San Francisco Ring Cycle

“In this ‘Siegfried’,…Mime (the tenor David Cangelosi, who used snide vocal colorings to convey the ...character’s conniving nature) has raised his charge in a broken-down trailer on the edge of a forest.”

“David Cangelosi, wonderfully oily and athletic as the conniving dwarf Mime.”

“The role of Mime is the second longest in “Siegfried” and is, indeed, a longer ...role than several of the most famous lead tenor roles in opera. It is unquestionably David Cangelosi’s signature role (see my interview at Opera, Drama and the Character Tenor: An Interview with David Cangelosi) and he dispatched it vocally with distinction. But it was not just his singing and acting that made his performance so memorable. He also proved to be an astonishing athlete, doing cartwheels and somersaults (including a gymnastic move on top of the trailer).”

“Enter Mime, played by David Cangelosi…and until he meets his death in the second act, ...Cangelosi sings the hell out of the part and gives us a Mime I for one had never thought of before–cunning, interesting, robust, intelligent, even somewhat sympathetic. He owns the stage during the first act in much the same way Arnold Bezuyen’s Loge did during the initial performances of ‘Rheingold’ in Achim Freyer’s LA Ring. In other words, it’s an unexpected focus that actually works, because while traditionally we tend to view Mime as a pawn to the larger story–until he’s knocked off two hours later–he’s actually the prime mover of the story and Zambello’s production brings that to the fore.”

“David Cangelosi’s energetic Mime – complete with cartwheels – captured the character’s vices, and in ...vocal terms even rivaled Morris’s Siegfried in power.”

“The third installment of San Francisco’s lively American Ring Cycle is a knockout, a “Siegfried” ...of unparalleled physicality and imagination. Director Francesca Zambello and her forces have created a five-hour opera that plays like a two-hour action flick…The sense of theatricality is evident from the rise of the curtain…Tenor David Cangelosi turns Mime’s nervous energy into a kinetic sideshow, dancing on the trailer roof, performing cartwheels…He also delivers vocally, with a deliciously acerbic tone that suits his character.”

“David Cangelosi was a strong Mime in Siegfried, a good match for Morris. He captured ...the oily nature of the character. With his greasy hair, knit cap, and frequent scowl, he could have been Robert De Niro. He even managed a few somersaults of joy anticipating, incorrectly, that he would soon possess the ring.”

“Under the commanding baton of Donald Runnicles the orchestra offers a dynamic and bracing interpretation, ...and a dazzling collection of vocal and acting talents includes not one, but two superb Siegfrieds in Jay Hunter Morris and Ian Storey, as well as audience-favorite Nina Stemme as Brünnhilde, and David Cangelosi in a surprisingly engaging turn as Mime, a character I never thought I could love.”

“David Cangelosi’s Mime did 3 cartwheels for us as well as a backward somersault atop ...the trailer. I appreciate that he sings the role rather than half declaiming it, as I sometimes hear. His characterization is so funny & entertaining that I came dangerously close to liking Mime.”

“David Cangelosi continued to impress as Mime. His voice is attractive, has a pleasant, baritonal ...quality, but his high notes are still brilliant.”

“Tenor David Cangelosi, as the evil dwarf Mime, who raises Siegfried from infancy, all because ...he wants the ring. Twitching and lurching, throwing sparks with his voice, even doing cartwheels, Cangelosi embodies this unsavory and manipulative character.”

“David Cangelosi…marvellous…as Mime”

“Mime is David Cangelosi – beyond any doubt whatsoever the best acting I’ve seen anywhere ...in the world for this very fun – and challenging role.”

“That left tenor David Cangelosi, as the malevolent Mime, to completely dominate the first half ...of the opera, which he did with a dark, fluid and vividly imagined performance.”

“Which brings us to “Siegfried”…which received a warm-up performance just last Sunday…Act 1 throbbed with ...personality, with most of the juice coming from tenor David Cangelosi as the evil jester-dwarf-smithy Mime.”

“David Cangelosi’s bright, penetrating tenor projected the highly characterized singing of the Mime part well. ...Playing the troll, he compensates for his height by crouching and bending, and tumbled and hopped about acrobatically.”

“San Francisco Opera’s Siegfried delivers a powerful experience. With much glorious playing from the orchestra, ...plus a Brünnhilde and a Mime that rank with the best, it remained gripping throughout its nearly five-hour length.”

“In particular,…the sensational Mime of tenor David Cangelosi, whose cutting, intentionally niggling instrument was far ...more compelling. Cangelosi’s acrobatic physicality…is turning cartwheels and dancing up a storm…”

“David Cangelosi’s Mime was vocally exactly right…moving…climbing…even doing an (impressive) series of cartwheels. “Cangelosi ...comes through it all, to his credit, singing well all along.”

“The singing was solid. David Cangelosi was perfect for Mime. His voice is bright, and ...he was both slippery and sniveling. He was able to cartwheel, somersault, and dance.”

“In Act one, we found Siegfried, a big overgrown blond boy, handsome, brave and brutal, ...constantly mistreating his foster father (the ghastly dwarf Mime) who was supposed to be a miserable sight–much more miserable than the rather handsome Cangelosi. (His) Mime was outstanding; a first class singer and performer as well.”

“David Cangelosi offered a rounded portrait of Mime: he successfully emphasised the most farcical aspects ...of his character, coming across as ruthless and selfish, and yet pathetic.”