Reviews
~ Noah In Concert ~
Opera singer Noah Stewart’s You’ll Never Walk Alone and Nessun Dorma brings down the house.– The Guardian
Noah Stewart, making his third appearance at Llangollen in four years, gave a full-voiced, vulnerable and credulous Don José. His interaction with Aldrich as they moved about the stage was one of the highlights of the performance for many of the 3,500-strong audience.– Daily Post
Inspirational tenor shows star quality to full house at Belfast’s Ulster Hall.
– Belfast Telegraph
Citizen of the world, delivered what had been promised – a refreshing musical treat with his wonderful tenor voice. – Nations News
~ Noah In Opera ~
Don José (Carmen/Bizet)
The Harlem-born tenor has a fine lyric voice that reaches the top notes and promises a starry future. – Daily Express
A young black tenor from Harlem with a radiantly open sound – is a graceful Don Jose: when he later makes an unamplified re-entry through the stalls – before merging once more with the general sonic soup – one realises his vocal potential – Independent
Noah Stewart played Don José and was a huge presence onstage Thursday night. A naturally gifted actor, he sang with a rich tenor voice that was both sweet and powerful when it needed to be. – Nashville Arts
Faust (Faust/Gounod)
Noah Stewart is probably the most talked-about young American tenor these days, so his casting in the title role was especially intriguing. With a ringing, unforced top and ample power, his dark-hued voice is ideal for the role of Faust. At his previous encounter with a Zambello production, as Radames in her 2012 Aida at the Glimmerglass Festival, Stewart was water-boarded (Zambello had updated things a tad from ancient Egypt). This time he was able to avoid torture, but Muller, the stage director, made effective use of his physical acting ability.
– Arts Atlanta
Noah Stewart (Faust) has a marvelous stage presence. The tenor flows through the music like a soft-edged knife through butter. The love duet with Marguerite (ending Act III) is wrapped up in a beautiful blend of two voices that is accompanied by Fagan’s case-sensitive orchestra; the moment is enriching
– Concertonet.com
Rodolfo (La Boheme/Puccini)
Perhaps the greatest performance of the night was that of Noah Stewart as Rodolfo. With an amazing vocal range and power. – Examiner
The find of the night and leading that cast, as a virile and solid Rodolfo, was tenor Noah Stewart. A fine lyric tenor with an elegantly rounded tone, Stewart also has the heft and power in his voice to signal some of opera’s heavyweight roles in his future. That dark, rich timbre, along with Stewart’s fine acting, gave the character of the tempestuous lovelorn poet added depth. He maintained that powerful voice even in his ringing top notes. His rendition of “Che gelida manina” was an early showstopper. – Times-Picuyane
Stewart’s Rodolfo was superb. Enthusiastic applause for the tenor literally stopped the show at several points. Stewart displayed incredible range and emotion, and his performances of “Marcello, Finalmente” and “Sono andati” were both truly memorable. – NOLA Defender
Stewart’s tenor has a clarion edge to it that reminded me of Pavarotti in his glory days. – Milwaukee Mag
Those fortunate enough to see and hear tenor Noah Stewart as Rodolfo will have bragging rights for years to come: “Oh yes, I saw him in his Nashville Opera debut,” they’ll say after his latest stop at Covent Garden (his 2012 debut there was critically acclaimed), the Met or La Scala. Think I’m overdoing my praise? Well, once you hear the mature grace, power and purity of Stewart’s voice throughout his range, see his acting ability and note his handsome form you’ll know I’m not. From the soulful eloquence of his Act I “Che gelida manina” aria to his anguished cry of “Mimì! Mimì!” at the finale Stewart pierced our hearts like love’s arrow from Cupid’s bow. – Arts Nashville
Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly/Puccini)
