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Dec 23, 2021

Sumegi "thrilling" in Victorian Opera's "Salome"

"With its cavernous auditorium, The Palais is the closest thing Victoria has to a grand European opera house. The acoustic is no challenge for Australian bass-baritone Daniel Sumegi or English tenor Ian Storey, who give thrilling vocal turns as Jochanaan and Herod respectively." -The Sidney Morning Herald Read full review. "Sumegi makes a wonderfully forthright and resolute Jochanaan, his sonorous baritone driving through the phrasing like a Mack Truck." -TimeOut.com Read f

Dec 23, 2021

In Review: Burns in Utah Opera's "Il barbiere di Siviglia"

"Perhaps the biggest laughs were earned by Matthew Burns as Doctor Bartolo, who played the role like a hapless dad in a late 1960s sitcom. He threw himself into his role’s physical comedy while still singing his baritone role with precision and gusto. In this production, he was an optometrist and Rosina was his assistant. At one point Shell decided to have them administer an eye exam to a frightened patient as they argue in recitative, and both deftly handled the complicated

Dec 22, 2021

In Review: Outlaw in Opera San Jose's "Mozart and Salieri"

"Outlaw is expressive as Salieri and he is somewhat offended at the other composer's easy sense of humor. Singing with bronzed tones, he cannot help but think Mozart is not sufficiently serious." — Broadway World "Baritone Sidney Outlaw takes this star assignment and makes it something at once eerie and noble. His singing is broad, fluent and full of vivid expression. In Outlaw’s rendition, Salieri is all too keenly aware that he’s lost the moral thread, but is unable to stea

Dec 22, 2021

Opera News hails Staufenbiel and Belcher for "Today it Rains" at Opera Parallèle

"Director Brian Staufenbiel gave the opera a fluid staging on Sean Riley’s set, which employed a series of moveable pieces. A stack of suitcases in the opening scene at Penn Station, along with a succession of arches and banquettes, were all put to use as elements of the train’s interiors. . . Baritone Daniel Belcher was a robust Stieglitz" -Opera News Read full review.

Dec 22, 2021

In Review: Watson excels as Ismaele in Deutsche Oper Berlin "Nabucco"

"Ismaele was sung the first night by Robert Watson. . . Watson’s youthful tenor established the character’s purity and innocence. . . In the Part I trio between Fenena, Ismaele, and Abigaille, Watson’s youthful tone combined with Schlicht’s exquisite mezzo to create an evocative contrast between the young lovers, on one hand, and Abigaille’s apparent unadulterated evil." -Opera Wire Read full review.

Dec 21, 2021

Opera News: Conor McDonald brings "warm voice" and "winning personality" to Glim

"With his warm voice and winning personality, Conor McDonald was a stand-out as the homesick French aide-de-camp Ponchet." -Opera News (October 2018) Read full review.

Dec 21, 2021

In Review: Faircloth, Conyers, and McDonald in Wolf Trap Opera's "Ariadne auf Naxos"

"Director Tara Faircloth used the supporting cast to advantage in a production that was at once fairly conventional — set around the time the opera was written, in the early 20th century — and quietly inventive, particularly in its use of the backstage area in Act II, so you could see what was happening on the fictive stage and what was going on behind the scenes. . . And Joshua Conyers, with his strong baritone, and Ian McEuen, with a wiry tenor, made fine foils as a kindly,

Dec 21, 2021

In Review: Joshua Jeremiah in Opera Company of Middlebury's "Candide"

"Of course, none of this would fly without a strong cast. . . Joshua Jeremiah brings a robust baritone and high style to Pangloss" -Opera News

Dec 21, 2021

Bryan impresses as Beaumarchais in Glimmerglass "The Ghosts of Versailles"

"Jonathan Bryan was a potent partner as Beaumarchais. His handsome, lanky physique cut an elegant figure and his singing matched the look, with smooth, arching phrases, good punch and presence, and buzzy high notes. Mr. Bryan’s substantial sound had no problem filling the house, and he could also scale back his delivery to engaging pensive effects." -Opera Today Read full review.

Dec 21, 2021

Blumberg lends a "lyrical, resonant bass" to Bach's Christmas Oratorio with Apollo

"Jesse Blumberg brought a handsome baritone voice" -Seen and Heard International Read full review. "The splendid results speak for themselves, and Cleveland’s Baroque Orchestra and Apollo’s Singers, headlined by soprano Molly Netter, countertenor Daniel Moody, tenor Stephen Soph, and baritone Jesse Blumberg, gave the four cantatas brilliant, stylish performances." -Cleveland Classical.com Read full review. "To quote scripture and Handel: their burden was light. Soph was a for

Dec 21, 2021

Opera News Review: Blumberg in BLO's "Fellow Travelers"

"Two finer men could not have been cast for the leading roles of the lovers, Hawk and “Skippy.” Baritone Jesse Blumberg, as the super-confident Hawk Fuller. . . looked gorgeous and sang that way as well." -Opera News Read full review.

