CRITICAL ACCLAIM
"Vote's voice shimmered with power across its wide compass, easily outgunning the amassed forces."
“Tucker bid farewell to the Choral Arts men with the Alto Rhapsody, composed in 1869 as a wedding gift to Robert and Clara Schumann’s daughter Julie, with whom Brahms was apparently in love. This was the undisputed high point of the evening because of the soloist, mezzo-soprano Olivia Vote, whose voice has grown in richness since her striking Choral Arts in 2018. The Choral Arts Orchestra sounded its best in this darkly hued work, and Vote’s voice shimmered with power across its wide compass, easily outgunning the amassed forces.”
WASHINGTON CLASSICAL REVIEW, CHARLES T. DOWNEY
BRAHMS ALTO RHAPSODY | WASHINGTON CHORAL ARTS D.C.
"filled with passion and soared effortlessly"
“In her company debut, mezzo-soprano Olivia Vote was excellent as the bespectacled Composer, who was the picture of frustration and despair at having his work destroyed by a bunch of silly comedians. Vote’s heartfelt aria in praise of music – “Musik ist eine heilige Kunst” (“Music is a holy art”) – was filled with passion and soared effortlessly over the lush orchestra.
CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER, JANELLE GELFAND
ARIADNE AUF NAXOS, KOMPONIST | CINCINNATI OPERA
"Her performance of the Composer's aria impressed with her drive and purity of tone"
“Mezzo Olivia Vote was a passionate Composer: Her performance of the Composer’s aria impressed with her drive and purity of tone. “
CITY BEAT, ANNE ARENSTEIN
ARIADNE AUF NAXOS, KOMPONIST | CINCINNATI OPERA
"another masterful portrayal"
“There was another masterful portrayal from Olivia Vote as the Composer, who produced this figure’s hysterical high notes with effortless ease.”
OPERA LIVELY
ARIADNE AUF NAXOS, KOMPONIST | CINCINNATI OPERA
"impassioned and convincing"
“This cast is spectacularly good…Mezzo-soprano Olivia Vote was impassioned and convincing as the underappreciated composer.”
SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL, RAFAEL DE ACHA
ARIADNE AUF NAXOS, KOMPONIST | CINCINNATI OPERA
"her lush voice conveyed the warmth of beinging in love with love"
“Mezzo-soprano Olivia Vote, in the “double trouser” role of Cherubino (a woman playing a young man dressed up as a woman), beautifully portrayed the gangliness of adolescence, and her lush voice conveyed the warmth of being in love with love.”
BY REVIEW BY RUTH O. BINGHAM, SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, CHERUBINO | HAWAII OPERA THEATER
"distinguished herself with burnished warmth"
“Mezzo-soprano Olivia Vote distinguished herself with burnished warmth in “All’afflitto è dolce il pianto” from Roberto Devereux…With the better material given by Rossini to the second soprano soloist, Vote excelled in this piece. She shone in the duet “Quis est homo” with Coburn, and the broad swath of her voice suited the dramatic cavatina “Fac ut portem” beautifully.”
WASHINGTON CLASSICAL REVIEW, CHARLES T. DOWNEY
ROSSINI STABAT MATER AND BEL CANTO OPERA ARIAS | WASHINGTON CHORAL ARTS
"voluminous mezzo...colorful artistry"
“Vote, with her voluminous mezzo, more than made up for it with colorful artistry in “All’afflitto è dolce il pianto” from Donizetti’s “Roberto Devereux.”
WASHINGTON POST, GRACE JEAN
ROSSINI STABAT MATER AND BEL CANTO OPERA ARIAS | WASHINGTON CHORAL ARTS
"a pleasing, natural mezzo..."
“Olivia Vote as his sister and accomplice, Maddalena, supplied a pleasing, natural mezzo, not overplaying the vamp element so often applied to the role”
CVNC, ROY C. DICKS
RIGOLETTO, MADDALENA | NORTH CAROLINA OPERA
"filled Blaisdell Concert Hall with her silvery soprano"
“Olivia Vote, in the “pants role” (a woman playing a young man) of Nicklausse, filled Blaisdell Concert Hall with her silvery soprano, particularly in the second-act “Violin” aria, in which Nicklausse, who is actually the alter ego of the female Muse, tries to turn Hoffmann’s attentions towards her.”
