Acclaim

March 7, 2023

The Boston Globe

A.Z. Madonna

"With the debut of 'Rising,' a recital program of songs set to poems of the Harlem Renaissance...Brownlee is smartly applying his star power to uplift music that might not otherwise be heard, and spread the names of composers on the verge of greater recognition... Time flew by... all the commissions are worthy of repeat performances by as many singers as will take them on."

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December 14, 2022

The New Yorker

Alex Ross

"Lawrence Brownlee lit up the stage in Rossini’s 'Otello.'"

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October 10, 2022

The New Yorker

Alex Ross

"...one of the most impeccable stylists on the opera scene…”

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October 3, 2022

The New York Times

Zachary Woolfe

"...one of the sweetest sounds in the bel canto world, and tautly ringing high notes. If his tone sometimes paled in fast passagework at the final performance on Sunday, he was always winning."

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September 23, 2022

Opera News

David Shengold

"Brownlee projected Rodrigo's entitled dissatisfaction from the word go. His combination of fleet passagework and total ease and timbral beauty over a huge range was simply staggering."

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September 25, 2022

The Philadelphia Inquirer

David Patrick Stearns

"...Brownlee (a Rossini specialist) conveyed the astounding vocal athleticism that this music was written for, and did so with a sense of what it could all mean dramatically."

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September 24, 2022

Washington Classical Review

Alex Baker

"Brownlee eagerly embraced this more substantial Rodrigo, replacing the dissolute suitor familiar from the play with a man festering in profound disdain for the romantic opportunity that Otello has taken from him... from gorgeous long-breathed lines to spitfire coloratura and a generous display of irresistible golden high notes."

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September 24, 2022

Parterre

David Fox

"Rodrigo is a ball-breaking role, but Brownlee makes the demands sound easy—tossing in additional high notes and audaciously decorating cabalettas as if it were the easiest thing in the world. Yet even with all this technical command, for me it’s the plangent and very individual beauty of the sound that makes the deepest impression."

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October 1, 2021

BBC Music Magazine

Christopher Cook

“The young American tenor Lawrence Brownlee is an impressive Arturo, light of tone and with an easy ascent into the upper register. The pace of his ‘A te o cara’… sets the style exactly for the ensemble that follows."

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December 29, 2020

Parterre

Christopher Corwin

"If one could be said to dominate the CD, it’s Brownlee as he, amidst a fabulous program of duets and trios, also impresses with two prime solos ..."

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December 1, 2020

Opera News

Roger Pines

"Their portrayals are delightful because of the terrific teamwork and irresistible, marvelously detailed responses to the text ... Brownlee is awesome in his dazzling technical ease and sheer grace. Here and everywhere else in this program, he's able to integrate his topmost notes (encompassing spot on high D's) into the phrase with gratifying musicality."

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January 1, 2021

Gramophone

Mark Pullinger

"Brownlee’s tenor ... light and flexible with glistening brilliance in his upper register."

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December 18, 2020

Classical Voice North America

David Shengold

"A truly distinguished and joyful collaboration between two of America’s (and indeed the world’s) most exciting tenors ..."

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March 1, 2021

American Record Guide

Allan Altman

"It is a joyous performance, complemented by Brownlee’s elegant and exuberant Almaviva; rarely is the duet sung by a pair so evenly matched in facility and style."

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September 20, 2021

Fanfare Magazine

Henry Fogel

"The prime motivating factor behind the recording is probably Lawrence Brownlee, who is without question one of the finest bel canto tenors singing today, and to my mind one of the greatest ever."

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August 24, 2021

Opera Now

Francis Muzzu

"...with his smooth and easy line and ability to face the challenges head on ... Brownlee is one of the rare breed who can not only tackle the infamous high F in Act III but make it sound part of the phrase…"

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July 20, 2021

All About the Arts

Rafael de Acha

"...the silvery voiced Sarah Coburn, the superb Lawrence Brownlee ... meet the demands of their assignments with elegant vocalism..."

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August 16, 2021

Art Music Lounge

Lynn Rene Bailey

"Lawrence Brownlee sounds fresh, clean and unrestrained... the finest overall Puritani on the market."

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April 22, 2021

BachTrack

Nahoko Gotoh

"The stand-out bel canto singing came from Brownlee, making his role debut as Edgardo. He sang with amazing suaveness and lyricism, and caused a frisson of excitement amongst the bel canto aficionados in the audience with his high E flat in the Act 1 duet, which not all tenors sing. His final aria “Tombe degli avi miei” was wonderfully affecting too, stealing the show from Lucia’s Mad Scene."

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December 2, 2020

East Bay Times

Georgia Rowe

"Tenor Brownlee has emerged as a versatile artist in a wide range of opera works as well as an eloquent voice for racial equality in today’s classical music world ..."

