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OPERA:
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA (Il Conte Almaviva) Metropolitan Opera
“Brownlee’s dizzying execution of Almaviva’s music in Barbiere at the Met last season has made him a Rossinian to watch.” Oussama Zahr, Opera News, May 2008
Completely New Ones:
MOSÉ IN EGITTO (Osiride) (Teatro dell’Opera di Roma) “The singers who most stood out were Michele Pertusi as Faraone, the young, enthusiastic Lawrence Brownlee as Osiride…” Luigi Bellingardi, Opera, April 2008
I PURITANI (Arturo) Seattle Opera "…when tenor Lawrence Brownlee (as Arturo) went for a full-voiced, unheard-of high F (above high C) in Act III, the level of excitement rose to disbelief. Most tenors can't sing that high without inhaling helium first; Brownlee made it sound easy." Melinda Bargreen,The Seattle Times, May 4, 2008
“The quartet of singers Saturday night was generally splendid. Lawrence Brownlee, a graduate of the Seattle Opera Young Artist Program, sang the notoriously challenging role of Arturo with distinction, lyric impulse and the requisite high notes, including an F above high C.” RM Campbell,Seattle, Post-Intelligencer, May 5, 2008
"..but one singer clearly rose above the rest (in more ways than one) and that was Brownlee. From his first entrance there was that telling hush in the hall that signals a special voice and with his aria, ‘A te o cara,’ this quality was confirmed. His lovely sound, even production, musical phrasing, and, yes, fine legato made his successful forays into the Rubini stratosphere unimportant. He tired a bit in the taxing third act but firmly established himself as a bel canto star." Fred Hauptman, Crosscut.com, May 5, 2008
“At last, the tenor, Seattle's own Lawrence Brownlee, gets to hit those amazing Bellini high notes. God bless Bellini for his genius, God bless Seattle Opera for waiting, God bless Amsellem and Brownlee for their talents!” Ronald Holden, Seattlest.com, May 5, 2008
"During the intermissions, everyone tried to think up more superlative phrases to describe Lawrence Brownlee's supple tenor." Nicholas Scholl, thestranger.com, May 5, 2008
“In my 70 years, I have never heard better singing than that of Lawrence Brownlee, who sang Arturo, the young lover of the extremely unstable Elvira. Not since Jussi Bjoerling serenaded us on folding chairs in the dreadful Civic Auditorium in 1955 have I heard a better tenor in Seattle. Brownlee has developed since his first years in Seattle Opera's Young Artists Program so that now he appears confident on stage, physically as well as vocally. His voice was utterly free, warm, and capable of superb coloratura. His phrasing and legato was stunning. His high Cs and Ds were easy and beautiful, and the high F-above-high-C was thrilling if not effortless. On the world stage, he most often shares the roles of Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Florez. Having heard them both live several times, I find Brownlee's the more beautiful (and bigger) voice. Rod Parke, Seattle Gay News, May 8, 2008
“Brownlee, as the cavalier Arturo, not only possesses the extended upper register that is required by this opera, but he has plenty of it and it’s a gorgeous sound with lots of resonance. He hit the D above high C with gusto and the F above that in full voice with mega gusto. I don’t know that I’ll ever get the chance to hear that live again. It was astounding. No wonder that Brownlee already has recording contracts coming out of his ears . We’ll be hearing a lot more of him.” James Bash, northwestreverb.blogspot.com, May 13, 2008
“Tenor Lawrence Brownlee stuns Seattle audiences last weekend in Seattle Opera's production of the Bellini rarity, I Puritani, by lofting an F above tenor high C and knocking it into the stratosphere. You've got to hear it to believe it.” Stephen Marc Beaudoin, fromeverycorner.blogspot.com, May 15, 2008
“The singing is an unqualified pleasure thanks to a cast of well-blended voices. If Lawrence Brownlee as Arturo and Norah Amsellem are outstanding, thanks to their roles and their own dramatic and vocal qualities, the other singers are equally impressive.”
