To this day, Vivica’s portrayals of Rossini’s popular heroines continue to thrill critics and audiences alike. Here are some excerpts from reviews of her early performances.

Rosina:

“A telling moment, indelibly imprinted on this audience’s mind, was Rosina’s first appearance, behind bars, on her balcony. Mezzo-soprano Vivica Genaux, who has already made her mark as a Rossini singer, made her Seattle Opera debut at this performance, as did Relyea and Patriarco. Not only did she look and act the quintessential Rosina — slim, vivacious and very pretty — her voice encompassed her florid runs with clear ease, on pitch and with low tones as rich as an organ’s and high ones as sweet as a bell. Her voice has expressive depth and timbre.
- Philippa Kiraly, Seattle Post-Intelligencer May 8, 2024

‘Barber of Seville‘ terrific — and so is all the cast’
- Melinda Bargreen, Seattle Times

“But this Barber is more than a comedy; it is a feast of voices. The Rosina of Vivica Genaux is a particularly lovely discovery; a true mezzo-soprano with rich low tones, she tosses off spectacular and accurate coloratura flourishes, trills and embellishments of rare agility and evenness. Genaux is a winning actress, too, a real minx who revels in the disguises and the machinations of the plot.
- Arts & Entertainment Monday, May 8, 2024

Angelina:

Mezzo-soprano Vivica Genaux, who has the most taxing role of the evening, sings with confidence… the voice is produced easily and effortlessly. The texture is dark, the tone quality has just enough edginess to cut like a bread knife. She is a modest Cinderella in the first act; a regal queen in the final one. The transformation, which is made difficult by the composer’s odd elongation of the final act, is convincingly done.
- Philip Kennicott, Washington Post December 1999

Click HERE for reviews of her performances in TROUSER ROLES and HERE for excerpts from more reviews of the heroine roles.