Operetta - The wallflower blossoms out
Rheinische Post 15.10.18
"Especially as Diego Martin-Etxebarria puts the orchestra pit in a good mood. He gives the Niederrheinische Sinfoniker instructions for a colourful sound confetti that shimmers in the most beautiful dynamic colours."

​

"Die Zauberflöte" - Welcome to Hollywood!

Das Opernmagazin 25.09.18

"Diego Martin-Etxebarria's musical direction renounced to traditional consecration and grandeur and celebrated a highly modern Mozart with elegance and fluent liveliness. The Niederrheinische Sinfoniker played with stylistic confidence - I would even say with outstanding virtuosity. We haven't heard such a convincing Mozart in a long time - to do so one has to drive far."

​

Mozart's opera with Yoda and Jedi knights.

Rheinische Post 25.09.18

"But the orchestra pit is also a rounded success: the overture sparkles and radiates. The perfect soundtrack to the science fiction blockbuster. The ears are also busy: Diego Martin-Etxebarria leads the Niederrheinische Sinfoniker as confident as Obi-Wan Kenobi. He slightly increases the tempo, makes the music sound more pointed, sometimes sharper. The orchestra develops a very modern tone, light and radiant, perfectly serving the singers."

​

"Die Zauberflöte". Premiere

Merker Online 24.09.18
"Conductor Diego Martin-Etxebarria very much put his focus on fluent tempi. Nothing consecrated, unless unmistakably given by the notated music. At the very beginning the overture turned out to be a perfect number. For a long time one has not heard the Niederrheinische Sinfoniker play in such a concentrated and virtuous way."

​

The Queen of the Night turns into Darth Vader

Westdeutsche Zeitung 24.09.18

"The Niederrheinische Sinfoniker performed precisely as always, and conductor Diego Martin-Etxebarria enabled successfully that the sonority flew between compact and light".

​

A wonderful cello in the middle of summer
El Comercio 24/08/18
"The young Basque conductor recently won the Tokyo International Conducting Competition, one of the most prestigious awards, which had been deserted for fifteen years. He is a conductor of very clear gestures, with very precise stylistic conceptions and an outgoing personality that seduced both musicians and the audience."

​

Exclamation sign at the end
Die Deutsche Bühne 24/06/18

"Diego Martin-Etxebarria presents an organic and theatre-oriented tempo for the dramaturgy while he carries the singers. In the first table he already achieves two great successes: the wonderfully lyrically blossoming Terzetto, almost fragantly breathing, and the furiously fast and incredibily precise Finale."

​

Power, intrigue, destruction and religious wars
Mundo Clasico 04/07/18

"At all times Diego Martin-Etxebarria jealously ensured that the volume of the orchestra did not exceed that of the soloists and that they felt comfortable in their respective roles. The excellent musical quality of the performance was fully assured."

​

New success for the Málaga Filharmonic Orchestra
Diario Sur 09/06/18

"From the beginning, Maestro Diego Martin-Etxebarria, conductor stood out. Very firm and confident, with clear gestures and mastery. He presented Ginastera's Obertura para el 'Fausto Criollo' in an interesting, varied and diverse reading for each of the parts outstandig in all sides, both vigorous and lyrical. (...) Very intense exhibition by Leticia Moreno, with absolute mastery, full of sound in the bass, rhythmic, in communion with the orchestra forming a whole, as well as the conductor's assembling work. (...) Brilliant was the interpretation of Dvorak's'New World Symphony'. No matter how often we've listened to it, we are always grateful for a revision in which even nuances,'tempi' far from routine and details were revealed, confirming the quality of the Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga with outstanding ensemble and soloists"

​

The Theater Mönchengladbach paired "Cavalleria rusticana" with "Gianni Schicchi"

Aachener Zeitung 10/05/2018

"The choir and soloists were led by Diego Martin-Etxebarria's gentle hand, who once again made the Niederrheinische Sinfoniker Orchestra glow in the pit."

 

Mönchengladbach "Die Faschingsfee"

Toda la Música 06/10/17

"Diego Martin-Etxebarria, from today on Erster Kapellmeister at the head of the Niederrheinische Sinfoniker orchestra, does here a wonderful job, always demanding and maintaining at all times an outstanding and balanced level of quality of the ensemble, the singers and the choir during three very pleasant hours, full of rhythm. Everything sounds with great intensity and confidence; the waltzes, vibrant and with sumptuous colouring."

​

Opera "The Consul": A musical call for a better world
Aachener Zeitung 06/02/2017

"Diego Martin-Etxebarria cultivates next to the Niederrheinische Sinfonikern a precise, if needed blooming orchester sound. The work together with the stage is smooth, helpful towards the singers, masterfully."​

​

A stellar debut
Revista Musical Catalana 27/01/2017
"(...) one can say without doubt that his debut at the Palau de la Música had a stellar dimension. From the first minute Martin-Etxebarria got the audience in his pocket with his natural simplicity and kindheartedness. (...) Martin-Etxebarria started the concert with vigorous verve, guiding energy and good pulse."

​

The Witch is the Star of the evening
Rheinische Post 05/12/2016

"This opera by the Wagnerian Humperdinck demands highly from the soloists. And from the orchestra. Diego Martin-Etxebarria from the Basque Bilbao, showed a calm and assorting hand in his fitted interpretation of Humperdinck's great, timelessly popular sound painting and always provided the music with sufficient air to breathe."

​

Not by bread alone does the music lover live
Platea Magazine 07/05/2016

"Brilliant work by Diego Martin-Etxebarria in front of the BIOS Orchestra chamber group on scrutinizing the meticulous but descripting score by the british author."

​