Reviews

Reviews

“But the most convincing voice remains the Fafner of Steven Humes, henceforth THE Fafner of major scenes, clear voice, deep, warm, with impeccable diction and especially accomplished art of coloring: in less than ten minutes, he is so moving and endowed with such a vocal presence he obtains the biggest hit of the evening.”
Le Blog du Wanderer - February 2, 2014

“When Fafner, in ‘human’ form, appeared on stage having been stabbed by Nothung he looked like the Incredible Hulk - though not as green! I cannot immediately remember such a uniformly good cast for any Siegfried I have seen since those early ENO days. ...a sterling effort from Steven Humes’ suitably cavernous Fafner.”
Jim Pritchard - February 2, 2014 - Seen and Heard International

“On the plus side also Steven Humes as the deep night-black Fafner.”
Markus Theil - February 3, 2014 - Münchener Merkur

“Particularly impressive was the vocally excellent Steven Humes as Fafner.”
Klaus Billand - January 30, 2014 - Online Merker

“Especially Steven Humes, who dominates the distribution (casting) that was altogether rather homogeneous, played a Fafner that was as powerful as it was moving, so much that we regret the scene was so short.”
Bruno Serrou -February 4, 2014 - Classique d’aujourd’hui

As Fafner in Siegfried with Switzerland’s Grand Théâtre de Genève
conductor - Ingo Metzmacher
production by Dieter Dorn

“Steven Humes shows himself as a calculated and polished character,
to which his supple, refined bass voice magnificently adds itself.”
Thomas Schacher - October 21, 2013 - Neue Zürcher Zeitung

“Steven Humes as Daland with his full round bass, across from the powerfully pithy, often easily grained baritone of Svilpas, hardly conceals his greed at the first encounter with the Holländer and then visibly remains in an unsettled position until stunned by the death of his daughter.”
Peter Schaufelberger - October 22, 2013 - Der Südkurier

“And Steven Humes with a pithy, agile bass for a saucy, jovial Daland.”
Herbert Büttiker - October 22, 2013 - Der Landbote

“Steven Humes furnishes the Daland with superb bass.”
Neue Vorarlberger Tageszeitung - October, 2013

As Daland in Der fligende Holländer with Switzerland’s Theater St. Gallen
conductor - Modestas Pitrėnas
production by Alexander Nerlich
photo by Andreas J. Etter

“More interesting, however, Steven Humes, seen in Munich a little more than a month ago in the same role, shows his beautiful tone, his easy voice, comfortably seated, with a diction without blame. He is the best cast role of the entire distribution, without any doubt.”
Guy Cherqui - March 10, 2013 - Le Blog du Wanderer

“The two giants are magnificently cast as Alfred Reiter as Fasolt and Steven Humes as Fafner.”
Oliver Schneider - March 11, 2013 - DrehPunktCultur

“Alfred Reiter as Fasolt and his companion Steven Humes as Fafner vocally formed a theatrically successful couple. Their padded bodies were effective and visually realized the hugeness of the two.”
Marcel Paolino - March 28, 2013 - Der neue Merkur

“Alfred Reiter (Fasolt) sounds throaty and could rather swap roles with the much more vocally present Steven Humes (Fafner); however, as cuddly Teddybear-giants
they are the sympathetic figures of the evening.”
Markus Theil - March 10, 2013 - Münchener Merkur

As Fafner in Das Rheingold with Geneva’s Grand Theatre de Geneve
conductor - Ingo Metzmacher
production by Dieter Dorn
photo by Carole Parodi

“The Commendatore of Steven Humes is imposing,
he scares the audience with his voice of basso profondo.”
Sabino Pena Aria - April 30, 2013 ClassiqueNews

“...and the Commendatore, for once formidably sung
by Steven Humes.”
Christian Merlin - April 26, 2013 - Le Figaro

“We do not soon forget the sensational entrance of the Commendatore, pushing a medical cart on which, in the previous episode of the cemetery, he was lying;
a corpse covered with a shroud, awaiting burial.”
Gilles Macassar - April 26, 2013 - Telerama

“The young (sic) Commendatore Steven Humes -
for once we have a nice voice compared against
the blunderbusses so often cast in the role.”
Marie-Aude Roux - April 29, 2013 - Le Monde

As Commendatore in Don Giovanni with Paris’ Théâtre des Champs-Élysées
conductor - Jérémie Rhorer
production by Stéphane Braunschweig
Photo: Mezzo Live HD

"American Bass Steven Humes was a perfect Wagnerian interpreter. With a solid bass voice he gives his character the image of a man tempered and rude. His perfect diction of the German language, its impeccable projection, made us appreciate each syllable of his singing."
Jacques Schmitt, Resmusica, October 17, 2012

"We loved Steven Humes for the elegance of his singing, the care of phrasing and diction; a Daland whose voice is clearer and less cartoonish than usually heard. He is particularly suitable for the Biedermeier."
Ilaria Bellini, Teatro.org, September 14, 2012

As Daland in Der fliegende Holländer with Torino's Teatro Regio
conductor - Gianandrea Noseda
production by Willy Decker / Stephan Heinrichs
Photo by Edoardo Piva

"Steven Humes brings a wonderful quality to the Norma ensemble.

