"Shepherd on the Rock"

Handel's "Messiah"

Boston Globe: "But the serenely poised Forsythe, whose international operatic career is soaring for good reason, reigned supreme. With her uncanny pitch control and apparently effortless, pure, and subtle vocal artistry, she cast a spell on the hall every time she rose to sing. Who else could make the word "intercession" sound sexy?"

Steffani's "Niobe" (Royal Opera House)

Opera Britannia: "Only three of the nine members of the cast [were] fully up to and on top of their roles. Kudos then to Iestyn Davies as the flamboyant Creonte, Delphine Galou as the lame (all senses) Nurse, and above all, Amanda Forsythe, excellent as Manto, the not-so-foolish virgin, all of whom managed to sing accurately, put their characters across, and handle the coloratura confidently."

The Arts Desk: "The two other females added much to the mix: Delphine Galou's Nerea, ripe and lively in voice, the harbinger of the end-of-act saltarello, was a handy jester, while Amanda Forsythe's dewy, bright Manto (one to watch) brought a frisky spring to the Theban step."

Musical Opinion (UK): " [A] comforting distraction [was] Amanda Forsythe in her role as a priestess, who seemed to be the only character with spirit and glowing cheeks."

Opera News: "American soprano Amanda Forsythe shone as Manto, priestess of Latona."

Resmusica.com: "Tous les autres rôles sont impeccablement tenus, à commencer par la soprano Amanda Forsythe, tout à fait craquante sous les traits de l’innocente Manto à la découverte de l’amour et de la sensualité."

Volksfreund.de: "Das komplette Ensemble lässt nichts zu wünschen übrig, herausragend die Sängerinnen Amanda Forsythe und Delphine Galou."

Concerto.net: "The rest of the cast did not let Steffani down.Tim Mead was an ardent and lyrical suitor, Amanda Forsythe and Lothar Odinius a lovely and ardent pair of lovers. Forsythe sang with great sweetness conveying the vulnerability of youth."

Mozart's "Le Nozze di Figaro" (Royal Opera House)

The Telegraph (UK): "Amanda Forsythe was an enchanting little Barbarina – I bet we'll be hearing more of her."

Musical Criticism.com: "Fair praise, too, to Amanda Forsythe's enchanting Barbarina."

The Times (UK): "the sky darkens for Barbarina's little aria ( plangently sung by Amanda Forsythe)."

What's on Stage (UK): "The leading lights of the distaff side are Eri Nakumura, honey-voiced and vulnerable as Susanna, and the luminous Barbarina of Amanda Forsythe. Together these two sopranos offer balm to the ear through the tenderness and grace they bring to McVicar’s re-thought staging of Act Four."

Mozart's "Lucio Silla": In un istante...Parto, m'affretto

The Independent (UK): "‘Parto, m' affretto’ (from Lucio Silla) showcases coloratura soprano Amanda Forsythe – a voice to remember."

AllMusic.com: "The program continues with what may be the highlight of the disc, soprano Amanda Forsythe's performance of a recitative and aria from the opera seria Lucio Silla. Forsythe's voice is powerful, intense, pure, and warm, easily taking the limelight…"

Philidelphia Inquirer: "Soprano Amanda Forsythe is the dramatically alert, technically spectacular soloist in the Lucio Silla aria 'Parto, m'affretto'."

The Arts Desk (UK): "The Recitative and Aria from Mozart’s early opera Lucio Silla [are] beautifully sung by Amanda Forsythe."

San Francisco Classical Voice: "This aria isn’t particularly high — I think it tops out at D — but it demands fantastic dexterity and accuracy. And soprano Amanda Forsythe nails everything, with such insouciant ease that you might almost think she was daring the audience to think her capable of misstepping."

Cleveland Plain Dealer: "With her pulsating and richly hued voice, Forsythe turns every phrase into an affecting gesture and sails through the florid passages."

