| Acclaim
Mefistofele in Concert at Opera Australia
“As Margherita, Leah Crocetto looked resplendent in glittering pale teal and sounded much the same. She did project a tone of youthful innocence at the beginning of the first encounter with Faust, but her upper notes were far from girlish in their expansive power. Margherita’s Act 2 aria is probably the most familiar number in the opera and was sung with passion and the kind of soaring dynamic that can only be fully appreciated in the theatre. For all the wonder of certain fabulous high notes, sometimes smoother and more focused quieter moments were just as impressive.”
“American soprano Leah Crocetto’s soprano is sumptuous both in terms of its shapely sound and Italian diction. Never more so than in Margherita’s Act III aria, L’altra notte in fondo al mare, and her tender duet with Torre that immediately follows.”
“Crocetto is able to convey the poignancy of Margherita’s demise so powerfully that it easily transports the audience. Moments like this highlight the advantage of the in-concert performance format.”