"Figaro sung by Richard Ollarsaba performed with a rich controlled voice, his every gesture finely tuned. . .Galvanizing the whole performance was the glorious music which was delivered by the Auckland Philharmonia under the baton of the enthusiastic Zoe Zeniodi." - John Daly-Peoples – NZARTS REVIEW "It is a production well worth waiting for, as the refreshing direction and production and wonderful ensemble cast and a production that brought the masterpiece to life to a rare extent. . . Susanna (Joanna Foote) and Figaro (Richard Ollarsaba) were most charming as the central pair. . . Ollarsaba similarly played superbly off the other characters and sang with healthy resonance and smooth tone throughout, changing noticeably from jovial (if sometimes clueless) trickster to a deeper, sympathetic character in his angry scene in Act 4. . . Zoe Zeniodi led a largely speedy account of the score which matched the energy and verve of the cast. . . The musical highlights were the long finales of the second and fourth acts; Zeniodi tied together all of the musical threads easily, highlighting key individual vocal and instrumental details and bringing each of these to an exciting conclusion. Despite the rather dead acoustics of the Kiri te Kanawa Theatre, Mozart’s ravishing woodwind details were particularly brought to the fore." - Simon Holden – BACHTRACK

"General Manager Francesca Zambello and Music Director and Conductor Joseph Colaneri are fearless artists and can pretty much pull anything off together ...Once again the team has uncannily intuited a theatrical way into a classic to grab today’s audience by speaking to today’s headlines and these still “difficult times.” . . . Michael Mayes as Count di Luna who appears in a sharp blue suit and dark sunglasses seemed perfectly cast as the powerbroker count, or perhaps a dictator of a small country, which he runs like a mafia boss. He models well the upright, puffed-up posture of men with short fingers and big narcissistic egos. There was more than a nod to testosterone-filled, entitled leaders used to getting their own way with young powerless woman and not above forcing them against their will. Mayes carries us along through his thought processes, shifting as he plots and careening from one mood to another. There is an intelligent animal instinct in Mayes’s approach to roles, also an underlying danger, but di Luna’s carriage indicates he is always seemingly aware he is before a public." - DC Metro Theatre Arts

At ADA, our job is more than just representing our roster artists – it's creating opportunities and making connections throughout the opera industry that move the form forward and bring high quality projects to new audiences. To that end, we are excited to welcome an incredible slate of creatives and master teachers to our roster, each of whom shares in our dedication to artistic excellence, innovation, and global perspective. This new chapter builds on the successful producing work that ADA began over the COVID-19 pandemic. That work includes The Trial of Susan B. Anthony, a dramatic song cycle by Steven Mark Kohn, co-produced by ADA, Austin Opera, Berkshire Opera Festival, Opera Colorado, Minnesota Opera, and San Diego Opera, directed by ADA Managing Director Shawn Jeffery, and featuring ADA artist Adriana Zabala; and UNKNOWN, a dramatic song cycle with poetry by roster creative Marcus Amaker, and featuring roster artists Michael Mayes, director Kristine McIntyre, and Mo. Robert Wood, co-produced by ADA in partnership with UrbanArias, Minnesota Opera, Opera Colorado, Opera Birmingham, Wolf Trap Opera, and Dallas Opera. “The worlds of art, music, theater, and storytelling have begun to intersect now more than ever, in part because of the urgent need for new works and better representation in the operatic canon. As we grow into our 18th year in business, we welcome the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the creative process not only with our singers, stage directors and conductors, but now with composers, producers, and librettists who are at the forefront of creating significant new work. Additionally, as part of our mission to elevate and empower young artists, our new roster of master teachers will continue our existing work within higher education, offering artist residencies, lectures and masterclasses.” — Ana De Archuleta

