Michael Colvin, tenor

News Updates:

JUNE 2008 - Season ends with an exuberant "Ode to Joy"!

Michael joins maestro Peter Oundjian and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra for 4 performances of Beethoven's masterpiece SYMPHONY NO. 9 marking the end of another busy opera and concert season.

Of the opening night performance, Detroit Free Press critic Mark Stryker writes: "the familiar "Ode to Joy" rang exuberantly in richly voiced strings and fine singing from the UMS Choral Union and four excellent soloists -- Jessica Rivera, Susan Platts, Michael Colvin and Nathan Berg."

MAY 2008 - Colvin a "sweet and agile" Ottavio in Chicago DON GIOVANNI

"Michael Colvin brought a sweet, agile lyric tenor to Don Ottavio's two arias" - John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune

"Canadians Rhoslyn Jones, soprano, as Donna Anna, and Michael Colvin, tenor, as Don Ottavio are well-matched as the opera's second odd couple and do more to humanize their characters than one sees in many a stand-and-sing grand opera production" - Andrew Patner, Chicago Sun-Times

"The singing on the whole was excellent, with Krisztina Szabó’s Elvira, Michael Colvin’s Ottavio, and (Matt Boehler's) Leporello probably the stand-outs" - Bernard Jacobson, Seen and Heard

APRIL 2008 - ANNOUNCING NEW MANAGEMENT

We are pleased to announce that Michael has joined the roster of the prestigious London-based management agency INTERMUSICA for worldwide representation (excluding North & South America). Intermusica is one of the leading international agencies in the field of classical music representing some of the foremost conductors, instrumentalists and singers from around the globe including established international performers and some of today's most exciting young talent.

Michael is also delighted to continue his relationship with Toronto-based DEAN ARTISTS MANAGEMENT for ongoing representation throughout North and South America. Dean Artists Management is Canada's largest agency specializing in the management of classically trained singers, conductors and opera stage directors/choreographers and represents a balanced roster of artists including those with established international careers and carefully chosen emerging artists of great potential.

NOVEMBER 2007 - Michael's role debut as Ramiro in Rossini's LA CENERENTOLA

Praised for his "ringing tenor", "the warmth and kindness of his character" and hailed as "a model of earnest youth", Michael makes a successful role debut as Prince Ramiro in Portland Opera's new production of Rossini's LA CENERENTOLA. Click HERE for reviews of this and other recent performances.

SEPTEMBER 2007 - Opera Today reviews Elora Festival DREAM OF GERONTIUS

"Gerontius, sung with elegance and the purity of lyricism by Irish-Canadian tenor, Michael Colvin, is a taxing role that requires an almost Verdian thrust but also the most expansive sense of lyrical control. Colvin’s diction was brilliant and his use of text was especially moving. A free and impressive upper register, the squillo of his tenore bruciato added to the dramatic presence of Gerontius. Although this is a concert work, Colvin was continually in character and indeed most musically presented." - Mary-Lou P. Vetere, Opera Today

JULY 2007 - Colvin an "expertly nuanced Gerontius" in Elora Festival's Opening Night performance of Elgar's DREAM OF GERONTIUS

"Festival artistic director Noel Edison, who conducted, had invited a stellar, all-Canadian vocal cast (including) tenor Michael Colvin, as an expertly nuanced Gerontius" - John Terauds, The Toronto Star

"The Irish-Canadian tenor Michael Colvin performed the part of the Soul of Gerontius. Colvin has a beautiful and appealing voice and throughout Gerontius' journey, the tenor invoked a sense of pathos, particularly in the darker moments." - Daniel Ariaratnam, The Record

JUNE 2007 - An English Country Garden Disaster??

The reviews are coming in for Garsington Opera's new production of Rossini's LA DONNA DEL LAGO directed by David Alden and conducted by David Parry and it's safe to say that diversity of opinion is the order of the day.

