Karen Jolicoeur: Press

"I saw an amazing performance last month by a recently formed New York-based troupe called the Experience Vocal Dance Company. The show involved a small group of women acting and singing operatic arias while fully engaged in executing modern-dance choreography. The performers managed to sing magnificently while doing such things as balancing on one leg in arabesque or sitting on the floor in an abdominal-taxing V-seat position. One woman sang an entire selection lying on her back with a sheet fully covering her body and face. It seems that these women were able to perform such an astounding blend of vocal and dance feats because they have been training in a newly minted performance methodology known as Integrative Performance Practice...

"...in strong voice and met Mr. Westergaard’s demands with flexibility and energy." (Full production of Peter Westergaard's Alice in Wonderland with the Center for Contemporary Opera at Symphony Space)

"IMPRESSIVE..." (Review of the June 2006 reading of "Alice in Wonderland" with the Center for Contemporary Opera)

Absolutely top-rate singers... it was their uniformly excellent singing that carried the day. Yes, they sang a difficult score filled with harmonies and intervals which in the composer's context were often complex and ear-stretching (an Ivesian virtue!).

“Put effectively to work by choreographer Bruce Heath, looking duly sexy and furnishing great attitude, the six (Karie Brown, Nicole Cherniak Hyde, Karen Jolicoeur, Gilda Lyons, Alison Quinn McConekey, and Tara Venditti) also brought great dexterity, fine harmonizing and consistent beauty of tone to some of Vera’s best music.” (Daron Hagen and Paul Muldoon's "Vera of Las Vegas" with the Center for Contemporary Opera)

The six Miss Catchalls were impressive not just for their in-tune harmonizing but for their willingness to shimmy and pout in revealing costumes. This is not the kind of thing singers get trained to do in conservatories. But it’s all in a day’s work with experimental opera. (Vera of Las Vegas)

"...the song cycle... was powerfully brought to life by the evening's featured soloist..." (A Summer's Dream)

"...a glistening and distinctive quality of tone..." (Anne Trulove in The Rake's Progress)

"...sang with warmth and grace - a timid, tender Blanche." (Dialogues of the Carmelites)

"...sang with clarity and punch, creating a character both disagreeable and noble - exactly right." (Blanche de la Force in Dialogues of the Carmelites)