Performance Reviews
EUGENE ONEGIN, Lyric Opera of Chicago, 2008
"[...]Kwiecien commands the stage with his good looks, rich and resonant voice and the volatile intensity with which he throws himself into the role of the aloof Russian playboy who, much to his bitter regret later on, spurns the affections of a trusting country girl, Tatyana."
John von Rhein, "Kwiecien brings energy, confidence to 'Onegin'",
Chicago Tribune, March 29, 2008
Chicago Tribune, March 29, 2008
Read the whole review here.
PROFILE: "A Polish Prince Seizes the Stage", March 2, 2008
"Some of the qualities the Polish baritone Mariusz Kwiecien brings to his work are typical products of raw talent, good training and hard work. His voice, for one: burnished and rich, with robust carrying power and a ringing high A many a tenor would covet. His good looks, trim physique and agility are also givens, though at 35 he stays fit through routine exercise. Even his hobby - nature photography in mountainous regions like Peru - keeps him pretty limber."
Anthony Tommasini, "A Polish Prince Seizes the Stage",
The New York Times, March 2, 2008
The New York Times, March 2, 2008
Read the whole profile here.
EIN DEUTSCHES REQUIEM, Atlanta Symphony, 2007
"Mariusz Kwiecien (sounds like "creation"), from Poland, is a once-in-a-generation baritone. With a gorgeous voice, he sang in lyrical, liquid tones that caressed a phrase, and also with the stone-tablet authority of an Old Testament prophet."
Pierre Ruhe, "ASO sings Brahms 'German Requiem'",
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, November 1, 2007
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, November 1, 2007
KANSAS CITY RECITAL, 2007
"Kwiecien (KVEEAY-chain) is the whole package, and it's easy to see why he makes opera fans swoon, particularly those of feminine gender. He possesses an exceptionally natural voice, full of burnished bronze and honed to excellent sheen. He can taper a note from forte to pianissimo without the slightest waver in pitch or tone color."
Paul Horsley, "Voice of bronze",
Kansas City Star, October 30, 2007
Kansas City Star, October 30, 2007
Read the whole Kansas City recital review here.
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, Metropolitan Opera - season-opening premiere, 2007
"Mariusz Kwiecien, one of the house's most valuable young baritones, was a striking Enrico, unfailingly musical and suavely black-hearted [...]."
F. Paul Driscoll, Opera News, December 2007
"Mariusz Kwiecien has emerged in recent seasons as a major baritone. This handsome and dynamic young Polish artist was a vocally impassioned Enrico, who made that sometimes flat character seem in ways as desperate as the sister he controls."
Anthony Tommasini, "A Grand Opening at the Opera",
The New York Times, September 25, 2007
The New York Times, September 25, 2007
DON GIOVANNI, San Francisco, 2007
"Kwiecien, the Polish baritone who debuted here as Marcello in the 2004 production of Puccini's "La Bohème," turned in a performance marked by vocal grandeur and elegant erotic menace. His voice is burnished and full of subtle coloration, and his dynamic range encompasses everything from the most insinuating whisper to the boldest shout."
Joshua Kosman, "Splendor of Giovanni too short",
San Francisco Chronicle, June 4, 2007
San Francisco Chronicle, June 4, 2007
Read the whole San Francisco Don Giovanni review here.
DON GIOVANNI, Seattle, 2007
"The devil, they say, is a gentleman, and young Polish baritone Mariusz Kwiecien played Don Giovanni as a devilishly handsome one. Kwiecien exuded lascivious nastiness, yet never have I heard the words "a bocca dolce piu del miele" (a mouth sweeter than honey) in the Don's Act II serenade sung with such ineffable sweetness. His voice, throughout its range, sounded perfectly centered and was produced with the greatest of ease. He is a magnetic stage presence: his performance raised goose bumps again and again."
John F. Hulcoop,
Opera News, April 2007
Opera News, April 2007
Read more Seattle Don Giovanni reviews here.
DON PASQUALE, The Metropolitan Opera, 2006
"Dr. Malatesta is the instigator of the scheme, and the whole opera. The dynamic young Polish baritone Mariusz Kwiecien was mesmerizing in the role, his robust voice matched by his robust physique. There were sparks of sexual chemistry between his character and Ms. Netrebko's, which lent another intriguing element to the story."
Anthony Tommasini, "Don Pasquale in a New Production at the Met",
The New York Times, April 3, 2006
The New York Times, April 3, 2006
Read more The Metropolitan Opera Don Pasquale reviews here.
More Reviews
Recital at Spivey Hall, Atlanta, 2006La Bohème, San Francisco Opera, 2004