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Dec 12, 2021

In Review: Tucker in Opera Maine's "Elixir of Love"

"the principal singers each established their character’s persona well. . . Tucker’s aria “Prendi, per me sei libero” (“Take it, I have freed you”) was equally touching in its expressive detail." - Portland Press Herald

Dec 12, 2021

In Review: Rosen an "excellent" Adalgisa in Calgary Opera's "Norma"

"Fortunata is wonderfully matched with an excellent vocal and dramatic companion in Annie Rosen as Adalgisa. Hers is a naturally warmer sound than Fortunata’s, but hardly less brilliant when needed, and she sang the arias and duets to perfection, not the least the Miro, o Norma duet in the second act, a highlight of the production. Dramatically, she conveyed the fragile, sensitive side of her character well, a perfect foil for the more assertive Norma." -Calgary Herald Read

Dec 12, 2021

In Review: Rosen and Jeremiah in Opera Company of Middlebury's "Maid of Orleans"

"Joshua Jeremiah, another bass-baritone, delivered sanity convincingly as the king’s lieutenant Dunois. . . The catalyst for the performance’s success was mezzo-soprano Annie Rosen’s powerful performance as Joan. Not only did she deliver both strength and vulnerability through her warm mezzo voice, she created a sympathetic and irresistible Joan. It was a brilliant performance." — Times Argus

Dec 12, 2021

In Review: Ollarsaba, Barron, and Whyte in Opera Hong Kong's "Don Giovanni"

"The evening’s Don Giovanni was Mexican-American Richard Ollarsaba who brought an Iberian flavor to what is, after all, a Spanish part, more a Don Juan than a Don Giovanni. His was a brooding, if mellifluous, presence. He was well-paired with the energetic and comedic Joseph Barron as Leporello. . . Katherine Whyte’s Donna Anna was heartfelt and believable." -ASIAN REVIEW OF BOOKS Read full review. "Richard Ollarsaba as the decadent don and Joseph Barron as his wing man ex

Dec 12, 2021

Whyte "absolutely superb" in Heartbeat Opera "Der Freischütz"

"And Agathe’s aria “Leise leise fromme Weise” was just stunning, filled with successive eruptions of different emotions. It blossomed in Katherine Whyte’s performance into an absolute joy to ride through. In fact, Whyte was absolutely superb throughout." -BlogCritics.org Read full review. "...Katherine Whyte’s touching portrayal of Agathe. Whyte’s lyric soprano filled out Weber’s melodies beautifully" -Seen and Heard International Read full review.

Dec 11, 2021

Kudos for Levi Hernandez, Calvin Griffin, and Rehanna Thelwell from Opera News

In Review of Opera Theatre or St Louis' Gianni Schicchi, New Works Bold Voices Lab, & Highway 1, USA "Levi Hernandez took a sober approach to Schicchi, with few of the bufffo-isms the assignment usually calls forth, and mercifully few of the ensuing musical approximations. It was a pleasure to hear the role sung so cleanly and fully. . . Baritone Calvin Griffin’s best bit in On the Edge came when he donned an old-lady wig to play Grandma. . . A splendid cast. . . Mezzo Rehan

Dec 11, 2021

In Review: Tweten, Parks, and Anderson in Opera San Antonio "Faust"

"Recent Grammy winner Edward Parks, a baritone, impressed as a protective, soldierly older brother to Marguerite...while mezzo-soprano Alissa Anderson was sassy as Marguerite’s neighbor. . . The San Antonio Symphony in the pit played with gravity and balance under guest conductor Robert Tweten." -My San Antonio Read full review.

Dec 11, 2021

Kudos for Levi Hernandez, Calvin Griffin, and Rehanna Thelwell from Opera News

Dec 11, 2021

In Review: Griffin and Bryan in Wolf Trap double bill

"The real highlight, however, was bass-baritone Calvin Griffin as Death. With a controlled and resonant vibrato, Griffin was a shudder-inducing delight on stage and as a disembodied offstage voice. He sang with a depth and timbre unmatched by his castmates." - Washington Classical Review "the powerful vocals of Jonathan Bryan. . . Baritone Jonathan Bryan played the role of the father, a somewhat bumbling noveau riche fellow, addicted to the bottle (no mother in this version).

