Mary Elizabeth Williams - Soprano

"Soprano Mary Elizabeth Williams and mezzo Elizabeth Bishop made a splendid pair of rivals in Washington Concert Opera's performance of Francesco Cilea's 1902 potboiler "Adriana Lecouvreur" at Lisner Auditorium on Sunday. Williams, as the grand, 18th-century actress of the title, and Bishop, as the Principessa di Bouillon -- Adriana's competition for the affections of the Saxon count, Maurizio -- both possess the richness and vibrancy of voice to really sell the blood-and-guts verismo style of Cilea's writing. Williams also produced a creamy tone on her softly sung phrases, some ravishingly floated high notes and an arresting chest voice that paid dividends in the spoken excerpts of classical plays that Adriana declaims at several points in the opera." ~ Washington Post

"The star of the show, as Cilea surely intended, is Adriana herself, brilliantly sung in this performance by young soprano Mary Elizabeth Williams, yet another of Maestro Walker's discoveries. How does he so consistently discover such wonderful singers? Ms. Williams has a huge, impressive voice that's already on its way to greatness. But even en route, it's enough to blow many veteran Verdian sopranos away. Alternating power with coquettishness, drama with nuance, her voice has a tremendous range and is equally comfortable with low notes as well as stratospheric ones.
Even in concert opera, her dramatic skills are considerable. Concertgoers were drawn into her character Sunday evening, almost unconsciously. By the opera's climax, in Adriana's extended death scene-one that closely rivals Mimi's death in La Bohème-the hankies were coming out. Even the silliness of poisoned violets couldn't detract from the emotional impact of this scene as conveyed by Ms. Williams." ~ Washington Times

Act IV Love Duet

"There was plenty of fine singing and acting, too, especially from soprano Mary Elizabeth Williams in the title role...A newcomer who deserves a wider reputation, Williams showed tremendous poise as Tosca, entering as the wide-eyed jealous lover but never resorting to histrionics. She responded with both the fury of a caged animal and the grace of an angel to her no-win predicament. She sang with a rich and creamy voice, a sure sense of the lyric line and exquisitely judged dynamics, especially in a memorable "Vissi d'Arte."" ~ Detroit Free Press

"As the beautiful but jealous opera diva Floria Tosca, caught in the trap of Scarpia's lust and power, Williams displayed an infectious blend of grace and temperament. The image of flaming lovers was quickly emblazoned in her feisty Act I confrontation with Palombi's Cavaradossi, as the dark-eyed Tosca chided the artist for painting Mary Magdalene's eyes blue. Vocally, Williams shone in that emotionally turbulent scene, just as she did in Tosca's Act II clash with Scarpia as he pressed his bargain of Cavaradossi's life in exchange for possessing her." ~ Detroit News

"Her sound flows easily, and she sculpted phrases with intelligence and emotion... As an actress - physically and vocally - Williams was often riveting. There's a pivotal scene with baritone Mark Delavan, playing her father Amonasro, the King of Ethiopia. To win his battle against the Egyptians, he needs for his daughter to get secret information. So Amonasro uses emotional blackmail - "Your dead mother is cursing you!" - to break her spirit. Williams played it to the full - absorbing his taunts, then shattered at her father's disapproval and desperately, pathetically, pleading for his forgiveness. In the course of a few believable moments, this regal young woman wilted and appeared the humbled child." ~ Arts Critic Atlanta

"At the Sunday matinee, the young Mary Elizabeth Williams was scarcely less impressive. With an even bigger, richer middle voice, Williams delivered an equally impassioned Leonora. Both sopranos excelled in spinning out a perfectly seamless Verdian line." ~ Seattle Gay News

"The Leonora of this cast, sung with impressive volume by Mary Elizabeth Williams, was a female force to be reckoned with." ~ The Seattle Times

"Williams has enormous potential as her Leonora demonstrated on Sunday afternoon. Her voice has weight but is intensely lyrical. It is also warm and rounded. She has a beautiful line, finesse and an arsenal of colors which she uses with great discretion. Her phrases are seamlessly blended with an array of dynamics. For someone so young and inexperienced, Williams' gifts are striking." ~ www.gatheringnote.org

"Mary Elizabeth Williams sang a somewhat leaner Leonora of great consistency and clarity, the tone more forwardly produced, with a secure top in "D'amor sull' ali rosee" and haunting low notes in the "Miserere." Williams seemed to be Leonora; all she did seemed to emanate from within, free of emoting or "acting."" ~ Opera News

"Mary Elizabeth Williams is quite simply phenomenal in the Title Role. She gives opera's grandest diva a regal bearing that remains subtle and mysterious. Her voice is exquisitely beautiful, with a warmly voluptuous tone that also has the ringing strength to reach to the stars...Her "Vissi d'arte" was particularly sublime, filled with genuine emotion." ~ New Orleans Times Picayune

"she blew the Harrison Opera House audience away with her dynamic, expressive instrument, creating a tremendous emotional appeal for her character seemingly without effort." ~ Washington Times, Tosca (Tosca), February 2009

"...the highlight of the evening...someone worth keeping an eye, or ear, on in the future." ~ Washington Post, Tosca (Tosca), February 2009

"There was something in the vibrancy and warmth of the sound, something in the vitality of the phrasing, that immediately hit home... the night belonged to Mary Elizabeth Williams." ~ Baltimore Sun, Tosca (Tosca), February 2009