Reviews

Reviews

Emmeline, Emmeline
Dicapo Opera Theatre, 2009 “As Emmeline, Kristin Sampson, seen
last season as Šárka, was stunning dramatically as well as vocally.
She was utterly convincing all the way through her journey from a
naïve thirteen-year-old child to a scorned outcast, weighed down by
a life of sorrow. She has a beautiful resonant voice with great
intonation and enunciation. She had the power when she needed it
and the delicacy for the beautiful lyrical melodies that Picker gave the
character. Her facial expressions (visible in a small house) and every
gesture gave depth and pathos to the character. For me the musical
highpoint of the opera came in the second act when Emmeline
fantasized about her baby who must now be twenty years old – she
had named her Maryanne. “All I have left is the pain,” she sang, and
sang beautifully.”
—Arlene Judith Klotzko, ConcertoNet.com

Emmeline, Emmeline
Dicapo Opera Theatre, 2009 “Kristin Sampson shone as Emmeline,
handling not only the transition from 13 to 34 with convincing physical
aplomb, but traversing an incredibly challenging vocal part with
evenness and beauty. The rangy, powerful singing required of her
lyric voice seemed natural and never forced, and her dramatic focus
drew the audience in throughout the story.”
—Whitney Scott, Operaticus

Emmeline, Emmeline
Dicapo Opera Theatre, 2009 “…American soprano Kristin Sampson
had a dark, full lyric soprano…sturdy and unfazed by the role’s length
and high tessitura.”
—Eli Jacobson, Chelsea Now

Emmeline, Emmeline
Dicapo Opera Theatre, 2009 “With her big, gleaming dramatic
soprano, Kristin Sampson brought authority to the tour-de-force role
of Emmeline”
—Heidi Waleson, The Wall Street Journal

Emmeline, Emmeline
Dicapo Opera Theatre, 2009 “In the title role Kristin Sampson ably
enacted a progression from innocent girl to outcast woman and sang
with a light, appealing tone…”
—Steven Smith, New York Times

Adriana, Adriana Lecouvreur
Szeged National Theatre- 2008-2009 "Kristin Sampson, who sang
Adriana is simply a star. She is perfect in voice, in appearance, in
characterization and in presence. And most importantly she will
remain so for a very long time, since after hours of singing she was
able to sing heartbreakingly beautiful pianissimos."
—Dauner Nagy, Cafe Momus(HU)

Adriana, Adriana Lecouvreur
Szeged National Theatre- 2008-2009 “In the title-role, Kristin
Sampson, the winner of a number of competitions, steps forth from
among a row of actors preparing their make-up. Her faultless
technique, sensitivity, and magnificent singing enthralled the public.
The prima donna role is a fruitful role for one who possesses such an
exceptional voice—particularly evident in the lyrical arias. Her duet
with the amorous Count fascinated the public with the emotional
acting and vocal perfection.”
—Metz Katalin, Culture.HU

Adriana, Adriana Lecouvreur
Szeged National Theatre- 2008-2009 “Kristin Sampson’s voice is
beautiful, powerful, and smooth. Moreover, the artist possesses the
prima donna-consciousness necessary for the role of Adriana. All in
all, Ms. Sampson is a real talent.”
—László Ferenc, REVIZOR

Adriana, Adriana Lecouvreur
Szeged National Theatre- 2008-2009 “In Act IV, the two sides unite .
. . This is the point where Kristin Sampson is the greatest. She
overcomes the vocal demands with incredible professionalism; her
voice is young, fresh, and full of delicate shades. She deserved the
immense success she had.”
—Ádám Tünde, Opera-vilag

Adriana, Adriana Lecouvreur
Szeged National Theatre- 2008-2009 “Kristin Sampson, in the role of
Adriana, sings clearly. She is an immense talent . . . her acting is light
and spontaneous . . . she is very fresh.”
—Izsó Tímea, Kultissimo-Kalandozas

