Reviews
Opera: Die Zauberflöte
“It has been a strength of the Annapolis Opera that they continue to attract such a talented cast of singers. For a smaller company, they produce work of a quality comparable to the larger local outfits. . . Bass Matthew Curran also lent his rich voice to the imposing Sarastro."
— Darby Dejarnette, dctheaterarts.org
“Matthew Curran, as Sarastro, demonstrated that exactly at the point where his voice reached a level which seemed to be the bottom of his range, he was able to get still lower. His earnest portrayal of an apparent tyrant, unmasked as a high priest of wisdom, truth, and virtue, had a winning simplicity.”
— Elaine Strauss, U.S. 1
“Bass Matthew Curran played the wise Sarastro intelligently, letting his noble humanity shine through and singing the low notes of the role with distinction.”
— Timothy Gaylard, Washington and Lee
“Sarastro, played by Matthew Curran, was suave and debonair (who would keep this character hidden away in a temple?).”
— Nancy Plum, Town Topics
Lucia di Lammermoor
“Matthew Curran, as Raimondo, summoned a rich, smooth sound and shaped the music with stylish power.”
— Tim Smith, Baltimore Sun
Opera: Norma
“Bass Matthew Curran's scenes as Oroveso were sung with beautiful, mellow sound and full commitment to the moment, even though he was using a score. His singing never failed, and neither did his commitment. I liked his Oroveso much better than the Oroveso I recently heard at The Metropolitan Opera.”
— David Browning, Taminophile.com
Opera: Le Nozze di Figaro
“Matthew Curran (Figaro) and Jessica Milanese (Susannah) worked so well as a team with their interactive acting that I wonder if they’ve done this role pairing together before. In particular these two were champions of expressing each turn of the plot with their acting as well as vocally. One of the reasons their acting was so apparent is because you didn’t have to strain to understand their words, and they didn’t make your gut tense up when they went for the high notes. They made it appear effortless so the audience could just get lost in the plot and action.”
— Conrad Askland, conradaskland.com
Opera: The Rape of Lucretia – Collatinus
“On the traditional end of the operatic spectrum, baritone Matthew Curran, as the Roman soldier Collatinus, penetrates every crevice in the room with his vocal strength.”
— Christopher Blank, commercialappeal.com
Opera: The Barber of Seville
“Matthew Curran (Bartolo) and … proved natural grease-paint comedians, a cocked eyebrow for every loaded phrase.”
— Bradley Bambarger, The Star-Ledger
Opera: Roméo et Juliette
“Matthew Curran followed up last summer's successful Alfonso with another arranger of marriages, Frère Laurent. …Curran handled it with pleasingly solid tone.”
— David Shengold, Opera News Online
Opera: Cosi Fan Tutte
“But the glue that holds the story together is Don Alfonso, and Matthew Curran wins our hearts, despite the fact that Don Alfonso clearly is cunning, sly and a cheat. You may remember Curran from last season's Falstaff. He comes from Princeton and has a voice that is confident and comes with a twinkle.”
— Stuart Duncan, Time Off
“Matthew Curran was a masterful Alfonso. His resonant bass voice and composed manner helped identify him as capable of creating large-scale mischief. He showed his vocal nimbleness in his patter duet with Despina in Act Two. Curran’s ensemble work at one point extended to the instrumentalists; pounding his staff on the stage, the sound was a percussive signal for the orchestra to enter.”
— Elaine Strauss, U.S. 1
“Cynical Don Alfonso was sung by Matthew Curran with the voice of a poet, making the character's nastiness intriguingly covert.”
— David Patrick Stearns, Philadelphia Inquirer
Opera: Turandot
“As ever, Mark Sforzini works wonders, and this may stand as one of the best-sung, best-played St. Pete Opera productions ever — with particular credit to his three principals and the stalwart bass Matthew Curran in a moving performance as Calaf's father, all making their SPO debuts.”
— David Warren, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
La Calisto – Giove
“Matthew Curran’s dark basso served him well as Giove. The composer’s music for Jove was a forerunner of the great bass arias of Mozart and Verdi to come. Curran looked and sang like a god.”
— Nino Pantano, Special to Brooklyn Daily Eagle
“Matthew Curran is a most majestic Jupiter”
— Harry Rolnick, ConcertoNet.com
“Her duet with the basso Jove of Matthew Curran was perhaps the happiest vocal moment of the night.”
— John Yohalem, Parterre.com
La Boheme
“Bass Matthew Curran’s Colline, the philosopher, has a worldly voice of wisdom.”
— Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk, MLive.com
Work: Brahms German Requiem
“Yet the performance improved when Curran started singing in the third section ("Lord, make me to know mine end"). Whether feeling inspired or challenged by his bold delivery, the choir suddenly found a strength that had been lacking. Unfortunately, it lasted only through the end of Curran's solo. Elegantly and powerfully, the bass stole the spotlight. When he sang "Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in thee," the audience surely felt the helplessness in that cry. Curran's return in the penultimate movement ("For we have no permanent city, but we seek one to come") once again underscored his power to draw more musicality from the whole ensemble.”
— Melson Varsovia, MercuryNews.com
Opera: Der Fliegender Holländer
“Daland (Matthew Curran) boasted a deep low register and provided a fitting contrast to the baritonal Dutchman…”
— Craig Knobles, Wagner Notes – wagnersocietyny.org
Opera:Tosca
“The Angelotti of Matthew Curran and the Sacristan of Kian Freitas were particular favorites.”
— David Browning, Taminophile.com
Opera: The Enchanted Organ
“There were two successful, satisfying scenes. The first was set at a porn movie awards event, where Dick is challenged by reigning, veteran star Helmut Langeschlange (bass Matthew Curran, so good that one hopes the complete role will be more fully fleshed out). Pulling out a tape measure—and then a graduated cylinder—Langeschlange challenges Dick in what should go down in history as the “Measuring aria,” an excellent piece that is set in an ideal range for the singer, has a strong da capo structure, and is not just funny but witty.”
— George Grella, New York Classical Review
Opera: Owen Wingrave
“Baritone Matthew Curran was compelling as Coyle, who is complicit in furthering the family’s ambitions but nonetheless sympathizes with the young man. Curran’s warm baritone and natural empathy as an actor effectively capture those ambiguities.”
— Rick Perdian, seenandheard-international.com
“Matthew Curran (as Spencer Coyle) is a nuanced performer, maneuvering between his official position (as Owen’s teacher) and as a sympathetic ear for his student.”
— Loren Lester, schopera.com
Opera: Prince of Players
“Matthew Curran was strong-voiced, stately, and convincingly sincere as Betterton.”
— Jon Sobel, blogcritics.org