KUHF – Houston public radio: "Soprano Amanda Forsythe shines brightly in the Lucio Silla recitative and aria. Her Italian diction is flawless, and Sorrell is a most expressive partner for her. Ms. Forsythe is a passionate artist with plenty of technique, and the elaborate triplet runs in the aria hold no terrors for her."

Music Web International: "Amanda Forsythe is a brilliant soloist, making light of the difficult part, and flying above the stave with ease. She also has a pure voice devoid of all wobble. Each note is clearly pitched and delivered flawlessly. This is magnificent."

Rossini's "Tancredi"

Wall Street Journal: "Opera Boston was especially fortunate in its Amenaide, Amanda Forsythe, who made a powerful impression earlier this year at the Boston Early Music Festival. Ms. Forsythe showed off a bright, focused soprano, with a lovely range of vocal colors, gorgeous top notes and terrific agility in the role's difficult coloratura passages."

Associated Press: "She could not have had a better partner than her Opera Boston co-star, Amanda Forsythe. As Amenaide, Tancredi's beloved (and, in this production, pregnant with his child!), Forsythe displays a silvery light soprano that contrasts beautifully with Podles' plummy tones. She is also an expert bel canto technician, tossing off Rossini's acrobatics with ease. The duets in which their voices blended magically together were the high point of the evening."

Boston Phoenix: "The heroine of Tancredi, Amenaide, was Boston soprano Amanda Forsythe, whose stage energy restored some of the feistiness of the character in the Voltaire play that's lost in Gaetano Rossi's stilted libretto. Her bright limpid tone and vocal flexibility were a good match for Podles. Forsythe's silk and Podles's velour were also an exciting blend. (Bostonians with long memories could call to mind the thrilling duets delivered by Joan Sutherland and Marilyn Horne in Sarah Caldwell's 1965 production of Semiramide, the last time "serious" Rossini turned up in Boston.) Amenaide's demanding second-act prison aria was another high point. Forsythe's visible state of pregnancy was incorporated into the action, though not always in the best of taste (as when the villain ripped off her dress).. But it was Podles and Forsythe who ignited Tancredi."

The Edge: "Very much in her vocal prime, local favorite Amanda Forsythe made a dream Amenaide. She undertook the taxing role while well along in pregnancy, and the director took advantage of her condition in the staging. Vocally, she has complete dynamic control of her shimmering soprano instrument, and sang with great nuance, swelling and diminishing her tone at will. The lyrical moments, particular the Act 1 prison scene were gorgeous. And the florid passages were done to perfection. This is a major talent, and, as the long-suffering Amenaide, she proved herself a worthy partner to the great Podles."

Boston Herald: "Celebrated Polish contralto Ewa Podles sang the title role, but she was hardly the only exceptional voice onstage. Lyric soprano Amanda Forsythe, steadily establishing her Boston presence, showed that the bel canto repertory is up her alley too, singing the demanding role of Amenaida, Tancredi's misunderstood betrothed."

The Bostonist: "We've heard Amanda Forsythe a few lovely times before, but we're still startled when she begins to sing and it's like molten sugar that's suspended in mid air. (Forsythe's visible, unscripted pregnancy made her vocal work all the more impressive, while enhancing her character's compromised reputation.)  The two had some incredible, ornate duets: you might say that, together, Podleś and Forsythe's voices formed Voltron."

Boston Musical Intelligencer: "Every member of the cast boasted a gorgeous voice, and knew how to use it. Amanda Forsythe as Amenaide set the bar high from the outset with a lovely soprano and an impressive control of the highest pianissimos."

Hub Review: "Indeed, this was easily the best-sung production I've ever heard from Opera Boston.Luckily, lead soprano Amanda Forsythe (left, with Podleś) came equipped with an exquisitely pearl-like tone.But alas, of these vocalists only Forsythe managed anything like a real dramatic characterization."

Monteverdi's "L'Incoronazione di Poppea" and Blow's "Venus and Adonis"

NYTimes: "Amanda Forsythe’s trusting, virtuous Drusilla was too good for him, but that’s the point. She sang the role with a touching and sometimes comic innocence and made easy work of the florid vocal writing in her few solo turns."