Dec 20, 2021

In Review: Gartland and MacKenzie in San Diego Opera's "Hansel und Gretel"

"San Diego Opera General Director David Bennett assembled a solid vocal cast, including singers who have become welcome regulars in the company. Sara Gartland, who sang Musetta in the the 2015 La bohème, used her clear, bright soprano to portray a pert, sincere Gretel, the classic wiser older sibling. . . Malcolm MacKenzie has appeared in a dozen San Diego Opera productions, but he is emblazoned in my memory as the vocally and dramatically imperious Sergeant Belcore in the

Dec 20, 2021

MacKenzie brings "appealing, impeccably-controlled vocalism" to North Carolina "Tosca

"Some interpreters of Tosca’s antagonist, the sadistic superintendent of Rome’s Stasi-esque police, Barone Scarpia, inspire hatred solely by delivering the part’s music with Sprechstimme more appropriate for Berg’s Wozzeck than for a Puccini rôle. The villainy of baritone Malcolm MacKenzie’s Scarpia was all the more startling for being enlivened by appealing, impeccably-controlled vocalism. Not once in his commanding portrayal of the loathsome reprobate did he resort to shout

Dec 20, 2021

In Review: Ollarsaba as Don Giovanni in Grand Rapids

“Richard Ollarsaba, who plays Don Giovanni, commanded the stage from the first moment he set foot on it. Tall, swaggering, and thin as a rock star, he brought a devlish charisma to the role... It wouldn't have meant much if he couldn't sing; thankfully, he could, and did, in a deep, thick bass-baritone that soared confidently above the music.” - The Rapidian

Dec 20, 2021

Sanders "captivating" in DMMO "Fellow Travelers"

"One of the most captivating parts of the night came in Christian Sander's performance as Timothy Laughlin. I was excited to see him take on another role as I thoroughly enjoyed his performance as Toby in this season's SWEENEY TODD. With this role, he left his heart on the stage, not only making this an amazing performance, but one I will not soon forget." -Broadway World "Tenor Christian Sanders sang the role of Timothy with an innocent vulnerability and vocal clarity. Sande

Dec 20, 2021

Packer brings his "clear tenor" to Lincoln Center "Masters of the Spiritual"

"Chauncey Packer’s clear tenor voice caused a minor uproar among the audience in his delivery of Roland Carter’s “Freedom.” His last utterance of “. . . goin’ home to be free,” was sung with such conviction, it was as if he were saying, “I am ready to die!” nobly." -Classical Singer Magazine Read full review.

Dec 20, 2021

"Bright-voiced" Packer "excellent" in Metropolitan Opera's "Fire Shut Up in My Bones"

"Tenor Chauncey Packer, a south Alabama native, played Billie’s philandering husband, Spinner, his voice pulled into a rubbery purr that proved suitably sleazy." — The Washington Post "The entire cast was excellent, including the bright-voiced tenor Chauncey Packer as Spinner, Billie’s womanizing husband" — New York Times "Notable supporting players in the big cast included Chauncey Packer as Spinner, Billie’s charming but cheating husband" — Wall Street Journal

Dec 20, 2021

Hernandez and Ferrante triumph in Chicago Opera Theater's "Elizabeth Cree"

"Baritone Levi Hernandez also was ideal as the clueless Kildare, the Scotland Yard inspector desperate to catch the serial killer so as to win himself a promotion and be hailed as a hero in London’s gutter press." -Chicago Tribune Read full review. "The theater troupe that takes Elizabeth in when she’s orphaned was made up of a strong cadre . . . Jason Ferrante played Little Victor Farrell . . . No weak links were to be found in this clique of misfits. . . The dubiously ambit

Dec 20, 2021

Opera News: Ferrante "delightful" in Opera Omaha's "Pagliacci"

"This was Opera Omaha’s strongest cast in years. Every voice was well placed and present throughout. . . Jason Ferrante’s bright tenor voice was delightful as Beppe." -Opera News Read full review.

Dec 20, 2021

In Review: Babcock and Ollarsaba in Bar Harbor "Carmen"

"Oh my. Let’s start with Carmen herself, sung with mesmerizing command by mezzo-soprano Audrey Babcock. One has to wonder what on earth Babcock would have done with her life if she hadn’t found opera and if Bizet hadn’t written this role for her. She is so perfectly suited for this demanding part, physically and vocally, that it’s hard to imagine her doing anything else but bringing this mercurial seductress to life on stage. Hard to imagine her singing any other role, for th

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