Reviews

Orphée et Eurydice-Opera Columbus & Against the Grain Theater

"Marcy Richardson is the best reason to go see Orphée+, as though the plus-sign were the twinkle in her eye. Marcy is an aerialist, dressed as Love with wings and sequins and looking like a slim petite version of Mae West (please note, I speak as a huge fan of Mae West, the under-rated and empowered sex goddess from another century). Did I mention that Marcy also sings? And that she does it while suspended upside down ten feet above the stage? So in other words we’re talking about a remarkable feat verging on a circus stunt, something that might even be called dangerous or death-defying. All in a day’s work if you’re an immortal goddess. You will never see or hear anything like this in your lifetime...Marcy Richardson was spectacular in every way." (Leslie Barcza, Barcza Blog)

"In unquestionably the most attention-commanding stage turn of the evening...Marcy Richardson elicited audible gasps, singing, impossibly and seemingly unperturbed, as a high-flying, inverted, trapeze-born Amour. Her airborne entrance, a particularly high risk deus ex machina summoning Orpheus to action, Si les doux accents de ta lyre, could not have been more daring. Or vocally divine." (Ian Ritchie, Opera Going Toronto)

"A hoop trapeze descends from the fly and a scantily clad Marcy Richardson is carried on stage by two gold lamé clad male dancers.  She pulls up onto the trapeze and launches into her aria.  She’s not just perched up there.  This is a full on aerialist display involving serious moves while singing.  I doubt this aria has ever been sung by a soprano hanging upside down with only an ankle lock keeping her airborne.  This one scene is worth the price of admission." (Operaramblings Blog)

"Marcy Richardson was indeed showstopping in the role of Amour. The multi-talented performer is an aerial artist and classical soprano. She gave an incredible performance of “Dalla centra tua” and “Gli sguardi trattieni Amor” while suspended from an aerial hoop doing splits and turning herself into a pretzel. My jaw was literally on the floor." (Kiera Grant, Mooney on Theatre)

Queen of Hearts-Company XIV

“Highest Stage honors for the evening go to quadruple threat Marcy Richardson as the mad hatter, whose belting, comedic, and dance chops become eclipsed by her haunting rendition of Tears for Fears’ classic “Made World,” which she performs while spinning on rig over the audience’s heads.” (Bobby McGuire, The Broadway Blog)

“Two performers, however, deserve special mention. Marcy Richardson, with her operatic soprano, takes on the role of the Mad Hatter in the second act, delighting us with her French-language version of Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” and bringing us to tears with Michael Andrews’s “Mad World”-the latter performed above the audience on a chandelier-like swing (she is an accomplished acrobat as well as a virtuosic vocalist)” (Pete Hempstead, Theater Mania)

“Habitual show-stopper Marcy Richardson, known for hitting operatic soprano trills while undulating mid-air, offers another stunning turn as The Mad Hatter, spinning above the audience in a chandelier while singing Michael Andrews' "Mad World." (Michael Dale, Broadway World)

Boylesque Bullfight-Company XIV

“Ferdinand meets the Matador, played by the captivating soprano Marcy Richardson……Richardson, the only vocalist in Ferdinand, deserves special mention for bringing the house down in the second act with her rendition of Enrique Iglesias's "Bailamos," which she sings while performing on an aerial hoop.” (Pete Hempstead, Theater Mania)

“In the ring Ferdinand meets the Matador, played by the operatic aerialist soprano Marcy Richardson who sings among others the “Toreador Song.” In a feat of sheer delight, she sings Enrique Iglesias’s “Bailamos,”upside down, sideways and up in the air.” (Suzanna Bowling, Times Square Chronicles)

Nutcracker Rouge-Company XIV

"We hear an unforgettable rendition of Sia's "Chandelier," sung in French by the extraordinary soprano Marcy Richardson as she performs her own graceful ring ballet high above the stage. To witness Richardson's intensely physical performance as she flexes her operatic muscle without missing a note is worth the price of admission alone." (Pete Hempstead, Theater Mania)

"The most memorable was a glittering vocal and aerial solo, performed by Marcy Richardson, to a stripped down, French version of Sia's "Chandelier." Ms. Richardson's crystalline soprano and skill on the aerial hoop combine for a tableau so mesmerizing that the audience had its collective breath taken away." (Melanie Brown, Stage Buddy)

"One stand out moment is the aerial acrobatic number performed by Marcy Richardson. As if dancing upside down wasn't enough of a challenge, at the same time she sings an operatic cover of Sia's "Chandelier" with extreme power and control." (Rave Reviews NYC)

Paris-Company XIV

Pole-dancing operatic soprano Marcy Richardson has been stopping Company XIV productions regularly. Here she appears as Athena, the first of the three goddesses vying for the prize, as she thrills with high notes while spinning upside-down on her pole, supported only by her legs. (Michael Dale-Broadway World)