Noah Stewart’s beaming Pinkerton behaves as if money and rank can get him whatever he chooses. He’s like an excitable child in a toyshop, filled with delight at his new house and his new bride, whom he treats like an exotic purchase. Stewart is so physically engaging – young, attractive, smiling – that you feel reluctantly inclined to sympathise with him. He also knows how to act, and his voice is young enough, fresh enough to make him credible. There’s a lovely moment near the end of Act 1 when Anne Sophie Duprels’s Cio-Cio San slowly changes into her nightgown, and Stewart stands at the other side of the stage, nervously, excitedly smoking a cigarette. He’s an oaf with little respect or empathy for the culture which he’s buying into – but likeable for all that. – The Arts Desk
This begins sublimely with the potent image of Butterfly ever so gently washing Pinkerton’s feet, which brings me to the exciting newcomer – the good looking young Harlem-born tenor Noah Stewart. – Opera Britannia
Nor is Pinkerton the usual heartless bounder. As played by Noah Stewart he’s almost as naive as Butterfly. He has no idea of what he’s getting himself into, emotionally, culturally, or morally. And when the depth of Butterfly’s devotions is shockingly revealed, his immature response, focused wholly on his won feelings, seems utterly believable too. Stewart is a highly promising young American. I hope his new new recording contract with Decca doesn’t deflect him into mushy crossover projects. Good-looking with a rangy, volatile tenor, he has much to offer the serious opera world – The Times
There are more forgiving roles – both morally and vocally – than the spineless Pinkerton, though the young American tenor Noah Stewart makes a compelling debut; the rich clarity of his tone and dashing persona seem capable of conquering anyone through sheer charisma alone. – The Guardian
Cavaradossi (Tosca/Puccini)
The American tenor Noah Stewart, in the role of Cavaradossi, stands head and shoulders above it. He does not need a minute to pack the room with his overwhelming volume and layered voice. The extremely strong ‘E lucevan le stelle’, one of the most famous arias of the opera, leaves no one unmoved. – Telegraaf
Noah Stewart was an outstanding Cavaradossi, his svelte, sunlit tenor switching from caressing to clarion as required. He attacked his top notes cleanly and fearlessly, most successfully the sustained high B natural on “La vita mi costasse. – Opera Today
However, the biggest star is the American tenor Noah Stewart as Mario Cavaradossi. Apparently effortlessly he gets the highest notes, with an incredible volume and without missing. Less than five minutes on stage and he’s already blowing goose bumps through the hall. – Volkskrant
Noah Stewart as Cavaradossi is the star of the evening – TCTurbantia
Her Mario Cavaradossi, Noah Stewart, sounded both youthful and heroic. The American tenor projected an attractive clarion top, ….His moving “E lucevan le stelle” earned him the loudest applause of the evening. – Bachtrack
Don Pedro Alvarado (Indian Queen/Purcell)
Peter Sellars' production of Purcell's Indian Queen
Noah Stewart as Don Pedro is magnificent. – Daily Express
Noah Stewart ripped and stripped as Don Pedro and as handsome of voice as he is of physique. – What’s on stage
Stewart, Excellent though underused. – -The Arts Desk
There is singing of extraordinary eloquence by Lucy Crowe, Julia Bullock, Noah Stewart and Vince Yi – Evening Standard
Samson (Samson et Dalila/Saint Saëns)
The tenor Noah Stewart is Gigantic as Samson– Hoy Daria de Extremadura
Manrico (Il Trovatore/Verdi)
The unassailable standout was young tenor Noah Stewart as Manrico, whose magnificent vocal gifts were in ready and unwavering supply throughout all four acts. His warm, nuances delivery of the “Ah, sib en mio” love pledge in Act III, followed mere moments by his scaling of heights of the fearsome “Di quella pira” cabaletta, were reason enough to be in the audience. – Contracosta Times
The exception was tenor Noah Stewart, who impressed all evening in the title role. Assuming the first Manrico of his career, the former participant in the San Francisco Opera’s Merola and Adler fellowship programs was a sturdy, resonant hero. Stewart’s spinto voice is large, bright, muscular, and well-supported throughout his range. – San Francisco Classical Voice