C O U N T E R T E N O R
“ 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
“ ...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 OPERA – AGRIPPINA
“ 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