“Lawrence Brownlee has elicited enthusiasm in our columns be it in Paris, Lausanne, Brussels or on record. He is quite at home in McCaw Hall having benefited from being in the Seattle Opera’s Young Artists Program. Starting right awat with the romanza ‘A te o cara’ in Act I, this is a seductive performance. Through all of Act III it is impossible to resist the youthful grace of his timbre and the flexibility of his vocal production. Finally he absolutely stupefies in the final ensemble where he takes the mythical top F – Nirvana for tenors.” Jean-Christophe Le Toquin, resmusica.com, May 19, 2008
(please disregard underscoring)
IL TURCO IN ITALIA (Narciso) (Théâtre du Capitole/Toulouse) "Lawrence Brownlee sings his first Narciso with the same apparent ease as his Libenskof in Brussels three years ago. Sustaining middle and high notes, he vocalizes with suppleness and offers up mixed-voice high notes with beautiful firmness. We'd like to hear him sing Ottavio". Maurice Salles, forumopera.com, April 1, 2008
“American Lawrence Brownlee (Narciso) sang beautifully with excellent agility…”
“He had the most applause of the afternoon for his aria in the second act.” José M. Irurzun, Seen and Heard, April 5, 2008
L’APE MUSICALE (Don Capriccio) Festival KlangBogen Wien “It was obvious that the fine ensemble, (including tenor Lawrence Brownlee), was relishing their job and having as much fun performing the work as the public had attending the performance.” A. U., Die Presse, June 30, 2006
AXUR, RE D’ORMUS (Atar) Opernhaus Zurich “American Lawrence Brownlee proved a winning Atar, with a charming, flexible voice and real dramatic fervor.” Horst Koegler, Opera News, December 2003
“…the struggle of the honorable Atar is nobly sung by Lawrence Brownlee…” Tobias Gerosa, Sonntags Blick, September 7, 2003
“…Atar, the elegant and smoothly expressive tenor Lawrence Brownlee…” Horst Koegler, Opera, February 2004
“Lawrence Brownlee, with his warm tenor voice, expressed the plight of the loving husband …” Susanne Kübler, Tages Anzeiger, September 8, 2003
“The young Lawrence Brownlee was enchanting…” Reinmar Wagner, Zürcher Tagblatt, September 8, 2003
“Lawrence Brownlee as Atar revealed a highly flexible voice.” Torbjörn Bergflödt, Thurgauer Zeitung, September 9, 2003
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA (Il Conte Almaviva) Metropolitan Opera “…Lawrence Brownlee made his brilliant Met debut this past spring as Almaviva…” F. Paul Driscoll, Opera News, October 2007
“Mr. Brownlee, an appealing stage performer with a bright, sweet and flexible voice, made a strong impression and won a warm ovation.”
“… Mr. Brownlee is already an impressive singer with a good understanding of bel canto style. His sound was warm and tender during lyrical flights”
“ he nailed the notes and brought infectious energy to his performance.”
“When it came time for his curtain call, he choked up during the ardent ovation. That the evening meant so much to him came through in his likable performance. Or, as Mr. Sher put it, “He has a great spirit.” As Mr. Sher concedes, a quality like that will shine forth even when a debutante singer has never had a rehearsal onstage.” Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times, May 5, 2007
“The tears that filled Lawrence Brownlee's eyes during his curtain call at the Metropolitan Opera spoke of more than mere relief at a successful debut.
True, he had just vanquished the daunting tenor role of Count Almaviva in Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia. But that was only part of the story Thursday night.
He also became a phenomenon that's still entirely too rare — a black man getting a chance to perform a leading role at the nation's premier opera house.
The happy news is that Brownlee held his own from start to finish with his more seasoned colleagues, most of whom had already performed several times in the new production by Bartlett Sher.
His lyric voice falls on the ear with unusual sweetness, even in its upper reaches, yet it carries enough punch to be clearly heard in the vast Met auditorium. He has mastered the bel canto technique of fast runs, trills and ornamentation that Rossini requires, and stopped the show with his acrobatics in the aria ‘Cessa di più resistere’ late in the evening.
As a performer, Brownlee joined cheerfully in the comic pratfalls of the production and used his short stature (5-foot-6; 168 centimeters) to good comic effect, especially when contrasted with the unusually tall Dr. Bartolo of bass-baritone John del Carlo. Mike Silverman, Associated Press, April 27, 2007 (appearing in: International Herald Tribune, Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Miami Herald, Seattle Post Intelligencer, Denver Post, Forth Worth Star Telegram, Wichita Eagle among others)
“This [following in the footsteps of Juan Diego Florez] was indeed a hard act to follow, but Brownlee’s performance was rewarded with a standing ovation.”
