photo: Toni Kueng
Press
LUCIA:
"The voices are already enchanting in the first scenes, yet over the nearly three hour performance- the time flies by- they manage to augment further, the expression intensifying. Above all Evelyn Pollock. She starts light and endearing, her coloratura tumbling playfully while she masterfully produces even the highest tones. Later, the high register gets louder, sharper, like a wounded cry. It is fascinating how she manages continuously to build up a strong tension throughout the course of the evening. Her voice turns more pointed, without losing its suppleness; her movements become more angular, even jerky. Everything climaxes in the “Mad Scene” in the third Act, as she, accompanied exclusively by the flute, succumbing to the despair over her guilt, collapses. Such intense emotion, yet so controlled that not a single note goes astray, simply takes your breath away." - St. Galler Tagblatt (review originally in German)
"Evelyn Pollock verkörpert in St. Gallen in exzellentester Weise diese tragische Frauengestalt. Sowohl stimmlich hervorragend überzeugt sie auch mit ihrer schauspielerischen Leistung (was bei OpernsängerInnen nicht so selbstverständlich ist). Mein Fazit: Die Inszenierung ist äusserst sehens- und hörenswert, vor allem wegen Evelyn Pollock." - Ostschweizerinnen
“Evelyn Pollock’s Lucia was a stunningly beautiful, delicate creature, compellingly acted and strongly sung; she is more a warm lyric soprano than an icy coloratura.” - Opera News
“[She] gave us as remarkably engaged and engaging a portrayal of the role as I can remember. And I remember Lily Pons, Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland, and Anna Moffo… [Her] coloratura top is secure and thrilling to hear… absolutely winning as poor Lucy… Pollock proved more naturally girlish than the Lucias of my memory and seemed to reach beyond the exterior of this showy role toward motivations less evident in the libretto than in the more extensive novel… Pollock has enough stage savvy to take instructions and make them seem artless, as if drawn from deep within… [She] sang gloriously. Not a trill, not a run, not a high note was out of place…For good reason at the opera’s finish, Pollock earned prolonged and cheer-filled standing ovations.” - Herald Times
VIOLETTA:Don Giovanni" now playing at the Barns of Wolf Trap, requires a half-dozen performers of extraordinary
"Evelyn Pollock presented a near-perfect Violetta in this tragic romance which begins with unbridled pursuit of pleasure and ends with redemption through love, sacrifice, and death. With a voice equal to the challenges ranging from the soaringly gay to the hauntingly introspective and acting abilities to make you care about Violetta, Pollock proved why this is Verdi's most beloved opera." - NUVO Indianapolis
“Executed with the greatest ease, Evelyn Pollock displayed Violetta's various facets of pompous courtesan, devoted lover, broken spirit, and dying penitent so convincingly it seemed second nature to her.” - IDS News
“Pollock turned herself whole-heartedly into the fragile Violetta. When she took her curtain call at the end, the audience stood. She deserved that acknowledgment for a dramatically and musically potent performance. She had reveled in floating pianissimi. She had struck straight on the array of forte climaxes. And in key scenes...Pollock seemed to inhabit the role.” - Herald Times
GILDA:
“As another big plus, Evelyn Pollock was a most impressive Gilda. Light, chirping coloraturas are usually cast in this role, ignoring Verdi's own preference for a more dramatic spinto soprano. Pollock has ample agility at the top. The wide leaps of "Caro nome" were taken effortlessly and squarely on the note. But she also has the weight and color of the fuller lyric soprano, which added body both to her singing and to her character, which was much more vibrant than more customary pale, pliant Gildas. Pollock's is a name to remember.” - Star Tribune
“Gilda is not an easy soprano role, but one of the house’s resident artists, Evelyn Pollock, handled it well.” - The New York Times
“This "Rigoletto" has landed on its feet with solid singing and rich characterizations from each of the leads. While Howard and Piper are both exceptional, audiences should be equally enamored with the crystalline voice of soprano Evelyn Pollock on the evenings she portrays Rigoletto's daughter, Gilda. One of the company's resident artists, Pollock proved commander of the high Cs — and Ds, Es and Fs — on Saturday, displaying the ideal combination of sweetness and vocal athleticism. When Piper and Pollock engaged in the second scene's effusively passionate love duet, it provided the evening's most memorable singing.” - Pioneer Press
JULIETTE:
"In the demanding title roles MOT cast attractive young singers with fresh voices, solid acting skills and infectious chemistry. No suspension of disbelief is needed to accept them as Shakespeare's doomed lovers joyously rolling in the sack in post-coital bliss.
