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Reviews

Der Rosenkavalier in concert / Tanglewood

15 Jul 2014 / in Reviews

“. . . Ms. Leonard was strong and alluring . . . “ James R. Oestreich – The New York Times  “There, mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard brought her smooth, amber-toned voice to the role of Octavian. In the love duet between the prince and Sophie, her phrases took on a soft, feathery quality without losing their body.” […]

Recital / Miami

25 May 2014 / in Reviews

Sunday Afternoons of Music  “Her voice is rich and silvery smooth, with perfect intonation, an even and effortless tone production from the bottom to the top of the scale and a frictionless agility in moving from note to note . . . Xavier Montsalvatge’s Canto Negro was a vocal rollercoaster ride, with Leonard’s voice gliding effortlessly from […]

Così fan tutte / The Metropolitan Opera

21 May 2014 / in Reviews

“There was one clear star, however: Isabel Leonard, as fresh of voice as she was of looks, and with great stage presence. Her tuning, phrasing and sense of style were impeccable throughout, as her acting. Of the two main female protagonists, it was Leonard’s Dorabella that triumphed, despite the fact that is Fiordiligi that gets […]

Recital with Nathan Gunn in Illinois

04 May 2014 / in Reviews

“Leonard wowed the audience in Joaquin Valverde’s old-time parlor song “Clavelitos,” a number I associate with singers like Amelita Galli-Curci. Leonard also scored a triumph in “I am easily assimilated” from Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide,” with Gunn joining in singing and Milenkovich adding a few flourishes with his violin. Reaction by the near-capacity audience in the […]

Il barbiere di Siviglia / The Dallas Opera

30 Apr 2014 / in Reviews

“But perhaps the unexpected (for this critic at least) star of the evening, was mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard in her Dallas Opera debut. Her dark, lyric-mezzo voice was absolutely perfect as Rosina, and her agile coloratura was breathtaking, particularly in her Contro un cor che accende amore… aria with Count Almaviva. Leonard is most certainly a mezzo to […]