“…Brownlee impressed this listener with his perfect legato and lovely tone quality in the aria ‘Ecco ridente in cielo. But the truest test came in the last scene when he pulled out all the stops in the fiendishly difficult aria ‘Cessa di più resistere’ which is usually omitted din most productions. The ovation which followed almost equaled the one accorded him at his final curtain call. Brownlee is also a very accomplished actor.”
“He has an attractive stage presence and the kind of charisma that augurs well for his future as a star in the operatic firmament.” Raoul Abdul, The New York Amsterdam News, May 3-9, 2007 “[Joyce] DiDonato is the best Rosina around, and Brownlee, another young American tenor, is her near equal, an astonishing technician who rightly brought the house down.” Hugh Canning, The Sunday Times (London), May 13, 2007
“Brownlee took over the tenor role after virtuoso Juan Diego Flórez had been singing it all season, not an easy act to follow, but he pulled it off with aplomb. In entrance aria ‘Ecco, ridente,’ Brownlee displayed an instrument that was clear, even and flexible. His ornamentation was creative and included interpolated runs and high notes, with a long-sustained final note. His singing here and in the subsequent serenade did not want for elegance and, though short of stature, he cut a dashing figure on stage, with a number of comic bits playing on his slightness and litheness. As the drunken soldier, he wound up on Dr. Bartolo's lap and later the doctor, towering over him, had to make an extra effort to find his way under his broad-brimmed 'Don Alonso' hat to address him.
Although Brownlee proved in the course of the evening that he could sing piano, could run and sing at the same time, a useful ability in comedy, and produce head tone as well, while demonstrating a phrase for putative pupil Rosina during the lesson scene, it was near the end of the evening, with his bravura account of the restored ‘Cessa di più resistere ... Ah, il più lieto, il più felice,’ which, in part, shares a melody with Cenerentola's rondo ‘Non più mesta,’ that he truly drove the audience into a frenzy. The roar of approval at his solo final curtain call seemed to bring tears to his eyes.” Bruce-Michael Gelbert, QOnStage.com, April 27, 2007
“Il barbiere di Siviglia returned to the Met in Bartlett Sher’s pretty-busy-gaggy production on April 26 with three unfamiliar principals. Musical standards remained lofty. Lawrence Brownlee made his debut as Almaviva, bravely succeeding Juan Diego Flórez…” “His tone light and poised, his timbre sweet, Brownlee sailed through the bel canto stratosphere – interpolations generous and daring – with elegant ease. He entered into Sher’s high-jinks orgy with good cheer, height limitations notwithstanding, and ultimately silenced any doubts with a genuinely virtuosic, virtually nonchalant rondo finale.” Martin Bernheimer, Opera, July 2007
San Diego Opera “The revelation of opening night was American tenor Lawrence Brownlee, making his debut here as Almaviva. In ‘Ecco ridente’ and ‘Se il mio nome,’ he demonstrated a sweet, pliant voice with an extremely fast, attractive vibrato. And Brownlee flaunted his confidence with the challenging bravura piece ‘Cessa di più resistere,’ a number ordinarily eliminated from Act II.” David Gregson, Opera News, May 2006
“To say the best part of San Diego Opera's season-opening production of The Barber of Seville is its ending, isn't meant to take anything away from its superb, big-voiced cast, its joyous direction, its masterful conducting, its cotton-candy costumes and its airy rococo sets. But what lifts this production from the superior to the sublime is the opera's closing aria by tenor Lawrence Brownlee.
A voice like this comes along only rarely, and hearing Brownlee effortlessly glide through the vocal cartwheels of the eight-minute ‘Cessa di più resistere’ – nearly always cut from the score because the challenging piece is simply too difficult for most tenors to attempt so late in a show – is an experience that few local operagoers are likely to forget.
