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‘A distinctively direct, plangent tone quality’
‘I was struck by the real sculptural quality to her phrasing’
‘Richly characterised with strong storytelling’
‘Intent and intense’
‘Dandy’s intense phrasing was combined with a striking array of colours in her voice’
‘Quietly magical’
‘Rhapsodic and almost mystical’
‘Characterful with a remarkable range of tone colours’
‘Remarkable purpose’
‘Poised, beautifully controlled’
‘A performance of remarkably sustained intensity’
‘Very centred with beautifully even tone and fine emphasis on the words’
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Richard Morrison, The Times
‘Britten’s canticle Abraham and Isaac...was superbly characterised (with Dandy sometimes sounding startlingly like Kathleen Ferrier, for whom Britten wrote the part of Isaac)’
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Boyd Tonkin, The Arts Desk
‘We don’t often see sultry come-to-bed moves in the Wigmore Hall, that chaste Parthenon of refined musical taste. But when Jess Dandy stretched out languidly on stage while offering to show Nicky Spence“how the gypsies sleep”, the temperature shot up even in an empty auditorium. In Janáček’s The Diary of One Who Disappeared, wildness and passion war with inhibition and conformity. In her numbers, Dandy matched him [Spence] for big-flavoured intensity, a proper diva more than a flirty minx, with her shame-free invitation to cross the ethnic lines: “Sit here closer to me… Or does my complexion alarm you?” Critics should never complain that voices are just too strong.’
Colin Clarke, Seen and Heard International
'Welcome, too, the mezzo-soprano Jess Dandy, her plea to God as to why he created the Gypsy race perfectly pitched emotionally.’
Claire Seymour, Opera Today
‘Jess Dandy emerged from the figurative woods, her mezzo ample, richly coloured and vivid as she delved into sumptuous, warm depths, and gleamed at the top. Her Gipsy Prayer was a decisive dramatic moment.’
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Keith Bruce, Herald Scotland
‘It was a very thoughtful and varied programme showcasing a voice whose rich low notes are a rare treat on the modern concert platform’
Keith Bruce, Vox Carnyx
‘Very thoughtfully sequenced…full of confidence and style’
RECITAL
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For Bach Matthew Passion, St David’s Hall/BBC National Orchestra & Chorus of Wales/Harry Bicket
‘Mhairi Lawson’s silver tone was a good foil for Jess Dandy’s rich contralto in the work’s single duet and the remarkable intensity of Dandy’s delivery was nowhere more telling than in the aria Können Tränen meiner Wangen Nichts erlangen.’
Rian Evans, The Guardian
‘The other soloists were more conventionally operatic. Jess Dandy and Mhairi Lawson were superbly lyrical. Their respective duets with Leslie Hatfield on violin in Erbarme dich and with Matthew Featherstone on flute in Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben were real highlights, and the interplay between voice and instrument was beautifully handled.’
Paul Corfield Godfrey, Seen and Heard International
‘…contralto Jess Dandy and the choir led us quickly back into the sublime with an exceptional performance of the opening aria of part two. Dandy and Orchestra Two went on to give what was probably the outstanding performance of the afternoon with a breathtaking account of the Aria: “If the tears on my cheeks are of no avail.” It certainly brought a tear to my eye.’
Peter Collins, Nation Cymru
For Bach Matthew Passion Dunedin Consort/John Butt/Perth Concert Hall 2021
‘Jess Dandy’s alto deserves special praise, marvellously rich and full of colour at the bottom of her register.’
Simon Thompson, Seen and Heard International
‘Alto Jess Dandy impresses in her early solo, a reflection on the woman who brings Christ ointment – a foreshadowing of his crucifixion and burial. Her wonderful lower register rings out against the high melody in the accompanying flutes.’
Kate Calder, Edinburgh Music Review
For Bach Matthew Passion Dunedin Consort/Trevor Pinnock/The Queen’s Hall Edinburgh 2019
‘More familiar – from the recent Dunedin recording of Handel’s Samson – was contralto Jess Dandy, who was on glorious form here’
Keith Bruce, The Herald Scotland
For Bach Matthew Passion Dunedin Consort/Kristian Bezuidenhout/Boston Early Music Festival 2019
‘Alto Jess Dandy and violinist Sophie Gent shaped a gorgeous, affecting “Erbarme dich”’
Zoe Madonna, The Boston Globe
‘Jess Dandy’s plum-luscious “Erbarme dich” contained a cosmic vastness where distant stars pulse red and fade’
CJ Ru, The Boston Musical Intelligencer
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For Bach John Passion Academy of Ancient Music/Laurence Cummings/Barbican Hall 2022
‘Jess Dandy proved sorrow personified in her devastating aria Es ist vollbracht, tearfully partnered with Reiko Ichise’s viola da gamba.’
