P r e s s
Original language versions here
July 2022
Fasolt (Wagner - Das Rheingold)
Stage direction: Schwarz
Musical direction: Meister
Bayreuther Festspiele
Klassekampen:
"Basso Jens-Erik Aasbø impressed with deep power, and with thoughtfulness and delicacy in his voice in the role of the love-sick giant Fasolt." (Magnus Andersson)
Der Opernfreund:
"Jens-Erik Aasbø portrayed Fasolt with a warm, smooth and bright bass." (Ludwig Steinbach)
neue musikzeitung (nmz):
"Jens-Erik Aasbø convinces as Fasolt." (Joachim Lange)
Festspieleblog.de:
"Both Wilhelm Schwinghammer as Fafner and Jens-Erik Aasbø as Fasolt have weight and power in their deep voices, sing clearly and – this is something of a rarity – are understandable." (Regina Ehm-Klier)
Ôlyrix:
"The two giants Jens-Erik Aasbø (Fasolt) and Wilhelm Schwinghammer (Fafner) dominate their subject by the use of a noble and sovereign instrument in the bass." (David Verdier)
Der Wanderer:
"Jens-Erik Aasbø's Fasolt shows a strong, well-projected voice (...)" (Guy Cherqui)
Boulezian/Wagneropera.net:
" Jens-Erik Aasbø and Wilhelm Schwinghammer contrasted actions and motivations well in the giants’ roles." (Mark Berry)
Beckmesser.com/Levante
"The powerful Fasolt of the Norwegian bass Jens-Erik Aasbø stood out."
Resmusica.com:
"(...) the powerful and solid Fasolt of Jens-Erik Aasbø (...)" (Michel Thomé)
Fomalhaut:
"Jens-Erik Aasbø gives Fasolt a certain melancholy languor." (David)
Kulturbrief.de:
"Fasolt (Jens-Erik Aasbø) produces before his death beautiful, bright lyrical tones." (Frank Piotek)
June 2022
1. Nazarener (R. Strauss - Salome)
Concert performance
Musical direction: Gardner
Bergen International Festival
Aftenposten:
"(...) Jens-Erik Aasbø portrays the 1. Nazarene well." (Aksel Dalmo Tollåli)
January 2020
Madama Butterfly - Puccini (Bonzo)
Stage direction: Langridge
Musical direction: Stasevska
The Norwegian Opera & Ballet
"Jens-Erik Aasbø (...) thunders futilely against the Americanism." (Edvarda Lana)
April 2019
Der fliegende Holländer - Wagner (Daland)
Musical direction: Afkhan
Spring festival in Tokyo
Welt - Brugs Klassiker:
"Daland had to be flown in at the last minute, but (...) Jens-Erik Aasbø did well, wonderfully bass-bourgeois and deviously sentimental." (Manuel Brug)
Blog - Bigupset39 (https://blog.goo.ne.jp/bigupset39):
"Jens-Erik Aasbø, who sang the role of Daland, was the first singer out, but his voice was so good that he did not seem like a substitute."
March 2019
Der Rosenkavalier - R. Strauss (Polizeikommissar)
Stage direction: McVicar
Musical direction: Mallwitz
The Norwegian Opera & Ballet
Tidskriften Opera:
"In the role of the Police Inspector, however, Jens-Erik Aasbø left a big impression with a strong stage presence and a full-fledged bass voice - a well-developing singer." (Sören Tranberg)
Operatraveller.com:
"Jens-Erik Aasbø offered a full and resonant bass as the Polizeikommissar."
June 2018
Don Giovanni - Mozart (Il Commendatore)
Stage direction: Jones
Musical direction: Moulds
The Norwegian Opera & Ballet
"Jens-Erik Aasbø has a powerful bass voice as the Commendatore, the final scene brings goosebumps aplenty." (Edvarda Lana)
Scenekunst.no:
"Jens-Erik Aasbø as the Commendatore (...) really showed off his vocal power and timbre, and the final scene, where he, as a haunting statue comes to drag Don Giovanni to hell, was one of the evening's definite highlights". (Hilde Halvorsrød)
Operatraveller.com:
"Jens-Erik Aasbø boomed lyrically as the Commendatore, the voice warm with complex depth."