NYTimes: "Amanda Forsythe, who made a strong impression as Drusilla in “Poppea,” proved both a more supple and a more virtuosic performer in the brighter spotlight Venus afforded her."

Boston Music Intelligencer: "Leads Keith, Ullmann, and Houtzeel performed exquisitely, but it was Amanda Forsythe who captured her role with such jaw-dropping substance of power and grace."

Hub Review: "Amanda Forsythe made an emotionally compelling and vocally radiant Drusilla."

The Bostonist: "Drusilla (Poppea's unfaithful friend and Poppea's ex-lover's faithful lover) is like dessert, if dessert were something you could sing (which is apparently the case for Amanda Forsythe)."

Boston Phoenix: "And gleaming soprano Amanda Forsythe is a perfect Drusilla, who lends her lover Ottone (German baritone Holger Falk) her clothes when he attempts to murder Poppea and then takes the blame when the plot fails."

Wall Street Journal: "The women were stronger. Amanda Forsythe, as Drusilla, a lady in love with Ottone, has a warm, flexible soprano that made a strong impression."

Wall Street Journal: "On Saturday at Jordan Hall, BEMF offered a double bill of chamber operas: John Blow's "Venus and Adonis" and Marc-Antoine Charpentier's "Actéon," both from the 1680s. Ms. Forsythe again shone as Venus."

Handel's "Xerxes"

Opera Online: "Lastly, a hats-off to Amanda Forsythe and “that little red dress” and her wonderful voice and stage presence, and for the way she rendered a flirtatious Atalanta, playing to the audience, and anyone else in this wonderful cast that caught her eye. It’s difficult with a cast as good as this to pick out any one and say, “that was the one that stole the show,” but if I were to venture down that road, she would be “that one” – a denomination that seems to have garnered some national attention these days as well."

Boston Globe: "and the ever-nimble Amanda Forsythe was a very saucy Atalanta."

Boston Phoenix: "And it had some beautiful and intelligent singing…soprano Amanda Forsythe as Atalanta all but stole the show with her sparkling vocalism and sexy villainy. (Dressed in scarlet, she had a Sarah Palin wink and, ever on the lookout, slipped the conductor her phone number after her evil plot was exposed.)"

Opera Today: "On the female side, only soprano Amanda Forsythe as the foxy, feisty Atalanta, forever interfering, could be described as au fait with Handel and if she was tempted on occasion to over-egg the comedy, it was an appealing performance that showcased some brilliant highwire work."

Opera News: "Where to begin in praising Amanda Forsythe's performance as Romilda's conniving sister, Atalanta? Standing out even in such gifted company, she was superb. The kind of artist one always hopes to discover, she displayed phenomenal technique, crystalline tone and a dynamite stage presence. Her transformation from the quiet sister in the shadows into a Handelian vixen in a slinky red dress will remain one of the highlights of the season. Before Xerxes, Handel composed Atalanta, an opera centered on the same character — please, would someone consider giving Forsythe her own show?"

Rossini's "L'Equivoco Stravagante"

Opera Magazine:  "La partition de Rossini fourmille de reminiscences mozartiennes, comme cet air de Rosalia merveilleusement défendu par Amanda Forsythe.  Avec son soprano léger et fruité, la jeune Americaine nous offre l’un des rares moments de gráce d’une soirée."

Forum Opera: "Enfin, Ricardo Mirabelli et Amanda Forsythe complètent avec talent cette distribution. Malgré le peu de visibilité du rôle, la soprano américaine ne passe pas inaperçue. Toujours présente à son personnage, même quand elle ne chante pas, elle confirme ses qualités en nous charmant dans son air « Quel furbarel d’amore »."

Critical Spectacle: "L'équipe vocale se complète avec Amanda Forsythe, jeune soprano américaine, qui promet une fructueuse carrière internationale, et dont son aire «Quel furbarel d'amore» à l'aspirateur, restera comme une interprétation inoubliable du rôle de la doméstique Rosalia."

