Orfeo ed Euridice - C W. Gluck (Canadian Opera Company)
"American countertenor Lawrence Zazzo (last seen here in Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream in 2009) and Toronto soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian as Eurydice made a dream couple.." -John Terauds, Toronto Star, May 2011
Idomeneo - W. A. Mozart (Canadian Opera Company)
"American tenor Paul Groves is rock-solid in the title role, but the real stars are the women: Canadian soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian as Ilia, mezzo Krisztina Szabó as Idomeneo's son, Idamante, and Amercian soprano Tamara Wilson as Elettra. All three were note-perfect and captivating musically as well as dramatically." -John Terauds, Toronto Star, May 2010
Idomeneo - W. A. Mozart (Canadian Opera Company)
"Isabel Bayrakdarian, one of Canada's hottest sopranos, sang the role of Trojan princess Ilia. Bayrakdarian is a moving singer who doesn't sacrifice good phrasings and articulations for cheap drama. There are three words that can best describe her singing overall: beautiful, beautiful, and beautiful." -L.H. Tiffany Hsieh, La Scena Musicale, May 2010
The Coronoation of Poppea - Monteverdi (Gran Teatre del Liceu)
"How can one choose between the bubbly, adolescent sex-appeal of blonde bombshell Miah Persson and the languid, aloof Mediterranean beauty of dark-haired Isabel Bayrakdarian? David Alden and both singers managed to create an irresistible and believable Poppea from each of their strikingly different personalities" -Roberto Herrscher, Opera News, February 2009
The Pearl Fishers
“Isabel Bayrakdarian, the Canadian soprano, makes a spectacular Leila, the priestess who comes to ancient Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to protect the native pearl divers in their annual rituals. She's at the apex of an entirely predictable love triangle, and the libretto is pretty light fare, but Bayrakdarian, born in Lebanon of Armenian parents, has a stunning presence and the part is tailor-made for her vocal range and luxurious coloratura. She's at her most riveting in the dreamy incantation that ends Act One, when she reveals herself to Nadir, her preferred lover, and in the Act Two scene when he slips into the temple.”- Jay Furst, Post Bulletin, October 3, 2009
“As Leïla, the virginal chanteuse-for-hire whose entanglements with tenor and baritone propel the plot, soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian walked away with the evening's vocal honors. As agile as she is lyrical, Bayrakdarian can be expressive even when veiled and silent, and manages to seem vulnerable despite the utter security of her singing.” -Larry Fuchsberg, StarTribune, September 28, 2009
Dialogues des Carmelites
“Bayrakdarian captured the aching complexities of fearful Blanche and sang with beauty and commitment.” -Sarah Bryan Miller, Musical America, February 26, 2007
“As Blanche, Bayrakdarian achieves a wonderful meeting of physical and vocal presence. We feel the range of her secular anxiety, religious questing, fear of death and fear of fear. Always lovely to hear and an intelligent actress, she reaches a new level here.” -Andrew Patner, Chicago Sun Times, February 19, 2007
“Isabel Bayrakdarian, with her full, gleaming soprano and fine musical intelligence, made an affecting Blanche. She conveyed the wounded-sparrow quality that made us care deeply about this fretful neurotic.”-John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune, February 18, 2007
Marie Galante
“Her character…was poignantly portrayed by Ms. Bayrakdarian… Ms. Bayrakdarian brings a combination of earthy vocal power and subtle expressive shadings to songs like “J’Attends un Navire” and “Youkali,” a bitter ode to the guiding star that has deserted her.” -Anthony Tommasini, New York Times, November 14, 2008
“Bayrakdarian’s voice was rich and full, and in Kurt Weill's Youkali she practically tore the roof off. But there was also a dark earthiness in her vocal colouring that spoke of her full-throttle commitment to the music she was singing.”-Colin Eatock, Globe and Mail,May 11, 2009
Cleopatra Arias
“Bayrakdarian’s ravishing singing of the lament combined strong emotion with great beauty of sound.”-Ann Carol Dudley, San Francisco Classical Voice, March 18, 2008
“Bayrakdarian was the star of an imaginative program by Nicholas McGegan and the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra that featured excerpts from four 18th century operas based on this most irresistible of monarchs. (…)Changing outfits almost as often as she changed musical keys, she presented a multifaceted portrait marked by splendid vocalism and vivid emotional fervor.”-Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle, March 15, 2008
Pelléas et Mélisande
“Iabel Bayrakdarian was a Mélisande to dream about. Bayrakdarian is lissome and lovely, a subtle and restrained actress and also a singer ravishingly able to project the damaged innocence and timid simplicity of Mélisande's music and the human emotions of the shyly awakening woman within.”
-Ken Winters, Globe and Mail, May 8, 2008
Don Pasquale
“Isabel Bayrakdarian is stunning as Norina, displaying a pure, effortless coloratura soprano, as well as a fine comedic touch”-Marc Shulgold, Rocky Mountain News, February 12, 2008
Le Nozze di Figaro
“Canadian soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian, last seen here [at San Diego Opera] in "The Pearl Fishers" in 2004, brings a smart, confident interpretation to the role of Susanna and sings with polish and control, particularly in the fourth-act aria "Deh, vieni, non tardar."-Pam Kragen, The Californian, May 10, 2007
“Soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian excelled as his beloved Susanna, bringing alluring expertise to the signature role that she had never before performed in San Diego.” -Valerie Scher, San Diego Union Tribune, May 7, 2007
Don Giovanni
“Bayrakdarian…sparkled as Zerlina!” -Mike Silverman, Associated Press, April 2009
Orfeo ed Euridice
“Isabel Bayrakdarian was a captivating Euridice, who fervently conveyed the rescued bride's frustration over her husband's apparent indifference.” -George Loomis, Financial Times, February 28, 2006
Benvenuto Cellini
“Isabel Bayrakdarian brought a bright, agile soprano voice and perkiness to the role of Teresa.” -Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times, December 6, 2003
A View from the Bridge
“Isabel Bayrakdarian, in her Met debut, proved a bright and engaging Catherine, suggesting the naivete of a 17-year-old without being kittenish about it.” -Shirley Fleming, Musical America, December 9, 2002
