reviews
Michel van der Aa- BlankOut
Every element of this production was stunning. As the woman, Katherine Manley not only held the responsibility of sustaining the action on stage entirely by herself, but she was also tasked with moving video equipment, manipulating props, and performing alongside fixed, pre-recorded sound and film. In addition to mastering these technical challenges, she gave a riveting and exceptionally precise vocal performance.
I care if you listen - Feb 2017
Pat Nixon, John Adams‘ Nixon in China (Staatsoper Stuttgart)
Katherine Manley sang die nicht unbedingt dankbare Rolle der Pat Nixon - sie firmiert als das Dekorations-Blondine an seiner Seite - mit einem bezaubernd leuchtenden, klar fokussierten und technisch perfekt geführten lyrischen Sopran.
Detlef Brandenburg, April 2019
Handel - Serses (Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe)
“Ovationnée par le public, Katherine Manley se surpasse dans le rôle frustré d’Atalanta qu’elle pimente avec une technique impeccable doublée de qualités théâtrales époustouflantes”.
Forumopera, Feb 2019 -Catherine Jordy
“Köstliche Atalanta von Katherine Manley” Da in Händels „Serse“ durchaus auch Züge des venezianischen „dramma giocoso“ zu finden sind, kommt auch der Humor nicht zu kurz. Katherine Manley hat dazu in der Rolle der Atalanta reichlich Gelegenheit, die Handlung mit drolligem Witz aufzulockern. In dieser Oper ist sie das hässliche Entlein, das in Sachen Liebe ständig Pech hat. Sie aber gibt nicht auf, wirft sich allerlei Männern an den Hals und wird immer wieder abgewiesen. Sie nimmt das alles locker hin, was zu äußerst komischen Situationen führt.
Auch Katherine Manley legt die Partie von Romildas verschmähter Schwester Atalanta mit großem, komischem Potenzial an und überzeugt mit sauber geführtem Sopran.
Online music magazine - Thomas Molke
Dennehy - The Hunger
"British Soprano Katherine Manley sang her role with chiseled grace and silken tone"
New York Times - October 2016
“Soprano Manley, who takes on the voice of Nicholson, is superb, and with clarity and subtle tone” - Siobhan Kane - Irish Times 2019
“Soprano Katherine Manley and sean-nós singer Iarla ÓLionáird both bring tremendous colour, clarity and pathos to the storytelling”. - BBC Music Magazine 2019
Dennehy - The Last Hotel - Edinburgh International Festival
"Succulent, soulful soprano" Opera Magazine 2016
"By far the best singing, and the only three dimensional characterization, came from Katherine Manley as the Wife: her succulent,soulful soprano made the most of Dennehy's lines and like many a tragic woman in a love triangle, she convinced us she would rather not be there"
Andrew Clark, Opera Magazine (October 2015)
Charpentier MEDÉE – English National Opera
“Katherine Manley looking suitable delicious and singing and writhing beautifully as Creusa”
William Hartston, Express (February 2013)
“Katherine Manley makes a great deal with the potentially ungrateful role of Creusa. Manley portrays a determined young woman who is used to getting her own way. She also demonstrated impressive dance skills in Creon’s mad scene. The voice is beautiful and full toned and she looks a treat onstage.”
Sebastian Petit, Opera Britannia (February 2013)
Handel IL PASTOR FIDO – St George’s, Hanover Square, London
“By far the strongest impression came from Katherine Manley as the scheming Eurilla”
Hugh Canning, Opera Magazine (June 2012)
Handel IL PASTOR FIDO – Harmonia Mundi CD
“The young cast turn in more than creditable performances, especially so in the case of the Eurilla of Katherine Manley, projected with considerable vocal allure”
Brian Robins, Opera Magazine (April 2012)
Handel - AMADIGI DI GAULA - Central City Opera, Colorado, USA
"...with soprano Katherine Manley especially standing out. She possesses all the ingredients for success — striking looks, dramatic flair and a spellbinding voice. Manley showed an easy affinity for Handel's writing and brought depth and a kind of dewy naturalism to her singing, managing to project in even her most hushed moments."
Kyle MacMillan, Opera News, (October 2011)
"The production's clear standout is soprano Katherine Manley, who is making her American debut in the role of Oriana. She has all the makings of a star, including a commanding stage prescence and a fresh, spellbinding voice. Caressing every word and digging into its deepest emotions, she assures that Oriana's Act 1 love aria is one of the opera's highlights"
The Denver Post, (7 June 2011)
Monteverdi - THE RETURN OF ULYSSES - English National Opera (Young Vic)
"Thomas Hobbs's Telemaco and Katherine Manley's Melanto are glitteringly sung"
The Independent, Michael Church (March 2011)
Handel TOLOMEO - English Touring Opera (Oct/Nov 2009)
"Katherine Manley bears a passing resemblance to Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, and her singing is of almost equal intensity - she was a very credible and sympathetic Seleuce, her acting as committed as her singing was pure in tone, and Fonte, amiche, aure leggere could hardly have been more eloquently sung"
Opera Today, Melanie Eskanazi (October 2009)
L'INCORONAZIONE DI POPPEA - Iford Festival (July 2009)
"Nicholas Sharratt's tenor Nerone and Katherine Manley's Poppea were both convincingly sung. Manley's voice had clarity and warmth, and her acting conveyed well Poppea's manipulative guile."