STAR ADVERTISER, STEVEN MARK
THE TALES OF HOFFMANN, NICKLAUSSE | HAWAII OPERA THEATER
"a large but beautiful voice that rings through the house and soars over the orchestra"
“Olivia Vote, as Mother Marie, has a large but beautiful voice that rings through the house and soars over the orchestra. She’s the ringleader who believes in martyrdom, but her ultimate fate is not what she thinks God has in mind for her, and her voice and passion stay with us beyond the last slice of the guillotine.”
YOUR OBSERVER, JUNE LEBELL
DIALOGUES OF THE CARMELITES, MOTHER MARIE | SARASOTA OPERA
"vocal strength and appropriate agility"
“The primary soloists previously mentioned carried their roles with vocal strength and appropriate agility, yet it was their skill in bringing out the underlying intentions of each character that gave this production its “sticky” quality…Through prolonged glances and body language, Olivia Vote betrayed conflicting aspects of Mother Marie’s motivations.”
HERALD TRIBUNE, GAYLE WILLIAMS
DIALOGUES OF THE CARMELITES, MOTHER MARIE | SARASOTA OPERA
"her passionate delivery lit up the stage"
"As Donna Elvira, Olivia Vote... using her sizable mezzo to electric effect throughout... her passionate delivery lit up the stage."
OPERA NEWS
DON GIOVANNI, DONNA ELVIRA
"edgy, with the right kind of acidic tone"
"Olivia Vote’s Donna Elvira was edgy, with the right kind of acidic tone for that role."
"Vote played Donna Elvira as an aggressive yet endearingly coltish femme fatale, looking a little like Jessica Rabbit — a film-noir caricature"
WASHINGTON POST
DON GIOVANNI, DONNA ELVIRA
"a fine voice, with some big, full top notes and a creamy tone across her range"
"Olivia Vote, a young American mezzo-soprano with a burgeoning career on both sides of the Atlantic. She has a fine voice, with some big, full top notes and a creamy tone across her range."
"She sang her selections smartly, with plenty of security, charisma, and solid diction, in the process capably mining the songs’ stores of charm and class." (works by Respighi and Wolf)
THETELEGRAPH.COM
CHAMBER RECITAL WITH THE HUGO WOLF QUARTET | MUSIC WORCHESTER
"big, rich voice that explored the nuances of the poetry"
“big, rich voice that explored the nuances of the poetry and provided the concert’s high point with a gorgeous performance of Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s “Ulai Laze Yihie Li Ometz.”
WASHINGTON POST
'BEL CANTO TO CAN BELTO" RECITAL WITH STEVEN BLIER | WOLF TRAP OPERA
"what sovereignty in her artistic expression!"
Noch toppen konnte dies Olivia Vote mit einem unglaublich gut gesungenen „Parto, parto“ des Sesto aus Mozarts „Titus“. Welch wunderbares Timbre, welch sichere, nicht spürbare Technik, welch klangvolle und leicht geführte Mittellage, welch aufblühende Höhe, welch Souveränität im künstlerischen Ausdruck! Dabei stand die Künstlerin einfach da – und wirkte. Kein Buhlen mit dem Publikum, kein Getue – fabelhaft!
(One could not top Olivia Vote with an incredibly well-sung " Parto , parto " of Sesto from Mozart's " Titus " . What a wonderful timbre, a secure, effortless technic, which sounded full and easy in the middle, and blossomed in the top, what sovereignty in her artistic expression! The artist just stood there - and sang. No pandering to the audience, no fuss - fabulous!)
DER NEUE MERKER
ZÜRICH: SCHLUSSKONZERT DES INTERNATIONALEN OPERNSTUDIOS
"her power seems almost effortless, a testament to her extraordinary talent and technique"
“While watching both Johnson and mezzo-soprano Olivia Vote who sang the role of Cuniza, I was transported from the Haverford School stage to one of the major opera stages of the world. Both women are so gifted and polished, it was a cinch to imagine them already embarking on their professional careers. Vote, also a fourth-year student, has both grace and power, her top notes reaching the rafters. Yet, her power seems almost effortless, a testament to her extraordinary talent and technique.”
BACHTRACK.COM
OBERTO, CUNIZA
"theatrical magnetism and steely vocal technique"
“Olivia Vote as Giovanna (Jane) Seymour with whom Anna shares much stage time… were clearly living their roles.”
“…theatrical magnetism and steely vocal technique. Her Seymour was a creature of ambition - as opposed to being the generically operatic victim of seduction - heightening her conflict of loyalties.”
PHILEDELPHIA INQUIRER
ANNA BOLENA, GIOVANNA SEYMOUR
"sumptuous voice and a vivid stage presence"
“To Giovanna Seymour, Olivia Vote brings a sumptuous voice and a vivid stage presence. She leaves a large vocal imprint on Giovanna’s scenes with Enrico and proves a compelling adversary for Meade in their fiery second-act duet.”
