Duchess of Argyll
Duchess of Argyll / Powder her Face by Thomas Ades (Opera Philadelphia, Boston Opera)
“On only several weeks’ notice, the emotionally and vocally demanding role of the Duchess was assumed by Patricia Schuman. Schuman gave a sensational account of the role.”
Opera News / David Shengold
“Schuman is a flawless fit for the part, playing the lady with an elegant exterior that hides a rotten, soulless core. Her supple, athletic soprano meets the demands of this music, with a cool center and hot upper end. The more titillating moments (the infamous “humming” sex scene) are played straight, and are funnier as a result.”
Broadway World / Marakay Rogers
“As the duchess, soprano Patricia Schuman was haughty but elegant and sang the difficult score with full-bodied sound.”
The Opera Critic / Steve Cohen
“Patricia Schuman turned in a brave and remarkable performance as the Duchess of Argyll. Schuman is an elegant presence on stage with a regal bearing…Some of the demands placed on Schuman were outlandish and even out-of-bounds. Yet, she did even these things with the propriety of an English aristocratic - a testament to her ability to internalize and render an authentic character during performance.”
pollytalkfromnewyork.blogspot.com
“Star performance Patricia Schuman, who portrays Margaret, Duchess of Argyll, manages to keep a strict upper crust appearance with such a lady-like persona that it is challenging to think that the Duchess could be such a flagrant provocateur. Ms. Schuman is a convincing Duchess…throughout she is fully in command of the stage, while the rich tones of her soprano portray the fact that she is every bit the diva of the opera.”
philly.com / Peter Dobrin
Vitellia / La Clemenza di Tito by Mozart (Royal Opera House, Salzburg, Glyndebourne)
“Patricia Schuman, playing Joan Collins playing Vitellia with sly restraint and wit, made light of the role’s formidable difficulties, the top of the voice brightly secure, the bottom smokely colored and used to tinglingly seductive effect.”
The London Times
“Patricia Schuman excels as the turbulent Vitellia - simmering with lust, panting for revenge and finally distraught with remorse. She commands the proceedings with gorgeous clarity and purity of tone, managing her huge vocal leaps with ease.”
Business Life
“Patricia Schuman made a deliciously villainous Vitellia, rising to the formidable vocal demands of the role and displaying an evenness of tone throughout her considerable range."
Opera magazine
“As at Glyndebourne last summer, the American Patricia Schuman enjoys herself hugely as a glam soap-opera megabitch Vitellia, and sings with panache in this notoriously problematic part’s wide range.”
Sunday Times (London) / Hugh Canning
Alice Ford / Falstaff by Verdi (Royal Opera House, Covent Garden)
“Most pleasing of all is Patricia Schuman’s delicious Alice Ford, her soprano full and focused.
The Times (London) / John Allison
"The merry wives are led by Patricia Schuman’s Alice Ford, who has bags of spirit and a characterful soprano timbre with a fast vibrato.”
Financial Times / Richard Fairman
“Of the performers, Patricia Schuman is a thrilling and luminous Alice Ford.”
Metro / Warwick Thompason
Genoveva by Robert Schumann
“The American soprano Patricia Schuman is a formidable Genoveva, her voice at all times secure and her acting more than capable of moving on from the opera house.”
Yorkshire Evening Post / M. Woods
“Patricia Schuman sang the title role, showing off her beautiful colored middle register, and doing her best with the dramatic content.”
Wall Street Journal / Paul Levy
The Mother / Breaking the Waves by Missy Mazzoli
“…maintaining clarity over a wide range when using a convincing Scottish brogue—an accent shared only by her disapproving mother (the steady, effective Patricia Schuman).”
Opera News / David Shengold
Grandma Mills / The House without a Christmas Tree by Ricky Gordon
“They live in his mother’s house, played by soprano Patricia Schuman with lots of love and maybe too much patience for her emotionally crippled son.
Theater Jones / Gregory S. Isaacs
The Commander in Philip Glass' The Voyage, Metropolitan Opera
The Commander / The Voyage by Philip Glass (world premiere)
“The huge cast - especially Patricia Schuman in the murderous role of the Commander - was faultless.
Daily News / Bill Zakariasen
“Tatiana Troyanos and Patricia Schuman in the murderous lavished artistry on Glass’s newly expressive, testing and rewarding vocal lines.”
The Times (London) / Rodney Milnes
“The huge cast - especially Patricia Schuman in the murderous role of the Commander - was faultless.
Daily News / Bill Zakariasen
“Tatiana Troyanos and Patricia Schuman in the murderous lavished artistry on Glass’s newly expressive, testing and rewarding vocal lines.”
