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Opera performances

"To have seen Mr. Rodriguez in I Pag was to witness an opera moment.
I read the hype on tenor Daniel Rodriguez, Here was the Singing ‘9-11’ Cop,
and I thought, ‘yeah, yeah, we’ll see.’ After all, how good could he be?
Simply, Daniel Rodriguez’ performance was electrifying,
pure magic, pure energy, pure emotion and blazing in glory."
~Paul Joseph Walkowski, 2007 Operaonline.ns

2012 Lt. B.F. Pinkerton, Madama Butterfly, Chelsea Opera, NY
2008: Turridu in Cavallaria Rusticana, Hampton Opera, NY
2007: Canio in I Pagliacci, Granite City Opera Company, NH
2006: Canio in Pagliacci, Chelsea Opera, NY

June 2012 New York City
Chelsea Opera presents Puccini’s "Madama Butterfly"
Daniel sings role of Lt. Pinkerton

“It is as if Puccini had written the role for Dan. He sounds glorious in it.”
~Maestro Carmine Aufiero.

Performance photos

http://www.chelseaopera.org/butterfly.html

Review

Chelsea Opera does Madama Butterfly.
by Paul J. Pelkonen, June 9, 2012

On Friday night, Chelsea Opera unveiled Madama Butterfly, the final opera of its eighth season. The production, mounted at St. Peter's Church in the company's home neighborhood, effectively transformed the church nave into Butterfly's Nagasaki house with a simple, but effective set.

Considering that all of Puccini's opera takes place in one location, Butterfly is an ideal project for a small company to tackle. The challenge is finding singers who can make the characters convincing and still sing Puccini's soaring melodic lines with power and finesse.

Soprano Christina Rohm showed both of those qualities, charting Butterfly's development from giggling geisha girl to a fully mature, heartbroken woman. Although her voice hardens under pressure, she made use of long experience with the complexities of the character. Ms. Rohm found her groove in the Act I love duet with Pinkerton (Daniel Rodriguez), letting her defenses melt slowly away like layers of Japanese formal dress.

She soared through "Un bel di," floating the notes of that famous aria above the stave. The singer also displayed a thorough understanding of the nuances of the part, including the long dialogue scenes with Goro and Sharpless, and her interactions with Trouble, the fruit of her one-night stand with Pinkerton. Finally, Ms. Rohm displayed great power (and some wonderful low notes) in the final suicide.

Tenor Daniel Rodriguez has had so much build-up in the last decade that it was refreshing to actually see him on stage. The Brooklyn native is best known for his transition from the New York Police Department to a recording career and tutelage from Plácido Domingo. His teacher's influence was audible: a dark, slightly baritonal tenor. It rang out with spinto power in the big, heroic moments, although the gentle seduction of Butterfly didn't have much in the way of subtlety. For once, the added Act III aria did not seem superfluous, but an expression of genuine heartbreak.

Mezzo-soprano Yajie Chen was a complex, fully realized Suzuki, providing sturdy support in the second act and a gorgeous meld with Ms. Rohm in the "Flower Duet." Justin Ryan displayed a warm, fatherly baritone as Sharpless, lending dimension to the American consul and genuine conflict as he read Pinkerton's letter.

Aaron Blankfield walked the fine line between comedy and sleaze as the marriage broker Goro. The scene where Suzuki beat him with a broom was the one genuine comic moment. He ended the opera by abducting Butterfly's child--presumably on Pinkerton's behalf. The supporting cast, particularly the firm bass Isaac Grier as the Bonze, was solid.

Chelsea Opera music director Carmine Aufiero led a crisp, incisive performance of the score, despite having the brass, percussion and harp parts provided by an electronic keyboard. An unjacked cable produced a notable buzz in the opening bars of the third act, but was quickly fixed. Technology has its limitations.

