. Christopher Alden
“Croatian mezzo-soprano Renata Pokupic’s performance as Sesto was a revelation. Her acting was flawless, and her voice was magnificent. Nearly every moment she was onstage was a highlight, but the particular standout was her performance of the long second act aria “Deh per questo istante.”
R. Todd Shuman, Operaonline US, April 2009
“Pokupic, a superb Croatian mezzo, nailed each of Sesto's arias with aplomb, not least the famous ‘Parto, parto,’ in tandem with Charlene Zimmerman's stunning clarinet obbligato.”
John Von Rhein, Chicago Tribune, April 2009
Bach Mass in B Minor
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir / cond. Kent Nagano
Place des Arts, Montreal
“Renata Pokupic was particularly rich and melodious in the Qui sedes, which she performed standing beside the oboe d'amore player.”
Arthur Kaptainis, The Montreal Gazette, January 2009
Statira in Vivaldi’s L’incoronazione di Dario
Garsington Opera / cond. Laurence Cummings
“…fine singing from Renata Pokupic”
Anthony Holden, Guardian, June 2008
"...Renata Pokupic.... gave a vibrant, polished account."
Fiona Maddocks, Evening Standard, June 2008
“Renata Pokupic's sweetly ditsy Statira...is outstanding”
Anna Picard, Independent, June 2008
“Renata Pokupic was an enchanting Statira”
Andrew Clark, Financial Times, June 2008
“(Statira) Delightfully portrayed by the young Croatian mezzo Renata Pokupic.”
Richard Morrison, The Times, June 2008
Teodata in Handel’s Flavio
Barbican cond. Christopher Hogwood / Academy of Ancient Music
"... it was... Renata Pokupic’s Teodata who provided the most distinguished singing…”
Andrew Clark, Financial Times, April 2008
Dvorak Stabat Mater
Choeur Accentus / cond. Laurence Equilbey
"We are also lucky that the first recording of this unheard version is served by magnificent performers who are well acquainted with this repertoire and form - the compassionate piano of Brigitte Engerer, the ardent and contrasted voices of the Accentus choir and the soloists (particularly mezzo-soprano Renata Pokupic). To her equally successful Brahms German Requiem and Liszt Via Crucis, Laurence Equilbey and partners add with this another exemplary trophy. This sacred trilogy, this holy trinity has no equals or rivals in today's discography."
Gilles Macassar, Telerama, April 2008
Cherubino Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro
Theatre des Champs-Elysees / cond. Jérémie Rohrer
“Renata Pokupic displays a charm worthy of Frederica von Stade."
Le Figaro, September 2007
Siébel Gounod’s Faust
Opera Ireland
“The best singing on stage comes from the Croatian mezzo Renata Pokupic in the trousers role of Siébel. Her tone is straight and true, her boyish antics perfectly apt, and whenever she sings, she simply commands attention.”
The Irish Times, April 2006
Messagera Monteverdi’s Orfeo
Lille Opera / Emmanuelle Haïm
“Renata Pokupic is superb as the messenger.”
Financial Times, November 2005
“Renata Pokupic makes herself easily noticed, a Messagera with a soft and gripping tone, with clear and assured diction; conscious of her account’s crucial role, she knows how to bend the action towards tragedy with sincerity and emotion.”
Les Echos, November 2005
“One cannot remain indifferent to the powerful interventions of Renata Pokupic’s Messagera.”
Le Figaro, November 2006
Dido Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas
Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists/ John Eliot Gardiner
“ … Renata Pokupic, whose style is impeccable…”
Le Figaro, November 2004
Bach’s Mass in B minor
Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists/ John Eliot Gardiner (BBC Proms)
“ … and a brief hearing of the silvery edge to Renata Pokupic mezzo was impressive.”
Musical Opinion, August 2004
“… mezzo Renata Pokupic… was also excellent.”
Stephen Pettitt, Evening Standard, August 2004
“The chirruping piping of soprano Katharine Fuge nicely contrasted with Croatian mezzo Renata Pokupic”
Hilary Finch, The Times, August 2004
Dejanira Handel’s Hercules
London Handel Festival Choir and Orchestra/ Laurence Cummings
“… thank God for Renata Pokupic, a warm-voiced Croatian mezzo-soprano. From her first entry, she wrenched the evening to a level of emotional engagement… from hysterical joy to wrecked despair, this was some performance!”
The Times, May 2004
“… she can cope with the most demanding of Handel’s florid vocal lines and ornaments with remarkable control of articulation and breath… an extremely appealing stage presence combined with the sheer quality of her voice, gives her an almost unbelievable ability to express the widely varying moods. She has a very special talent.”
Early Music Review, May 2004
Anna Berlioz’s Les Troyens
Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique / John Eliot Gardiner
“Renata Pokupic was a sumptuous Anna.”
International Herald Tribune, October 2003
“Renata Pokupic, a touching Anna…”
ConcertoNet, October 2003
“Renata Pokupic composes a quasi-mozartian Anna, giving to the great duo with her sister Dido a very appropriate dreamy charm.”
ResMusica, November 2003
Handel: Ariodante’s arias
Aestas Musica International Ensemble / Laurence Cummings
“Renata Pokupic displayed attributes that merit her a place at the very pinnacle of her profession. She projects a vivid and refreshing personality from the platform, but in doing so immerses herself totally in the spirit and style of the music. Her technique is completely assured and meticulously controlled. Ms Pokupic is a very special singer.”
Stephen Pettitt, Evening Standard
“Arias from Ariodante were sungwith a gleaming bronzed vocal quality, admirable flexibility, complete attachment to text and character and a poise and sophistication …and led me to believe that here is an outstanding talent.”
Linda Hirst, Head of Vocal Faculty, Trinity College of Music