Šárka, Šárka
Dicapo Opera Theatre- 2009 “In difficult, high B-flat-laden music,
Kristin Sampson (Šárka) wielded an impressive, darkly gleaming
spinto and acted with resolution and power.”
—David Shengold, Opera (UK)

Šárka, Šárka
Dicapo Opera Theatre- 2009 Dicapo's production was strongly cast,
with Kristin Sampson's powerful, dark soprano sounding every bit the
patriotic warrior, yet softening remarkably when Šárka inadvertently
falls in love with her enemy.
—Judith Malafronte, Opera News

Šárka, Šárka
Dicapo Opera Theatre- 2009 " Kristin Sampson — in a red dress and
heeled boots — was a fiery Sarka. Her bright soprano, almost shrill as
she urged her punkishly dressed Amazonian colleagues to battle,
softened as she fell in love with Ctirad..."
—Vivien Schweitzer, New York Times

Šárka, Šárka
Dicapo Opera Theatre- 2009
"Kristin Sampson sang and acted the role powerfully...All four solo
singers were extraordinary ...There is a visceral pleasure in hearing
so many healthy sets of young lungs tearing into this music, and they
sing, they do not bellow..."
—John Yohalem, Opera Today

Šárka, Šárka
Dicapo Opera Theatre- 2009 " In the title role, soprano Kristin
Sampson offered a rounded, impassioned performance, especially in
her Act II seduction of Ctirad."
—Heidi Waleson, The Wall Street Journal

Šárka, Šárka
Dicapo Opera Theatre- 2009 "The quality and robustness of the
singing was impressive. Kristin Sampson, as Sárka, has a lovely voice.
She sang with primal force and excellent control..."
—Arlene Judith Klotzko, ConcertoNet.com

Juliette, Roméo et Juliette
National Lyric Opera- 2007 “Soprano Kristin Sampson’s Juliette was a
real treat: strong in vocal delivery with good range and an open,
rounded sound at the high end that had a pleasant warm edge to it.
Ms. Sampson, from start to finish, delivered a superb performance,
demonstrating, besides considerable vocal talent, a solid, even
sensuous, stage presence. Brava!”
—Paul Joseph Walkowski, Opera Online.US

Juliette, Roméo et Juliette
National Lyric Opera- 2007 “Vibrant-voiced and spirited in her
delivery, Sampson especially excelled in the dramatic, vocally
demanding ‘Potion Aria’ as Juliet struggles to over come her fears…”
—Anna Crebo, Cape Cod Times

Juliette, Roméo et Juliette
Dicapo Opera Theatre- 2007 “… Sampson was able brilliantly to find
that mild comic ingratiation in her projected ambivalence over
whether to take the death-fabricating potion Friar Laurence (Matthew
Lau) provided. Her voice took on a gorgeous, biting resonance. At the
end of the opera, amazingly, she and Karn had managed to mesh so
perfectly that they made the wildly improbable final love and death
duet of “Romeo et Juliette” convincingly poignant. ”
—John Zeugner, Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Juliette, Roméo et Juliette
Dicapo Opera Theatre- 2007 “…it was delivered by a promising young
cast led by a bright-toned and eloquent Kristin Sampson as Juliette…”
—Clive Barnes, New York Post

Juliette, Roméo et Juliette
Dicapo Opera Theatre- 2007 “Kristin Sampson contributed a strong,
lustily sung Juliette that was at its best in her passionate delivery of
the Potion Aria. I also liked the way she seemed almost to berate
Friar Lawrence when enlisting his aid in her hour of need. ”
—George Loomis, New York Sun

Micaëla, Carmen
Hudson Opera Theatre- 2007 "Playing Micaela, the other woman in
Don Jose's life, is Kristin Sampson. Her velvet-toned and expressive
voice serves well the home-town girl who prevails upon the deserted
soldier to hurry to his dying mother.”
—Marcus Kalipolites, Times Herald-Record

