Opera
Rise and Fall/City of Mahagonny; Trinity Moses -Opera Boston, Gil Rose, cond.; Sam Helfrich, director
Philip Lima was a formidable Trinity Moses. - The Boston Globe
It's hard to imagine two better collaborators than tenor Frank Kelly (a slim but sinister Fatty the Bookkeeper) and huge but graceful Philip Lima (Trinity Moses). - The Boston Phoenix
Madama Butterfly; Sharpless - Granite State Opera, Philip Lauriat, conductor; James de Blasis, director
The two standout performers of the evening, surprisingly, were . . . mezzo-soprano Janice Edwards . . .and baritone Philip Lima, who began strong, continued strong and ended strong singing and acting the role of U.S. Consul Sharpless. Lima, it seems to me, was the anchor whose presence and well-rounded characterization held the show together.
-OperaOnline.us (Boston)
A rich foundation for multi-voice passages. As an actor he showed great subtlety in projecting frustration over his inability read the fateful letter in Act II—not an easy thing to get across to the rear rows of the balcony, where I was seated. -Hippo Press (Manchester, NH)
Samson et Dalila; High Priest -El Paso Opera, Raymond Harvey, conductor
Of particular note is the authoritative presence of the High Priest of Dagon, Philip Lima, whose majestic voice matches his towering physique and imperial manner with equal command. - El Paso Times
Der Kaiser von Atlantis; Kaiser Überall -Opera Theater of Pittsburgh, Jonathan Eaton, director
Kaiser Überall, scarily played by Philip Lima -Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Mikado; Mikado of Japan - Boston Academy of Music, Ira Siff, director; Julian Wachner, conductor; Cape Cod Opera and The Bostonians, Steven Karidoyanes, conductor
An affability and sense of humor that beamed to the back of the hall. -Cape Cod Times
Star turn . . . the top chuckler was Lima’s “Let the Punishment Fit the Crime.” -The Boston Herald
The Crucible; John Proctor - Lyric Opera Cleveland, Will Graham, director
Lima sings with firm assurance . . . makes an overwhelming impression -Cleveland The Plain Dealer
Semele; Cadmus -Handel and Haydn Society, Christopher Hogwood, conductor
Philip Lima positively shone as Cadmus. -The Boston Globe
La Cenerentola; Alidoro -Lyric Opera Cleveland, Gary Race, director
With a vibrant baritone and commanding presence (and occasional dreadlocks), he provided just the right note of philosophical wisdom. -Cleveland The Plain Dealer
The Rape of Lucretia; Tarquinius -Prism Opera (Boston), Thomas Stumpf, conductor
Physically imposing, dramatically powerful, and vocally secure -The Boston Globe
He made a wonderful villain: singing with power and wit and capturing both Tarquinius’s cruelty and his seductiveness. -The Boston Phoenix
Back to Top
Concert
Schubert’s Winterreise
In the last song of Schubert’s Winterreise Philip Lima and pianist Beverly Orlove transformed a good performance into a transcendent one. “Some unforgettable classical events of 2005” -The Boston Phoenix
In recital
One of the most personal and artistically satisfying vocal performances heard in Greensboro in recent history. . . he is a superb singer. -Greensboro (NC) News & Record
Lima struck one of the high notes of the evening . . .his singing was glorious. -The Boston Globe
Lima brought down the house. -The Boston Globe
Beethoven 9th Symphony -Richmond (VA) Sym. Orchestra, Mark Russell Smith, conductor
Sang the baritone’s introduction to the Ode [to Joy] with as much passion and authority as I have heard. -Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch
The Creation -Chatham (Cape Cod) Chorale, Margaret Bossi, conductor
[His] resonant, spirited singing effectively carried the narrative forward. -Cape Cod Times
Belshazzar’s Feast - Harvard-Radcliffe Chorus and Orchestra, Simon Carrington, conductor
His singing was wonderfully flexible and engaging. His is the ideal voice for Belshazzar, resonant and full; his musicianship is exemplary and his stage presence tremendously impressive. -Simon Carrington, Yale School of Music
Brahms Requiem -Champaign-Urbana (IL) Sym. Orchestra, Fred Stolzfus, conductor; Rockford (IL) Symphony Orchestra, Steven Larsen, conductor
A strong, ringing delivery of the German text, and he interacted forcefully and subtly with the choral forces. Champaign -Urbana (IL) News Gazette
Profound in his rendering of “Lord, make me to know mine end” . . . strong, resonant and articulate voice. -Rockford (IL) Register Star
A commanding vocal presence. Without any excess dramatic tricks, he let the musical line carry its own emotions, and his voice had a constant intensity that gave added meaning to the notes and words. -Rockford (IL) Rock River Times
Five Mystical Songs (Vaughan Williams) -Worcester Chorus, Andrew Clark, conductor
Rendered with impressive precision and beauty by baritone soloist Philip Lima. -Worcester Telegram & Gazette
A Sea Symphony (Vaughan Williams) -Oklahoma City Sym. Orchestra/Canterbury Choral Society; Constantina Tsolainou, conductor
Evocative. . . soaring effortlessly above the chorus and orchestra -Oklahoma City The Oklahoman
Back to Top |
