Operatic Reviews

(Click on roles to jump to the Gallery to see photos of these characters.)

as Mustafa in L'Italiana in Algeri with Florentine Opera:

"The acceptance of Peter Strummer's Mustafa was effortless.  His bass voice mixed the great weight of Mustafa's imagined dignity with the buoyant lightness of his actual flightiness.  His acting was a clinic in buffo style, loaded with neatly timed business big enough to be legible but small enough to stay within the frame.  No bug-eyed bluster, just fleeting, expressive reaction to the confusion around and within the character."

-The Milwaukee Journal

as Don Pasquale with Central City Opera:

"Peter Strummer has perfected Don Pasquale, the ideal role for his grand sense of character and his rich baritone.  He is the lovable old gentleman who in a crisis of advanced years determines he will take a young wife.  In the prologue, before he had even sung a note, he established himself firmly and lovingly with the audience.  Hardly a reticent performer, he plays Pasquale to the teeth."

-Rocky Mountain News

"In the title role, Peter Strummer played the male analogue of a spinster, set in his ways and prone to impatience - a portrayal belied by his warm, firm, agile, obviously younger voice."

-Opera News

"There could hardly be a better Pasquale than Peter Strummer, long the company's main master of comic roles."

-Daily Camera

"Baritone Peter Strummer plays a crusty, easily deceived Don Pasquale, projecting a humanness into the part."

-The Mountain Ear

as Fra Melitone in La Forza Del Destino with the Canadian Opera Company:

"Peter Strummer looked and sounded perfectly in character, his Brother Melitone earthy and mercurial."

-The Toronto Sun

"Peter Strummer made a great hit as Fra Melitone, singing the role, honestly, but also bringing out all its comedy."

-The Spectator

as Fra Melitone in La Forza del Destino with the Washington Opera:

"Peter Strummer as Fra Melitone gave a balanced performance, blending musicality with a fine sense of comedy."

-Opera Canada

"Peter Strummer is an agile and aggressive Melitone with all the right musical accents."

-Opera

as Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier with L'Opéra de Montréal:

"Outstanding was Peter Strummer as Faninal, whose voice tended to raspiness but equally to eloquence.  So convincing was his performance that one sympathized with his plight when his intended son-in-law was publicly humiliated and discredited."

-Opera Magazine

as Faninal with Canadian Opera Company:

"Peter Strummer as Faninal was one of the highlights of the production, projecting clearly and confidently, and characterizing vividly."

-The Spectator

as Faninal with Santa Fe Opera:

"Peter Strummer made an agreeably fatuous Faninal."

-Opera

as Faninal with Opera Colorado:

"Bass Peter Strummer's fussily detailed Faninal proved consistently amusing."

-Opera News

"Peter Strummer's Faninal impressed with solid singing and restrained fopishness."

-Rocky Mountain News

as Faninal with Cincinnati Opera:

"Peter Strummer hit the mark as Sophie's father, from clenched teeth anger to tenderness."

-The Cincinnati Post

as Leporello in Don Giovanni with Edmonton Opera:

"Peter Strummer's Leporello is a wonderful foil, acting and singing with comic brio."

-The Globe and Mail

"Strummer brought a wonderfully sly humor to the role of Leporello, wringing all the salacious fun out of his recitation of his master's amorous conquests in "Madamina! il catalogo."

-Tulsa World

as the Music Master in Ariadne auf Naxos with Florentine Opera:

"Peter Strummer was the endearing essence of frustration as the Music Master."

-Opera News

as Bartolo in Le Nozze di Figaro with Baltimore Opera Company:

"The men sang well - notably Peter Strummer as Bartolo."

-The Washington Post

as Sacristan in Tosca with Opera Lyra Ottawa:

"Peter Strummer was a superb Sacristan - vocally assured, dramatically agile, and able to blend the opera's few moments of levity with the sense of menace that underlay everything else."

-Ottawa Citizen

as Sacristan with Canadian Opera Company:

"Peter Strummer's Sacristan was a model in giving a supporting role maximum impact."

-The Toronto Sun

as Kecal in Bartered Bride with Washington Opera:

"... the young Austrian approached the role with welcome security throughout his range, a genuine trill, a chuckle in his eye and a Zero Mostel-like leer on his face."

-The Baltimore Sun

"[T]he best voices and the most effective acting must be credited to the two comic characters, Peter Strummer as the marriage broker Kecal and [Vasek]."

-The Washington Post

"[T]he brightest stars of the evening were baritone Peter Strummer as Kecal, the marriage broker and [Vasek].  Bombastic, cocky, comically self-assured, Mr. Strummer's character kept the plot in motion."

-The Washington Times

"Kecal, the marriage broker, was artfully done by bass-baritone Peter Strummer.  Strummer's light touch was particularly appropriate for this manipulative gentleman."

