Finding Eléazar
Press Reviews of la juive and/or Neil Shicoff
“Mr. Shicoff
deserved the frenzied ovation he received, not just for his performance
but for prodding his hometown company into bringing back this worthy
opera.”
The New York Times, Anthony Tommasini, November 8, 2003
“…a strong cast led by Neil Shicoff – in the
performance of his life… Shicoff acted with magnificent
restraint and sang with focused passion as Eléazar. He deservedly
stopped the opera with “Rachel, Quand Du Seigneur”.
Financial
Times, Martin Bernheimer, November 11, 2003
“Neil Shicoff (…) born in Brooklyn has broken the
spell. In recent years, this veteran tenor has found new solidity
in his singing and acting, and with “La Juive” he is
having the triumph of his career.”
The New Yorker, Alex Ross, November 24, 2003
“Shicoff, a cantor’s son, delineates its subconscious
depths with harrowing intensity”.
Daily News, Howard Kissel,
November 10, 2003 |
“Neil Shicoff sang the role of the Jewish jeweler with unfakable
ardor, liturgical intenstity and a tense, propulsive voice…His
solo scenes were unforgettable: Shicoff presiding over a secretive
Passover Seder or singing the desperate aria “Rachel, Quand
Du Seignuer” (…) – these became moments that
make opera addictive.”
Newsday, Justin Davidson, November 10, 2003
“Neil Shicoff,
who championed the work and sparked the Met’s
interest was a memorable Eléazar…his interpretation
of “Rachel, Quand Du Seigneur” was thrilling…it
was a coup de theater made all the more eloquent by the cantorial
coloring of Mr. Shicoff’s tenor…he emerged to savor
a huge ovation that was clearly as heartfelt as it was deserved.”
The New York Observer, Charles Michener, November 7, 2003
“…Thursday’s performance was nothing short of
a triumph for tenor Neil Shicoff, who got to the very core of this
battered, willful, tortured man. After his eight-minute outpouring
of anguish before Rachel’s execution (and his own), the house
exploded.”
The New York Post, Shirley Fleming, November 12,
2003
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