"To have secured the services of Michael Spyres was a real coup. As recent London performances have demonstrated, he is fast becoming the ‘go to’ tenor for rare French repertoire. There’s an ease to his top notes which is thrilling to hear, whilst his lower register is rich and full. He delivered Alim’s Act IV aria, where he anticipates seeing Sitâ once again, superbly, even ringing out above the enthusiastic brass section." -bachtrack.com -Mark Pullinger
"As Alim, Michael Spyres’s fluid tenor rose to all challenges, and he hit Massenet’s style spot-on." -The Guardian -George Hall
"After thrilling the audience with his interpolated top notes in last year’sLes Martyrs, it was good to hear Michael Spyres using his well-placed mid-register voice. After a confident entry at ‘Non! Sitâ m’appartient’, he nonchalantly took over proceedings, making the role seem like a walk in the park. If the extreme of his voice makes him look strained that’s a good thing otherwise the rest of us mere mortals are going to feel inadequate. With a voice reminiscent of Giacomo Aragall in places, Spyres successfully continues to make headway into 19th Century French repertoire. He displays an ease of performing, with a not unpleasant reedy tone (to qualify this statement, the saxophone is reed instrument: reedy isn’t always bad)." -Opera Brittania -Llyr Carvana
"Michael Spyres in one of the pre-eminent voices in mid 19th century French music and it was a joy to hear his heroic yet focussed tones in this music. Tenors of this period had to be able to cope not only with the large orchestra, but with vocal lines which move. A performer needs stamina and flexibility, as well as a certain fearlessness in tessitura. Spyres had this in spades. His voice has quite a narrow focus, which is just right, and he clearly has a strong sympathy for the music. Alim is a character who is frankly just too good to be true. But Spyres brought out all his musical intelligence and it was simply wonderful just listening to him. He and Hovhannisyan combined in a lovely sympathetic manner in the duets...by the sheer urgency of their performance, Spyres and Hovhannisyan carried you away." -planethugill.com
"We know Michael Spyres’s huge stamina from his progressively more amazing Benvenuto Cellini at ENO...in Alim’s big Act Four number, which would have been a showstopper if Massenet didn’t sweep the action onwards...this is an ardent tenor voice for French grand opera" -The Arts Desk -David Nice
"Michael Spyres sang Alim with ardent fluency, hitting the high notes with athletic grace. Would that we could have heard more of him..." -classissima.com -Doundou Tchil
Michael Spyres as Alim revealed a brilliantly full and rounded tenor sound that was tempered by lightness. " -musicomh.com -Sam Smith
"As Alim, Michael Spyres’s fluid tenor rose to all challenges, and he hit Massenet’s style spot-on." -The Guardian -George Hall
"After thrilling the audience with his interpolated top notes in last year’sLes Martyrs, it was good to hear Michael Spyres using his well-placed mid-register voice. After a confident entry at ‘Non! Sitâ m’appartient’, he nonchalantly took over proceedings, making the role seem like a walk in the park. If the extreme of his voice makes him look strained that’s a good thing otherwise the rest of us mere mortals are going to feel inadequate. With a voice reminiscent of Giacomo Aragall in places, Spyres successfully continues to make headway into 19th Century French repertoire. He displays an ease of performing, with a not unpleasant reedy tone (to qualify this statement, the saxophone is reed instrument: reedy isn’t always bad)." -Opera Brittania -Llyr Carvana
"Michael Spyres in one of the pre-eminent voices in mid 19th century French music and it was a joy to hear his heroic yet focussed tones in this music. Tenors of this period had to be able to cope not only with the large orchestra, but with vocal lines which move. A performer needs stamina and flexibility, as well as a certain fearlessness in tessitura. Spyres had this in spades. His voice has quite a narrow focus, which is just right, and he clearly has a strong sympathy for the music. Alim is a character who is frankly just too good to be true. But Spyres brought out all his musical intelligence and it was simply wonderful just listening to him. He and Hovhannisyan combined in a lovely sympathetic manner in the duets...by the sheer urgency of their performance, Spyres and Hovhannisyan carried you away." -planethugill.com
"We know Michael Spyres’s huge stamina from his progressively more amazing Benvenuto Cellini at ENO...in Alim’s big Act Four number, which would have been a showstopper if Massenet didn’t sweep the action onwards...this is an ardent tenor voice for French grand opera" -The Arts Desk -David Nice
"Michael Spyres sang Alim with ardent fluency, hitting the high notes with athletic grace. Would that we could have heard more of him..." -classissima.com -Doundou Tchil
Michael Spyres as Alim revealed a brilliantly full and rounded tenor sound that was tempered by lightness. " -musicomh.com -Sam Smith