“The coolly elegant Ms. Leonard was a Charlotte more sophisticated than humble, but she was superbly polished, her voice smooth and supple. If she sometimes seemed to be waiting, prettily and patiently, for another, more patrician Werther — as far as classic Met comparisons go, Mr. Grigolo was likely closer to fiery Franco Corelli than discreet Alfredo Kraus — her silvery grace was a foil to his heat … the two made an exceptionally handsome couple … (They have a stage kiss you won’t soon forget.)”

Zachary Woolfe – The New York Times

“Isabel Leonard of New York made the indulgent misery of his beloved sympathetic …”

Martin Bernheimer – Financial Times

“Speaking of beautiful things, Isabel Leonard was a picture of perfection. She stepped into the role of Charlotte with a demeanor invoking the kind of class and elegance one imagines existed centuries ago; quite a deviation from her previous Met roles as Stephano or Cherubino.”

–OperaWorld.es

“Isabel Leonard, playing opposite him as Charlotte, carefully navigated the gentle balance of drama and sensibility in her stirring rendition of “Ah! mon courage m’abandonne.”

Elizabeth Glasure – NY Theatre Guide

“Isabel Leonard could hardly be a starker contrast. Where Grigolo is driven by jolting energy that cannot be contained, she is cool and collected, achieving a stunning emotional immediacy in the intimate moments where she lets her guard down. Werther’s great aria notwithstanding, the third act of this opera belongs to Charlotte, and Leonard’s journey from one end to the other was a complete arc unto itself, from her raw, wrenching letter scene to her poignant conversation with her sister Sophie, to her heated confrontation with Werther.

Moreover, Charlotte is a perfect fit for Leonard’s voice at this point. After hearing her in lighter roles throughout her early career, it is quite the shock to hear her sing a role that lives in such a dark part of her voice and to command it with such authority .. there is a fierce, dark focus in the middle voice, and bristling fire in her chest. She followed the heartbreaking simplicity of the haunting arietta “Va! Laisse couler mes larmes” with a searing, shiver-inducing expression of rage in “Seigneur Dieu, Seigneur!” Rosinas and Cherubinos are all well and good, but this role feels like a much more complete use of Leonard’s considerable talents.”

Eric C. Simpson – New York Classical Review

“Ms. Leonard’s characterization of Charlotte attained a newfound depth. Her “Letters” aria allowed us to witness her solitude for the first time. When Ms. Leonard sang the line “Let my tears flow”, her earthy lower register was matched beautifully by the sumptuous saxophone solo. Her inner struggle to reconcile the rules of matrimony with the yearning of her “fragile” heart laid bare one of the opera’s more powerful themes: whether the young should be guided by their elders, or by something new.”

Sacha Evans – Bachtrack

“… beautifully sung–Leonard has a gorgeous voice …”

Richard Sasanow – Broadway World