Category Archives: REVIEWS

Charpentier: La descent d’Orphée en Enfers – Vache Baroque Festival

Boden negotiated the protagonist’s haute-contre utterances with seamless elegance and sensitivity … “
Opera, November 2022

Samuel Boden gave a mesmerising vocal performance in the title role … “
Opera Scene, 5 September 2022

Samuel Boden’s Orphée negotiates his aerial line … with unfailing elegance and sensitivity … “
The Stage, 5 September 2022

Samuel Boden plays Orphée… my how he can act.  His anguish at the death of Euridice is palpable; his disconsolation is abject as her body is carried off … Musically, the role of Orphée is demanding.   Charpentier calls for an haut-contre voice … Boden rises magnificently to this challenge, taking his tenor high without the slightest hint of strain yet with great strength, a timbre that has an enthralling and stirring effect.”
Mark Aspen, 4 September 2022

“Above all Samuel Boden sustains a soberly lyrical line in true haute-contre register, without any roughness, ensuring that musically the work remains squarely focused upon the title character.”
Classical source, 2 September 2022

Campra: Idoménée – Berlin Staatsoper

Samuel Boden was a tender Idamante.”
Opera, December 2021

“The overwhelming star of the evening is the Idamante of Samuel Boden, who only briefly survived the lily-adorned sacrificial altar, with a piano shimmer and the finest accuracy in haute-contre.”
Nmz online, 17 November 2021

“the fine-voiced Samuel Boden as Idamante.”
Orpheus Online, 11 November 2021

“Both Samuel Boden and Chiara Skerath are visually believable and immediately win over the audience with their beautiful voices. He with a bright, well-led tenor …”
Der Online Merker, 11 November 2021

“The interaction and the musical dialogue between Chiara Skerath and Samuel Boden, who portrays the young prince is deeply moving. Samuel Boden has only one aria, but the sensitivity of his beautiful and expressive tenor is simply overwhelming.”
Klassikinfo.de, 10 November 2021

“In the character of Idamante, the son of King Idomenee, Samuel Boden shone, a high tenor, charming, even tender.”
Opera Actual Online, 9 November 2021

“… tenor Samuel Boden succeeds as Idamante in great musical moments of silvery tenderness, especially in harpsichord-accompanied recitatives.”
Berliner Mogenpost, 8 November 2021

“… Samuel Boden’s Idamante, with its tenoral restraint, is a prime example of the male tenderness that was so common in the Baroque era.”
Berliner Zeitung, 8 November 2021

“As Idamante, Samuel Boden used his beautiful voice with sovereign agility.”
Kultura-Extra Online, 8 November 2021

Samuel Boden’s Idamante is sensitive and in his inner turmoil, a tragic figure”
Kieler Nachrichten Online, 7 November 2021

Samuel Boden sings Idamante with an unshakable tenderness that makes his lot seem all the more cruel.”
Tagesspiel, 6 November 2021

“But the tenor of the king’s son Idamante (Samuel Boden) floats pure and radiant above everything; which makes him, who only wants good for everyone, a natural victim. For the second half, Boden‘s portrayal of the unfortunate, all-loving Idamante is downright touching.”
Hundert 11 Online, 6 November 2021

“… Samuel Boden in particular as the Idomenee son Idamante, [is] characterized by a wonderfully supple, bright tonal range.
Gf-kuehn.de, 5 November 2021

Campra: Idoménée – L’Opera de Lille

“Idamante benefits from the distinguished musicality of Samuel Boden,”
Diapason, 27 September 2021

“Samuel Boden’s Idamante is touched by grace… the British artist lives his role with a crazy naturalness, restoring both the worried tenderness of the son and the distress of the lover. “
Forum Opera, 27 September 2021

“… Samuel Boden’s Idamante, whose clear voice is that of the French haute-contres and whose articulation is irreproachable”
Concert Classic, 24 September 2021

Monteverdi: L’Orfeo – Nederlandse Reisopera

“Tenor Boden vigorously expresses his human recklessness.” 
Theaterkrant, 26th January 2020

“Tenor Samuel Boden is an intimate, convincing Orfeo…★★★★” 
NRC.nl, 26th January 2020

“The demanding title role was excellently played by tenor Samuel Boden. Assisted by Ego, he managed to put his changing moods in the spotlight. Beautifully sung, well acted.”
Place de l’Opera, 27th January 2020

“The tenor Samuel Boden has a well-kept dictation and effortlessly sings the sometimes difficult twists that Monteverdi puts into his mouth. – Even when the choir lifts [him] up and carries [him] across the stage.” 
Cultureelpers Bureau, 27th January 2020

Samuel Boden (Orfeo) makes a big impression” 
Trouw, 27th January 2020

“With his flexible tenor and athletic posture, Samuel Boden proved a perfect fit for the role of Orfeo, offering unfailingly stylish singing in the midst of the demanding choreographed moves. His honeyed timbre and the way he audibly relished the text made the plaintive lyricism of the role most moving…★★★★★” 
Bachtrack, 11th February 2020

★★★★ 
de Volkskrant, 27th January 2020

Samuel Boden as Orfeo: Reisopera, January 2020. Photo by Marco Borggreve