La Stampa: "Deliziosa nella sua arietta, invece, è parso il soprano Amanda Forsythe (Rosalia)."

L’Adige: "La Forsythe, nell’unico pezzo di bravura che il ruolo interpretato contiene, ha palesato disinvoltamente delle ottime qualita e fatto intravvedere potenzialita interpretative che vanno al di la della parte."  

Apollo's Fire: Mozart arias

The Cleveland Plain-Dealer: " Haydn's Symphony No. 59 ("Fire") and Mozart's Symphony No. 40 flanked arias by the latter in incandescent performances featuring soprano Amanda Forsythe. Remember her name; she should be a vocal star of coming decades. Forsythe made a major impression several seasons ago with Apollo's Fire in Handel's "Messiah," but she was even more riveting on this occasion. Her supple lyric soprano is an ideal instrument to lift Mozart to the skies. She makes words and emotions tell. No cascade of florid writing eludes her vocal grasp...Forsythe so infused each aria with requisite expressive nuances...In "Zeffiretti lusinghieri," she shaped lines as a series of arching statements and added subtle decorations on the repeat. The atmosphere darkened considerably in "Parto, m'affretto," which Forsythe treated as a tour de force of heated passions and coloratura fireworks.

Sorrell and the orchestra, especially the winds, were superb partners in Mozartean crime, and Forsythe was brought back enough times to justify an encore: "Deh, vieni, non tardar" from "The Marriage of Figaro," in which she one day will be an enchanting Susanna."

(read the preview article from The Cleveland Plain-Dealer)

Handel's "Semele"

The Wall Street Journal: "The most sparkling moments came from the bright, lively soprano of Amanda Forsythe, in the small role of Iris, Juno's servant."

The Boston Globe: "Amanda Forsythe poured out an exceptional chrome-bright soprano and made the comedic most of Juno's eagerly devious assistant Iris."

The Bostonist: "Reclining on a banquet table, Forsythe made the most of Iris's air "There from mortal cares retiring," showing off a strong, delicious voice."

Opera News: "As Juno's sidekick, Amanda Forsythe brought a pealing luminosity to Iris, her vocal purity giving an ironic tinge to her remake as an uptight but super-efficient, personal assistant. Watching Lattimore and Forsythe, clad in their power suits, play off each other was great fun. "Iris, hence away" came off as orders read off an iPod, and in "Hear, mighty queen" Forsythe became the mousy secretary trying to get down once her boss is out of sight."

Handel’s “Ariodante”

Financial Times: "Amanda Forsythe (Dalinda) is the discovery of the evening: songbird voice, impeccable tuning and, like so many Americans, totally at home on stage."

Opera News: "Amanda Forsythe's Dalinda was on a similar level of achievement. Dressed in a sensible gray suit, she portrayed a girl whose burgeoning sexual appetite led her astray: just one look at the dark Byronic locks of Varduhi Abrahamyan's deep-voiced Polinesso, and she was lost."

Le Figaro: "Dans le role clé de Dalinda, sa servante, qui cède aux avances du scélérat Polinesso, la jeune Amanda Forsythe faisait ses débuts au Grand Théâtre. Elle a montré de très grandes qualités vocales."

Le Temps: "Amanda Forsythe fait preuve d'une belle souplesse."

Forum Opera: "La jeune soprano américaine Amanda Forsythe que nous avions remarquée à Pesaro dans Le voyage à Reims tient ses promesses en Dalinda. Le timbre est agréable, la voix légère mais bien projetée et la technique vocale déjà très assurée."

Tribune de Geneve: "Dans cet écrin de rêve, les voix féminines se situent au plus haut. Joyce Di Donato…place la barre à grande altitude. Mais Patricia Petitbon (Ginevra bouleversante et charismatique) et Amanda Forsythe (Dalinda à la musicalité vibrante) la suivent de près."

La Libre Belgique: "Deux jeunes chanteuses, Amanda Forsythe, soprano (Dalinda) et Varduhi Abrahamyan, alto (Polinesso), font une première apparition remarquée dans la maison."

