Colin Lee tenor
Press
La Fille du Regiment, Royal Opera House, 2010
“The important issue for the audience at the particular performance was whether this revival would survive without Juan Diego Flórez the star tenor Tonio, who was succeeded by Colin Lee. Never having heard Flórez sing 'Ah! mes amis' with the infamous nine high Cs, I cannot make a direct comparison but I doubt that he could surpass Mr Lee. He received a prolonged ovation for this defining moment at the end of Act I, when he hit the top notes solidly without the slightest hint of strain. I was also grateful that he was not a typically French-sounding tenor with a slender, reedy tone: he has a much more resonant, full-bodied sound and he sang winningly - and most affectingly - throughout the evening while acting a suitably gauche, but heroic, Tonio.”
DailyMusical Criticism, May 2010
Il Turco in Italia, Royal Opera House, 2010
“The vocal honours easily went to Colin Lee in the thankless role of Don Narcisco: with his one aria in Act 2, he brought the house down, simply because he has the technical equipment that this repertoire needs. He's also deeply expressive, too, and his return to the revival of La fille du regiment in May is something to anticipate”
DailyMusicalMusical Criticism, April 2010
“...the Don Narciso of Colin Lee, a swaggering 1960s figure, with the same kind of voice as Juan Diego Florez but one which is to me more agreeable, since it involves no yelps.”
The Spectator, April 2010
“Colin Lee did what he could with the underdeveloped part of Fiorilla’s cicisbeo, Narciso ... with his fearless technique and a slightly dryish timbre (which reminded me of John Brecknock, ENO's stalwart Rossini tenor of the 1970s).”
Opera Magazine, June 2010
Ermione, Opera Rara, Royal Festival Hall
“But it was Colin Lee as Oreste who stole the show with some brilliant pyrotechnics: I'm not sure that Juan Diego Florez could have fired them off better.”
Daily Telegraph, April 2009
“Colin Lee's Oreste was the best, encompassing both force and sensitive singing up in the tenor's stratosphere.”
Financial Times, March 2009
“Colin Lee and Paul Nilon were exceptional as Oreste and Pirro respectively. Lee's dazzling staccatos and florid arpeggios created a startling portrait of a man gripped by nervous instability.”
The Guardian, March 2009
“I loved Colin Lee's high-flying ardour as Oreste: we felt every tremor as Ermione's rejected, besotted old flame stumbled into yet another emotional vortex.”
The Times, April 2009
Lucia di Lammermoor, Metropolitan Opera
“As Arturo, Lucia's hapless husband, tenor Colin Lee made a promising debut, singing his few phrases with fresh and ardent tone and all but stealing the scene with his memorably self-satisfied demeanour.”
Associated Press, January 2009
Le Comte Ory, Greek National Opera
“Musically the production revolved around the South African tenor Colin Lee in the title role, an excellent Rossini singer with a radiant, Italianate voice and satisfying stage presence. Tasteful, accurately articulate and with sound stylistic understanding, his singing offered endless pleasure.”
Opera, May 2008
La Cenerentola, Welsh National Opera
“Colin Lee, a sunny Ramiro, can give Juan Diego Florez a run for his money in the matter of tenorial pyrotechnics”
The Daily Telegraph, September 2007
“Stylishly but a bit staidly conducted by Carlo Rizzi, it is partly redeemed by … the fearless and elegant Don Ramiro of the South African tenor Colin Lee, who could give Juan Diego Florez a run for his money in this repertoire.”
The Times, October 2007
“His Don Ramiro offered a fine display of what one hopes to hear from a tenore leggiero - comfortable at high pitches, graceful phrasing, clarity of tone, capable of both gentle piani and ringing forti. And of course a radiant top C. Here, too, is a young singer, who surely has a great future.”