Nicklausse in Les Contes D’Hoffmann

“In Lyric’s staging, the roles of the Muse of Poetry and her earthly incarnation as Nicklausse, Hoffmann’s sidekick, take on greater musical and dramatic presence. This is the breakout part those of us who have been following the ascent of Emily Fons have been waiting for. Not only does the Ryan sophomore look suitably androgynous, she invests Nicklausse’s “china doll” and “violin” arias with a warm, pliant mezzo, secure throughout its range.”

—John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune, October 3, 2011