Ariadne in ARIADNE AUF NAXOS

Opéra National de Bordeaux

"If Ariadne spent much of the show seated in a chair or propped up like a doll on the floor, this never compromised Heidi Melton’s touching dignity, her diction or her capacity to pour out long, creamy-toned lines, whatever the register or dynamic.”
-Yehuda Shapiro, Opera Magazine

“Heidi Melton brought real gravity to the opera’s opera, sitting with her back against the wall, her legs splayed downstage, her voice lofting torrents of gorgeous tone."
-Michael Milenski, Opera Today

"Melton [had a] grand presence. The soprano produced a sumptuous wave of powerful tone, riding the curves of the Straussian climaxes with insolent ease."
-Stephen J. Mudge, Opera News

“American soprano Heidi Melton played the title role. When I saw her in the same theatre in Tannhäuser in 2009, I was much impressed by her performance in vocal terms... Her voice is magnificent and her Ariadne was truly outstanding. Her’s is one of those voices that are exceedingly difficult to find nowadays, and I think that Wagner could be her best employment. She was without a doubt the best singer in the whole cast and one of the best Ariadnes that can be heard anywhere today.”
- José Ma. Irurzun, Seen and Heard International