Pollock's affecting elegance blended seamlessly with Boyd's charismatic marriage of vulnerability and red-blooded power, especially in the enchanting balcony scene, the sensuous bedroom duet and cinematic death scene." -Detroit Free Press
"The last production of the season, Bernard Uzan's staging of Charles Gounod's Roméo et Juliette, proved an unexpected hit, its cast headed by young singers with remarkable talents...Evelyn Pollock, the radiantly beautiful Juliette of the second cast, is an exceptionally gifted actress with a presence that recalled the young Meryl Streep. Pollock dominated the production, transforming herself into the passionate teenager that I always imagined Juliette to be...Her pianissimo was extremely beautiful, and her delivery of the young girl's forceful moments was powerfully convincing... All of this was topped by the tomb scene that concluded the opera, wherein the two young lovers were simply magnificent, their individual and collective intensity creating a death scene that I will not soon forget." -Opera News
NANNETTA:
"Newcomer Evelyn Pollock created a witty Nanetta, and held attention with her floating pianissimo and graceful phrasing." - Philadelphia Inquirer
LUCREZIA BORGIA:
“Minnesota Opera produced a magnificent production of Donizetti’s Lucrezia Borgia. [The] singer hired to sing the title role ... missed the final performance. It hardly mattered, because resident artist Evelyn Pollock took over and delivered an outstanding performance. Along with Pollock’s sensational Lucrezia, Bruce Ford, Vivica Genaux, and Dean Peterson made this an extraordinary production.” - On the Purple Circuit
MUSETTA:
"Dressed in pants a la Marlene Dietrich, Evelyn Pollock's brilliantly sung Musetta ignited the stage, 'working the room' like a pro, rejoicing in life, but exhibiting a tenderness brought out by the ebullient staging." - Opera News
"Evelyn Pollock was a lithe, slyly fetching Musetta -- full of allure in her celebrated waltz." - The Courier Journal
ROXANE:
"Evelyn Pollock sounded wonderful as Roxane on the Wednesday night when I heard her. Her blonde appearance is beautiful, and she floats the many soft high notes of her aria with nicely covered tones, going all the way up to several high C’s and one high D." - Broad Street Review
"In the course of the three-and-a half-hour performance, she grew as an actress and as a singer, with soft high notes both brave and beautiful." - King of Prussia Courier
SUSANNA:
"Pollock is a vivacious Susanna, and there's an undeniable chemistry between her Susanna and Feigum's Figaro. It's an exhausting role, as there's rarely a moment when Susanna isn't on stage, but Pollock maintains a fine sense of energy and a bright, almost playful tone of voice throughout the evening. She is excellent in the arias 'Venite inginocchiatevi,' where she dresses up Cherubino as a girl, and 'Deh vieni, non tardar,' which is both Susanna's way of expressing her love for Figaro and teasing him to distraction." - Tulsa World
ÄNNCHEN:
"Die versierte Sopranistin Evelyn Pollock sang und spielte sich beschwingt und heiter in die Herzen der Zuhoerer." - Liechtensteiner Vaterland
"Realistisch dargestellt sind die beiden Frauen: Die ernste Agathe (Astrid Weber) und das quirlige Ännchen (Evelyn Pollock, einmal mehr überraschend). Sie machen beide ihre Sache sehr gut.." - St. Galler Tagblatt
CLARICE (Haydn's "Il Mondo della Luna"):
