"Tenor Michael Spyres took the demanding role of Polyeucte. The part makes heroic demands, to which Spyres was absolutely the equal, including a ringing, stratospheric climatic note at one point right at the extreme top of the tenor register that took the audience by storm. Yet he had heroic lyricism at his disposal also, and he was on form right from the off." -Seen and Heard International -Colin Clarke
"Michael Spyres brought all the lyric excitement to the role of Polyeucte that he's demonstrated recently in Berlioz as both Faust (with the LSO) and Benvenuto Cellini (for ENO), and as a bel canto tenor he showed he can hit every bullseye dead centre however quickfire or highwire the music. He topped off his showpiece aria "J'y rais", an extraordinary challenge by any standards, with a high E natural that drew audible gasps from the RFH audience. It can only be a matter of time before UK audiences hear this wonderful singer tackle the "impossible" role of Arnold in William Tell."-Whatsonstage.com -Mark Valencia
"Michael Spyres was in gloriously incisive voice as the heroic convert Polyeucte; the ridiculously high showstopping note in his big Act 3 aria would have had 19th-century Paris at his feet." -The Guardian -Erica Jeal
"The role of Polyeucte/ Poliuto was conceived for Nourrit, who was one of the first tenors to employ chest register for top notes, as was Gilbert Duprez, who gave the actual première. Tenor Michael Spyres has no less remarkable a voice, with a thrilling top – even surprising the audience by pinging out a high E natural in “Oui, j'irai dans leurs temples!” – and amazing baritonal depths. It’s a long, challenging role and Spyres’ stamina to sustain it to the end was admirable." -Bachtrack.com -Mark Pullinger
"Michael Spyres, singing in excellent French, had exactly the right blend of heady tenor with a little bit of steel for the taxing role of the devout, committed Christian and visionary Polyuecte, whose refusal to compromise or renounce his Christian beliefs leads to his Martyrdom. His Act Three aria was a tour de force, especially the thrilling exhibitionist foray well above the stave at its conclusion, yet he always retained a sense of line and legato." -ClassicalSource.com -Alexander Campbell
"Polyeucte was sung by Michael Spyres, who has been making a remarkable name for himself as Arnold in Guillaume Tell and in London last year in Berlioz’ Benvenuto Cellini. Spyres was in superb, incisive voice, adding his luster to the others in the first two acts, but it was in his aria (the one written for Duprez) at the beginning of Act III (the second half of the concert performance) that electrified everyone–orchestra, audience and singers. When he leapt for that high E, it was firm, solid and very exciting, and he held on to it. I assumed that it was an interpolated note, but I am assured that it is in the score. Showy high notes like that might be a guilty pleasure for opera goers, but damn it, it was downright orgasmic! " -Operalounge.de -Charles Jernigan
"The American tenor Michael Spyres has sung quite a number of the tenor roles in the early 19th century French Grand Opera repertoire (we saw him in Auber's La muette de Portici in Paris in 2012) and his performance as Polyeucte was nothing less than heroic. He sang with untiring burnished tone, giving us fine nobility of phrasing and some finely flexible decorative passages. Dramatically he brought strong commitment to the role, making it believable and certainly a lot more than just a string of arias and ensembles."-planethugill.com - Robert Hugill
"Michael Spyres capped his fine Benvenuto Cellini at ENO last summer with firm tone, flexible articulation, eloquent expression and one show-stopping top note" -The Telegraph -Rupert Christiansen
"Michael Spyres brought all the lyric excitement to the role of Polyeucte that he's demonstrated recently in Berlioz as both Faust (with the LSO) and Benvenuto Cellini (for ENO), and as a bel canto tenor he showed he can hit every bullseye dead centre however quickfire or highwire the music. He topped off his showpiece aria "J'y rais", an extraordinary challenge by any standards, with a high E natural that drew audible gasps from the RFH audience. It can only be a matter of time before UK audiences hear this wonderful singer tackle the "impossible" role of Arnold in William Tell."-Whatsonstage.com -Mark Valencia
"Michael Spyres was in gloriously incisive voice as the heroic convert Polyeucte; the ridiculously high showstopping note in his big Act 3 aria would have had 19th-century Paris at his feet." -The Guardian -Erica Jeal
"The role of Polyeucte/ Poliuto was conceived for Nourrit, who was one of the first tenors to employ chest register for top notes, as was Gilbert Duprez, who gave the actual première. Tenor Michael Spyres has no less remarkable a voice, with a thrilling top – even surprising the audience by pinging out a high E natural in “Oui, j'irai dans leurs temples!” – and amazing baritonal depths. It’s a long, challenging role and Spyres’ stamina to sustain it to the end was admirable." -Bachtrack.com -Mark Pullinger
"Michael Spyres, singing in excellent French, had exactly the right blend of heady tenor with a little bit of steel for the taxing role of the devout, committed Christian and visionary Polyuecte, whose refusal to compromise or renounce his Christian beliefs leads to his Martyrdom. His Act Three aria was a tour de force, especially the thrilling exhibitionist foray well above the stave at its conclusion, yet he always retained a sense of line and legato." -ClassicalSource.com -Alexander Campbell
"Polyeucte was sung by Michael Spyres, who has been making a remarkable name for himself as Arnold in Guillaume Tell and in London last year in Berlioz’ Benvenuto Cellini. Spyres was in superb, incisive voice, adding his luster to the others in the first two acts, but it was in his aria (the one written for Duprez) at the beginning of Act III (the second half of the concert performance) that electrified everyone–orchestra, audience and singers. When he leapt for that high E, it was firm, solid and very exciting, and he held on to it. I assumed that it was an interpolated note, but I am assured that it is in the score. Showy high notes like that might be a guilty pleasure for opera goers, but damn it, it was downright orgasmic! " -Operalounge.de -Charles Jernigan
"The American tenor Michael Spyres has sung quite a number of the tenor roles in the early 19th century French Grand Opera repertoire (we saw him in Auber's La muette de Portici in Paris in 2012) and his performance as Polyeucte was nothing less than heroic. He sang with untiring burnished tone, giving us fine nobility of phrasing and some finely flexible decorative passages. Dramatically he brought strong commitment to the role, making it believable and certainly a lot more than just a string of arias and ensembles."-planethugill.com - Robert Hugill
"Michael Spyres capped his fine Benvenuto Cellini at ENO last summer with firm tone, flexible articulation, eloquent expression and one show-stopping top note" -The Telegraph -Rupert Christiansen