...Humes stood as very unpretentious, humble and nicely deliberate, especially his superb bass that was quite free and impressively flourishing."
Markus Theil, Münchener Merkur, April 12, 2011

As Oroveso in Norma with the Bayerische Staatsoper
conductor - Freidrich Haider
production - Christof Loy

Photo: VEO TV

"Bassist Steven Humes as a sonorous leader of the Capulets... was a luxury."
Klaus Kalchschmid - KlassikInfo.de

"Steven Humes as a military father Capulet controlled beautiful sounding bass tones."
Dr. Wolf-Dieter Peter - Deutschland Radio Kultur

"Steven Humes was top-level with brilliant timbre"
Michaela Schabel - Der Neue Tag

As Capellio in Capuleti e i Montecchi with the Bayerische Staatsoper
condctor - Yves Abel
production - Vincent Boussard
costumes - Christian Lacroix

Photo: Wilfred Hösl

"The minister Fernando (wonderfully provocative: Steven Humes) appears under the spotlight in the proscenium box bringing salvation in the form of the Joker; the embodiment of nihilistic evil in the Batman film "The Dark Knight".
Jürgen Kanold, TagBlatt.de, Dec. 23, 2010

"Steven Humes was convincing as the crackpot Don Fernanado, followed by Wolfgang Koch as the cruel Pizzaro, Franz-Josef Selig as the lenient Rocco, Laura Tatulescu in the role of the languishing lover and Jussi Myllys as the sidelined lover."
Paul Winterer, Augsburger Allgemeine, Dec. 22, 2010

As Don Fernando in Fidelio with the Bayerische Staatsoper
conductor - Daniele Gatti
production by - Calixto Bieito

Photo: dapd

”Auch Steven Humes überzeugte mit kerniger Stimme als intriganter Wurm. Das Publikum applaudierte euphorisch für eine Repertoirevorstellung."
Translated from German:
"Steven Humes was also convincing with robust voice as an intricate Wurm. The audience euphorically applauded for the repertoire performance."
Sarah Hilgendorff, Abendzeitung Wochenende, July 25, 2009

As Wurm in Luisa Miller with the Bayerische Staatsoper
conductor - Massimo Zanetti
production by - Claus Guth

Photo: Wilfred Hösl

"The voice of the Oracle came thundering through unseen from the back of the theater in one particularly effective moment. Mozart would surely have been pleased with the first-rate singers in the performance."
Vivian Schweitzer, New York Times, June 21, 2008

"Für den majestätisch vorgetragenen Orakelspruch steht Steven Humes mit den Posaunisten im wirkungsvoll hallenden Foyer." Translated from German:
"For the majestic presentation of the Oracle, Steven Humes sang together with the trombones from the Foyer"
Markus Theil, Münchener Merkur, June 15, 2008

As La Voce in Idomeneo at the reopening of the Cuvilliés-Theater in Munich
conductor - Kent Nagano
production by Dieter Dorn

Read an interview with Steven Humes from the Münchener Merkur
Markus Theil, March 2008

”Steven Humes’ smooth bass stood him in good stead as the King of Hearts."
Raphael Mostel, Opera Today, August 20, 2007

"As the King of Hearts, Steven Humes sang with fantastic falsetto and deep bass"

As the King of Hearts in Unsuk Chin's Alice in Wonderland with the Bayerische Staatsoper
conductor - Kent Nagano
production concept by Achim Freyer

”Angela Fout was a confident, rich-voiced Liù, Steven Humes an impressive Timur. Humes's exciting, mellifluous bass often filled the theater better than the voices of many of his onstage colleagues."
Stephanie Adrian - Opera News, September 29, 2007

As Timur in Turandot with Atlanta Opera
conductor - Arthur Fagan
production by - Bliss Hebert

"In their turns as McIntyre's lumberjack buddies, baritone Mel Ulrich provided a well-sung, impassioned Bank Account Bill; bass Steven Humes was a stentorian Alaska Wolf Joe; and tenor John Easterlin offered a sweet-voiced Jack O'Brian"
Carl Byron - Opera News, May 2007
Photo: Robert Millard

As Alaska Wolf Joe in Rise and fall of the city of Mahagonny with Los Angeles Opera
conductor - James Conlon
production by - John Doyle