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November 16, 2020

San Francisco Classical Voice

Jason Serinus

The blend between these two men, who sing roles in which they either vow friendship or express rivalry and animosity, is consistently attractive. Their voices are beautiful. They sound as perfect for each other and as perfectly interesting for us as the coupling of soprano Joan Sutherland with mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne. You’ll search in vain through recorded history for two Rossini tenors who sing duets so compellingly.

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November 13, 2020

Broadway World

Erica Miner

"Brownlee adds his crystal-clear tones to those of Spyres in a photo finish: a fit of vocal splendor and glory worthy of delight from any Rossini aficionado. In a word, breathtaking. If, as Spyres says of Rossini, "much of his writing for tenor set the boundaries for what the male voice could achieve," then this sensational album is living proof."

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November 14, 2020

Limelight Magazine

Clive Paget

"Technical mastery is enhanced by the sheer pleasure of hearing two men belting it out as if their lives depended on it. The definite feeling that they are having fun into the bargain is the icing on the cake."

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November 12, 2020

Schmopera

John Hohmann

"Rossini, two terrific tenors and a first rate musical ensemble—what’s not to love?... We get arias, duets and trios (the tenors are joined by mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught and fellow tenor Xabier Anduaga) that are thoughtfully interpreted and artfully sequenced to mimic the construction of a Rossini opera. Its most winning feature, besides the competing tenors who are in full bloom here, is that it flows."

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November 16, 2020

The New Yorker

Oussama Zahr

"Rossini’s flamboyantly decorated arias showcase the facets of an individual singer’s voice as if it were a diamond under a jeweller’s loupe. Lawrence Brownlee and Michael Spyres’s new album of duelling-tenor pieces, “Amici e Rivali,” is a nice reminder of the sparks that fly when two first-rate voices meet in the playground of a Rossini opera. Spyres’s warm, baritonal colors beautifully complement Brownlee’s shinier timbre in exerpts from “Otello,” “La Donna del Lago,” “Ricciardo e Zoraide,” and other works. The pair dispatches the punishing tessitura, intricate filigree, and endless scales of these duets with undaunted charm, and Corrado Rovaris conducts I Virtuosi Italiani with style."

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October 26, 2020

Parterre

David Fox

"A beguiling and superbly gifted lyric tenor"

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October 24, 2020

Observer

Billy McEntee

“The time is now to make a change, and this idea seems to be resonating in a way that gives me hope,” Brownlee told Observer during a recent conversation. “I have been extremely vocal about this for a long time, and hopefully, people are finally ready to take action. We need inclusion and diversity in every area of society, including the arts, and at every level from the administration, board rooms, composers, choruses, and orchestras to a more diverse audience and community engagement.” Brownlee also spoke of the field’s lack of diversity earlier this year on ABC, noting, “I’ve never been hired by a Black general director of a company or a Black artistic administrator or a Black casting director.”

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July 27, 2020

Chicago Tribune

Howard Reich

“'Lawrence Brownlee and Friends: The Next Chapter' made a compelling statement by featuring a cast of exceptional Black singers."

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January 28, 2020

Houston Chronicle

Chris Gray

"As Fernand, Lawrence Brownlee — coming off last weekend’s “Giving Voice” solo recital — steers his supple tenor through a similarly broad emotional range... his low-key delivery effectively conceals his inner turmoil, but the center can only hold for so long: In his final scenes, Fernand’s despair becomes increasingly evident as Brownlee approaches the upper limits of his register."

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September 30, 2019

Parterre

Henson Keys

"Anchoring the cast is an absolutely bravura performance from tenor Lawrence Brownlee, singing with unrivaled sweetness and astonishing flexibility, executing Rossini’s complex and intricate runs with flair and ease. Brownlee’s excellent comic timing and the delicate vulnerability in his acting made him an audience favorite...."

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September 29, 2019

Chicago Tribune

Howard Reich

"Tenor Lawrence Brownlee wrung every possible ounce of humor from the role of Count Almaviva... [he] finessed the dizzying flurries of notes assigned to the Count without sacrificing beauty of sound. His physical humor was a delight to behold."

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September 29, 2019

Chicago Sun Times

Wynne Delacoma

"Brownlee... certainly delivered the goods Saturday night. His tenor has a dark cast that gave his Almaviva a virile, resolute authority."

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April 8, 2018

Boston Classical Review

Aaron Keebaugh

"Indeed, there may be no better or more agile bel canto tenor on the scene today than Brownlee...the singer commands a stellar technique and honeyed tone that makes his high notes ring with characteristic warmth."

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April 25, 2018

Berkshire Fine Arts

Susan Hall

"A new Brownlee emerged as he sung these songs. A brilliant edge was added to the lovely lyricism of the voice we have come to know. Anguish, desperation, and sadness are all painted in his darker tones, often richly textured in the lower registers.”