Brownlee's voice has a ringing clarity, a pleasing, fast-whirring vibrato and an impeccable vocal line that never fades during the melismatic leaps his coloratura arias require. This is a voice for the ages and San Diegans are lucky to have seen Brownlee here in his local debut. For once he makes his debut in the same role of Count Almaviva next year at the Metropolitan Opera, his price tag will be too high for any but the world's leading opera houses.” Pam Kragen, North County Times, February 1, 2006
“Tenor Lawrence Brownlee was vocally dazzling. He was an Almaviva of exquisite lyrical timbre, with agility in the use of his voice and elegant phrasing. He interpreted ‘Cessa di più resistere’ in an outstanding manner.” Ramon Jacques, Pro Opera, May-June 2006
“The star of this performance was coloratura tenor Lawrence Brownlee whose vocal flexibility is an absolute marvel. For him the often-omitted aria 'Cessa di più resistere' was put back into the last act. Most tenors find singing difficult florid music when they are most assuredly tired next to impossible, but Brownlee tossed the aria off with seeming ease. Next year he makes his Metropolitan Opera début and we can only hope he will still choose to come back to the Southwest once in a while.” Maria Nockin, Music & Vision (mvdaily.com), February 12, 2006
“But it was up-and-coming tenor Lawrence Brownlee as Count Almaviva who stole the show. There is much buzz surrounding this young talent who will make his debut at the Metropolitan Opera as Almaviva. The expert control he used with his rich, layered voice was phenomenal. In fact, a difficult aria for Almaviva that is often cut from Barber performances was restored for the capable Brownlee.” Molly Bettiga, Voice of San Diego, January 27, 2006
“In terms of bel canto bravura, no one surpassed tenor Lawrence Brownlee as Count Almaviva, who woos Rosina.” “…[his voice] was wonderfully supple and suited to the coloratura ornamentation. He even sang the brutally demanding ‘Cessa di più resistere,’ which is frequently cut from productions.” Valerie Scher, San Diego Union-Tribune, January 30, 2006
“For some of us hearing these passages [of Count Almaviva], the names of two of the greatest lyric tenors spring to mind – Luigi Alva, Cesare Valletti. But today as innumerable Rossini and Handel revivals occur throughout the world, it’s a safe bet that more young singers are being trained in the style of singing this music than there were back in the ‘50s. Brownlee, for instance, is such a master of the Rossini style that he even dared to show off at the end of Act Two by tackling…‘Cessa di più resistere’.”
“Brownlee has a sweet, pliant voice with an extremely fast, attractive vibrato.” David Gregson, OperaWest.com, January 29, 2006
Teatro all Scala (Fall ’05) “He strides the stage with confidence, his voice imbued with an appealingly pulsating vibrato that lends a golden-era aura to his singing…” Sergio Albertini, Isolisti.org, September 24, 2005
Münchner Rundfunkorchester (concert performance) “…The likewise very young Lawrence Brownlee summoned up all his tenorial seductiveness as her [Rosina’s] beloved, Almaviva; silkily shimmering timbre, stylish phrasing, noble legato, as well as flexible high notes and supple-enough talent to conquer not only Rosina but the audience, too.” Gabrielle Luster, Münchner Merkur, May 10, 2005
“A ‘tenor discovery’ new to Munich was the small, colorful, finely interpreting American Lawrence Brownlee, who coupled grace with really extremely agile tenor singing. Brownlee has, G-d knows, nothing to fear from the much-praised Flórez, nor from any of his other colleagues in this field. He fired off breakneck coloratura fireworks that left many of his listeners holding their breath.” Dorothea Zweipfennig, Der neue Merker, June 23, 2005
“As Almaviva, the young Lawrence Brownlee indeed commands a quite lightly pearly, bright and beautiful Rossini voice, which he handled impeccably and securely in the coloratura…” Klaus Kalschschmid, Süddeutsche Zeitung, May 12, 2005
“A flawless upper register distinguishes this voice, and especially in the closing aria, ‘Cessa di più resistere,’ seldom heard in staged performances. Mr. Brownlee proved that he belongs among the leading Rossini tenors of the world.” Irene Stenzel, Der neue Merker, June 23, 2005
“Lawrence Brownlee brought a wonderful agility and enthusiasm to the role of Almaviva, summing up the lyric tenor ideal for bel canto.” Thomas Vitzhum, Klassik.com, May 2005
Teatro Real, Madrid “…[Brownlee] has a particularly rich tone which was a pleasure to listen to and articulated even the most difficult passages with ease and grace…”
“…he made a delightful Count, who brought intrigue and much amusement to the part through his acting and the excellent direction.” Scott Adams, Opera~Opera, March 2005
“Lawrence Brownlee made a sympathetic character and sang well…” David Mason, Opera Now, May/June 2005
“Lawrence Brownlee is undaunted by the difficulties of Almaviva’s final aria; his tenor rings out appealingly, not at all fussy, and passionately accented.” Bernd Hoppe, Orpheus, March/April 2005
Boston Lyric Opera “Lawrence Brownlee has a lovely vibrant tenor and a superior vocal technique. He can sing this part accurately, which is a considerable and rare accomplishment (he’s done it at La Scala). He proved a droll comic actor in his impersonations of a drunken soldier and an oleaginous music teacher…” Richard Dyer, Boston Globe, October 4, 2002
“The musical end was equally well served by an outstanding cast of young singers with exceptional acting skills. Lawrence Brownlee portrayed Count Almaviva with gorgeous lyrical singing and excellent high notes. His smooth, limpid vocal line, with the right amount of vibrato, was a delight.” Karyl Lynn Zietz, Opera Now, January/February 2003
“It is a great credit to Lawrence Brownlee that he made such a strong impression despite being saddled with the evening’s most manic stage business. Brownlee’s voice is a natural, beautifully produced light tenor, ideally suited to Rossini’s fluid vocal writing.” T. J. Medrek, Boston Herald, October 4, 2002
“It was easy to understand why he won the 2001 Metropolitan Opera National [Council] Auditions.”