-The Gazette

"Peter Strummer makes a delightful marriage broker."

-The Philadelphia Inquirer

as Dr. Bartolo in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with L'Opéra de Montréal:

"Bass-baritone Peter Strummer was a worthy adversary as Dr. Bartolo, a deep-toned and able vocal actor."

-Gazette

"Peter Strummer is a delightfully pompous Dr. Bartolo..."

-A&E Classical

"Peter Strummer was a convincing Bartolo, with his testiness and just the right amount of boorishness... he was a pleasure to listen to."

-Press-Republic

"Happily, Braun's Figaro in this production is well matched by Dr. Bartolo, also splendidly sung and acted by the impressive bass-baritone Peter Strummer."

-The Suburban

as Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with Calgary Opera:

"With his strong voice and great stage presence, Strummer commands your attention with his antics and natural acting ability.  Demonstrative and fluid movements made his performance of the wicked stepfather most enjoyable to watch."

-FFWD

"The Calgary Opera bounced back with a sparkling and witty production of Rossini's La Cenerentola.  The production was greatly helped by the outstanding performance of Peter Strummer, a veteran basso steeped in the Italian buffo tradition, whose every move as Don Magnifico served to enhance the comic drive and pacing of the show."

-Opera Canada

as Don Magnifico with Teatro de la Zarzuela, Madrid:

"...the Viennese Peter Strummer, as Don Magnifico, did honor to the name of his character..."

-El Pais

as Alberich in Das Rheingold with L'Opéra de Montréal:

"The hero of the concert was incontestably Peter Strummer, as treacherous and mocking as one could hope for as Alberich.  His voice and gestures when cursing the gods were worthy of a staged version more than a concert adaptation."

-La Presse

"Peter Strummer brought a flash to the sluggish character of Alberich and his curses after the ring was taken from him were of such fury that our blood, like that of the gods, ran cold."

-Le Devoir

as Geronte in Manon Lescaut with Opera Pacific:

"Peter Strummer contributed a believable, nicely complex Geronte."

-Los Angeles Times

as Geronte in Manon Lescaut with L'Opéra de Montréal:

"... while Peter Strummer as Geronte transformed the rather stereotypical role of the spurned older lover into a living, breathing character."

-Michael Van Duzer

as De Brétigny in Manon with Florentine Opera:

"Peter Strummer made an observant fox of the roue de Brétigny, and thus showed how to make a secondary character intriguing."

-Journal Sentinel

as De Brétigny in Manon with L'Opéra de Montréal:

"Le plus sérieux des deux, Brétigny, est remarquablement campé par un Peter Strummer tout d'une pièce, décidé, redoutable mème, à la voix de stentor et au français presque irréprochable." ["The more serious of the two, Brétigny, is remarkably portrayed by Peter Strummer all of one piece, decisive, redoubtable, a stentorian voice, and a near irreproachable French."]

-La Presse

as Don Prudenzio in Il Viaggio a Reims with New York City Opera:

"As Don Prudenzio, Peter Strummer exhibited a firm buffo bass-baritone, and he was restrained enough in his acting to project a genuinely funny character."

-Opera News

as Dr. Bartolo in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Fresno Grand Opera:

"As if one comic character were not enough, Strummer's Dr. Bartolo nearly stole the show.  He stumped and gesticulated around his quarters, exploding at every revelation of the Count's machinations and Rosina's impertinence.  His voice and his costumes brought to life his gentlemanly position and escalated the effect of his buffoonery."

-Fresno Bee

singing Dr. Bartolo's Aria at the L'Opéra de Montréal Gala:

"Peter Strummer, puissant baryton et hilarant Bartolo faisant crouler la salle." ["Peter Strummer, powerful baritone and hilarious Bartolo brought down the house."]

-La Presse

as Mustafa in L'Italiana in Algeri with Lyric Opera of Kansas City:

"Peter Strummer was a dream of a Mustafa, with an aptly brassy bass-baritone and plenty of agility."

-The Kansas City Star

as the Sacristan in Tosca with San Francisco Opera:

"Among the smaller roles, Peter Strummer stood out for his robust comic vigor as the Sacristan."

-San Francisco Chronicle

As Sulpice in La Fille du Régiment with Opera Ontario:

"Peter Strummer's voice was resonant in the role of Sergeant Sulpice. Of husky build, no one could dispute his commanding presence. The singing lesson and his character's intentions toward the marquise amply displayed his comic assuredness."

The Hamilton Spectator

As Sulpice in La Fille du Régiment with Opera Ontario:

"The veteran American bass-baritone Peter Strummer made a genially extroverted Sergeant Sulpice."

