The cover Albert, Joseph Michael Brent, sang Mayor Upfold with a penetrating sounds and remarkably projected diction (the best of the entire cast). Joseph Brent used his fine tenor to great advantage and held our attention with his commanding stage presence. Tenor Joseph Brent was an unkempt Camille with splendid high notes. Joseph Michael Brent as Laurie, Jo’s close friend and unbeknownst suitor, brought a youthful exuberance and sweetness to his role. |
“Tenor Joseph Michael Brent made me weep too, his sound is beautiful, round and tender but also agile and powerful. Brent is truly a romantic hero, with a handsome stage presence and an expressiveness to match. He also worked great in his duets with both Lucia (Ah! Verranno a te sull’aure) and Enrico (O sole più rapido a sorger t’appresta). In his arias in the finale, Brent was heart breaking, particularly in Fra poco a me ricovero, when Egardo still thinks that Lucia betrayed him. He may have rushed a touch too much in Tu che a Dio spiegasti l’ali, but otherwise proved himself as a swooningly excellent tenor… I found Brent very confident with his diction. His Italian was very good as was the sound of his voice, which is on the middle to higher end of the tenor spectrum but still remains very manly. He owned his every move in his delivery of this most moving of finales.” Joseph Michael Brent had a pleasing instrument, although his enthusiastic presence and idiosyncratic costume seemed to recall a youthful version of the title character on Doctor Who. That said, he sang the big arias with sweet, compelling tone, hitting the right emotional notes in the Kleinzach song and the big duet with Antonia in Act II. |