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April 26, 2018

Broadway World

Richard Sasanow

“The warmth and vibrancy of his voice fit the needs of the music exquisitely [in the Dichterliebe]…in [Cycles] the singer absolutely commanded the stage and sounded gorgeous even in the most dissonant sections.”

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April 27, 2018

Daily Herald

Natalia Dagenhart

“His artistic presentation, emotional face and unbeatable charm complemented the beautiful tone and amazing range of his voice. Brownlee impressed the audience with his long, high notes, especially at the triumphal ending of the aria. What a great high C!”

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June 9, 2018

Concert Classic

Pierre-René Serna

"For his part, Lawrence Brownlee constitutes the evening's lovely surprise, Ernesto propelled by a delightful, diaphanous di grazia tenor voice."

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June 10, 2018

Olyrix

Damien Dutilleul

“Lawrence Brownlee is an Ernesto with clear high notes, exalted in a full voice and soft in a mixed voice. The timbre is rich and warm, notably in the medium and the neat legato. When low, the timbre is full-bodied and pleasant. His light vibrato maintains a contained and regular rhythm. His phrasing most often shows his courage, but he's able to become delicate in his duo with Nadine Sierra.”

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June 10, 2018

Opera Online

"The American tenor Lawrence Brownlee is an Ernesto with a warm and soft timbre...he excels in his serenade."

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June 10, 2018

Toute La Culture

Yaël Hirsch

"A true revelation in this Don Pasquale, Lawrence Brownlee enchants us throughout the opera and even in a teenager's sweatshirt and cap he moves us with "Povero Ernesto!" as well as the distant "Com'e gentil a Notte," sung backstage."

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June 18, 2018

ResMusica

Steeve Boscardin

"As a teenager addicted to his phone, Lawrence Brownlee is remarkably natural in the role of Ernesto. One will never sufficiently underline the elegance of this singer, too rare on Parisian stages. All is fluid, linked, clear and direct, with beautiful colors that aptly translate the emotions of adolescence."

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November 1, 2018

Bachtrack

Jenny Camilleri

"a pair of dynamite performers"

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November 4, 2018

Trouw - Netherlands

Peter van der Lint

“Brownlee and Spyres are tenors who are out of this world, for whom really no C goes too high. They beautifully matched the sound of the resonant Residentie Orkest and conductor Michael Balke.”

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October 6, 2018

Olyrix

Damien Dutilleul

"His romantic phrases are very lyrical and effortless in every register, and his charming smile adds to his sparkling high notes."

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January 20, 2019

Cleaveland.com

Zachary Lewis

"the radiant singer brought many in attendance to their feet"

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January 28, 2019

Arts and Culture Texas

Sherry Cheng

"Brownlee was able to give the character a flawless voice and a natural likeability. One of the foremost bel canto tenors on the scene today, his vibrant tone matched the youthful passion of his character."

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January 28, 2019

Houston Press

D.L. Groover

"Brownlee, as Nadir, has no peer with this type of lyric tenor hero, where clarity and beauty of tone speaks pages."

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January 28, 2019

Houston Chronicle

Chris Gray

"Making in his debut in the role, tenor Lawrence Brownlee brings real warmth to his early scene with Elliott and tenderness to his duets (on and offstage) with soprano Andrea Carroll’s Leïla."

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January 29, 2019

Parterre

Patrick M. Crowley

"The tenor role of Nadir, Zurga’s best friend, was played in outstanding fashion by Lawrence Brownlee, whose liquid tones perfectly suited the role."

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January 30, 2019

Houstonia

Hannah Che

"Brownlee, in his role as the love-sick Nadir, was earnest and convincing, and his silky, gorgeous timbre in the the pianissimo sections “Oh divine ecstasy!” was among the vocal highlights of the night."

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February 23, 2019

The Philadelphia Inquirer

Peter Dobrin

“[Brownlee’s] bel canto moves and silver-sheen sound add up to his superpower. At one point, he held a high note so long that Owens jested by checking his watch-arm for the time.”

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April 6, 2019

Washington Classical Review

Charles T. Downey

"Lawrence Brownlee strode onto the stage brimming with confidence for Ilo’s entrance aria, “Terra amica.” The American tenor delivered this extraordinary firebolt piece, which he revived in his Vocal Arts DC recital in 2016, with show-stopping authority. High notes rang with authority, including an endlessly sustained final note, and the complex runs and arpeggios crackled with verve in the concluding cabaletta. Although Brownlee was in excellent voice throughout, in both ensembles and arias, this piece was a tour de force."

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March 25, 2019

Parterre

Henson Keys

"The tenor Lawrence Brownlee also made a stunning vocal contribution to the evening, first with a velvety, caressing version of “Un’ aura amorosa” from Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte, followed by a delightful, joyous rendition of Donizetti’s “Ah mes amis…” from La fille du regiment. Never have all those high C’s been dispatched more effortlessly or beautifully."

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