“…his voice is large and ringing. He had no trouble negotiating the difficult and often florid writing and ascended to high C without any strain.” Caldwell Titcomb, Bay State Banner, October 17, 2002
“As Almaviva, an ‘actor’ consumed by his passions, tenor Lawrence Brownlee proved most convincing, singing with a gorgeous voice…and an acting flair that only heightened his already charming presence.” Julie Mullany, Opera News, February, 2003
“[Tenor Lawrence Brownlee] has a clear, pure, lyrical tenor voice of great suavity – and rare accuracy – very evenly produced up and down the scale. His opening serenade, ‘Ecco ridente,’ was a joy to hear.” Lloyd Schwartz, Boston Phoenix, October 11, 2002
Virginia Opera (PROFESSIONAL DEBUT) “As Count Almaviva, Brownlee showed the power of being Figaro’s superior in their society. He was able to negotiate Rossini’s coloratura lines with extraordinary brilliance. The Count’s final aria, often omitted because of its difficulty, was a perfect vehicle for him to demonstrate his skill.” Lee Teply, The Virginian-Pilot, April 14, 2002
“Lawrence Brownlee, as the lovesick Count, may be the perfect Rossini tenor, his voice moving without break through the showy cadenzas with ease, and with breath control which left the audience gasping for air. Thanks to Virginia Opera for reinstating Almaviva’s final, insanely difficult aria, ‘Cessa di più resistere.’ We couldn’t get enough of this talented young singer, who will be reprising Almaviva in Italy at the high altar of grand opera, Milan’s Teatro alla Scala.” B.J. Atkinson, Port Folio Weekly (Norfolk, VA), April 23, 2002
“… a clear, clean tenor sound that stays fresh right up until his most difficult aria at the end of the final act. His voice was supple enough to handle the composer’s tricky ornamental phrasing, too.” David Nicholson, Daily Press, April 16, 2002
“And what singing it is, and what good acting we behold! From his opening serenade to Rosina to the reinstated ‘Cessa di più resistere’ Lawrence Brownlee’s pure, clear tenor voice and a keen eye for mischief produce a very special Count Almaviva.” Edgar Loessin, WHRO, April 14, 2002
LA CENERENTOLA (Don Ramiro) Sächsische Staatsoper (Dresden) “…and above all, as Don Ramiro, there was Lawrence Brownlee, who sang even more beautifully than his excellent colleagues. He displayed exemplary Bel Canto style, with his bight, agile and most-responsive tenor voice.” Boris Michael Gruhl, Klassik.com, June 13, 2007
Houston Grand Opera “On his first entrance he [Brownlee] immediately commanded attention. He matched the virtuosity of [Joyce] DiDonato [as Angelina]…”
“…in his extended solo scene in Act Two [he] poured out high notes with a brilliant ring, including one held long enough to drive fanatic fans of singing mad. He's one I want to hear again.” Charles Ward, Houston Chronicle, January 28, 2007
“The Ramiro of Lawrence Brownlee, having conquered Philadelphia in one night in his November debut there, did the same thing in Houston. The young tenor is an enthusiastic partner onstage, less narcissistic than some current exponents of the part. Confident in demeanor and sure of Rossini style, Brownlee can sound a bit papery of timbre at the bottom of his range, but the quality improves as he ascends and his daring and accuracy in ‘Dolce speranza’ occasioned delirious applause.” David Shengold, Gay City News, February 16, 2007
"Judging from Lawrence Brownlee’s bravura performance as Don Ramiro (the prince in servant’s clothing) he’s well on his way to opera stardom. He had the audience going wild during the high notes. (I thought I was in Milan for at least 10 seconds.)" Nancy Wozny, www.culturevulture.net, February 5, 2007
“Her [Joyce DiDonato’s] Prince, Lawrence Brownlee, brought the house down with his forthright pacing, effortless high Cs, and clean coloratura in his capstone aria in Act II, ‘Sì, ritrovarla io giuro.’” Walter B. Bailey, Opera News, April 2007
“Stylistically impeccable, the young tenor from Ohio also employed breathtaking technique...with a mixture of audacity and mastery that delighted the audience.” David Shengold, Opéra Magazine, April 2007
