CRITICAL ACCLAIM

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

Review by Arthur Kaptainis, Montreal Gazette (Thursday, January 25, 2001)

"While no one would confuse the plain off-white drapery panels (designed by Patricia Ruel) with a set from an established house, this was essentially a well mannered and traditional production that let Mozart's music and Lorenzo da Ponte's Italian libretto (sans surtitles) work their inevitable magic. Guillermo Silva-marin, an experienced director from Toronto, steered clear of burlesque, at least most of the time, and the young perfromers moved confidently through their paces."

Revue par Claude Gingras, La Presse, Montreal (Jeudi, 25 Janvier, 2001)

" Tout se déroule dans différents tons de blanc, aussi bien les costumes que les décors (draperies plutôt), manifestement inspirés de Ponnelle, et jusqu'à la guitare de Susanna. Le metteur en scène invité Guillermo Silva-Marin a évité les gadgets et a plutôt porté son attention sur le caractère des personnages, comme l'indique le jeu généralement vrai et naturel de tous. Du même coup, le côté franchement comique des Nozze passe au premiere plan et la salle rit presque continuellement."

LEO, THE ROYAL CADET

Review by William Littler, The Toronto Star (Friday, May 4, 2001)

"It is much to the credit of director Guillermo Silva-Marin that he allowed the leopard-skinned, spear brandishing Zulus a measure of dignity, instead of making them the music hall characters they might well have been on the stage of Martin's Opera House back in 1889... Even the battle scene has been cleverly choreographed and danced in a stylized manner as a two-step rather than fought in a cartoon manner by the opposing sides."

Review by Urjo Kareda, The Globe and Mail (Saturday, May 5, 2001)

"The Toronto Operetta Theatre does the work a favour by not trying to make too much of it. They retain its innate sweetness while goosing up its fun... Guillermo Silva-Marin's staging, too, mixes fondness with a delicate mockery. The company can afford few visual resources, but the rented costumes were pretty, and such challenges as the Zulu battle were imaginatively solved. The chorus did unusually focused work: the ensemble of cadets achieved a truly stouthearted sound, and the bevy of maidens had true allure."

H.M.S. PINAFORE

Review by Geoff Chapman, The Toronto Star (Friday, April 23, 1999)

"It's dialogue, cloaking slight satire and traditional sallies against contemporary horrors like Mike Harris and cell phones added by G and S (in this case actually director Guillermo Silva-Marin), is daft, but it's fun. Its choreography, choral accompaniment and acting all needs some attention before it reaches full sail, and yet the production has mercurial moments of magic with fresh young voices providing most."

Review by David Miller, The Globe and Mail (Wednesday, April 28, 1999)

The Pinafore production that docked Friday night, directed by Guillermo Silva-Marin, is vocally and theatrically the strongest yet by Canada's only professional operetta company. Staging and choreography were simple but scintillatingly effective, avoiding the antiquated and staid traditions for a more contemporary look that still managed to be faithful to G & S theatre."

CZARDAS PRINCESS

Review by Urjo Kareda, The Globe and Mail (Wednesday, December 31, 1997)

"Guillermo Silva-Marin's production is visually modest, but genial and energetic, with the cast bursting into dance-step at the flick of conductor Peter Oleskevich's agile, buoyant baton. The orchestra, chorus and the fine cast all threw themselves into the spirit wholly."

THE MERRY WIDOW

Review by Geoff Chapman, The Toronto Star (Sunday, December 24, 2000)

"The ensemble had its highs, always eager and willing to let fly, but director Guillermo Silva-Marin (also TOT chieftain) should have kept them under tighter rein. When performing in disparate units, both male and female actors pulled off hilarious stunts, notably when indulging in can-can antics in a Parisian nightclub... and this Widow, with its pleassing costumes, functional symbolic sets and first-rate finales, makes an evening of mostly merry entertainmant."

ARIODANTE

Review by Geoff Chapman, The Toronto Star (Monday, April 2, 2001)

"... Guillermo Silva-Marin assembled a splendid cast of singers to deliver this musical melodrama... Opera in Concert deserves congratulations, too. It has mounted more than 100 productions since its 1974 founding and surely its Ariodante will rate as one of its greatest achievements."

Review by Tamara Bernstein, National Post (Monday, April 2, 2001)

"... I think the spark in this production came not only from its bull's eye musicality, but also from the sophisticated wit and joy with which the performers and dramatic advisor Guillermo Silva-Marin, embraced the sexual ambiguity - and titillation - of the cross-dressing... In all, it was an exhilarating evening; a real triumph for both Opera in Concert, and Toronto's patron saint of baroque opera, Peter Sandor, whose philanthropy made this production, like so many others, possible. Too bad it only ran for two performances - let's hope they'll encore it soon."