Chelsea Opera concludes season eight with Giacomo Puccini’s most beloved opera,
"Madama Butterfly," and welcomes back tenor Daniel Rodriguez in the role of Lt. Pinkerton.
Rodriguez made his opera debut in Chelsea Opera’s 2006
production of "Pagliacci," which The New York Times wrote,
“Mr. Rodriguez has a real voice: beefy, husky, with baritonal colorings."

Early rehearsal

Photo compliments Chelsea Opera

2008: Opera of the Hamptons presents
Daniel Rodriguez as Turridu in Cavalleria Rusticana

Tenor Daniel Rodriguez, remembered well as the NYPD Singing Policeman,
is the star of this thrilling drama and is singing the role of Turridu.
With the encouragement of Placido Domingo, he is pursuing an
operatic career, as well as singing all over the world.
We are very excited to present this remarkable tenor.

http://operaofthehamptons.org

Cristina Fontanelli and Daniel Rodriguez, photo by shiradevra.com

It is not often that we have the chance to experience what Placido Domingo describes as,
"A beautiful tenor voice and a source of joy to me'. Daniel has also been referred to by
a leading conductor as a 'possible natural successor to Carreras, Domingo and Pavarotti,
if he decides to focus on an operatic career." ~Ray Bradbrook

2007: "Best performance by a Leading Male" by OperaOnline

for his portrayal of Canio with Granite State Opera

Photo courtesy of Granite State Opera Company

SeacoastOnline.com

By Jeanné McCartin

Two voices, one in each opera,
were true standouts.
Melissa Manseau as Santuzza,
the woman wronged in "Cavalleria,"
and Daniel Rodriguez as Canio,
the man wronged in "I Pagliacci,"
gave us what is expected of this
generally polished company.
Both displayed beautiful,
controlled, powerful vocals
you could sail on.
Both moved you to tears.

No clowning around

NYC's opera cop belts out 'Pagliacci'
By Jeff Rapsis

Vocally, "Pagliacci" was thrilling, and never
so than when tenor Daniel Rodriguez
(famous as New York City's "singing cop")
was belting out his big moments as Canio, opera's iconic sad clown. There are plenty
in the score, and Rodriguez was in the zone
for all of them, with a booming voice that perfectly matched his dramatic approach to
the role. Rodriguez, not intimidated by great tenors who've defined the part, made it entirely his own, generating a smoldering
and angry intensity that filled the theater
even when he wasn't singing. Just the
way he threw his hat offstage was
menacing, and helped set the stage for
the inevitable violent conclusion.

2006: Daniel's operatic debut as

Canio in Pagliacci with Chelsea Opera

Daniel's opera debut , Photo credit Rick Stockwell

My experience with the Chelsea Opera company was a very positive one. I was given every opportunity to confer with professional musicians as I worked to prepare my role.

I have had many opportunities to work with great names in the opera field like Placido Domingo and found that my time spent working and growing with the Chelsea opera company was as valuable as my time spent at the "Domingo Young Artist Program."

As I begin a new and exciting career in the opera world I find that places like Chelsea opera are safe havens for those of us that are learning and growing and need to be encouraged to pursue our dreams with understanding guidance.

I recommend anyone who wishes to be a part of a growing company who's outlook is bright and focused, give Chelsea a chance and you will find big hearted professionals who are dedicated to making opera what it was always meant to be. Daniel Rodriguez

Photo credit Rick Stockwell

Maryann Mootos as Nedda, Photo credit Rick Stockwell

"In the days since his abortive, two-note audition at the famously crusty Metropolitan
Opera, he has proven that he has a voice and can use it to passionate effect.
He can readily display it as Canio, whose music is histrionic and flashy."
~Clive on at the Villager.

New York Times review by Anthony Tommasini

"Impossible not to respond to his portrayal. When he sang the touchstone aria,
"Vesti la giubba," venting Canio's grief and humiliation, you sensed that here was
someone pouring out years of pent-up artistic longing."
Anthony Tommasini, New York Times reviewer

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