"Deren Rollenkorsett hat die Regie grosszügig aufgeschnürt, was die reichlich vorhandenen Koloraturen und Spitzentöne ins Laszive rückt. Dagegen hat Evelyn Pollock als Clarice mit ihrem flexiblen, leicht ansprechenden Sopran die Hosen an und den Schalk im Nacken." - St. Galler Tagblatt
CLARA (Sondheim's "Passion"):
“…the beautiful Clara [was] sung with affecting voluptuousness by soprano Evelyn Pollock.” - The Wall Street Journal
"Soprano Evelyn Pollock was ideally ardent and attractive as Clara." - Opera News
LISA ("La Sonnambula"):
"[Pollock] sings the part gorgeously, with gleaming tone and easy fluency." - Dallas Morning News
"Congratulations also go to Evelyn Pollock, a fine singer in her own right, plaything the "other" soprano, Lisa: Alternately jealous, seductive, and scheming, while constantly spinning a lovely, true bel canto sound. Only last summer an apprentice, for her to stand so favorably next to such a world-class prima donna as Dessay is impressive indeed." - LAMonitor
"Evelyn Pollock, as the innkeeper Lisa, has two short but colorful excerpts which she delivers spotlessly.”- Albuquerque Journal
"The Santa Fe Opera was fortunate to have a superb Lisa in American soprano Evelyn Pollock." - San Diego Magazine
ZERLINA:
"As Zerlina, Evelyn Pollock offered a gently shimmering soprano that made 'Vedrai, carino' unusually affecting." - Opera News
"The cast is excellent throughout....Zerlina (Evelyn Pollock), an earthy peasant, at once vulnerable and suspicious… [is] brilliantly characterized, vocally and theatrically." - The Washington Post
Blier's THE LATEST WORD Recital:
"..An impressive recital of 20th-century American songs…The sweet, flute-like timbre of Evelyn Pollock’s soprano coasted dreamily in “Penelope’s Song” by John Musto. Her voice naturally filled the role of Little Red Riding Hood opposite Hardy’s Wolf and took a wistful turn in William Harvey’s “When I Have Fears.”" - The Washington Post
DONNA ELVIRA:
"Soprano Evelyn Pollock was a brilliant and heart-breaking Donna Elvira." - Chestnut Hill Local
"Evelyn Pollock brings Donna Elvira to life as emotionally befuddled, but always exuberant." - Philadelphia City Paper
CLORINDA:
"Evelyn Pollock and Audrey Babcock sang the roles of the two stepsisters wittily and prettily." - The Washington Post
ALICE FORD ("The Merry Wives of Windsor"):
“Most of the singers managed to combine vocal prowess with comic flair. Chief among these were the two wives. Soprano Evelyn Pollock brought sturdy tone, rhythmic precision, and a diva’s commanding presence to the role of Alice Ford.” - San Francisco Chronicle
“The (mostly) fake English accents should have been consigned to the dumpster. Only Evelyn Pollock, as Alice Ford, seemed completely at home…[She] has a good lyric soprano, with nicely controlled vibrato and excellent phrasing and diction.” - San Francisco Classical Voice
“Evelyn Pollock's Alice Ford was young and yet maturely elegant, vocally consistent and impressive.” - Classical Archives
MARIAN ("The Music Man"):
“The most standout performances came from the entire Paroo family, most notably Evelyn Pollock as Marian, whose lovely voice, natural beauty, and stubbornness-turned-amorous devotion stole this reviewer’s heart.” - IDS News
“With superb vocal technique and a portrayal that played the sentimentality of the part to the hilt without overplaying it, Evelyn Pollock was as much a centerpiece of the show as the eponymous lead.” - Bloomington Independent
MABEL ("Pirates of Penzance"):
“The ‘pretty’ roles were handled marvelously by newcomers Evelyn Pollock (Mabel) and Chad Frisque (Frederick), who soared effortlessly through their challenging solos.” - Rocky Mountain News