Dec 10, 2021

Opera News hails Burns and Lenormand in On Site Opera's "La mère coupable"

"As Bégearss, bass-baritone Matthew Burns was particularly powerful in his upper range and remarkably gripping in his raging moments before his final exit. . . . Mezzo Marie Lenormand immediately conjured a vibrant and characterful Suzanne." -Joshua Rosenblum, Opera News (September, 2017 issue)

Dec 10, 2021

In Review: Lenormand "striking" in Opéra de Lille "Coraline"

"Marie Lenormand embodies The Mother and The Other Mother, figures of power in each of the two worlds. The mezzo-soprano elaborates the two facets of her character with great skill, between a loving mother and the demonic character that constitutes her negative side, whose false devotion reveals dark intentions. Her voice extends beyond the pit with ease, whether it is soft or on the contrary full of fury (especially when it makes her husband disappear magically), alternating

Dec 10, 2021

Zabala brings "powerful" performance to On Site Opera's "The Turn of the Screw"

"As his ghostly counterpart, soprano Adriana Zabala as Miss Jessell — who has taken her own life — was chilling in her traumatized, post-mortem neediness and warped affection toward Flora. When Armstrong and Zabala converge on the line that librettist Myfanwy Piper incorporated from W.B. Yeats, “The ceremony of innocence is drowned,” it was one of the opera’s most searing moments." -NY Classical Review Read full review. "And mezzo-soprano Adriana Zabala gave poise and despera

Dec 10, 2021

In Review: Zabala and Outlaw impress in Madison opera's "Fellow Travelers"

"It’s not hard to see how he won over Mary, played by the marvelous Adriana Zabala. (Zabala’s Act II aria, “I worry, that’s all,” is another distinct pleasure.) ...baritone Sidney Outlaw shine as a wisecracking secretary and a political puppeteer." -Madison.com Read Full Review Here

Dec 9, 2021

Q & A: Lina Gonzalez-Granados, Lidiya Yankovskaya, & Elizabeth Askren On How The Hart Institute...

Q & A: Lina Gonzalez-Granados, Lidiya Yankovskaya, & Elizabeth Askren On How The Hart Institute For Women Conductors Helped Shape Their Careers By David Salazar For five years, the Dallas Opera’s Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors has done something that few other major companies have done – champion women conductors. The program, the first ever designed to meet the needs of women opera conductors, has allowed participants an opportunity to engage in a wide-

Dec 9, 2021

Dallas Opera's Hart Institute attempts to correct gender inequality among conductors

In the 2019-2020 season, between Los Angeles Opera, The Dallas Opera and the Metropolitan Opera, there are 53 conductor engagements. Of those 53 conductor appearances, five will be women. "Historically speaking, it's a man on the podium leading an orchestra," said Lisa Bury, Dallas Opera's chief advancement and strategy officer. "There have been women, and very successful women, but the vast majority have been male, and in an era, i.e. the 21st century, it's time as an ind

Dec 9, 2021

Opera News hails Parks and Crawford in ATL "Carmen"

"Edward Parks’s high baritone and commanding presence made it easy to see why Carmen would abandon Don José for his Escamillo. David Crawford played a dashing Lieutenant Zuniga" -Opera News Read full review.

Dec 9, 2021

Crawford "magnificent" in "Madama Butterfly" with Knoxville Opera

"In the category of “There Are No Small Roles”, bass David Crawford was a magnificent Bonzo, Cio-Cio San’s uncle who, finding that she has abandoned their native religion, shows up at the “wedding” to disown her." -Arts Knoxville Read full review.

Dec 1, 2021

In Review: Thurman in Opera Philadelphia's Barber of Seville

“herein lay a castwide problem: So much theatrical multitasking in a production like this is going to take its toll somewhere, especially early in the run, and here it was the singing. . . except for Katrina Thurman’s Berta (who made her often-cut aria pull its comic weight).” - Philadelphia Inquirer “I cannot fail to mention the delightful Berta of Katrina Thurman. Berta is more an acting role than a singing one, although Miss Thurman sang and acted beautifully.” - BachT

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