Carla López-Speziale Mezzosoprano
Carla López-Speziale     Mezzosoprano

Carla López-Speziale

 

From Courcelle’s Achille in Sciro (Achille)

          “López-Speziale does a respectable versión of a male trying to pass in a dress. Vocally, she launches some amazing fireworks.”

          “As Achilles, López-Speziale steals the show. She has more of the showy arias to sing than all of the other cast members and each one was better sung than the one before it. Her acting was also excellent.”

Gregory Sullivan Isaacs, theaterjones.com, February 18, 2018

From Carmen (Carmen):

          “…a natural, unforced stage presence, even—or perhaps especially—undertaking an orchestral quality performance on the castanets.

          …done up in her Act IV mantilla, she might have stepped out of a painting.

          …And did I say she can sing? There’s that too.”

Peter Gordon, hkeld.com, chinadailyasia.com, December 2016.

          “… developed charm and conviction in her acting,

…a dark and attractive timbre…”

José Noé Mercado, Revista Pro-Ópera, Enero-Febrero 2010.

 

          “…impressive stage presence, full of vocal qualities and notable intuition to portray the legendary cigarette-maker gypsy.”

Jorge Vázquez, Diario de Xalapa, 29 de mayo de 2008.

From Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s South Pacific (Bloody Mary):

          “… the strongest character portrayal of the show, from Bali Ha'i onward. … just watch her and listen to her. Lopez-Speziale doesn't give you a choice.”

Andrew Meacham, Tampa Bay Times, Julyt 4, 2016.

From Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera (Ulrica):

“… performed the witch Ulrica with a dynamic mixture of her mezzo-contralto vocal resources, and her stage demeanour portrayed the sinister nature of her character.”

Louis Marbre-Cargill, Pro-Opera Mayo-Junio 2016.

From Nebra’s Ifigenia en Tracia (Orestes):

          “Speziale gave Orestes some royal dignity, even when in disguise.”

Gregory Sullivan Isaacs, www.theaterjones.com, February 19, 2016.

From Verdi’s Il trovatore (Azucena):

          “The most accomplished member in the cast was Carla López-Speziale, a beautiful woman who gave us a hard-bitten Azucena who, in her Act II scena, was able to encompass the old harridan’s ferocity from the highest tones to lowest. Her interpretation, at times disoriented, at times firm in character, modulated well from scene to scene, concluding with touching ardor in her last moments with Manrico.”

Louis Marbre-Cargill, Pro-ópera, Mayo-Junio 2014

From Arias from Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice (Orfeo):

“… captivated the audience from the very first piece. Her powerful voice and interpretation reflected in each one of the arias also showed richness of vocal tones.”

Organización Editorial Mexicana, 12 de enero de 2014.

From Mahler’s Third Symphony:

          “… simply marvelous artistic performance made the difference between this one and any other memorable concert.

          … with her splendid singing made last Sunday’s concert a once in a lifetime experience...”

Pablo Espinosa, La Jornada, Tuesday 20 March 2007. Cultura

From Bach’s Saint Matthew Passion:

          “… remarkable,… performed with emotion, passion and style.”

Manuel Yrízar, http://criticamusicalenmexico.blogspot.com/2013_03_01_archive.html

          “… used her voice with homogeneity and good quality, especially in her grand aria, ‘Erbarme dich, mein Gott’.”

Alejandro Fernández, El Norte, Sábado 4 de abril del 2009.

From “English songs: homage to Britten” (Elgar’s Sea Pictures, V. Williams’ Four Last Songs & Britten’s Charm of Lullabies)

          “A very enjoyable recital…

… a very pleasant color in her voice…

…has dominion over the technical and musical difficulties of all three cycles performed.”

Iván Martínez, L’Orfeo. Música clásica hoy. Marzo 21, 2013

From Wesendonck Lieder:

          “A voice of impetuous, precise and powerful high and low registers who knew how to sway in the melodic resonances of these love suggestive Lieder.

Notimex, El Universal, Cultura, 25 de Febrero de 2013.

From Cupid’s New Weapons of Love (Las nuevas armas de Amor) (Cupido) :

          “Carla López-Speziale, as Cupid, brought us all nearly to tears in the aria when the god mourned the loss of his arrows.”

