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Vocally and physically he was that swan.  The impact was chilling and even heartbreaking.  It was the best interpretation of that piece I've seen, bar none.

 

 KDHX  St. Louis

ACCLAIM

 ...The male lead was David Portillo’s Bajazet, the tragic tenor who lost the battle of Ankara in 1402 to Ryan Belongie’s emperor Tamerlano, a very flamboyant countertenor, who demonstrated incredible vocal technique and often shared a comic approach, with quite humorous mannerisms.

EarRelevant, Michael Moore

HAYMARKET OPERA COMPANY – TAMERLANO

 ...countertenor Ryan Belongie was most effective as the Page, Delgado made the suicidal Narraboth deeply sympathetic, and Kevin Thompson brought an air of mystery to his role as the First Nazarene.

Tulsa World, James Watts

TULSA OPERA – SALOME

 Countertenor soloist Ryan Belongie impressed with his vocal agility in 'Von den Stricken' and the fiery B section of 'Es ist vollbracht,' but the more lyrical moments showed off the bloom in his upper register. The emotional heart of the work, the final line of that aria (Es ist vollbracht) was sung with heart-breaking vulnerability.

Chicago Classical Voice, Katherine Buzard 

APOLLO CHORUS OF CHICAGO – ST. JOHN PASSION

 They were all uniformly excellent in their roles.  Belongie made a sinister Angel, and he navigated the long coloratura passages well. 

Parterre Box, Michael Anthonio

NILOUFAR TALEBI PROJECTS – ABRAHAM IN FLAMES

 ...singers I very much hope to hear again were Ryan Belongie (with a beautifully creamy countertenor), Daryl Freedman (a thrilling mezzo that could blaze or smolder) and William Meinert...

The Dallas Morning News, Scott Cantrell

THE DALLAS OPERA – HART INSTITUTE CONCERT

 ...an arresting performance of a Handel aria, beautifully sung by countertenor Ryan Belongie.

Theater Jones, Gregory Sullivan Issaacs 

THE DALLAS OPERA – HART INSTITUTE CONCERT

 Pirro was splendidly sung by countertenor Ryan Belongie, who joined in a lovely duet with Kendra Scharich's Andromaca at the close of Act I.

Berkeley Daily Planet, James Roy MacBean

ARS MINERVA – LA CIRCE

 There was plenty to delight the eye and ear, nothing more so from the musical side than a sublimely murmurous love duet for the princess Andromaca and her husband, Pyrrhus, she thought she had lost at sea.  Mezzo Kindra Scharich, who sang sweetly and tenderly throughout, paired gorgeously with countertenor Ryan Belongie, their vocal lines seductively imitative, offset and intertwined.

San Francisco Classical Voice, Steve Winn

ARS MINERVA – LA CIRCE

 Countertenor Ryan Belongie was a suavely handsome Lysander... Vocally, his was a mellifluous performance...His lean, sinewy voice flowed through Purcell's melodic lines like pure honey, and he negotiated divisions with surety.  He radiated boyish sex appeal but was also the most maturely expressive of the principals; gaining cognizance of his brief liaison with Helena, his face conveyed heartbreak and regret as earnestly as his singing.

Voix des Arts, Joseph A. Newsome

CHICAGO OPERA THEATER – THE FAIRY QUEEN

 'Voi che udite il mio lamento' (You who hear my lament) could have been written for Belongie; his rendition had me closing my eyes and hoping the aria would never end.

San Francisco Classical Voice, Ilana Walter-Biesanz

WEST EDGE OPERAAGRIPPINA

 Masur was aided in no small measure by the orchestra's best efforts...and a communicative solo trio of baritone Tyler Duncan, (counter)tenor Ryan Belongie and soprano Celena Shafer.

San Diego Union-Tribune, James Chute

SAN DIEGO SYMPHONY – CARMINA BURANA

 Countertenor Ryan Belongie made the most of his portrayal of a swan that is roasted and about to be eaten in 'Olim locus colueram' (Once I dwelt in the Lakes), confetti feathers flying as he left the stage.

ArtsBham, Michael Huebner

ALABAMA SYMPHONY – CARMINA BURANA

 Vocally and physically he was that swan.  The impact was chilling and even heartbreaking.  It was the best interpretation of that piece I've seen, bar none.

KDHX St. Louis, Chuck Lavazzi

ST. LOUIS SYMPHONY – CARMINA BURANA

 ...his singing was fabulous.  His voice was strong throughout its range, extremely accurate in music both fast and exciting, or warm and sustained.

Lexington Herald-Ledger, Tedrin Blair Lindsay

LEXINGTON PHILHARMONIC – MESSIAH

 Equally alluring vocally, and looking just as attractive when stripped to a towel, countertenor Ryan Belongie brought to Ottone plangent tones that were the most moving of the evening.

Opera News, Jason Victor Serinus

WEST EDGE OPERA – L'INCORONAZIONE DI POPPEA

Countertenor Ryan Belongie brought lucid sound and fluent phrasing to the part of Ottone.

San Francisco Chronicle, Joshua Kosman

WEST EDGE OPERA – L'INCORONAZIONE DI POPPEA

 However, it was countertenor Ryan Belongie who stole the spotlight from his colleagues.  A singer with power and depth, his is a voice that is richly modulated and textured and full of warm expressiveness.

Reichel Recommends, Edward Reichel

UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA – ST. MATTHEW PASSION

 His penetrating alto, unfaltering technique and stage presence made each of his arias an enlightening experience.

