Reviews
“Ruth Jenkins’ warm but flexible light soprano was a delight…”
Robert Farr, Seen and Heard International 27/11/11: Messiah in a Magnificent Franciscan Monastery
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"..............Ruth Jenkins, Excellent"
Stephen Walsh, The Arts Desk review of Garsington Opera's Magic Flute, 10th June 2011
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“...Ruth Jenkins is a sparky Papagena.”
Clare Colvin, The Express review of Garsington Opera's Magic Flute, 12th June 2011
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“…It was thus no surprise to find that Maxwell Davies’s dazzling new opera, Kommilitonen! (Fellow Combatants! or here Young Blood!), which received a brilliant and exciting première by young performers of the Royal Academy of Music (RAM), turns to Christ’s betrayal in Gethsemane to provide a searing vocal backdrop to later scenes of the opera. The “betrayal” here relates to three stories — all actual historical events — ingeniously woven together (they unfold in parallel) by the composer and his seasoned librettist and director, David Pountney. Each involves young people of roughly the same age as the Academy’s versatile and accomplished young singers, many of whom, if not singing leads (Marcus Farnsworth, Aoife Miskelly, Katie Bray, and Ruth Jenkins were outstanding), took part in the chorus sections that engineered many of the opera’s most terrifying moments.”
Roderick Dunnett, Church Times, March 2011: Maxwell Davies premiere of Kommilitonen! with Royal Academy Opera
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“…In this scene, Ruth Jenkins as Zhou, the Red Guard leader (doubling with Anna Gorbachyova), quickly established herself as one of the opera's strong suits: bossy, vital and energetic, plus a voice with rich timbres and clear and feisty forward projection.”
Roderick Dunnett, dailyclassicalmusic.com, March 2011: Maxwell Davies premiere of Kommilitonen! with Royal Academy Opera
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“…The Mao portions of the opera are colourfully satirical, not least through some ingenious stage puppeteering…Speaking for this Little Red Book wielding crowd is the zealot-perky Zhou of Ruth Jenkins, projecting voice and character right to the back of the theatre.”
Framescourer,http://www.framescourer.blogspot.com, 19/03/11: Maxwell Davies premiere of Kommilitonen! with Royal Academy Opera
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“…Ruth Jenkins ran the show as Fiordiligi: in spite of the daftness of her lines, she was totally credible in her angst-ridden transition from primness to infatuation.”
David Karlin, Bachtrack, 26/11/10: Mozart Cosi Fan Tutte with Royal Academy Opera
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“Ruth Jenkins’s Fiordiligi impressed. It is not easy even to cover the notes – and it will be painfully evident if the soprano fails to do so – but Jenkins imparted a good deal of meaning to them too, her parodies of grand opera seria arias especially noteworthy.”
Mark Berry, http://boulezian.blogspot.com, November 2010: Mozart Cosi Fan Tutte with Royal Academy Opera
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“We have come to expect the Harlow Chorus to select its soloists with an unerring feel for balance (visually and vocally) and for excellence…Ruth Jenkins looked and sounded radiant in urging us to “rejoice greatly…”
David Batterbee, 20/12/09: Handel Messiah at King’s College Cambridge
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“…The four soloists were superb whether singing alone or as a trio or quartet…The soprano aria Laudate Dominum was performed by Ruth Jenkins with tenderness and sensitivity…The bright and confident singing of Mozart's Exultate Jubilate by Ruth Jenkins was a highlight of the concert. Written by Mozart while he was still in his teens, this famous motet is an ideal choice for a young soprano at the threshold of her career and newly-graduated Ruth Jenkins could not have been a better soloist.”
Graham Hewitt,The Bognor Regis Observer, 17/11/09, Mozart Exsultate Jubilate, Mozart Vesperae Solennes de Confessore and Haydn Paukenmessewith The Chichester Singers atChichester Cathedral
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“…In ‘Laudamus te’, Clare Lloyd was joined by Ruth Jenkins… in a duet sung with authority and precision, the two soprano voices beautifully matched and their lines interwoven with real beauty and sureness…”
Glyn Pursglove, The Opera Critic, March 2009: Vivaldi Gloria with King’s College Choir Cambridge at St. David’s Hall Cardiff
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“…I’d also single out for special praise the way they sing the hymn, ‘My God I love Thee’ after the Third Gospel. The singing here is dedicated and the final verse is distinguished by radiantly pure solo soprano descant, which Ruth Jenkins delivers quite beautifully…”
John Quinn, Music Web International, 2008: Jesus College Choir Cambridge NAXOS (8.570561) recording of Wood’s St. Mark Passion
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“…The fourth hymn, My God, I love Thee is a beautiful and intimate expression of thanksgiving for Christ’s suffering. The highlight of the disc is the serene final verse sung so stunningly and gloriously by soprano Ruth Jenkins…..Lovers of sacred choral music will be delighted with this quite superbly sung and recorded setting of the St. Mark Passion. The disc is worth obtaining alone for Ruth Jenkins’s soprano solo on the hymn My God, I love Thee...”
Michael Cookson, Music Web International, 2008.Jesus College Choir Cambridge NAXOS (8.570561) recording of Wood’s St. Mark Passion
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“….Ruth Jenkins was quite outstanding as the ravished Donna Anna seeking revenge for Giovanni's sexual attack on her and the death by his hand of her father. She has a powerful voice and a considerable amount of stage presence (not to mention a great sense of balance: she spent the whole opera tottering about in high-heeled boots)….”
Mike Levy, www.localsecrets.com, February 2008: CUOS production of Mozart Don Giovanni
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“….The lead female/male part of Thérèse/Tirésias was sung by Ruth Jenkins. My choral co-spectators estimate she reached a top D-flat, and she did so with an easy, bolshy subtlety which is rare anywhere, let alone in a university church. Spinal shivers made the cold church colder whenever she sang her unremittingly demanding part. Jenkins never conspicuously faltered in her vertiginous ascents and descents. To boot, her face, her gesturing limbs, her gravity, possessed imperiousness, audacity and great beauty; her voice had all these things in vivacious abundance…”
Elanor Burton, Cambridge Varsity Issue 663, October 2007: CUOS production of Poulenc Les Mamelles de Tirésias
