"Bass-baritone Kyle Albertson, in his Pittsburgh Opera debut, made a colossal first impression. Commanding in presence and gifted with a voice that fits the role of the Dutchman like a glove, his wide range allows for effortless high tones, as well as powerful, resonant, clear and cavernous lows that ring out with apparent ease to the eye and a thrill to the ear. It took no effort whatsoever to imagine why Senta would be willing to sacrifice everything for this Dutchman, and it was easy to imagine a line behind her in the last moments of the music drama. Bass Peter Volpe, in the role of Daland, sang out with a powerfully robust voice as well, and in action allowed for the few moments of levity to be found in the otherwise gloomy text."
"Mind you, Pittsburgh Opera’s talent is outstanding. Leading the cast as well as the story line is Captain Daland, performed by Peter Volpe, projecting the demanding role with an astounding vocal range, both baritone and bass, at one point hitting a note seemingly subterranean. He can act, too. Volpe is not shy in expressing his character’s dark moods or lofty ambition, in fact, in one scene he elicits a laugh or two for his appropriate antics."
"...the dramatic entrance of the famous Dutchman, both handsome and imposing. Performed by Kyle Albertson, looking every bit the part, the title character asserts his interest in meeting Daland’s daughter, Senta. Debuting in Pittsburgh with this production, Albertson is a Wagnerian artist through and through, having performed the composer’s many works in five seasons at the Met."
"Bass-baritone Kyle Albertson is garnering a reputation as a Wagnerian on both sides of the Atlantic, and his performance as the Dutchman left little doubt as to why. He cut a dashing figure with his long, flowing hair and sinewy physique, as suited to the Pirates of the Caribbean as to Wagner’s tragedy.
A good deal of the role sits in the upper part of the bass-baritone range, and Albertson’s voice has the requisite brilliance and ease to negotiate those vocal hurdles. Darkness and depth were also his to command in the lower range."
"Wagner interjected comic relief into the opera with the character of Daland, the sea captain dazzled by the Dutchman’s riches and eager to wed his daughter Senta to the mysterious visitor. The glint in Peter Volpe’s eyes and a wicked grin, as Daland, drew laughs from the audience, while his fine bass impressed all on its own."
Kyle Albertson (left) and Peter Volpe (center) star as the Dutchman and Daland in Pittsburgh Opera's
The Flying Dutchman. (Photos by David Bachman Photography for Pittsburgh Opera)