“Lawrence Brownlee made a splendid company debut as Ramiro, thanks to warm tone, great flexibility, and fearless command of the high Cs.” William Albright, Opera, June 2007
Opera Company of Philadelphia “Costumed as an officer and a gentleman, Brownlee sang well and stylishly” David Patrick Stearns, Philadelphia Inquirer, November 10, 2006
“Lawrence Brownlee aced Ramiro's stratospheric part with panache, confidence, immaculate style and attractive tone; certain Peruvian superstars might look to their laurels.” David Shengold, Opera, March 2007
“Lawrence Brownlee as Don Ramiro seems to be hooked up to some sort of antigravity device as he makes some of Rossini’s more difficult passages sound positively easy. Emily Guendelsberger, Philadelphia Weekly, November 8-14, 2006
“Lawrence Brownlee…sings elegantly. His light voice is characterized by a vibrato that intensifies on top. He won a solid round of applause for the prince's big solo.” Robert Baxter, Courier-Post (Cherry Hill, NJ), November 10, 2006
“What redeemed the production for me was the sonorous tenor voice of Lawrence Brownlee as Don Ramiro, the prince. When this man steps on stage and opens his mouth, you experience the sort of sublime high that art at its best is supposed to provide. Of course it helps that Brownlee is singing Rossini, whose music is always pleasant to the ear (even if, let’s be honest, every Rossini opera sounds alike). During Brownlee’s solos, it was all I could do to resist rising from my seat and shouting at the projection booth, “Will you stop with these distracting gimmicks already and let the man sing?” Dan Rottenberg, Broad Street Review, November 14, 2006
“In another winning Philadelphia debut, Lawrence Brownlee sings the role of the prince, Don Ramiro, with an assured and vibrant tenor that soars with emotional intensity, especially in moments with his beloved Cinderella.” John Fidler, Reading Eagle, November 14, 2006
“Rossini tenor-on-the-rise Lawrence Brownlee, joining the Met for Barbiere this spring…[is] a real contender.” David Shengold, Gay City News, November 22, 2006
Teatro Lirico “Giuseppe Verdi” - Trieste “Lawrence Brownlee, a Rossini specialist, had tone and range ideally suited to the part of Don Ramiro.” Giampaolo de Ferra, Opera, July 2006
“The Don Ramiro was Lawrence Brownlee, who has a clear and appealing vocal timbre…” Giorgio Cerasoli, Il Giornale della Musica, March 13, 2006
“Lawrence Brownlee displayed a true tenore di grazia; his acting was exemplary.” Claudio Ghebitz, Il Piccolo di Trieste, March 13, 2006
“Don Ramiro was portrayed by the American tenor Lawrence Brownlee, who has a most pleasant voice; he displayed great musicality, cultivated technique and confident acting.” Dejan Bozevic, Il Gazzettino, March 13, 2006
“Each of the artists brought specific gifts to the performance; the Prince, Lawrence Brownlee, has a well modulated and attractive tenor voice.” Fabio Vidali, La Voce del Popolo, March 15, 2006
“Don Ramiro, the American tenor Lawrence Brownlee, who has been heard often at La Scala, has a voice of clean perfection and tempting inflection, even in the most difficult passages.” Danilo Soli, Il Messagero Veneto, March 15, 2006
“As Prince Charming, Lawrence Brownlee confirms reports that he is a superb Rossini tenor. There was a thunderous ovation after the aria, ‘Si ritrovarla io giuro’ which was sung with aristocratic delicacy and self-control. He is clearly an artist whose star is rising.” Rino Alessi, L’Opera, April 2006
“Lawrence Brownlee’s Ramiro was truly superb. He has a beautiful timbre, as well as a rock-solid technique that allows him to flexibly negotiate all the runs and roulades required for this part, presenting this role with limpid phrasing, intelligence and elegance.” Alessandro Cammarano, La Recensione, March 2006
“American tenor Lawrence Brownlee has a secure voice, with a most appealing timbre.” Marzio Serbo, Vita Nuova, March 17, 2006
Teatro alla Scala - Milano “Juan Diego Flórez was expected, but it was Lawrence Brownlee, who shares performances with the Peruvian tenor, who was introduced this evening. This young singer is an excellent discovery, since the voice is beautiful, agile, free in the upper register and perfectly suited to Rossinian style.”