Salt Lake Tribune, Robert Coleman

UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA – ST. MATTHEW PASSION

 Special mention must be made of Ryan Belongie, the former San Francisco Opera Adler Fellow who played the role of the Sage.  Belongie's accomplished singing suggests yet another generation of countertenors will be available for the great baroque opera roles suited to the high male voice.

Opera Warhorses, William Burnett

LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO – RINALDO

 Countertenor Ryan Belongie showed an expressive range almost as wide as his vocal range in some remarkable solo work; the emotional honesty of 'He was despised' was especially telling.

The Seattle Times, Melinda Bargreen

SEATTLE SYMPHONY – MESSIAH

 Belongie has the apt, high flexible instrument for this repertoire and handled the stratospheric passages with agility and a graceful Bach style.

Chicago Classical Review, Lawrence A. Johnson

GRANT PARK ORCHESTRA – BACH CANTATA 170

 It was a balm to the ears to hear this music sung securely with Belongie's plaintive sweet tone evoking the right searching innocence.

Chicago Classical Review, Lawrence A. Johnson

GRANT PARK ORCHESTRA – CHICHESTER PSALMS

 It is thus significant that his (Ryan Belongie) two selections, drawn from opposite ends of the eighteenth century, were, from a musical point of view, definitely the most stunning offerings of the evening... Belongie focused on letting the music speak for itself, which it did with all the dazzling effects that Mozart had intended for it.

San Francisco Examiner, Stephen Smoliar

SAN FRANCISCO OPERA – ADLER FELLOWS GALA CONCERT

 Ryan Belongie's Oberon commanded attention from the start.  The countertenor revealed a remarkably warm, evenly produced voice, and his supple phrasing included many an exquisite shade.

Opera News, Tim Smith

WOLF TRAP OPERA – A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

 As Arsamene, the young countertenor Ryan Belongie gave notice of the arrival of a major singer who sounds utterly natural and pleasing even in this 'unnatural' fach.

San Francisco Classical Voice, Janos Gereben

WEST EDGE OPERA – XERXES

 (Angela) Cadelago's beauty of tone, technical prowess, and ease on high were as vital as (Ryan) Belongie's oft-astounding vocalism.

San Francisco Classical Voice, Jason Victor Serious

WEST EDGE OPERA – XERXES

 Soprano Angela Cadelago as the girl in question and countertenor Ryan Belongie as Arsamene made a splendid pair of lovers, both of them singing with vigor and flexibility in the most demanding passagework.  Their Act 3 duet, a burst of spite and mutual recriminations (born, naturally, of a misunderstanding) was both a comic and vocal highlight.

San Francisco Chronicle, Joshua Kosman

WEST EDGE OPERA – XERXES

 Belongie was a commanding, radiant Spirit...

Chicago Classical Voice, Wynne Delacoma

MUSIC OF THE BAROQUE – DIDO AND AENEAS

 Purcell's Ode for St. Cecilia's Day, 'Welcome to all the pleasures,' with its tangy harmonic clashes and idiosyncratic melodic writing, brought wonderfully stylish singing from (Ryan) Belongie and (Nicholas) Phan.

Chicago Tribune, John Von Rhein

MUSIC OF THE BAROQUE – ODE TO ST. CECILIA

 Purcell's setting of Christopher Fishburn's 'Welcome to all the pleasures,' composed for the Festival of St. Cecilia in 1683, was graced by an excellent quintet of soloists... Ryan Belongie's plangent countertenor was effectively displayed in his recitative and in the lovely 'While Joys Celestial.'

Opera News, Mark Thomas Ketterson

MUSIC OF THE BAROQUE – ODE TO ST. CECILIA

 The vocal discovery of the evening was countertenor Ryan Belongie, a smooth voice that did not edge into shrillness and was sized perfectly for the intimate size of the Barns. His mesmerizing stage presence had just enough threat to justify the title 'King of Shadows' bestowed on him by Puck, a white-haired roué who stands out from the rest of the fairies, all topped with Tytania's bright orange hair.

IONARTS, Charles T. Downey

WOLF TRAP OPERA – A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

 Oberon, king of the fairies, was wonderfully and gracefully sung by countertenor Ryan Belongie...

The Washington Post, Joan Reinthaler

WOLF TRAP OPERA – A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

 Singing was top-notch... Countertenor Ryan Belongie expressed the appropriate haughtiness and majesty as Oberon...

The Washington Times, Terry Ponick

WOLF TRAP OPERA – A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

 There were many champagne moment: Countertenor Ryan Belongie's raging song of love from Handel's 'Xerxes' tops the list...

Bay City News Service, Caroline Crawford

SAN FRANCISCO OPERA – MEROLA GRAND FINALE

 Belongie sang a gorgeous Orfeo...

San Francisco Classical Voice, Janos Gereben

MEROLA OPERA PROGRAM – SCHWABACHER CONCERT

 Remember the name: Ryan Belongie.  Last evening the new crop of Merola artists performed in the annual 'Auditions for the General Director.'  It was an awesome group of 29 with large and luscious voices, one of the best groups in memory.  The singer who astounded me most was the countertenor Ryan Belongie from Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.  I have never experienced 'Cara Sposa' performed so beautifully.  This gentleman mesmerized the audience with both gorgeous sound and marvelous stage presence.  You could have heard a pin drop.  We were not allowed to applaud (until the very end of the auditions) but as Belongie finished you could hear the audience start to breathe again.

OPERA L, Bob Brock

MEROLA OPERA PROGRAM 

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