Gregory Sullivan Isaacs, Friday, February 15, 2013, www.theaterjones.com

          “… velvety mezzosoprano… There were Handellike moments of lyricism, including a gorgeous aria for Cupid, well-sung by Speziale.”

Matthew Erikson,  Star-Telegram, January 13, 2008

http://www.star-telegram.com/live//story/406901.html

From Samson et Dalila (Dalila):

          “sculptural (in voice and figure)

…impressive stage presence, varied phrasing, clear and straightforward dramatic intentions,

…a voice that possesses the range, the volume and the sensual lush required for such a juicy character.”

Vladimiro Rivas Iturralde, Revista Pro-ópera, enero-febrero 2013.

          “…beautiful and sensual…sang with warmth and strength,

…consummate musicality and impeccable French pronunciation.

…secure and committed acting,

…dominated the stage

…Her voice is rich and vibrant,

… a Dalila that was subtle but with powerful sexual attraction.

… excellent legato.”

John Bills, Revista Pro-ópera, enero-febrero 2013

From Das Rheingold (Erda):

          “An imposing Carla López-Speziale was Erda”

Greek News, November 21, 2011

From Mahler’s Eighth Symphony:

          “Carla López-Speziale confirms herself as the best singer of Mahler in Mexico.”

Pablo Espinosa, La Jornada, September 3, 2011

From Dido and Aeneas/La vida breve (Sorceress/La abuela):

          “… López -Speziale's excellent mezzo as the sorceress… almost steals the show with her wonderful writhing and hip-swinging sorcery.

          … so completely transformed and terrific as the Abuela that one scarcely realizes she was also the gleefully wicked sorceress.”

Jeanie K. Smith, Palo Alto Online, May 27, 2011.

From Pergolesi’s Stabat mater:

          “… great musicality…

… low sonorities…

…made us remember the emission of an eighteenth century castrato.”

Alejandro Fernández, El Norte, Domingo 29 de Marzo del 2009.

From Bach’s Saint John Passion:

          “… deep mezzosoprano voice, … portrayed the relevance of her skills in both arias. Her dark timbre, almost contralto-like was pleasant and moving, especially in the drama imbued in “Von den Stricken meiner Sünden”.”

Alejandro Fernández, El Norte, 16 de abril del 2008.

From Vivaldi’s Montezuma (Mitrena):

          “…reached high dramatic and musical levels…”

Tere Ponce de Vega, Acordanza, El Sol de México, 15 august 2007.

From Monteverdi/Respighi’s L’Orfeo (La musica/La speranza):

          “…splendid as La musica (Music) and La speranza (Hope), with beautiful and intense singing as well as stage command”.

Vladimiro Rivas Iturralde, Milenio.com, May 2007.

From Dazzi’s En susurros los muertos (Cuacuauhtzin/Nezahualcóyotl):

          “Impressive also the singing of Carla López-Speziale. She has a very beautiful, warm voice with a secure and soft top and a powerful low register.”

Christian Fluri,Basler Landschaftszeitung, Nov. 3, 2006

 

From The Rake’s Progress (Baba the Turk):

 “… tossed off the role with panache and a lush mezzo. The beauty of her voice and her theatrical sense cannot be denied.”

John Bender, San Francisco Classical Voice, June 3, 2006.

          “… excellent vocal control as Baba the Turk.”

Judy Richter, OperaGlass Review, The Richter Scale, June 1, 2006.

From Messiah:

“Mezzosoprano Carla López Speziale was the highlight of the night. Anything I say is not enough: dynamics, interpretation, warmth in her timbre, vocal technique, low notes like velvet; [it was] a real musical pleasure to hear her note by note.”

Jorge Arturo Alcázar, Revista Pro-ópera, March-April 2006

 

 “Carla López-Speziale was the surprise [of the evening], because of her tessitura, a true contralto with homogenous color, and admirable legato.”

Francisco Arvizu Hugues, El Informador, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México, 3 Diciembre 2005

 

From Fiesta de la Zarzuela:

          “López-Speziale has a lush mezzo.”

Channing Gray, Providence Journal, Saturday, April 9, 2005.

From Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice (Orfeo):

          “Carla López-Speziale makes a superb interpretation of her role.”

Ricardo Pacheco Colín, La Crónica de hoy, 9 February 2005. http://www.cronica.com.mx/nota.php?idc=166159

 

From CD Soirée Musicale:

 “The first thing to notice when you hear Carla is her beautiful and very dark timbre. We have only heard true contraltos who possess this sort of warm and deep timbre. And of course, this gives the CD its characteristic, since we have usually heard this repertoire in the voices of lighter mezzosopranos.”

Luis Pérez, Revista Pro-ópera September-October 2005

From Vivaldi’s Nisi Dominus and Cur sagittas:

“… a portentous and touching  performance thanks to her deep, amazonic voice with terse and clear registers.”

Ángel Vargas, La Jornada, Sunday 24 October 2004

 “… embellished with her coloraturas and stylistic command as soloist in two of the six pieces programmed by La Serenissima.”

Lázaro Azar, Reforma, 25 October 2004.

From Rossini's Stabat mater:

          "… purified technique and warm emission."

José Noé Mercado, Revista Pro-Ópera año XI, number 4, July-August 2003, p.7

From Beethoven's Lieder:

          "… grace and interpretive charm. The musical spark and the color nuances that she gave in her voice were notable and shone with splendid clarity when she performed "Bonnie Laddie, Highland Laddie."

José Noé Mercado, Revista Pro-Ópera año XI, number 4, July-August 2003, p.10

 

From Moreno Torroba’s Luisa Fernanda (Luisa):

          “López-Speziale has got everything for this role which combines beauty and youth with the resigned personality of a woman who finds herself betrayed by the man she loves and pursued by the lover who offers her everything.”

Jorge Vázquez Pacheco

Gaceta Universidad Veracruzana

April-May 2003 Nueva Epoca no. 64-65 Xalapa * Veracruz * Mexico

http://www.uv.mx/gaceta/Gaceta64/64/quemar/Quemar04.htm

 

From Bernstein's Candide (The Old Lady):

          "The best interpretation of the night…

…was indeed able to give vivacity, cleverness and charisma to her character."

José Noé Mercado, Centro de Información Online, 2/12/2002

(http//www.septien.edu.mx/www.portal/cont/candideenbellasartes.htm)

 

          "...the best response was perhaps that of Carla López-Speziale, who as The Old Lady had more ease of manner and freedom of movement than the rest of her colleagues"

Juan Arturo Brennan,  La Jornada, México D.F. Tuesday 26 November 2002

 

From Rossini's L'italiana in Algeri (Isabella):

          "...it was a pleasant surprise to listen to Carla López-Speziale embody the sly Isabella. May her interpretation of the cavatina Per lui che adoro rest as a sample of her notable coloratura and the depth of her voice, which she shows off especially in the lower register."

Lázaro Azar, Cultura/Reforma, Tuesday 26 February 2002.

          "Carla López-Speziale offered an accurate Isabella with vocal agility and noble singing line in the comical and serious themes of the opera, such as "Pensa alla patria"."

Ramón Jacques, Canto Lírico -  Polymedios Network, 3 March 2002.(http://www.polymedios.com/polymedios/network/cantolirico/cronicas/mexicomarzo2002.htm)

 

From Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky:

          "... the emotional intensity of the concert reached its summit with the participation of Carla [López-Speziale] in the sixth part, "The field of the Dead". [...] What beautiful voice, what charisma, what way of identifying with the distressed woman."

José Alfredo Páramo, La Plaza, El  Economista, November 21, 2001

 

From Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia (Rosina):

          "Mezzosoprano Carla López-Speziale gave Rosina a darker edge than usual, with a dignified stage presence and an agile, rich mezzo voice that sank to unbelievable low notes in the cadenzas of both her arias."

Michael Chipman, Salt Lake Tribune, July 13, 2001.

           "Rosina, as sung by Carla López-Speziale, returns the character to her rightful mezzo roots. The role, often hijacked by sopranos, was originally thought for a lower voice. Lopez brought a rich dark timbre to the role and interpolated additional low notes into both arias...[and]...her singing was superb."

Cindy Dewey, The Herald Journal/Cache, July 20, 2001

 

 

 

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