The Times (London) / Rodney Milnes
Bloody Mary / South Pacific
“Schuman brings humor, energy, cunning and poignance as Bloody Mary and sings a dreamy “Bali Ha’i” and a delightful ‘Happy Talk.’”
Hartford Courant / Frank Rizzo
“Equally satisfying is Schuman’s performance as the foul-mouthed, entrepreneurial Bloody Mary. If you didn’t read the program you would never know that she is famous for portraying Mozart heroines, for her Bloody Mary is as crass and down-to-earth as you could wish for…”
CT Critics Circle / Geary Danihy
“One of the biggest scene stealers in this show is Patricia Schuman as Bloody Mary. She makes a gangbusters entrance, bringing this comic character to life.”
Theater Mirror / Tony Annicone
Agrippina by Handel
“Agrippina..from Patricia Schuman’s beautiful deceiver and her mezzo colored Soprano is perpetually a great fascination.”
Die Rheinplatz / M. Lanzendorfer
“Schuman brings humor, energy, cunning and poignance as Bloody Mary and sings a dreamy “Bali Ha’i” and a delightful ‘Happy Talk.’”
Hartford Courant / Frank Rizzo
“Equally satisfying is Schuman’s performance as the foul-mouthed, entrepreneurial Bloody Mary. If you didn’t read the program you would never know that she is famous for portraying Mozart heroines, for her Bloody Mary is as crass and down-to-earth as you could wish for…”
CT Critics Circle / Geary Danihy
“One of the biggest scene stealers in this show is Patricia Schuman as Bloody Mary. She makes a gangbusters entrance, bringing this comic character to life.”
Theater Mirror / Tony Annicone
Agrippina by Handel
“Agrippina..from Patricia Schuman’s beautiful deceiver and her mezzo colored Soprano is perpetually a great fascination.”
Die Rheinplatz / M. Lanzendorfer
with Thomas Hampson, Metropolitan Opera Don Giovanni
Donna Elvira / Don Giovanni by Mozart
“Patricia Schuman…her voice has affecting colors, presence and agility. The dignity of her singing created an ironic counterpoint to the indignities Donna Elvira submits herself to.
The New York Times / A Tommasini
“Patricia Schuman…her voice has affecting colors, presence and agility. The dignity of her singing created an ironic counterpoint to the indignities Donna Elvira submits herself to.
The New York Times / A Tommasini
The Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd
with Jake Gardner in Later the Same Evening
Estelle Oglethorpe / Later the Same Evening by John Musto
“Musto creates sympathetic characters that inspired this excellent cast to some fine performances, especially by Patricia Schuman as Estelle…” New York Times / Anthony Tommasini |
Hucklebee / The Fantasticks by H Schmitt and T Jones
“The Ivoryton production [of The Fantasticks] has ingeniously assigned the parental roles to Patricia Schuman and Carly Callahan as two meddling mothers. Both Ms. Schuman and Ms. Callahan have gorgeous voices, which are perfectly suited to the deliciously versatile score. They play the mothers with outrageous cattiness and comical indignance when the roles call for next-door neighbor conflict.” criticsontheaisle / D. Church and T. Schillaci |
Carlotta and Eugene O'Neill (David Pittsinger) in Blizzard on Marblehead Neck
Carlotta O/Neill / Blizzard on Marblehead Neck by Jeanine Tesori
“Patricia Schuman and the “commanding” bass-baritone David Pittsinger fully inhabit their roles as the warring couple.” The Week / Staff “Patricia Schuman, often shrewish yet oddly sympathetic.” Theatermania / Brian Scott Lipton |
Arnalta / The Coronation of Poppea
"...A deeply considered performance. Having the nurse, a role traditionally assigned to a male, as a soprano, banishes any trace of campiness and preserves the character’s dignity."
Chicago Classical review/ John von Rhein
"Patricia Schuman as Arnalta, Poppea's old nurse, claims a memorable moment of beauty in her lullaby over her sleeping mistress.'
Broadway World / Steve Callahan
'Patricia Schuman displays impressive musical and dramatic range as Poppea's nurse Arnalta, a role oft
en sung by a contralto or even a tenor.'
Stage Left
"...A deeply considered performance. Having the nurse, a role traditionally assigned to a male, as a soprano, banishes any trace of campiness and preserves the character’s dignity."
Chicago Classical review/ John von Rhein
"Patricia Schuman as Arnalta, Poppea's old nurse, claims a memorable moment of beauty in her lullaby over her sleeping mistress.'
Broadway World / Steve Callahan
'Patricia Schuman displays impressive musical and dramatic range as Poppea's nurse Arnalta, a role oft
en sung by a contralto or even a tenor.'
Stage Left