Geoff Brown, The Times
‘Jess Dandy made a profound impression in the grave “Es ist vollbracht”’
Richard Fairman, Financial Times
For Bach St John Passion Les Arts Florissants/William Christie/Barbican Hall 2019
‘Contralto Jess Dandy summons up velvety richness in “Es ist vollbracht”’
Michael Church, The Independent
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For Bach Mass in B minor The Dunedin Consort/John Butt/Wigmore Hall 2018
‘The stunning young contralto Jess Dandy…offered sumptuous tone and beautiful legato. She’s a name to watch.’
Neil Fisher, The Times
‘For the ‘Agnus Dei’ Jess Dandy sang with expressive plangent tone, making much of the long unfolding lines, with the concluding chorus making a powerful conclusion to a vibrantly moving account of this work.’ Robert Hugill, Planet Hugill
For Bach Secular Cantatas Dunedin Consort/John Butt/ Edinburgh International Festival
‘Alto Jess Dandy sang with a rich, glowing warmth, perfectly balanced with Samuel Boden’s clear tenor’
Miranda Heggie, The Herald
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For Handel Messiah Barbican Hall/Britten Sinfonia/David Watkin 2021
‘Nicely detailed playing in, for instance, ‘But who may abide the day of his coming?’ permitted considerable instrumental drama, whatever the numbers involved. So too, naturally, did that greatest of musical rarities: a true and fine contralto voice, in this case Jess Dandy’s. When it came to ‘He was despised…,’ the plainness of some of the orchestral playing was a little underwhelming, yet Dandy’s voice and interpretation continued to carry the performance.’
Mark Berry, Seen and Heard International
‘Jess Dandy has that relatively rare voice nowadays, a fine contralto instrument with superb lower register (which is not to imply that her upper is not lovely too). 'But who may abide' combined fine phrases with well shaped words. Throughout the work Dandy combined a sense of dignity with a feeling of quasi-operatic drama, very much demonstrated in 'he shall feed his flock'. 'He was despised' was serious yet fluid, with shapely phrases and rich dark tone; moving yet modern feeling in tone.’
Robert Hugill, Planet Hugill
For Handel Messiah Dunedin Consort/John Butt/The Queen’s Hall Edinburgh 2019
"The standout among the soloists was Jess Dandy, a proper alto with a deliciously warm chest voice and unique lower colour.”
Simon Thompson, Seen and Heard International
For Handel Samson Dunedin Consort/John Butt/Händel-Festspiele Halle 2018
‘Possibly the most sustained role is that of Micah who observes and comments from the Israelite viewpoint, although it is not as emotionally demanding as the roles of Samson and Manoah. It was sung by English contralto Jessica Dandy… with great range and formidable low notes, excellent technique and subtle feeling, particularly in “Return, O God of hosts”.’
Sandra Bowdler, Bachtrack
For Handel Parnasso in Festa London Handel Orchestra/Adrian Butterfield/Wigmore Hall 2020
‘…her part was taken on short notice by Jess Dandy. My spontaneous disappointment was soon dispelled by Dandy’s powerful voice, intelligent phrasing and innate musicality; she produced lines, phrases and notes with equal skills. Her penultimate note (d#) in ‘Sempre aspira eccelso core’ (Part Three) was beautifully placed and tuned. It is of note that Jess Dandy first came to study the part and score four days before the performance: a true professional in the best sense of the word.’
Agnes Kory, Seen and Heard International
‘Jess Dandy authoritative as Calliope’
Curtis Rogers, Classical Source
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For Vivaldi with La Serenissima/Adrian Partington/Wigmore Hall 2021
‘…doch war ihr wahnsinnig dunkles und geschmeidiges Contralto-Timbre mit dem Abgleiten ins tiefste Register dramatischer Anlass genug, Gänsehaut zu verursachen. Gepaart mit dem Ausbund an abgezockter Lockerheit und müheloser Eleganz der Koloratur- und Bravura-Passagen geriet ihr Wandeln in Vivaldis Kantate „Amor, hai vinto” mit dem Feuer von La Serenissima zu einem beachtlichen Hochgenuss.’
Jens Klier, Bachtrack
BAROQUE ORATORIO
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‘Especially memorable...Jess Dandy’s contralto call, ‘Music! Hark!’... a magical performance.’ Mark Berry, Seen and Heard International
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‘Jess Dandy was content for the low-lying voice tessitura to flow into the orchestra’s lines in the opening seascape, but projected her own personality into focus for “In Haven (Capri)”. Then for the big central setting of Browning’s “Sabbath Morning at Sea”, and the remainder, she brought as much passion and poetry in her singing as Elgar did to his writing.’