CONCERTONET.COM
ANNA BOLENA, GIOVANNA SEYMOUR
"Vote is a voice to pay attention to..."
“None other than her rival and former lady in waiting, Giovanna (Jane) Seymour, as sung by Olivia Vote, comes to visit her, stricken with guilt. The riveting duet that ensues is powered by two enormous voices, both coated with tonal luster. Vote is a voice to pay attention to…”
CITY PAPER PHILADELPHIA
ANNA BOLENA, GIOVANNA SEYMOUR
"an exciting singer"
“She (Ms. Meade) was in excellent company. As Jane Seymour, Anne Boleyn's replacement in the affections of Henry VIII, mezzo Olivia Vote was a dish to set before the king and an exciting singer, too. She's only been at AVA since September!”
MAINLINELIFE.COM
ANNA BOLENA, GIOVANNA SEYMOUR
"acted well and sang eloquently"
“She looked just right, acted well and sang eloquently. “
THE BROAD STREET REVIEW
THE SCARLET LETTER (WORLD PREMIERE)
"more satisfying than what you're likely to hear today in major opera houses"
“Unquestionably, Meade has the pipes for the title role … It helps, too, that her mezzo-soprano rival sung by Olivia Vote was a near-even match with a solid concept of her role. In purely musical terms, this Norma was more satisfying than what you're likely to hear today in major opera houses.”
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
NORMA, ADAGISA
"Vote earned an ovation for her Adalgisa..."
“In the taxing duet with Adalgisa, Meade’s opulent soprano was joined by the attractive, well-schooled mezzo-soprano of Olivia Vote. The two singers traded one long-breathed phrase after another.”
“Vote earned an ovation for her Adalgisa which blended well with Meade’s Norma in their scenes together.”
CONCERTONET.COM
NORMA, ADAGISA
"Olivia Vote gave a solid performance as Cherubino"
“Mezzo-soprano Olivia Vote gave a solid performance as Cherubino, the adolescent boy whose unregulated hormones cause him to fall in love with every woman. Her singing of "Non so più cosa son" and of Cherubino's song for the Countess, "Voi che sapete" was delightful.”
CLASSICAL VOICE, NC
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, CHERUBINO
"Vote made an impressive debut in the role of love-starved adolescent Cherubino"
“Mezzo- soprano Olivia Vote made an impressive debut in the role of love-starved adolescent Cherubino, providing comedy as a young page awkwardly impersonating a girl and memorably singing "Voi che sapete."
BALTIMORE SUN TIMES
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, CHERUBINO
"vocally distinctive"
"The Three Ladies (Alexandria Shine, Olivia Vote, Tamara Mumford) were vocally distinctive and acted rather like sex-mad Valkyries claiming Tamino for Valhalla."
SEEN AND HEARD, JIM PRITCHARD
DIE ZAUBERFLÖTTE, ZWEITE DAME | THE METROPOLITAN OPERA
"voluptuous harmonies and gleeful immodesty"
"The Three Ladies (Alexandria Shiner, Olivia Vote, Tamara Mumford), with their voluptuous harmonies and gleeful immodesty - they strip Tamino of his tracksuit and take a deep, horny whiff of it - were loads of fun."
THE NEW YORK TIMES, OUSSAMA ZAHR
DIE ZAUBERFLÖTTE, ZWEITE DAME | THE METROPOLITAN OPERA
"fantastic...we could feel their passion"
“Among the supporting cast members, the trio of Alexandria Shiner, Olivia Vote and Tamara Mumford were fantastic as the Three Ladies. Allowed greater freedom in crafting the characters, we could feel their passion, their aggression, even their fear throughout their initial encounter with the sleeping Tamino. Always playing off one another, they brought different colors and rawness and at different moments, each singer was allowed to stand out amongst the trio.”
OPERAWIRE, DAVID SALAZAR
DIE ZAUBERFLÖTTE, ZWEITE DAME | THE METROPOLITAN OPERA
"Vote earned an ovation for her Adalgisa..."
“In the taxing duet with Adalgisa, Meade’s opulent soprano was joined by the attractive, well-schooled mezzo-soprano of Olivia Vote. The two singers traded one long-breathed phrase after another.”
“Vote earned an ovation for her Adalgisa which blended well with Meade’s Norma in their scenes together.”
CONCERTONET.COM
NORMA, ADAGISA
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