The Toronto Star

As Sulpice in La Fille du Régiment with Opera Ontario:

"American bass-baritone Peter Strummer brought out the warmth and paternal concern in Sergeant Sulpice."

Opera Canada

As Don Pasquale with Opera Lyra Ottawa:

"Of course the best staging in the world would have availed little had the singing and acting not been of the high quality it was Saturday evening. Peter Strummer's Don Pasquale was a perfect delight. Vocally strong, he acted the title role to perfection, creating a character that was petty and foolish, to be sure, but basically decent all in all. Such three-dimensional portrayals of decrepit old men seeking young brides are rare in opera to say the least."

Ottawa Citizen

As Don Pasquale with Opera Lyra Ottawa:

"Peter Strummer's Pasquale is delightful as the old bugger, with a rich, articulate voice to go with the bad rug and even worse temper."

The Ottawa Sun

As Don Pasquale with New York City Opera:

"Peter Strummer carries the show as an endearingly flummoxed Don Pasquale. His bass-baritone is expressive and full, but it is his sure-footed physical acting that brings many of the evening's laughs, as when he arthritically suits up for his big date with youth and beauty, or later when he rolls himself onto the stage in a wheelchair, pathetically broken by his foray into married life."

The New York Times

As Don Pasquale with New York City Opera:

"Bass Peter Strummer is a good Pasquale, singing all the notes smack in the middle, acting the role of the self-deluding Don with a combination of wealthy dignity and comic absurdity. His comic timing is impeccable, and he always remains sweet enough so that when Norina slaps him in Act III we, correctly, think she's gone too far."

Classics Today.com

As the Rheingold Alberich with New Orleans Opera:

"Peter Strummer's Alberich was a complicated character who moved from frustration, to triumph, to defeat."

The Times-Picayune

As the Rheingold Alberich with New Orleans Opera:

"Peter Strummer performed the role of Alberich with a sense of painful and tragic alienation, yet gaining a deep sense of pity for his plight meaning that both his acting, and his singing was faultless."

AmbushMag.com

As Don Pasquale with Florentine Opera:

"Peter Strummer, as the aged Don who would marry to spite Ernesto, his rebellious heir and nephew, did as much as anyone could with bad-toupee and aching-back sight gags. Some clever makeup gave him a jowly, baggy-eyed, world-weary face he could work with. The Don has a lot of spoken dialogue, much of it in soliloquies and letter-reading, and Strummer was brilliant with that. His phrasing and body language made the meaning clear even through the Italian.

Even in the forte-fortissimo first act, the singers displayed consistently attractive voices. Strummer, Johnson, tenor Bradley Williams (Ernesto) and baritone Mel Ulrich (Malatesta) held pitch, projected and phrased nicely throughout the evening. Pleasure was to be had in their singing."

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

As Benoit / Alcindoro with San Francisco Opera:

"Unfortunately, as with the Barber of Seville during the fall season, the singers in La Bohème failed to meet the standards required for a suitable rendering of this work by a first-rank international opera company. With two exceptions the brilliant baritone Marius Kwiecien, who sang the role of Marcello with opulent voice and vibrant stage presence, and the bass Peter Strummer in the comic roles of Benoit and Alcindoro."

SFCV.org

As Benoit / Alcindoro with San Francisco Opera:

"The veteran character bass baritone Peter Strummer did two excellent turns, double cast as the landlord Benoit and Musetta's rich goat of an escort, Alcindoro."

Robert Commandy

As the Badger in Jancek's The Cunning Little Vixen :

"Bass-baritone Peter Strummer, was an imposing Badger."

Contra Costa Times

As Sulpice :

"Peter Strummer sang Sulpice with eloquence, terrific diction and fine comic timing."

Detroit Free Press

As Daland in Der Fliegende Holländer :

"Daland (bass-baritone Peter Strummer) was flawless with vocal strength to spare."

Arizona Republic

As The Major-Domo in Dallas Opera's production of Ariadne auf Naxos :

"Early on, Peter Strummer threatens to steal the show in the speaking role of the Major-Domo, relishing his power to inflict misery."

Dallas Morning News

As Dr. Bartolo with Austin Lyric Opera

"Bass-baritone Peter Strummer, sparkled, leading the rest of the small cast in a vocally spot-on show, especially considering Rossini's challenging score."

As Il Sagrestano with Baltimore Opera

" Peter Strummer's Sacristan stood out for its vivid musical theatrical character."

" As the Sacristan, Peter Strummer expertly provided comic relief."

As Il Sagrestano with Manitoba Opera

"Peter Strummer's droll Sacristan ... was completely endearing. Announcing his arrival onstage with several healthy sneezes, he was a natural in this comic role. His bass-baritone made E sempre lava! a breath of fresh air before the drama to come."