“Dramatically he portrays a thoroughly sweet, noble Prince, and he upholds the staging very well. A name to remember, because Lawrence Brownlee is on his way to becoming a top-level new Rossinian tenor…” Manon Ardouin, ConcertoNet.com, July 29, 2005
Seattle Opera Young Artists Program “He [Lawrence Brownlee] moves with such confidence onstage one might think he had years of experience. His tenor is sweet with impressively secure high notes. He also has a big technique, sufficient to dispense the high-flying runs Rossini gave the character. Few tenors can move their voices as quickly and accurately as Brownlee. It is not surprising he will make his La Scala debut later this year as Count Almaviva in another Rossini comedy, The Barber of Seville.” R. M. Campbell, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, February 25, 2002
LE COMTE ORY (Title Role) Teatro Comunale di Bologna “The young Lawrence Brownlee made his debut and displayed an amazing voice.” Marco Beghelli, Il Giornale della Musica, April 2004
DON PASQUALE (Ernesto) Seattle Opera “The star yesterday afternoon was Lawrence Brownlee, as Ernesto. This young tenor has a remarkable voice of honeyed sweetness coupled with theatrical agility. They should take him far.” R.M. Campbell, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, January 13, 2003
“Yesterday's alternate cast had its strengths, too — most of all in Lawrence Brownlee, a spectacularly gifted young tenor of great lyricism and effortless high notes.” Melinda Bargreen, The Seattle Times, January 13, 2003
Michigan Opera Theatre “Brownlee offered a purring tenor, round and light, with an attractive mineral quality that added urgency not only to his moments of gloom but to his songs of love.” Mark Stryker, Detroit Free Press, November 13, 2002
LA DONNA DEL LAGO (Giacomo V / Uberto) Washington Concert Opera “The star of this production clearly was the stunning young American tenor Lawrence Brownlee, who sang the role of King James V. Experiencing the otherworldly sweetness and perfection of his pearlescent bel-canto voice was a mind-expanding experience. He opened the second act radiantly, singing without a flaw one of Rossini's most cruelly taxing and heavily ornamental arias in a performance as heart-rending as it was inspired. The audience seemed to think so as well, bringing the performance to a halt with fervent shouting and applause.” T. L. Ponick, The Washington Times, May 24, 2004
“Because there were a number of gifted and hardworking singers in the cast, it may seem ungracious to say that tenor Lawrence Brownlee stole the show. Sorry, but there's no way around it. After all, nobody but the most fervent opera cultist remembers who sang with soprano Montserrat Caballé when she dazzled Carnegie Hall with Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia in 1965; it was one of those nights when a star was born and carried all before her. Without taking the comparison too far, it is distinctly possible that Brownlee's performance on Friday may someday be remembered with some of the same fondness. Brownlee – who sang the role of the Scottish King James V, disguised as ‘Hubert’ for most of the opera – has a voice of high, brilliant, florid beauty that he employs with spectacular confidence, dexterity and musical intelligence. His pitch sense is spot-on; his coloratura flourishes are immaculately calibrated…and combines it all with stage presence of considerable electricity. He was cheered to the rafters, and rightly so.”
