Stephanie Houtzeel

 

"But the outstanding performance of the afternoon was that of mezzo-soprano Stephanie Houtzeel in the role of Armide. It would be a cliche to say she was 'larger than life' and, in fact, she seemed something even more elemental. At its best, her Armide seemed life itself, with its messy joys, sorrows, hungers and contradictions, and the role was sung with all the ardor, intelligence and vocal luster at Houtzeel’s command, which was plenty. This was the sort of daring, impassioned performance that can make a career: I hope to hear much more from Houtzeel, and soon."

– The Washington Post

 

"Stephanie Houtzel was a perfect Composer, capturing brilliantly the character's youthful dreams and insulted realization of real life with her rich voice and lovely acting."

– Opera News

 

"The phenomenal Stephanie Houtzeel succeeded in packing high emotion into the broad and serpentine vocal lines of her Fetonte aria – exactly 240 years after the work's world-premiere on the same stage of this Palace Theater."

– The Stuttgarter Nachrichten

 

Stephanie Houtzeel, a mezzo-soprano with an appealingly creamy timbre, gave lovely, warm-toned readings of these works, but was at her best in a new score, Kevin Beavers's Wandlebury Ring."

– The New York Times

 

"Stephanie Houtzeel, a rich-voiced mezzo, offered a theaterically compelling portrait of the jealous Rosmira."

- The New York Times