Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera at the Metropolitan Opera

“the soprano Angela Meade delivered a memorable Amelia. Her sound is essentially cool, but it got fuller and more inflamed as the weird, tragic plot developed, ending up lean yet glowing, like a red-hot poker.” New York Times – Zachary Woolfe

“As for the singing, simply put: this was brilliantly sung. The leading cast displayed exemplary bel canto technique from the first note to the last, and their approach to Verdi’s music elevated even the most bare-bones of dramatic elements….Angela Meade, as the guilt-ridden but glamorous Amelia, was superb. She has a dazzling, full-bodied sound, nicely balanced and perfectly controlled, and navigates the massive range of Amelia’s part with a deft touch. There was more than one breathtaking moment in each of her arias—from acapella pianissimo entrances that emerged with crystalline splendor to waterfalls of sound so forceful that the air shook around her.” Observer – Gabrielle Ferrari

“This was not Angela Meade’s first appearance in the opera, and her Amelia was burnished with experience that emerged from the singer’s resonant middle and lower registers—a reminder that her unconsummated love for the King helps seal his doom. Her versatile delivery emerged in great relief in Amelia’s Act II aria “Dell’arido stelo divulsa,” but her aria of maternal despair in the next act, “Morrò, ma prima in grazia” showcased her singing at its best.” The European Conservative – Paul du Quenoy

“Angela Meade was in sumptuous voice as Amelia. She filled out Verdi’s soaring lines with plush sound, often topping a phrase with soft, shimmering high notes. As an actress, she made for a sympathetic woman torn between fidelity to her husband and passion for Gustavo in grand operatic style.” New York Classical Review – Rick Perdian