2017/18 Season

“A sold-out, well-sung, and boisterously received performance…one of the most robust BLO opening nights I can recall.…The gifted young Russian soprano Elena Stikhina’s voice has unusual allure…a combination of glow and penetration, lightness and strength, at times floating above the orchestra, at times slicing through it.”
– Boston Globe

“One couldn’t imagine the character [of Tosca] having a better performer than soprano Elena Stikhina. Haunting and heart wrenching. Tenor Jonathan Burton sang warmly and radiantly as Cavaradossi…[he] possesses a voice of strength and beauty. His upper notes sailed freely over Puccini’s thick orchestration, and he found resonant warmth in the painter’s character.”
– Boston Classical Review

“A production to cherish.…Russian soprano Stikhina [is] a true gem.…In a brilliant stroke of genius, the orchestra of fifty-eight players, under Conductor David Stern, was placed ten feet above the stage to compensate for the relatively small pit in the Cutler Majestic.”
– South Shore Critic

“Elena Stikhina, making her American debut, is a beauty endowed with a beautiful voice and real acting ability. Stikhina sang with passion and heartbreaking beauty…she was completely convincing in the role…One hopes to hear her again, soon.…David Stern was seriously splendid…I was very impressed with his conducting.…Tenor Jonathan Burton made an excellent BLO debut as Cavaradossi.…The wonderful James Maddalena who sang the role of the sacristan in Act I, and the escaped prisoner Angelotti, sung by David Cushing also made fine impressions.…But übervillain Baron Scarpia, deftly portrayed by Daniel Sutin, almost stole the show.…[Burton, as] the doomed Cavaradossi sings the stunning “E lucivan le stele.” A trip to Boston Lyric Opera is worth it for this aria alone.”
– Boston Musical Intelligencer

“With fine playing, and stellar singing, BLO’s TOSCA made for a promising opening to the company’s new season..…Elena Stikhina made a superb Tosca. A round, rich and ample voice characterized by a beautiful, dark timbre. Her acting was convincing.…her reading of the famous aria “Vissi d’arte” could scarcely have been bettered…sung exactly as Puccini intended…gorgeous…dead-on…thrilling.…David Stern’s conducting was quite impressive…the orchestra played wonderfully under his baton. Lyrical moments were expansive, tense passages really bristled. Rarely has the prelude to Act Three sounded better…ethereal and evocative.”
– EDGE Boston

“In the title role, soprano Elena Stikhina showcased a winning stage presence. She sang with warmth, effortless projection, true pitch, and velvety tone across her range. Her upper register was particularly resonant and brilliant…the overall hue of her voice and the conviction of her acting made Stikhina the night’s most compelling principal.…Jonathan Burton sang with intensity in his upper register; a raw, intense timbre; and securer enunciation. His duets with Stikhina built to some finely-matched climaxes that soared over the orchestra.…David Cushing delivered a muscular account of the escaped political prisoner Angelotti.…Jon Jurgens and Vincent Turregano sang menacingly as Scarpia’s henchmen Spoletta and Sciarrone (respectively), while Sara Womble made bright, fluent work of the Shepherdess’s song at the beginning of Act 3.…The BLO Orchestra [was] in rather fine fettle…its sound blossomed, reveling in Puccini’s sumptuous orchestral colors, from Ina Zdorovetchi’s lush harp arpeggios to the lyrical cello section solo near the end of Act 3. David Stern’s conducting was articulate and well-paced.
– THE ARTS FUSE

“This is sheer perfection…Not-to-be missed!…Exquisite vocals by the lovely, world class, award-winning soprano, Elena Stikhina making her American debut.
-Boston and Beyond

“Boston Lyric Opera brings fresh and timely resonance to this 41st season opener at the Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre…BLO’s timely revival proves faithful to the diva’s haunting emotional odyssey and demonstrates how much this wise opera has to say about tyranny freedom, love and life itself.
– Jewish Journal

“It is worth seeing BLO’s “Tosca” to hear Russian soprano Elena Stikhina make her American debut as Floria Tosca…emarkable vocal prowess…the power of [her] song poured from the stage and rushed over the audience in a wave of pure bliss. [A “Tosca”] relevant to contemporary audiences. David Stern’s physical movements and the music’s aural presence provided the audience with [a] dynamic element.
– Tufts Daily

“From the very first chords the full BLO orchestra never sounded so good, producing the rich and full sound the opera required. And first-time BLO conductor David Stern led his players propulsively, giving added urgency to the unfolding drama.
– Berkshire Fine ARTS

Happily, with music director David Angus in the pit, Weill’s cunningly “simple” music largely hits its mark. It also has a way of remaining lodged in the mind, long after the curtain has fallen.
–Boston Globe

Soprano Kelly Kaduce, as Polly Peachum…made for engaging listening
–BOSTON MUSICAL INTELLIGENCER

A strong cast, staged by James Darrah, a hot young director from LA with an impressive list of creds.
–WBUR/The ARTery

An excellent cast of young, singing actors who brought off to perfection the music, the dialogue and the comedy.
–EDGE BOSTON

The Threepenny Opera is on the money! A timely cautionary tale
–BROADWAY WORLD BOSTON