CD Journal April edition 2011 (Japan) / Original in Japanese language"Wien, Stadt meiner Träume" -Fragrance of good old Vienna- / Akiko Nakajima / Niels Muus / Morphing Chamber Orchestra / Gramola 98908
This album with collection of famous tunes from Vienna opens to tell a story, a story of homage to Vienna. The heroine, Akiko Nakajima with her voice and excellent diction confirms her international standard. Her portraying of each expressions and changing moods are so vivid, you could almost see her moving on stage. The chamber orchestra resonate with well blended individual instruments, and with their perfectly natural Wiener waltz rhythms, one cannot avoid swinging along as you listen to them. (Shinnosuke Nagai)
CD Journal April edition 2011 (Japan) / Original in Japanese language"Wien, Stadt meiner Träume" -Fragrance of good old Vienna- / Akiko Nakajima / Niels Muus / Morphing Chamber Orchestra / Gramola 98908
It is a CD that makes you feel the breeze entering your room. The singing is by a Japanese soprano Akiko Nakajima who lives in Vienna, and the conducting is an American-born Danish husband of hers. Her graceful voice and elegant play by the orchestra insure you to spend a moment of musical pleasure. (Hiko)
Jyllandsposten (Denmark) / Original in Danish language Danish operetta succes in Vienna
On this new CD, the conductor Niels Muus has recorded a selection of some of the most well known music from Vienna, which is perhaps more authentic and "wienerisch" than many of the "Neujahrkonzert" with the Vienna Philharmonic.
The characteristic atmosphere of the Viennese "Weltschmerz"with its certain ambiguity, the longing for the unreachable and a charming "joi de vivre"is perfectly captured from the first bar of the overture of the Zigeunerbaron. The waltz rhythm in the Kaiserwalzer and An der schönen blauen Donau is played with the genuine light hesitation. (John Christiansen)
Tiroler Tageszeitung (Austria) / Original in German language Waltz spirit and delicate bitter sweet love
Memory comes back to the ears: Akiko Nakajima and Debra Fernandes
Innsbruck – two sopranos, who proved their qualities at the Tiroler Landestheater, bring brand new CDs. The Japanese soprano Akiko Nakajima and Danish conductor Niels Muus were engaged in the Mentha generation. As Mentha went to the Volksoper, he brought them with him, and Nakajima made a career Her technically perfect voice has matured and has become more lyrical. With Muus at the heads of his Morphing Chamber Orchestra, they pay hommage to Vienna. (Gramola). "Wien, Stadt meiner Träume" includes arias from "Der Zarewitsch", "Boccaccio" (sung in Japanese), the evergreen duet from "die Lustige Witwe" and Walter Jurmann's unknown "You and the Waltz and I". Muus leads us with Strauß' Kaiserwalzer and Donauwalzer aomg others. All is well done with exquisite singing and musicality.
