OPERA NEWS
"The soprano projected the character’s anguish, fervency and increasingly fragile emotional state in an urgent, tonally secure and affectingly plangent vocal performance.”
Press
& Features
West Edge Opera Transfixes With Breaking the Waves
SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE | AUGUST 2019
“The performances shine, led by LeMesh’s extraordinary realization of Bess. Over two hours and 45 minutes, most of which she spends onstage, the soprano creates a character of fearless musical and dramatic complexity. Her Bess is a woman of passion and self-doubt, flaws, and aspirations. Her singing soars and swoons. She speaks some of her dialogue, hears voices, and answers them back. She is clear-eyed and confused and lasered-in on the truth of every moment.”
"Strikingly expressive."
OPERACHASER
"As Bess, Sara LeMesh gives it her all in a role that demands extensive stage time, convincing physical application and vocal dexterity. The results LeMesh achieves are beyond measure as she takes Bess emotionally close to her audience with her cowering juvenile behaviour, her seeming delusional state, affections for Jan and her leggy prostituting poses, baring everything from vulnerability to strength with absolute conviction of heart and mind. With LeMesh comes a strikingly expressive soprano of feathery beauty and penetrating effect that matches her character convincingly.”
Breaking the Waves
WEST EDGE OPERA | AUGUST 2019
“Sara LeMesh was a mesmerizing Bess. The soprano projected the character’s anguish, fervency and increasingly fragile emotional state in an urgent, tonally secure and affectingly plangent vocal performance.”
OPERA NEWS 2019
“LeMesh, 28, known in the world of classical and contemporary opera for lush tone, exceptional high-register clarity, dramatic breadth, and fearless command in roles offering unpredictable vulnerability, is in demand.”
SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE
‘Breaking the Waves’ tells dark, operatic tale of faith, degradation
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
“Breaking the Waves” turns on the portrayal of Bess, and soprano Sara LeMesh illuminates every turn of her character with a powerhouse performance of vocal majesty and expressive translucency. The prologue, “His name is Jan,” with its ebullient vocal leaps and trembling anticipation, serves simultaneously to introduce the outsider to the community and to establish Bess’s sudden awakening to love.
Later, in her disjointed dialogues with God (who talks through Bess in gruff speech rhythms backed by an all-male chorus), LeMesh beautifully captured the stress fractures in the character’s psyche. Most importantly, she conveyed Bess’s eerily saintlike nature, without which the entire dramatic edifice would crumble.”
"Excelled in her coy, seductive manner."
OPERAWIRE
"The young peasant girl, Zerlina, sung by soprano Sara LeMesh, centered the drama with her seduction by the devilish Don capturing the narrative pulse. LeMesh excelled in her coy, seductive manner, as well as in her vocal energy. Her dramatic expression and deft, deliberate movement about the stage combined to give her a bright presence in each scene. In “Vedrai carino,” LeMesh illustrated her acting charm as well as her lyrical and playful sound.”
"The incomparable new music soprano, Sara LeMesh, arrived for a grab-bag of Polish art songs, including a jazzy pop song by Lutoslawski…”
CIVIC CENTER BLOGSPOT
“LeMesh was audacious yet agile, commanding yet sensitive. I would have gladly listened to her voice all night.”
SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE
"She'd be the star of any cast."
SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE
"She was outstanding: her theatrical timing, tone, and technical control, especially in the highest register, made the music lucid. If this performance is representative, she’d be the star of any cast.”
"Piercing yet ethereal."
THE OPERA TATTLER
“Soprano Sara LeMesh has a piercing yet ethereal sound that works well for the girlish Bess. This character is central to the piece, and LeMesh is sympathetic.”
“Sara LeMesh was also particularly vivid in her portrayal of Juno. One did not have to understand the exact words she was singing to know how she felt, the jealousy and indignation was palpable.”
THE OPERA TATTLER
“One of those songs, “Sveitaar, sveimen var Kvieoinen: ‘Koorwei, Koorwei’ ” pushed Sara Lemesh’s plush [Soprano] into expressively guttural depths.”
THE NEW YORK TIMES