Mimì, La Bohème
Opera of The Hamptons- 2007 "Kristin Sampson as the ailing Mimi
and John Tsotsoros as her lover Rodolfo had all of the charisma and
synergy required for these demanding roles and their performances...
made this an evening to remember."
—Roy Bradbrook, Dan's Papers

Suzanne Michaud, Thérèse Raquin
Dicapo Opera Theatre- 2007 "With her fresh, naturally produced lyric
soprano, Kristin Sampson, cast in the small part of Suzanne, made
the most positive vocal contribution in the show."
—Oussama Zahr, Opera News

Anna Glawari, The Merry Widow
Dicapo Opera Theatre- 2006
"There's still plenty of merriment and musical pizazz in that turn of
the last century's waltzing operetta The Merry Widow by Austro-
Hungarian composer Franz Lehár and librettists Viktor Léon and Leo
Stein. That is provided it's blessed with a widow whose charm and
voice match her fortune... Kristin Sampson brought a superb soprano
and great presence to Anna Glawari..."
—Elyse Sommer, CurtainUp

Cleopatra, Julius Caesar
Hudson Opera Theater/Delaware Valley Opera- 2006
"He came, he saw, he conquered. Yes, Julius Caesar, of course, but
also Ron DeFesi in his role of artistic director of the combined forces
of the Delaware Valley Opera and Hudson Opera Theater. Under his
direction, productions in the recent past have proved so noteworthy
that the site has become a mecca for rising opera singers. And clearly
evident in this trend is Kristin Sampson who is starring as Cleopatra
in the current production of Handel's "Julius Caesar." In Sunday
afternoon's presentation at the Tusten Theatre, this young woman
who has earned rave reviews elsewhere exhibited top-drawer
quality. She not only sings with purity of tone and intensity enough to
fill the auditorium twice over, but also her florid passages soar with
grace and her sustained tones turn into dramatic moments."
—Marcus Kalipolites, Times Herald-Record

Mimì, La Bohème
The Little Opera Company of New Jersey- 2006
"As Mimi, Ms. Sampson was in a class by herself. Her voice was rich,
full and singing from bottom to top. She had the means to convey
whatever mood or motion the libretto demanded. No matter how high
or how softly she sang, the sound was supported, the vibrato
spinning, the timbre consistent and the phrasing perfectly shaped.
Beyond the technique, carry and expressiveness of her voice was an
irresistibly gorgeous sound. Last, but not least, she actually coughed
like someone who was gravely ill.”
—Brad Tinfow, The Westfield Ledger

Violetta Valéry, La Traviata
Opera of the Hamptons- 2005
"Next step stardom...the voices were those of the most accomplished
opera singers..."
—Julia C. Meade, New York Times

"A couple of weeks ago, at the Vail Leavitt Music Hall in Riverhead, a
large audience was thrilled to behold another of the great works, this
time Verdi's passionate La Traviata. This production, incidentally, was
hailed by the owner of a very well known and respected New York
based artists management company as 'The most credible production
of this opera that I have ever seen' –high praise indeed! The lead
role of the courtesan, Violetta, was sung and acted beautifully by a
newcomer to the company, Kristin Elena Sampson..."
—Roy Bradbrook, Dan's Papers

Violetta Valéry, La Traviata
Hudson Opera Theater/Delaware Valley Opera- 2005
"At the heart of this tragic story is the would-be heroine, brilliantly
performed by Kristin Sampson. With a beautiful vibrant voice and
emotion-filled acting, she creates a character who captures a whole
range of emotions."
—Marcus Kalipolites, Times Herald-Record

Anne Egerman, A Little Night Music
Shaker Mountain Opera- 2003
"Marcus Auger as Henrik (Fredrik's son), and Kristin Elena Sampson
as Anne (Fredrik's wife) both added strong voices to the production..."
—Bill Rice, Gazette Reporter

Monica, The Medium
Whitman College Guest Artist Recital Series- 2001
"Sampson's strong, clear- beautiful voice filled the auditorium as she
immersed herself in the role of Monica..."
—Maggie Ross, The Pioneer