“Odyssey Opera soars in Rachmaninoff’s ‘Troika’ at Jordan Hall on Sunday, the composer’s three one-act operas made a complete and compelling set”
— Jeffrey Gantz, The Boston Globe
“It was brave, and generous, of Odyssey to present the complete set.”
— Jeffrey Gantz, The Boston Globe
“With strong contributions from orchestra, chorus, and supporting characters, Odyssey Opera made a convincing case for more frequent performances of these operas…”
— Kevin Wells, BachTrack
“Odyssey roared back from a two-year covid-caused absence with a powerhouse concert traversal of Rachmaninoff’s total operatic oeuvre: Aleko, The Miserly Knight, and Francesca da Rimini.”
— John Ehrlich, The Boston Musical Intelligencer
“In this exciting concert Odyssey Opera inked another big win.”
— John Ehrlich, The Boston Musical Intelligencer
“The large orchestra, confidently led by concertmistress Heidi-Brown Hill, surpassed every challenge.”
— John Ehrlich, The Boston Musical Intelligencer
“The skillful orchestra played two colorful Roma dances early on. Oboist Jennifer Slowick, flautist Sarah Brady, and clarinetist Jan Halloran essayed elegant solos; they and their colleagues realized Rachmaninoff’s orchestrations with total engagement.”
— John Ehrlich, The Boston Musical Intelligencer
“The chorus, compellingly effective as narrative descriptors, vocally limned the enveloping darkness…”
— John Ehrlich, The Boston Musical Intelligencer
“The Odyssey Opera Chorus shone in “Aleko,” where it offered a blissful portrait of Romany life, the people happy and free in their camps, spending their nights wherever they desire and their days in work and song. Its contribution to “Francesca da Rimini” — the eerie wailing of lost shades — was mostly wordless but no less effective.”
— Jeffrey Gantz, The Boston Globe
“…while hell and the moans of the damned (ethereally sung by the Odyssey Opera Chorus) swirled relentlessly through the hall.”
— Harry Rose, Parterre Box
“Rose’s sense of drama held it all together; there wasn’t a dead moment the entire
afternoon.”
— Jeffrey Gantz, The Boston Globe
“There can be no praise high enough for what Gil Rose and his inspired forces attained in this remarkable realization of extraordinary music by a true master virtually unknown for Opera. Bravi to all. I felt privileged to be there.”
— John Ehrlich, The Boston Musical Intelligencer
“What sustained Odyssey’s performances over the four hours was the quality of the singing and playing and the dynamism of Rose’s conducting.”
— Jeffrey Gantz, The Boston Globe
“The score of Aleko revels in…moody reeds, meandering passages for high strings, tinkling percussion, cymbals, abrupt changes in dynamics…Gil Rose, Odyssey Opera Artistic and General Director and conductor here, accentuated each trait in his detailed, energetic reading of the score.”
— Harry Rose, Parterre Box
“It’s an unparalleled feast for the orchestra and Rose held nary a punch in interpreting it.”
— Harry Rose, Parterre Box
“Rose conjured gorgeous playing from every featured section of the Odyssey Opera Orchestra while hell and the moans of the damned (ethereally sung by the Odyssey Opera Chorus) swirled relentlessly through the hall.”
— Harry Rose, Parterre Box
