“ Classical “ music as practised by Ms Hellsten (and too few others) remains a living art. She takes risks, and invites audiences to share the adventure with her. “  
Andrew Pinnock, London UK Arts Council

A Singer Who Goes Her Own Way

In these times when more and more artists gear towards the more easily gained successes, one has to be grateful for those who
don’t mind going against the current.
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Dominique Hellsten, Soprano Southwark Cathedral, London

Lunchtime recitals may be free of necessity but the quality of performance frequently ranges from pleasant to - in this case - stunning. The main reason for my attending was the UK Première of Naji Hakim’s Missa Resurrectionis for soprano solo, but in the event there were other works which almost stole the show.
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New York Concert Reviews 

The Lieder (German art-song) is an endangered species. It depends on the enthusiasm of a small, hardy band of devotees : presenters, performers, and audiences. Happily, many of these devoted folk still exist, and they find each other somehow. That devotion was evident in this first concert (of three planned) of The Ullmann Project.
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Review of Phèdre

Naji Hakim’s Phèdre, a cantata for soprano and piano, to words by Racine, was given its prèmiere at the Purcell Room by Dominique Hellsten and David Roblou. The work was a part of a programme entitled “ Women at the hand of FAte “, which juxtaposed French vocal music from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, focusing mainly on tragic heroines from classical mythology.
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Naji Hakim: Phèdre
Purcell Room, London

I was unprepared for the lyrical intensity of Naji Hakim’s new Cantata, which draws on Racine’s tragedy for its text. If the first exploratory section often sounded post - Debussyan - wit its tender simplicity at l;’amour m’en eut d’abord inspiré la pensée - then the powerful second section ins post Messiaen.
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