Reviews

“Even without the famed “Golden Horseshoe” box seats, Ligon Chapel at Huntingdon College had a sense of the Metropolitan Opera. David Cangelosi, one of the Met’s principal tenors, was at the college…singing opera arias, a few art songs, and songs from musical theatre. Cangelosi used his ringing, robust tenor voice very expressively, especially for the Neapolitan songs of Pennino and di Capua that were rich with characteristic Italian passion. Throughout the program his singing was intense and dramatic, befitting his voice and the style of the music. But he gave his best performance in two tender songs, Faure’s “Lydia” and Schonberg’s “Bring Him Home.” Both of those songs were moving without sentimentality and had his best vocal purity and control.”

“Special mention should go to character tenor David Cangelosi, a Lyric regular, who has the opera’s most nearly villainous role, that of aging aristocrat and would-be dirty old man Guillot de Morfontaine.

“Cangelosi has long specialized in characters who blend evil with comedy, and he’s come up with another one. With his red suit and ridiculous (but historically accurate) shoulder-length white wig, Cangelosi’s Guillot is a ridiculous elderly fop who never quite manages to buy Manon — or any other woman, for that matter.”

“But Cangelosi takes off the wig in the crucial Act 4 gambling scene, revealing a bald head and the naked malice that destroys the young lovers.”

“David Cangelosi gave his usual polished turn as the wicked Monostatos.”

“Speaking of Mime, the real star of Wednesday’s opening night was Lyric Opera Center for American Artists alum David Cangelosi, who combined great vocalism with boundless energy as the scheming Nibelheim dwarf. The scene outside Fafner’s cave in Act 2 in which Siegfried, who after having tasted the dragon’s blood, can read Mime’s evil thoughts, is a consummate acting gem on Cangelosi’s part.”

“As with any opera, however, Wagner’s music is ultimately about singing, and Lyric Opera of Chicago has a cast that moves from strength to strength. Tenor David Cangelosi, a former member of Lyric’s Center for American Artists, sings Mime for the first time onstage. (He) was another discovery, though Lyric audiences know him well from numerous roles over the past eight seasons, including Tobias Ragg in “Sweeney Todd” and Little Bat in “Susannah.” His Mime, however, was a marvel of nuance and vocal color. In Act I’s talky encounters with Wotan and Siegfried, he was spellbinding as he combined wily wit and vocal power in a portrait without a trace of screechy whining or over-the-top cringing. “

“David Cangelosi’s Mime, acted with great, spidery athleticism, was a refreshingly musical change from the character tenors who whine and bark and do everything but sing the role; Cangelosi did sing it, and beautifully so. “

“Domingo receives stellar support…perhaps most impressively from American tenor David Cangelosi as Mime. For its next “Ring” Cycle coming up in 2005, let’s hope that Lyric (Opera of Chicago) books Cangelosi. “

“Placido Domingo interacts well with tenor David Cangelosi’s crisply defined, sneaky Mime. “

“Placido Domingo’s vocal partners are very well chosen: David Cangelosi (Mime), Violeta Urmana (Brunnhilde), and the celestial Forest Bird of Natalie Dessay. ”

“David Cangelosi has developed into America’s leading character tenor… ”

“Vivacious in movement and sound, tenor David Cangelosi was a personality-packed Prunier who enlivened the stage. “

“Tenor David Cangelosi made a real human being out of the secondary character Prunier, and delivered the musically important part with panache. “

“Pagliacci’s best singing of the night came from Beppe…in a sweetly sung serenade, courtesy of tenor David Cangelosi. “

“David Cangelosi had the half-wit Little Bat down to cringing perfection.”

“Tenor David Cangelosi added the simpleminded Tobias to the eccentric characters he’s sung at Lyric; his clear, strong voice shone in “Not While I’m Around.”

“David Cangelosi had the difficult task of transforming Tobias from a simple but not unintelligent lad to a complete madman. He was convincing on all counts as well as vocally lovely in his aria sung to Mrs. Lovett.”

“Only halfway through the first act did proceedings get a shot in the arm with the entrance of David Cangelosi, vibrant as always in the role of Basilio.”

“The comic king of the occasion was David Cangelosi’s Monostatos. Capering, prancing and employing every means at his disposal…Cangelosi almost succeeded in making the viewer forget the orchestra was on stage.”

“As the First Jew, David Cangelosi revealed vocal resources superior to those of most character tenors.”

“The adrenalin accelerated seamlessly into Act I where Mary Elizabeth Southworth (Marzellina) and David Cangelosi (Jaquino) dispatched their duet with charm and an undeniable indebtedness to Mozart.”

“Offering more personality was tenor David Cangelosi, who used his in-the-moment communicativeness to make the most of every line of his selections, including “Last Time I saw Paris” from Lady Be Good.”