Career

Lisette Oropesa also achieved a musical and theatrical triumph as Ophelia, finding the part’s hurt and pathos as well as the terrific staccati and chromatic scales; she has become an excellent interpreter of French opera.

—  David Shengold  •  Gay City News

It was the towering performance of Lisette Oropesa as Manon [last seen in Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots at the Paris Opera, see Robert's review] though that swept all before. It’s a rare thing to vocally and physically convince us of this story’s verisimilitude – and on a screen the size of a house there’s nowhere to hide. So totally did she embody her character that she had me from the get-go. Just one look into those sweet wilful impish eyes was enough. Nothing about her interpretation seemed to have been left to chance. Every thought and move seemed connected to the next. A performance of supreme self-control and insight. Every finessed and exquisite phrase pushed her inexorably towards her fate. A ravishing and heart-rending evening.

—  Planet Hugill  •  Planet Hugill

Rimpasto nel cast della serata che vede nel ruolo di Violetta per la seconda recita in Arena Lisette Oropesa che disegna una ragazza particolarmente fragile sin dall’inizio nel suo desiderio effimero di evadere dal suo destino, dalla voce tecnicamente malleabile e parecchio efficacie nelle note più alte del suo registro, capace di rifinire un suono delicatissimo fino all’impercettibile, sempre con grande precisione.

—  Maria Teresa Giovagnoli  •  MTG Lirica

The Power of Nature Lizette Oropesa
And it was fortunate for Lizette Oropesa to be called to play a leading role in this vision. A true power of nature. The 35-year-old New Orleans-based soprano from Cuba, the marathon runner with the vigorous body and the overwhelming voice and body strength, has cut the public's breath. So much so that we forgot the heat and sweat in our necks as we were crammed into the crowded Herodion and held our breath until we burst into applause again and again. Not at all comme il faut according to the codes of the audience at the opera, but the eagerness to express the chills that permeated the bodies listening to her voice was stronger. With a body of fever and a lyric-like stalk, Oropesa moved to the stage, to the black stage party.

—  Katerina I. Rise  •  IefiMerida

Lisette Oropesa s’attaque au rôle à l’origine conçu pour Jenny Lind (dont le bicentenaire sera sans doute commémoré l’année prochaine en Suède). Ce seul personnage féminin se révèle le plus attentionné de tous. L’Amalia d’Oropesa n’a pas que le cœur sur la main, mais également sa respiration et ses palpitations, qui deviennent pratiquement physiques d’une manière qui évoque le souffle audible d’une Violetta ou d’une Gilda. Oropesa sait profiter au maximum de l’écriture vocale : plus ses coloratures et ses sauts impeccables entre les registres montent vers les niveaux stratosphériques, plus son timbre chaleureux et teinté de mélancolie gagne en beauté et en sûreté. Lorsqu'elle apprend que Carlo est en vie, elle effectue un changement soudain d'intention, touchant à la folie, qui offre un instant irrésistible. Les spectateurs ravis s’unissent pour la récompenser, elle, ses collègues et tout l’orchestre (qui vient sur le plateau), d'une ovation debout.

—  Andreas Wahlberg  •  Olyrix

Di Lisette Oropesa, Amalia, precedentemente udita solo in un’aria eseguita negli studi della RAI di Roma in occasione della celebrazione dei trenta anni de “La barcaccia”, ci si è innamorati immediatamente: oltre all’interprete trepidante e sensibile, ha incantato la facilità e bellezza del canto, dove il soprano riesce a dominare tutte le dinamiche, a svettare con limpidezza in acuto e ad essere quanto mai espressiva nel fraseggio e seducente nell’accento della giovane innamorata. Perfetta già nella sortita “Lo sguardo avea degli angeli” ha raggiunto l’apice nella scena del cimitero cesellando un’aria e la cabaletta, ovviamente col da capo squisitamente variato, che apre il secondo atto. Ci si augura di riaverla presto in Scala e, in generale, in Italia.

—  Andrea Merli  •  I Teatri dell Est

How do you brew a great opera experience?  Mixing Donizetti and Oropesa is a great start.  Operas are not a one-person show, ever.  They are the result of many talented, dedicated contributors.  So, I feel guilty raving about one team member in particular, but I am going to rave about Lisette Oropesa, right now, right up front for everybody to see.  She is already a veteran of the Metropolitan Opera and has spent the last couple of years perfecting her craft working in Europe. I previously saw her perform live in 2016 at the Kennedy Center and was impressed.  She recently won the Richard Tucker Award, the top opera award.  When she appeared for the first time Saturday night in Pittsburgh Opera’s Don Pasquale, the impact was even greater than the change from black/white scenery to color suggested; like a light bulb, the life in the performance came on, Donizetti meets star power.  There were other excellent performances and other important good stuff to talk about, but let’s get the ‘why you must not miss this performance’ out of the way up front.  Pittsburgh, go see and hear Lisette Oropesa while you can.

—  OperaGene  •  OperaGene

En premier lieu, la reine de la soirée, Lisette Oropesa dans le rôle d’Isabelle ; elle y développe toute la suprématie vocale qu’elle possède sans faille, étant à l’apogée de ses moyens : sons filés, aigu victorieux, colorature mathématique, tout y est absolument à sa place. De plus, sa qualité suprême est de parvenir à créer des lignes superbes dans le phrasé, créant de réelles tensions dramatiques à des moments plus faibles de l’ouvrage. L’équilibre était difficile à obtenir avec le second rôle féminin, qui est finalement celui qui a bénéficié des nombreuses innovations musicales de Meyerbeer à l’époque de l’écriture de l’œuvre : trios a capella, tessiture hybride, urgence dans l’action.

—  Alain Attyasse  •  ResMusica

Lisette Oropesa cantó con una gran musicalidad, estuvo segura en los ornamentos, con un gran dominio del estilo, una expresión muy convincente, aguantando con brillantez la complejidad y duración de su papel.

—  Albert Vilardell  •  Ritmo