Klassekampen:
"Jens-Erik Aasbø has an authoritarian voice which is well-suited for the Commendatore." (Magnus Andersson)
March 2018
Lucia di Lammermoor - Donizetti (Raimondo Bidebent)
Stage direction: Alden
Musical direction: Stasevska
The Norwegian Opera & Ballet
Klassiskmusikk.com:
"Jens-Erik Aasbø has a big and beautiful bass voice with a characteristic timbre, which he here employs to render a compelling portrait of the indeterminable priest Raimondo." (Bodil Maroni Jensen)
June 2017
Tosca - Puccini (Angelotti)
Stage direction: Bieito
Musical direction: Steffens
The Norwegian Opera & Ballet
Scenekunst.no:
"Jens-Erik Aasbø (is) great and euphonious as a disturbed and terrified Angelotti." (Hilde Halvorsrød)
April 2017
Fidelio - Beethoven (Rocco)
Musical direction: Steffens
The Norwegian Opera & Ballet
Aftenposten:
"Jens-Erik Aasbø and Elisabeth Teige are the stars of this concert version of Beethoven's opera "Fidelio".
"(...) the charismatic Jens-Erik Aasbø deserves attention. There is no surplus of Norwegian basses with his powerful sound and lyric abilities around these days." (Maren Ørstavik)
October 2016
Rusalka - Dvorak (Wassermann/Vodnìk)
Stage direction: Kosky
Musical direction: Nánási
Komische Oper Berlin
Bachtrack.com:
"(...) young Norwegian bass Jens-Erik Aasbø impressed with his deep booming voice and strong stage presence." (Ako Imamura)
Boulezian / boulezian.blogspot.com
"Jens-Erik Aasbø brought a sense of the deeply, sternly primæval to Vodník, the Water Goblin, lamenting Rusalka’s fate, refusing to grant her false hope." (Mark Berry)
Fatal Conclutions / hugoshirley.blogspot.com:
"Vodnìk, at least as presented by Jens-Erik Aasbø, had some sort of stoic Scandinavian hipster fisherman thing going on." (Hugo Shirley)
July 2016
Der fliegende Holländer - Wagner (Daland)
Stage direction: S. Niclasson
Musical direction: Balke
Opera på Skäret
Avesta Tidning:
"The bass Jens-Erik Aasbø almost flirts with the audience in his portrayal of Daland." (Anna Lundström)
Svenska Dagbladet:
"The Norwegian bass Jens-Erik Aasbø portrays the daddy as a jolly materialist, highlighting the comical side of the role." (Karin Helander)
November 2015
Die Zauberflöte - Mozart (Sarastro)
Stage direction: Mørk-Eidem
Musical direction: Søndergård
The Norwegian Opera & Ballet
Dagsavisen:
"Jens-Erik Aasbø as Sarastro sings beautifully, and with the required intensity for the orchestra to follow him, and not the other way around." (Hild Borchgrevink)
October 2014
Don Giovanni - Mozart (Il Commendatore)
Stage direction: Strassberger
Musical direction: Fogliani
The Norwegian Opera & Ballet
Bachtrack.com:
"Jens-Erik Aasbø’s Commendatore was one of great vocal power in the final scene." (Aksel Tollåli)
November 2011
I Cancelliraadens dage - Söderlind (Nils Graver/Gudbrand Sveum)
Stage direction: Rørvik
Musical direction: Loddgard
RingsakerOperaen
Vårt Land:
"The symbolic character Gravedigger Nils embodies a key role in the final act, through Jens-Erik Aasbøs rich voice which well suits the tragic-ironic character who buries the famine's victims." (Lars Flydal)