Sousa was electrifying in moments of grandeur, high drama and emotional intensity. Playing and choral singing were both sensationally good, which meant that the fall of Troy was edge-of-your-seat-stuff, with an almost fanatical vehemence in the singing, and a thrilling exploration of Berlioz’s orchestral palette, with its edgy woodwind, dark strings and rasping, terrifying brass. The Guardian

The mastery shown by this young conductor… who made a brilliant debut last year at the Proms at the head of the Northern Sinfonia of which he has just taken over, is as impressive as it is exciting. […] Dinis Sousa implements the composer’s intentions very exactly […] he holds and supports his musicians with a gaze that sees everything […] He never forgets the trajectory… It captivates us from start to finish… Like a vast speech whose eloquence seems to flow naturally. Bachtrack

It was hard to imagine the symphonies more thrillingly performed than they were here. […] Beethoven of visceral impact in which the notes seemed to leap off the page, almost as if they were new. […] The ORR played as if fired by the young man’s energy and scrupulous attention to detail. […] An unforgettable performance of inexorable, Promethean momentum, played as if the orchestra’s life depended on it. […] Last year’s Monteverdi/ORR Troyens revealed Sousa’s promise. After this Beethoven cycle, I can say, unequivocally, that this dynamic young conductor has truly ‘arrived’. Operalogue

Dinis Sousa makes dream debut in Amsterdam. It was so good... The Monteverdi Choir placed a brilliant crown of sound on top of the strongly playing Concertgebouw Orchestra. An incredible collective achievement. Volkskrant

Performed with maximum intensity... Sousa took charge of a fully involving performance, which at its best, as in the closing scenes of the sack of Troy or the call of the Trojans to war, went at white heat. Financial Times

The conductor and his musicians take us to great heights and we find ourselves moved to tears as we listen to this music so superbly interpreted. The last words of this final Beethovenian symphony make the Philharmonie audience stand up, a rare thing, and shout their joy for nearly fifteen minutes. Undeniably, Dinis Sousa is one of the great conductors who will have to be reckoned with in the years to come. Premiere Loge

Sousa projected energy and confidence from the moment he stepped on stage. He launched into the overture before the applause which greeted the performers had subsided. The gesture had its effect, but didn’t signal what was to come. Sousa led a performance that was graceful and airy, although if bite was called for, the violins and oboes were quick to add it. New York Classical Review

CPE Bach’s Cello Concerto in A minor struck me as a Sturm und Drang masterpiece, especially with Sousa encouraging such incisive, ultra- passionate playing all round the band.  The Times

Straightaway it was clear that the conductor wasn't going to leave us feeling indifferent, taking great care of each phrase, or lending romantic flair to the rhythmic gesture [...] The concert ended with another wonderful score [...] the suite from Stravinsky’s Firebird. The result was extremely compelling, with a transparency that few interpretations ever manage to achieve; despite having heard it many times before, we were left with the impression of having just listened to some of the piece for the first time. A splendid and revelatory evening. Público