Anaclasse.com: "L'attachante Dalinda d'Amanda Forsythe prend vite de l'assurance, donnant un Il primo ardor (1er acte) sensible et surtout un Neghittosi, or voi che fate d'une agilité confondante."

Resmusica.com: “Amanda Forsythe (Dalinda) respire la fraîcheur, et c’est un régal de l’entendre vocaliser sans apparente difficulté.”

Concerto.net: "On saura donc gré à la direction du Grand Théâtre d’avoir réuni une distribution exceptionnelle, à la tête de laquelle il convient de citer Joyce DiDonato dans le rôle-titre, à la virtuosité époustouflante et à l’aplomb scénique confondant. Patricia Petibon en Ginevra et Amanda Forsythe en Dalinda ne lui cèdent en rien, ni vocalement ni scéniquement."

OperaClick: "Meno note, anche se timbricamente pertinenti ai rispettivi ruoli, sono le voci di Amanda Forsythe e di Varduhi Abrahamyan. La prima e un soprano leggero che con la sua voce chiara e fresca e perfetta nel dar vita alla femminilita superficiale e capricciosa di Dalinda."

Rossini's "Il Viaggio a Reims"

The Stage (UK): "Amanda Forsythe, the outstanding Corinna, is technically in command of the role. Required to sing her final aria from the front stalls, she delivered All’ombra ammena flawlessly with every run in place, the legato lines seamless, the vocal line expressively shaped in support of the text. It was perfection."

Forum Opéra (France): "Trois de ces jeunes chanteurs nous ont semblé particulièrement à suivre : la soprano Amanda Forsythe (Corinna) pour son timbre velouté, sa musicalité et sa légèreté naturelle agrémentée par un délicat vibrato...Chanté du balcon, l’aria « Arpa gentile », avec son exquis legato, offre un moment de grâce qu’on voudrait ne pas voir finir..."

L'opera (Italy): "...segnaliamo le voci che ci sono sembrate particolarmente degne di nota, a partire dalla bravissima Amanda Forsythe, Corinna, bella voce, di timbro morbidissimo e sapientemente gestita sul fiato."

Peter Eötvös’ "Angels in America"

The New York Times: “This is not easy music. Principals sang with confidence...Amanda Forsythe’s Angel was powerfully sung.”

The Boston Globe: “Amanda Forsythe’s voice soared tirelessly aloft as the Angel.”

The Boston Herald: “Amanda Forsythe lends heavenly voice to the Angel.”

EDGE Boston: “Amanda Forsythe provides the opera’s most memorable music as the Angel, and she sings it gorgeously.”

Opera News: “the Angel [was] sung with edgy brilliance by Amanda Forsythe.”

The Financial Times (UK): “Amanda Forsythe sang radiantly as the Angel.”

InNewsWeekly: “the Angel [was] sung in an appropriately glorious soprano by Amanda Forsythe.”

Musical America: “Amanda Forsythe sang gorgeously as the Angel.”

Osvaldo Golijov’s "Ainadamar"

Los Angeles Times: “Nor was there any escaping the raw passion of the young Margarita (Amanda Forsythe).”

San Francisco CV: “Amanda Forsythe, with a brilliant coloratura, [was] the third leading singer as the young Margarita”

Musical America: “as the young Xirgu, Amanda Forsythe complemented Upshaw beautifully.”

The Financial Times: “Amanda Forsythe sang with sparkling clarity as [Dawn Upshaw’s] younger incarnation.”

The New Yorker: “Amanda Forsythe showed [a] crystalline, finely expressive voice [as] Young Margarita.”

The Boston Globe: “wonderful performance…by sweet-voiced soprano Amanda Forsythe as Young Margarita.”

The Boston Herald: “Soprano Amanda Forsythe completed the trio of principals with a charming performance as the Young Margarita.”

The New York Times: “soprano Amanda Forsythe as the young Margarita [was] also impressive.”