Robert Beale, The Arts Desk
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‘Jess Dandy…brought eloquence’ Rian Evans, The Guardian
‘Jess Dandy, a proper contralto such as one rarely hears today’ Stephen Walsh, The Arts Desk
‘Jess Dandy is a genuine contralto; a type of voice that one doesn’t hear too often nowadays. We got an early opportunity to experience her singing in the second movement (‘Rise, O my soul’). I very much enjoyed her rich full tone, which didn’t cloud her diction – it was evident that she took care over the enunciation of the text. This was an expressive piece of singing…in her eloquent performance Dandy invested the words with fine feeling and the music with warm tone’
John Quinn, Seen and Heard International
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‘Jess Dandy sang the intense solo, “Quis est homo, qui non fleret” (Who is the person who would not weep), with impressive poise, her voice focused and direct even when her contralto was pushed high into mezzo-soprano territory. She used the vocal repetitions to introduce a rich array of colours, drawing us into the full depth of Mary’s agony…fuelled by the strings’ urgent pizzicatos and raging tremolandos, Dandy erupted with declamatory intensity.’
Claire Seymour, Opera Today
‘sensational…incredible contralto, Jess Dandy’
Roderic Dunnett, Church Times
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‘…with contralto Jess Dandy especially standing out with her velvety deep tones and stage presence’
Sheila Regan, Twin Cities Pioneer Press
‘Contralto Jess Dandy also impressed.’
Rob Hubbard, Star Tribune
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‘Jess Dandy’s commanding contralto made an impact. It’s rare enough to hear the alto line, let alone have it make you sit up and take notice.’
Rick Perdian, Seen and Heard International
‘The remaining British trio of soprano Lucy Crowe, contralto Jess Dandy and tenor Ed Lyon were superb.’
Dennis Polkow, New City Music
‘Contralto Jess Dandy added just the right note of creamy richness to the sound’
David Wright, New York Classical Review
Romantic & Post-Romantic Oratorio & Orchestral
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‘Outstanding contralto Jess Dandy just gets better and better, bringing real gravitas and moral authority to the priggish “good son” Sancio, holding her ground against…rival Alfonso & Altomaro.’ Alexandra Coghlan, The Ipaper
‘For me, the most poignant moments of the evening came from the remarkable alto Jess Dandy as Sancio, who produced an amazingly moving single note in the middle of a cadenza, a still centre among all the bustle.’ Nicholas Kenyon, The Telegraph
‘Sancio is really a bit of a wimp, but Jess Dandy imbued the role with a melancholy dignity. ‘Si, si, minaccia’ was notable for its strong line and convincing feeling, Dandy’s wide range serving to substantiate the rather flimsy characterisation.’
Claire Seymour, Opera Today
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‘Dabei ging zumindest jedem Gesangslehrer und -liebhaber das Herz auf, wenn man Jess Dandys bewundernswerter Stimmorganlockerheit und tiefer Färbung lauschte, mit der sie nicht nur einen barocken Hit famos beeinflussen oder sonstiges Ariengut formidabel aufbacken kann, sondern in die sie durch Akzente, größte Geschmeidigkeit und Wendigkeit das ernst-gespielte, chancenausrechnende Mitgefühl bei der Angebeteten legte. Die an zwei Fronten kämpfende Auserkorene ließ sich davon natürlich nicht linken und schüttelte den Ansinnenden mit erboster Anwiderung genauso ins Gewissen redend ab…’
Jens Klier, Bachtrack
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‘At first, Jess Dandy as Dido seemed too full-bodied for a role which is often entrusted to flute-toned singers. But she grew into the drama and by the time she delivered the last line of "When I am laid in earth", she had refined her resonance down almost to a whisper. It was breath-taking.’ Martin Dreyer, The York Press
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‘Alexa Mason (soprano), Jess Dandy (contralto) and Feargal Mostyn-Williams (countertenor) reprised their 2018 performances with considerable skill and dedication. The diction was unanimously excellent, the voices clean and clear. Mills blends the three high-register timbres effectively, as the singers assume a variety of character-roles, echoing each other’s words in a manner which builds dramatic intensity; and Dandy’s rich, earthy lower register provides satisfying contrast, creating a broader expressive palette.’
Claire Seymour, Opera Today
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For Vivaldi with La Serenissima/Adrian Partington/Wigmore Hall 2021
‘…doch war ihr wahnsinnig dunkles und geschmeidiges Contralto-Timbre mit dem Abgleiten ins tiefste Register dramatischer Anlass genug, Gänsehaut zu verursachen. Gepaart mit dem Ausbund an abgezockter Lockerheit und müheloser Eleganz der Koloratur- und Bravura-Passagen geriet ihr Wandeln in Vivaldis Kantate „Amor, hai vinto” mit dem Feuer von La Serenissima zu einem beachtlichen Hochgenuss.’
Jens Klier, Bachtrack