Canadian Opera Company / La Clemenza di Tito
“Then there’s Isabel Leonard, as the male character, Sesto. Her voice has the rich, fragrant depth of sandalwood and she looks so sublimely boyish yet fulsomely feminine that she combines the best of both genders. I adored her.”
– Richard Ouzounian, Toronto Star
“Isabel Leonard produced a penetrating, copper tone that conveyed both the masculinity and the torment of Sesto, who vacillates between loyalty to Titus and the termagant with whom he is erotically obsessed. “Parto, Parto“ was powerfully done, overaggressive basset-clarinet obbligato notwithstanding. “Deh, per questo istante solo“ was even better.”
– Arthur Kaptainis, National Post
“Isabel Leonard has a pure, expressive voice, but is also a fine actress, both vocally and on stage, and her Sesto transfigured the dynamics of the production every time she assumed centre stage. Her “Parto, parto”, one of the opera’s most famous arias, was riveting, as was her confrontation with Tito in Act 2.”- Robert Harris, The Globe and Mail