"One of the finest productions the summer season in the Oxfordshire countryside has ever presented" says the Andrew Clements of The Guardian, while Anthony Holden of The Observer calls it "an English country garden disaster" and "a Monty Python mockery of Rossini". Looks like there's something for everyone in this show!

Here's one of the more colourful observations from The Observer: "So the rebel Scottish army becomes a bunch of can-swilling lager louts, staggering around the stage in a parody of music-hall insobriety... The baddie, Rodrigo (Michael Colvin), does a Ricky Gervais stand-up routine in horns and leather jacket; when he gets angry he starts, guess what, overturning tables and chairs. Yes, just about every available stage cliche is on view." Great stuff!

To be fair, the majority of critics did not like the production itself, however, they did have some nice things to say about the singing in general and Michael's performance as Rodrigo di Dhu in particular:

"Salvation comes from Rossini’s top-notch score, brightly guided by the conductor David Parry, and artists largely unfazed by Rossini’s technical challenges... Hats off to Colin Lee (Giacomo) and Michael Colvin (Rodrigo)" - Geoff Brown, The Times

"But the musical performance was outstanding, with an impressive quartet of singers in the taxing main roles and some crisp, fluent playing by the Garsington Opera Orchestra, conducted by David Parry. A persuasive Carmen Giannattasio in the title role, Alexandra Sherman as a kilt-wearing, punkish Malcolm and Michael Colvin as the unlovely chieftain Rodrigo all but overcame the vocal obstacles Rossini puts in their way. Bursting with showpiece arias, this rarely heard score intrigues and delights from first bar to last." - Fiona Maddocks, The Evening Standard

"But, for all the jokes, this beautifully detailed staging delineates the emotional truths of the drama perfectly, and musical standards under conductor Parry are equally high. Michael Colvin is Rodrigo di Dhu, another high-pressure tenor role dispatched with great aplomb." - Andrew Clements, The Guardian Unlimited

"Her voice (Carmen Giannattasio) has body and colour, and she delivers the waves of coloratura with thrilling virtuosity. The two tenors, Colin Lee (as the desguised king) and Michael Colvin (as the rebels' leader), were easily her equals in mobility and articulation, and the fabulous Act II trio, with volleys of high Cs out-pinging each other against her death defying roulades, was the stuff of legend." - Peter Reed, Seven Magazine (The Telegraph)

"Rossini’s Scottish melodrama La donna del Lago is rarely performed because so few singers can survive the vocal gymnastics. Garsington Opera has managed to find them... The young cast rises to the challenge of one sensational aria after another. Michael Colvin as Rodrigo matches (Colin) Lee (Giacomo) in an aria battle of the high Cs" - Clare Colvin (no relation!), Sunday Express

"In this production we are richly supplied with sweet sounds by the singers and players, under conductor David Parry. Michael Colvin gives an impressive account of her (Elena's) rejected suitor Rodrigo, sloughing off any embarrassment he might be feeling over the absurdity of his costume." - Chris Gray, The Oxford Times

"There is some excellent singing... Michael Colvin bravely tackles the almost unsingable role of the rebel leader Rodrigo with its high-range, two-octave leaps." - Warwick Thompson, Bloomberg News

FEBRUARY 2007 - Colvin "a fine Mozartian" in Canadian Opera's COSI FAN TUTTE

Here's a lovely review from Opera Magazine (UK) praising Michael's performance in the Canadian Opera Company's production of COSI FAN TUTTE at Toronto's new Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts:

"Michael Colvin (Ferrando), who has impressed audiences in Rossini and Donizetti, showed that he is also a fine Mozartian, with an elegantly sung 'Un'aura amorosa'." - Joseph K. So, Opera Magazine (February 2007)

JANUARY 2007 - Mozart's REQUIEM with Peter Oundjian and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra

Of Michael's contribution to the recent TSO performance of Mozart's REQUIEM, Globe and Mail critic Ken Winters says "the tenor, Michael Colvin, has one of the finest lyric voices in the land".