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Critical Acclaim
“Pittsburgh now has two opera companies, and the second more than doubles the musical riches of our fair city.”
—WQED-FM Sunday Arts Magazine
The Magic Flute
“Artistic director Jonathan Eaton’s new staging of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” was a delight to encounter… Juan Jose de Leon sang a wonderful Tamino. The tenor has already shown a big voice and versatility as one of Pittsburgh Opera’s resident artists . . . Sabrina Warren was a superb Pamina, using her ample and open voice with affecting directness . . . Dimitrie Lazich brought wonderfully confident vocalism and deft comic timing to his role as Papageno . . .[As] Queen of the Night, Pamina’s mother Sarah Salas sang the notoriously difficult coloratura brilliantly, and at fast tempi. Beyond the many points of individual excellence, Summerfest’s The Magic Flute was an ensemble effort filled with Mozartean joy. The festival is off to a strong start.”
—Mark Kanny, Classical Music Critic, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
“Mr. Lazich was a marvel, the mix of silliness and strong singing that serves the ludicrous Papageno well. Sabrina Warren had a lovely, gentle texture throughout as Pamina. She channeled Lucia with a knife in her hand. The most intriguing casting was standout countertenor Andrey Nemzer as the despicable Monostatos.”
—Andrew Druckenbrod, Classical Music Critic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Carmen
“Opera directors usually search for new perspectives when staging yet another performance of old masterpieces. Few are as radical or successful as Jonathan Eaton is in his new version of Georges Bizet’s Carmen called Carmen – the Gypsy . . . With every seat in the house within about 20 feet of the edges of the stage in the center, the impact of the drama was visceral in a way it never is in a big opera house . . . worth seeing for Kara Cornell’s portrayal of Carmen alone, but, in truth, the entire cast was outstanding . . . “
—Mark Kanny, Classical Music Critic, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
“The 200-seat Kountz Black Box Theater was full for this entertaining, beautifully sung flamenco version of Bizet's Carmen, newly adapted by Robert Frankenberry and OTP head Jonathan Eaton.”
—Bill O’Driscoll, Arts & Entertainment Editor, Pittsburgh City Paper
Candide
"Opera Theater of Pittsburgh gives us all something to cheer and admire . . . You’ll hear and see what justifies the acclaim and reputation accorded this, given uniformly magnificent singing, several wonderful character interpretations, filling out plenty of zippy business directed by consistently locally admired Scott Wise and remarkably adept playing by an orchestra led by Brent McMunn . . . What I’ve seen makes with me fervently hope that Opera Theater’s SummerFest thrives and endures, as a welcome part of our city’s performing arts scene."
—Gordon Spencer, WCRT-FM
“Opera Theater of Pittsburgh’s SummerFest ended on a high note this Sunday with the festival’s pitch-perfect final showing of Leonard Bernstein’s Candide . . . This Candide’s standout performance is by far that of Pittsburgh native Abigail Dueppen, who dazzles with her performance as the ditzy-happy Cunegonde. Her rendition of ‘Glitter and Be Gay’ quite literally stopped the show on Sunday . . . of particular note. . . Countertenor Andrey Nemzer's daring turn as the Old Lady.”
—Alexandra Strycula, BroadwayWorld.com
Night Caps
“Valkyrie Suite was a Wagner parody recasting the Valkyries as the McDonald Township Women's Bowling Team. . . It was funny — but judging from laughter by some audience members, if you knew Wagner well it was hilarious.”
—Bill O’Driscoll, Arts & Entertainment Editor, Pittsburgh City Paper
“I saw Bridal Suite featuring Dwayne Fulton’s gospel-like and opera-sounding music, all sung with style and verve. Denise Sheffey-Powell made the most and best of the bride’s every note.”
—Gordon Spencer, WCRT-FM
The Ring
“The best operatic staging seen in Pittsburgh in a long time… the weekend’s production of The Ring is a triumph for Opera Theater … a company that has introduced a supreme masterpiece to our community.”
—Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Lost in the Stars
“Lost in the Stars is one of my top ten experiences out of 60-plus years of going to the theatre… Shows of this crowning achievement rarely happen on Broadway any more… a masterpiece of musical theater… an eloquent pinnacle of the combination of a superior score and a deeply sensitive book in the hands of exceptional theatre craftsmen…”
—Edgar Loessin, Loessin at Large, NPR
Porgy and Bess
“The cast, conductor and orchestra were excellent…one of [Opera Theater]’s greatest successes.”
—Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Summer and Smoke
“Eaton’s precision and purpose is clear throughout… If there was a second when [it] was anything less than great, then I missed it.”
—Pittsburgh City Paper
Euridice and Orpheus
“With gravestones, mausoleums and monuments stretching out in all directions, a single clarinetist strolled, playing a mournful melody… and with that, a most remarkable operatic event began in a most unusual setting: Allegheny Cemetery… What could have been gimmicky in the hands of lesser artists was an experience that many will remember.”
—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Marriage of Figaro
“Opera Theater lovingly stages charming Figaro… smartly conceived and energetically performed… consistently fine acting was another dimension of Eaton’s directorial mastery… a rewarding production that raced to the final curtain.”
—Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Die Fledermaus
“Wonderfully presented on stage by Opera Theater… the kind of laughter that erupted time and again… was the ultimate tribute to a brilliant production of an operetta with a New Year’s Eve party at its core… The range and frequency of the jokes were as pleasantly dizzying as champagne.”
—Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
A View from the Bridge
“Wonderfully eclectic … superbly cast … Eaton’s direction was fluid and smart.”
—Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
The Soldier’s Tale
“A noble experiment … scintillating … skillfully balanced text and music … undeniable star power.”
—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
L’Incantesimo
“The adventurous Opera Theater of Pittsburgh gave L’Incantesimo its American stage premiere in the exquisite Sculpture Hall of the Carnegie Museum of Art. It was a thoroughly delightful experience, staged in the round by the ever inventive Jonathan Eaton… “
—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
