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Reviews
Praise for “Das Rheingold” as Loge
Der neue Merker 2009/06
Innsbruck: “DAS RHEINGOLD” 23.05. – Even gods get sick (…) With juvenile light-heartedness, enormous stage presence and exemplary diction Brenden Gunnell achieved as an extremely well sung Loge a gigantic and earned success. With spider-like agility, he flashes across the stage ensnaring colleague and listener alike. Fantastic! (…)
Praise for “Schwanengesang”
Der Neue Merker 2009/05
Ferdinandeum: „SCHWANENGESANG“ with BRENDEN GUNNELL 04.28. – The young American tenor celebrated getting his new job at TLT at the start of the season 07/08 as “Beppe” in “I pagliacci” and convinced audience and press at the first go thanks to his fresh, well trained voice and his enjoyment of playing. Several larger and smaller parts in operas, operettas and musicals followed, specially being mentioned his Peter Quint (“The turn of the screw”) – shrouded in mystery –, his Lun Tha (“The king and I”) and his extremely likeable Peter Iwanow (the bright light in a totally disastrous “Zar und Zimmermann”-production). Recently he made his debut as Loge in the semistaged “Rheingold” and received an enthusiastic response by the audience for his expressively sung, cryptically well interpreted characterization.
Now he took up the challenge to perform Lieder in the Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum in front of a numerous audience and proved himself as a new hope of this more and more dying art form (considering the dwindling amount of recitals). With his perfect, natural diction and mode of expression, his intellectual understanding of the text and the admirable flexibility and beauty of voice with which he performed the 18 songs of the cycle (in Brigitte Fassbaenders version of 1992) he secured a strong impression and success of the evening. What particularly impressed was the development of Gunnell’s vocal range in a relative short term. Especially in the dramatic Lieder (Kriegers Ahnung, Atlas, Der Doppelgänger) the almost baritonal deep tone and the steady sparkling top came impressively to light. We can be very excited how and in which direction Brenden Gunnells tenor will develop. Thanks to him and his accompanist on the piano, Leif Klinkhardt, for the special musical experience.
Tiroler Tageszeitung 2009.04.30.
Sympathetic with Schuberts pains - The American tenor Brenden Gunnell sang with exemplary diction and deep emotion Schuberts “Schwanengesang”, accompanied by Leif Klinkhardt. – Unfortunately, the Ferdinandeum only optically suits for the love pains in Schuberts Wanderer who wanders through the streets whereas upon him Philippine Welser flirts with another man. Brenden Gunnell is a man of the stage, very present, virile, saucy, charming – just the way he needs. A perfectly positioned tenor. Now he faced the challenge to perform Schuberts Lieder. Unfortunately, the setting was acoustically inadequate. He tackles these minidramas dramatically and with power, he almost delves into Schuberts existential needs with his dark tone.
Gunnell chose Brigitte Fassbaenders choice and version of “Schwanengesang” of 1992: Lieder on poems of Seidl, Reilstab and Heine. The latter succeeded best as Gunnell carried out deep Weltschmerz (world-weariness), penetrated into the cycle of emotion, expression and vocal color, and transported pianist Leif Klinkhardt away from the mechanical accompaniment and with him into the adventure of “soul” music.
Praise for “Zar and Zimmerman” as Peter Ivanov
Der neue Merker 2009/01
Innsbruck: „ZAR UND ZIMMERMANN“ 12.13. – musical special diet as Christmas present (…) Secret weappon of the stage is clearly Peter Iwanow performed by Brenden Gunnell who, as well as possessing a congenial stage presence, can show a tastefully handling tenor with handsome timbre. (…)
Praise for “Turn of the Screw” as Peter Quint
Opera News 2008
INNSBRUCK – The Turn of the Screw, Tiroler Landestheater, 4/11/08 (…) Brenden Gunnell, boyish, blond and handsome while delivering the Prologue, turned into a demonic redhead as Quint, contorting both face and body, showing immense vocal versatility from his first melismatic repetitions of Miles’s name to giving a different color to each of the many repetitions of the phrase “easy to take.” (…)
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