Opera Magazine, Rian Evans (October 2009)
"The Poppea of Katherine Manley looks consistently ravishing, whether in a long white dress or carefully wrapped in a satin sheet...Manley's Poppea, too, was at greater ease when reflective, singing with a delicate beauty and acting with a regal nobility that seemed to come more naturally to her"
Musical Criticism, Hugh Shirley (17 July 2009)
Blow's VENUS & ADONIS/PURCELL SONGS - Transition Opera, Wilton's Music Hall
“Katherine Manley’s beautifully sung Venus gave vent to her grief via one of the greatest melismatic outbursts in Baroque music (as powerful, in its more condensed way, as the Lament that Blow’s pupil Purcell was to write for Dido). That and a blissfully daft ballet of prancing huntsmen were the show’s highlights.”
The Times, Richard Morrison (February 13, 2009)
“Katherine Manley who sang Oh Solitude....sang Purcell’s long and twisting phrases with delicious restraint, making much of the poet Katherine Phillips’ powerful words. Manley is stunning after the interval as Venus in Blow’s masque. Her long, heart-rending Aah at the end knew such grief as is worth travelling to the East End for. Even she was surprised at the audience roar which greeted her curtain call.”
BBC Blog, Rick Jones (12 February 2009)
"...fortunate in having a truly talented young company to work with....best of all is Katherine Manley's strong and sweet soprano, a Venus with bags of dramatic potential and beauty to boot. Her lament over the gored Adonis was more moving than many a Dido I've seen."
Music OHH, Simon Thomas (February 12, 2009)
"...it's finely sung, with Manley and Kimberg looking and sounding terrific together"
The Guardian, Tim Ashely (February 14, 2009)
"The most notable performance of the evening was surely from Katherine Manley as Venus. She offered a powerful, confident and alluring portrayal of the role. The pinnacle of her performance was her lamenting aria sung over the dying Adonis. Truly touching, both Manley's acting and singing at this point created a tangible cloak of tragedy over the auditorium, which was a real achievement after the jovial, light-hearted atmosphere established in many of the opera's previous scenes. At the very moment of Adonis' death, Manley's musical sighs were given with great passion and despair; her vocal performance remained impeccable throughout her outpouring of grief – truly fantastic."
Musical Criticism, Claudine Nightingale (February 22, 2009)
Handel's JOSHUA - London Handel Festival at St George's, Hanover Square, London W1
“Acshah, Caleb's daughter, was sung with sweet radiance and considerable agility by the soprano Katherine Manley…………..Manley sang every bit as exultantly as if she had indeed possessed Jubal's lyre and Miriam's tuneful voice.”
The Times, Hilary Finch (March 17, 2008)
“Katherine Manley and Alexandra Gibson both had fine moments as Acshah and Othniel, even if ‘O Had I Jubal’s Lyre’, a little on the brisk side, demonstrated agility rather than exultation.”
Evening Standard, Barry Millington (March 14 2008)
HANSEL AND GRETEL - Opera North
“Katherine Manley’s honeyed Sandman and affectionate Dew fairy excited expectation for her future.”
Opera Magazine, Martin Dreyer (March 2008)
Handel's MESSIAH – Derby Bach Choir
“Of the four soloists, soprano Katherine Manley brought brightness and charm to her numbers: 'Rejoice greatly' positively bubbled.”
Mike Wheeler (17 Mar 2007)
Monteverdi’s ORFEO – English Touring Opera (Hackney Empire)
“Katherine Manley's bright-toned Muse lights the universe up with song.
The Independent, Michael Church (October 2006)
Handel’s TOLOMEO – English Touring Opera
"These were touchingly and effectively sung by Jonathan Peter Kenny in the title role, and Katherine Manley as his wife Seleuce. The latter, a student at the Royal College of Music co-opted to join the professional cast on tour, provided the performance of the evening."
Opera Review, Martin Kemp (May 2006)
“Her entrance (Seleuce) - as played by Katherine Manley - immediately raises the temperature of this co-production between English Touring Opera, the Royal College of Music and the London Handel Festival. Manley, whose bright, vibrant sound and intense engagement portend a very promising career, is still at the College”
The Independent, Edward Seckerson (May 2006)