“Brownlee is a genuine find.” Tim Page, The Washington Post, May 24, 2004
“Earning the lion's share of those ovations was to-the-bel-canto-born Lawrence Brownlee as Hubert, alias King James V, one of two taxing tenor roles in the opera. His ringing tone, exemplary articulation and beautifully shaded phrasing made each coloratura journey a natural extension of the character, never an excuse for mere display. It was in every way a sensational performance.” Tim Smith, Opera News, September 2004
LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT (Tonio) Staatsoper Hamburg “In his Hamburg debut, the American Lawrence Brownlee, as Tonio, fulfilled all the expectations placed on this internationally, highly-praised tenor. The panic-inducing aria ‘Ah, mes amis’ proved to be a sure bet for him: nine bull’s-eyes.” Helmut Söring, Hamburger Abendblatt, June 5, 2006
“With virtuosity, lyric tenor Lawrence Brownlee sent the role’s high Cs heavenward, resulting in a most enthusiastic ovation.” Monika Nellissen, Die Welt, June 5, 2006
“The Afro-American singer Lawrence Brownlee, as Tonio, managed the awe-inspiring feat of firing out a barrage of high Cs, an accomplishment that could not have been bettered by Pavarotti in his prime, without the loss of any of the lyric quality of his voice.” Harald Gillen, Stader Tageblatt, June 6, 2006
“Worthy of considerable mention was the Hamburg debut of the American Lawrence Brownlee in the role of Tonio. With his effortless tenor voice, with its melting tones, he not only conquered the ‘Aria of the Nine High Cs,’ but did so in splendid fashion.” Barbara Sell, Hamburger Morgenpost, June 5, 2006
“No less demanding [than the role of Marie] is that of Tonio. Alone in his famous cabaletta, ‘Pour mon âme,’ the tenor must toss out nine high Cs. This proved to be no obstacle for Lawrence Brownlee, a singer who displays absolute security even in the highest range.” Dagmar Penzlin, NDR Kultur, June 4, 2006
“Vocally remarkable was the American Lawrence Brownlee as Tonio, with his effortlessly managed, melting tenor voice.” Barbara Sell, Norddeutsche Rundschau, June 6, 2006
“The leading roles of Marie and her beloved Tonio are fitted out with bravura coloratura. That’s a treat for the audience, and Aleksandra Kurzak and Lawrence Brownlee can rightly take credit for the spirited curtain calls they received.” Frank Fingerhuth, NDR (Norddeutscher Rundfunk) 90.3, June 4, 2006
“The Hamburg debut of the American Lawrence Brownlee, already internationally praised, in the role of Tonio was vocally sensational. With his effortlessly managed, melting tenor voice, he succeeded admirably, and not just in merely clearing the hurdle of the seven high-Cs.” Barbara Sell, KORR-Inland/Musik/Opera, June 5, 2006
“Tonio, her lover, won’t have an easy time of married life with her, although Lawrence Brownlee sings him with carefree assurance and likewise pops out the legendary nine high Cs of his aria’s cabaletta with ease.” Gerhardt Asche, Weser Kurier, June 7, 2006
“Like a shooting star, Lawrence Brownlee steps forward as Tonio. Not only does the man have an exceptionally concentrated tenor voice with great staying power, but the bel canto specialist from the United States turns cartwheels, does the splits and spins like a dervish across the stage — and all this with a fully sung performance.” Heike Linde-Lembke, Lübecker Nachrichten, June 7, 2006
“In the American tenor Lawrence Brownlee she [soprano Aleksandra Kurzak] found above all a vocally strong partner, who fired off Tonio’s high Cs with stylish ease. Christian Strehk, Kieler Nachrichten, June 6, 2006
“Even the only rarely well-cast, very high-lying part of Tonio was persuasively taken in Hamburg by Lawrence Brownlee.” Reinald Hanke, Cellesche Zeitung, June 6, 2006
“Lawrence Brownlee fired off Tonio’s notoriously difficult and prized high Cs wonderfully well and earned bravos accordingly.” H.-M. Koch, Landeszeitung, June 6, 2006
“Opera-lovers know that Donizetti’s La Fille du Régiment is the opera with many high Cs. The tenor who can master these hurdles is highly esteemed. Lawrence Brownlee sang the extreme range of Tonio effortlessly, and lusty cries of bravo were the reward for this feat of singing technique. Yet Brownlee’s voice is also meltingly rich and technically sovereign.” Markus Wilks, Das Opernglas, July/August, 2006
“Here Lawrence Brownlee, making his Hamburg debut as the Tyrolean country boy Tonio, had plenty to offer.”
“…he demonstrated not only the physical agility at his disposal, but the very bright, first-class instrument over which he presides. The nine high Cs of ‘Ah! mes amis’ came surely, as did the C-sharp of his second act aria. And here he also demonstrated flawless line and soft-singing.” A.U. Orpheus, September/October 2006
Cincinnati Opera “Brownlee’s light lyric tenor complemented Shafer’s voice beautifully in their Act I love duet, and he nailed the famous nine high Cs in ‘Pour mon âme’ with ease.” |
