P r e s s
“A fine young conductor". (Rigoletto, Glyndebourne Tour), Richard Morrison, Times
"Thomas Blunt directed the Glyndebourne Tour Orchestra like a true Verdi veteran: the tempos were always brisk; disfiguring rallentandos and soloistic acuti were banished; the drama emerged." (Rigoletto, Glyndebourne Tour), Roger Parker, Opera Magazine
"Thomas Blunt conducts a swift, clean account of the score... [with] verve and vigour" Rigoletto, Glyndebourne Tour), Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph
"Luckily, under the baton of Thomas Blunt, there was sterling quality in the orchestra, chorus and cast". (Rigoletto, Glyndebourne Tour), Fiona Maddocks, The Observer
"From the Prelude on, Thomas Blunt’s conducting and the GT Orchestra made the score sound gratifyingly black and, however light and nuanced on its feet, weighed down with tragedy. The storm scene is gripping, and in general the pit drives the show". (Rigoletto, Glyndebourne Tour), Peter Reed, Classical Source
"Thomas Blunt balances pace and elegance, drawing colourful playing from the BCO Orchestra". (Il Mondo della Luna, Bampton Classical Opera) The Stage
"The excellent orchestra was splendidly conducted by Thomas Blunt, whose tempi never dragged and who got good balance most of the time ... Blunt even has the knack of firing up the stop-start recitativo accompagnato music, especially that for Donna Anna. He, like his singers, could be well satisfied with their evening’s work pursuing a vile predator to his deserved damnation". (Don Giovanni, Longborough Festival Opera). Roy Westbrook, Bachtrack
"The evening is conducted persuasively by Thomas Blunt". (Don Giovanni, Longborough Festival Opera), Sam Smith, Music OMH
Thomas Blunt’s conducting achieves an excellent balance between clarity, nuance and energy with the result that this interpretation of La traviata is as successful as it is innovative”. (La Traviata, Longborough Festival Opera) www.musicomh.com
"Thomas Blunt conducts with an intuitive sense of the drama..." (La Traviata, Longborough Festival Opera) www.classicalsource.com
“Thomas Blunt conducted an accomplished small orchestra with verve” (The Italian Girl in
London, Bampton Classical Opera) Daily Telegraph, Rupert Christiansen
"...es reicht die tröstende Kraft der so fein ziselierten Musik, welche von den Musikerinnen
und Musikern des Berner Symphonieorchesters unter der einfühlsamen Leitung von
Thomas Blunt aus dem Graben erklingt." […it was enough to hear such finely crafted music sounding from the pit, played by the Bern Symphony Orchestra under the sensitive direction of Thomas Blunt.] (Ariadne auf Naxos, Konzert Theater Bern) Oper Aktuell
"Thomas Blunt als neuer Erster Kapellmeister führt das Berner Symphonieorchester mit Schwung und Souveränität in den Tempowechseln durch das Singspiel und erweist sich als einfühlsamer Begleiter für Chor und Solisten. Eine «Zauberflöte», wie man sie in Bern noch nicht gesehen hat. Das Fazit nach drei Stunden ist klar: empfehlenswert." [Thomas Blunt as the new First Kapellmeister led the Bern Symphony Orchestra through the opera with verve, supreme ease in the tempo changes, and he proved to be a sensitive accompanist for chorus and soloists. A “Magic Flute” as never seen before in Bern. The conclusion after three hours is clear: a must-see.] (Die Zauberflöte, Konzert Theater Bern) Der Bund
"The loyal audience were also introduced to two highly promising talents in conductor Thomas Blunt and soprano Susanna Hurrell." (DonPasquale, Longborough Festival Opera) Bachtrack
"This year sees a new conductor, Thomas Blunt, in the pit at Longborough bringing bounce and momentum to the score. He's making a name for himself in Bern at the moment, so I understand, but I hope we shall hear more of him over here. The playing of Longborough's house orchestra was, as usual, superb." (Don Pasquale, Longborough Festival Opera) Seen and Heard
"Die musikalische Leitung lag in den Händen von Thomas Blunt, einem Könner im besten Sinne. Mit ihm entfaltete das Berner Sinfonieorchester schwelgerischen Mozart-Klang, ohne sich selber in den Vordergrund zu drängen." [The musical direction was in the hands of Thomas Blunt, an expert in the best sense. With him a voluptuous Mozart sound unfolded from the Bern Symphony Orchestra.] (Die Zauberflöte, Konzert Theater Bern) Die Neue Merker
"Durchwegs voll auf der Höhe der Aufgabe, was Feinschliff, lupenreine, subtile Klanglichkeit, präzise Dramatik und solistische Einsätze (Flöte!) betrafen, war das Orchester Musikkollegium Winterthur. Unter der Leitung von Thomas Blunt gestaltete sich Note für Note ein intaktes flüssiges Zusammenspiel – Mozart konnte zufrieden sein". […with fine-tuning, flawless intonation, subtle timbre, telling drama, and expertly-crafted solos, the Orchester Musikkollegium Winterthur was headed by Thomas Blunt, who note-for-note shaped a fluid ensemble - Mozart would have been delighted.] (Die Zauberflöte, Konzert Theater Bern/Orchester Musikollegium Winterthur) Der Landbote
“Blunt led a superb Northern Chamber Orchestra through galloping yet finely judged
ensembles with assurance: punchy horns complemented a luscious string sound” (The Italian
Girl in London) Opera, Claire Seymour,
"Thomas Blunt showed a true, and rare, sense of eighteenth-century style...Tempi were well chosen, orchestral colour within its bounds well balanced, and the singers well supported... Blunt, clearly a force to be reckoned with, and someone from whom I hope to hear more soon, again led his players in a stylish, committed performance". (Il Parnaso Confuso/Orfeo, Bampton Classical Opera) Boulezian
“Thomas Blunt drew magical sounds from the instrumental ensemble” (The Turn of the Screw, Arcola Theatre) Opera, Yehuda Shapiro
“Good things here started with the orchestra, playing to a really high standard under Thomas Blunt’s cultured direction, beautifully paced and elegant” (The Italian Girl in London, Bampton Classical Opera) Opera Now, Robert Thicknesse
“Thomas Blunt took us into the music to beguile and enlighten, sculpting a fiery, graceful and
poised ‘Haffner’ Symphony (his gestures expressive rather than textbook), with dynamics finely observed and much that was stylish, not least the convincing (and occasional) use of senza vibrato: free-thinking rather than pedantic….there was a good blaze of trumpets and crisp-sounding timpani in the finale to complete an impressive and pleasing performance”
(Mozart Haffner Symphony, LPO, Royal Festival Hall) www.classicalsource.com, Colin Anderson
“Thomas Blunt conducted in elegant and effective style and proved most considerate of the
singers throughout whilst keeping the tempi accurate and sound most stylish” (Handel Jephtha, WNO) Opera Today
“However, it was due to the the expert pacing of conductor Thomas Blunt that the end of the opera made such a lasting impression” (The Rape of Lucretia) musicweb international
Link to Tom Service’s Guardian blog review of Falstaff for Glyndebourne on Tour: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/tomserviceblog/2009/nov/27/beer-verdi-falstaff
