Philip Whilby's Bronte Mass
Cond. David Hill, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
"…the outstanding baritone Leigh Melrose evokes the mournful whine of an Aeolian harp by floating up to a ghostly falsetto…"
Alfred Hickling, The Guardian, November 2007
Evan in MacMillan's The Sacrifice
Welsh National Opera / cond. James Macmillan / dir. Katie Mitchell
"Leigh Melrose makes a convincing political thug…"
Andrew Clark, The Financial Times , September 2007
"Leigh Melrose is suitably volatile as a hothead whose jealousy fuels his tribal hatred."
Richard Morrison, The Times , September 2007
"Leigh Melrose was spot on as the enemy Evan."
Rupert Christiansen, The Daily Telegraph , September 2007
"…the love duet in the second act between Sian and Evan, powerfully sung by Lisa Milne and Leigh Melrose, is charming…"
Mike Smith, The Herald , September 2007
"The passionate Act II…finely sung by Leigh Melrose."
Stephen Walsh, The Independent , September 2007
"…splendidly sung by Melrose"
Paul Driver, The Sunday Times, October 2007
Sid in Britten Albert Herring
Salzburg Landetheater / cond. Ivor Bolton / dir. Stephen Medcalf
"The singing was magnificent without exception, played with lashings of clichés. Yvonne Kenny (Lady Billows), Susan Gorton (housekeeper), James Edwards (Albert), Della Jones (his mother), the young lovers Sid (Leigh Melrose) and Nancy (Astrid Hofer) were all perfectly suited to this "very British" performance. The applause was most enthusiastic. "
Salzburger Nachrichten, Ernst P. Strobl, April 2007
Lubano in Mozart & Schikander's Der Stein der Weisen
Garsington Opera / cond. Steuart Bedford / dir. John Cox
"Leigh Melrose acts and sings everyone else off stage as Lubano."
Hilary Finch, The Times, June 2006
"The jolly gamekeeper Lubano is energetically and engagingly played here by Leigh Melrose."
Edward Seckerson, The Independent, June 2006
Achille in Offenbach's La Belle Hélène
English National Opera / cond. Emmanuel Joel / dir. Laurent Pelly
"The kings duly dominate, with David Kempster and Leigh Melrose giving stand-out performances as Agamemnon and Achilles."
Edward Seckerson, The Independent, April 2006
Escamillo in Bizet Carmen
CBSO / cond. Sakari Oramo
“Leigh Melrose served up two verses of Escamillo's alluring Act III song at almost a subdued pianissimo. It was tantalising.”
Roderic Dunnett, The Independent, September 2005
Escamillo in Bizet Carmen
Raymond Gubbay production (Royal Albert Hall) / cond. Peter Robinson / dir. David Freeman
“The best performances came from the other characters. Leigh Melrose made Escamillo more than just a stock figure.”
Patrick O’Connor, Opera, April 2005
“Leigh Melrose’s Escamillo flourished panache.”
Richard Fairman, Financial Times, February 2005
“Leigh Melrose was accomplished as Escamillo.”
Fiona Maddocks, Evening Standard, February 2005
Demetrius in Britten A Midsummer Night’s Dream
English National Opera / cond. Paul Daniel / dir. Robert Carsen
“Leigh Melrose’s darkly sonorous Demetrius.”
Bayan Northcutt, The Independent, June 2004
Junius in Britten The Rape of Lucretia
English National Opera (Barbican) / cond. Paul Daniel / dir. David McVicar
“Both Clive Bayley as Collatinus and Leigh Melrose as Junius made strong impacts.”
Michael Kennedy, Opera, January 2004
“Clive Bayley and Leigh Melrose were excellent as Collatinus and Junius.”
Michael Kennedy, The Sunday Telegraph, November 2003
Rambo in Adams The Death of Klinghoffer
cond. John Adams / dir. Penny Woolcock (filmed for Channel 4)
“English baritone Leigh Melrose is positively terrifying as the vicious Rambo who callously torments the passengers.”
Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, April 2003
Silvio in Leoncavallo I Pagliacci
Welsh National Opera / cond. Tugan Sokhiev
“With Leigh Melrose’s sexy Silvio, an advert out of Men’s Health, this has all the required machismo and heated elements for a crime passionel, an unusually convincing one.”
Michael Tanner, The Spectator, March 2003
Punch in Birtwistle Punch and Judy
Teatro Nacional São João / Remix Ensemble / cond. Stefan Ausbury / dir. José Wallenstein
“The performers were all excellent, without exception: (…) the vocal and theatrical versatility of Leigh Melrose…”
Fernando C Lapa, Público, September 2002
Count Almaviva in Mozart The Marriage of Figaro
English National Opera / cond. Jane Glover / dir. Steven Stead
“From Leigh Melrose’s swaggeringly libidinous Count to Mark Le Brocq’s high-camp Don Basilio, the comedy of the baddies is hilariously broad.”
Anna Picard, The Independent, November 2001
Junius in Britten The Rape of Lucretia
English National Opera / cond. Paul Daniel / dir. David McVicar
“There’s a rugged young Junius from Leigh Melrose.”
Duncan Hadfield, What’s On, June 2001
“Leigh Melrose was first rate.”
Rodney Milnes, The Times, June 2001
Papageno in Mozart The Magic Flute
English National Opera / cond. Grant Llewellyn / dir. Nicholas Hytner
“Leigh Melrose is an impressive and highly engaging Birdman.”
Duncan Hadfield, What’s On, February 2000
“But it is the other newcomers to the show who, like Gritton, are making the strongest mark. Leigh Melrose, a member of ENO's Jerwood Young Singers’ Programme, takes on his first Papageno with every word as winsome and clear as the bells he carries with him.”
Hilary Finch, The Times, January 2000
“Naturally Leigh Melrose’s willing handsome smiles steal the applause.”
Tom Sutcliffe, Evening Standard, January 2000
Metifio in Cilea L’Arlesiana
Opera Holland Park / cond. John Gibbons / dir. Tom Hawkes
“Through this world of midday gaiety and dark evening spectres passes Metifio, the dastardly horse-breeder; and baritone Leigh Melrose rolls the vowels splendidly round his throat as he cracks the whip of jealousy.”
Hilary Finch, The Times, August 1998