"this production is new, and a creation from the ground up. While keeping the story firmly planted in the German countryside, the simple, abstract set by Michael Baumgarten is vast but sparse, giving a sense of the emotional loneliness that early on begins to bubble up in the characters. A one-dimensional, overgrown tree is at the center of the set. Letters hang from the branches instead of leaves. In winter, the tree has lost its “leaves,” and the letters are scattered on the ground.The scenic design’s simplicity leaves room for attention to the singers. . . Lawrence Edelson’s direction aligns with the set as he unfolds the show like the changing of the seasons, from Massenet’s sunny Act 1 to its sorrowful finale.An astute conductor realizes that Massenet’s music must be as emotive and expressive as the action onstage. Joseph Mechavich brings out the French Romantic’s lilting emphasis on strings and woodwinds in the opening strains and throughout the first act, and pushes his orchestra to full throttle for the tumultuous, dark and dissonant third and fourth acts. Onstage, the tug of war between duty and desire continues to build, while in the orchestra pit, the music heightens the tension.For an opera to run on all cylinders, all the elements must be in sync, from the direction to the singers and orchestra. Florida Grand Opera’s “Werther” has this and more, down to the letter." -Miami Herald Read full review.

"Corey Crider as the malevolent Tonio painted a complex character, full of rage as well as irony." -Roanoke.com Read full review.

"On the podium, Joseph Colaneri made an impressive company debut. Fully in command of an orchestra that was understandably diminished in its forces, his magnanimous gestures produced a sound that was warm and effulgent." – BachTrack

"Tenor Viktor Antipenko and baritone Corey Crider sing strongly as the sons, Prince Guidon and Prince Afron, who are so dumb they get killed by their uncoordinated armies." -Dallas News Read full review. "Corey Crider and Viktor Antipenko, as the Tsar’s pair of equally clueless and childish progeny, construct a formidable comic couple, just one stooge short of a Three Stooges tribute act." -Theater Jones Read full review.

"GEORGES BIZET'S CARMEN opened Utah Opera’s new season on October 8, featuring a uniformly young and attractive cast under the direction of Tara Faircloth. Faircloth deftly fleshed out characters’ motivation, driving momentum and credibility as the story careened to its fated conclusion. She also injected a modicum of humor that, despite one bit of slapstick in the first act that had soldiers swooning during the “Habanera,” briefly relieved mounting tension. The opera, sung in French with English titles, incorporated original spoken dialogue, delivered beautifully by cast members. . . Sarah Tucker’s Micaëla also stood out. Her gleaming soprano, long blond braids and simple dress cried innocence amidst the morally ambiguous surroundings. Her passionate “Je dis que rein ne m’épouvante” showed impeccable pitch and phrasing. Christian Bowers as Escamillo cut a fine figure as the bullfighter and shared a well-choreographed fight with José." -Opera News Read full review.

"Lassiter, sung by powerful baritone Christian Bowers . . ." -OperaWire Read full review.

"Thankfully, Whitney was a perfect match for Piao, not only as the quintessentially handsome lover, but also as an equal vocal and dramatic partner in the pair’s love duets. His romantic lyrical tenor was conspicuously smooth, but passionate, filled with warmth in his mid-range and an unprepossessing clarity in the upper. Like Piao, Whitney’s physical movement bubbled with vitality, yet with a stage presence that seemed natural and unforced." -Arts Knoxville Read full review. "Mackenzie Whitney and Yulan Piao, playing Romeo and Juliet respectively, were stars of the show in more than name. While some opera singers are content to neglect acting in favor of better singer, Whitney and Piao are the rare pair that understand how to do both." -UT Daily Beacon Read full review.

"But the orchestra's more immediate presence does not mean that the production will not have its own high concept. Stage director Kathleen Smith Belcher makes her debut in Denver with her first "Carmen." (She is the wife of baritone Daniel Belcher, whose performances in Denver and Central City last year were enthusiastically acclaimed.)While the action still is set in Spain, it is updated to the time of the Spanish Civil War."There is a lot of violence and brutality inherent in the story," Belcher said, "and I thought that there would be a heightened urgency of those elements in this setting."Thus, the soldier Don Jose, the jilted lover of the titular gypsy who eventually kills her, is in General Franco's army. When he runs away with Carmen to the gypsy camp, the gypsies are understood to be counter-revolutionaries.Belcher also frames the action in Don Jose's memory from prison after he is arrested for Carmen's murder (which is the last event in the original libretto), showing him there when the overture turns to his associated "fate" theme." -Daily Camera Read full story.

The Stars Align : 70th Anniversary Gala – Tulsa Opera “Oklahoma native Timothy Long, in his company debut, led the Tulsa Opera Orchestra through the wide-ranging program with verve and confidence.” - Tulsa World