The goddess Athena’s (Marcy Richardson) bid for beauty contest winner was jaw-dropping.  I don’t think there’s another classically trained, award-winning soprano who sings classical music while doing a pole dancing routine 30 feet in the air. No net. Never. Missing. A. Note.  Clear, bell-like tone.  Damn, girl. (Donna Herman, The Front Row Center)

First up is Athena, the goddess of strength and wisdom, and as portrayed by the muscular Marcy Richardson, she is an imposing Nordic, well, goddess.  Blonde and powerful like a Brienne of Tarth in touch with her sexuality, Athena straddles both Paris and a stripper pole as she performs both French caberet and modern rock numbers.  Her promise to Paris is strength, something the weak-willed boy prince wouldn’t know what to do with. (Michael Niederman, New York Theater Review)

Marcy Richardson’s Athena is particularly impressive as she delivers an incredibly memorable performance that combines jazz, opera, and pole dancing. (Tim Koch, The Reviews Hub)

One of the major highlights of this show for us were the musical numbers.  Athena, played by Marcy Richardson, stole the show when performing Adele’s “Skyfall” while doing an incredible and intricate pole dance routine. (Vinesh Vora, The Knockturnal)

Cinderella-Company XIV

"The most jaw-dropping moment of the evening comes when Richardson pole dances while singing from Charles Gounod's Faust in full soprano." (Michael Dale, Broadway World)

"Richardson, Umlauf, and Rainey appear and reappear like mirages throughout the ball and search for Cinderella, their antics to ensnare the Prince's affectations culminating in the Jewel Song from Gounod's Faust. Sung beautifully by Marcy Richardson, this feat of physical and musical skill has to be seen to be believed." (Alexis Rodda, Opera Today)

Add circus elements...and pole dance (miraculously performed by Marcy Richardson while delivering "Ah! Je ris de me voir" from Gounod's Opera, Faust) and the evening unravels into a bacchanalian feast for the senses. (Matthew Wexler, The Broadway Blog)

The stepsisters are actual opera singers, (including) Marcy Richardson, whom I last heard in Handel's Agrippina. Just when you think the show thus far can't be topped, Richardson performs Gounod's Jewel Song (with a trill and without a mic!) while doing an aerial pole routine, 180-degree splits and pinwheels that, one would have thought, made us of the very abdominals that support her admiral soprano. Evidently she keeps two sets of abs in that taut, tiny body. Eat your heart out, Jeanette MacDonald.(John Yohalem, Parterre Box)

Samson-American Classical Orchestra

"The two bass-baritones....sang well. So did the soloists drawn from the excellent American Classical Orchestra Chorus, especially the sopranos Sarah Brailey and Marcy Richardson.” (James R. Oestreich, New York Times) 

Agrippina-OperaMission

"The light-voiced soprano Marcy Richardson was the most natural comedian, playing the much-adored Poppea with a malleable face and gentle manner." (Zachary Woolfe, New York Times)

"The evening was crowned by two sterling performances, perhaps providentially, of the two good characters. Ottone....(and) as the fickle Poppea, Marcy Richardson was equally commanding, her shining soprano coping well with her florid music, particularly in her demanding first scene where she has four(!) da capo arias. (Stage Mother-DeCaffarrelli, Parterre Box)

"The two fully realized Handelian creations were Marcy Richardson’s adorable, Jean Harlow-like Poppea and José Lemos’s simply enacted but increasingly moving Ottone; both sang with memorable beauty of tone, fine breath control and apt decoration." (David Shengold, Opera Magazine)

The Arianna Project-Musica Nuova

 "The evening concluded with Alessandro Scarlatti's brilliant, demanding L'Arianna, in which Ms. Richardson's clear, pealing voice keenly conveyed longing, vitriol, and finally, joy. Hers, after all, was the evening's only happy ending." (Steve Smith, New York Times)

 "Marcy Richardson was dramatically by far the most effective in her Scarlatti scena....she raged about the stage, summoning sea monsters, going ballistic over Theseus (the Italian translated, in her voice, to “I’ll murder that *&^ s.o.b.”) and finally, joined by the other singers, happily transported to heaven by Bacchus." (Harry Rolnick, ConcertoNet)

La Calisto-Vertical Player Repertory

"Marcy Richardson sang the roles of Diana and Jove-masquerading-as-Diana with distinctive characterizations and equal panache...an extraordinarily vivid, vocally impressive performance. In her dual role, Richardson was on stage for a great deal of the opera, with significant vocal and dramatic demands made upon her. She rose to the occasion with style. Diana's rage and tenderness were alike convincing, and the king of the gods was jovially caddish." (OperaObsession, Vertical Player Repertory)

"The company's star is tiny, curly maned Marcy Richardson in the plum roles of Diana and faux-Diana. Her small but luscious soprano acquired sensuous overtones for her duet with the persistent Endymion, then abruptly hissed at Calisto's advances. She had fun slapping Mercury's back as Jove-in-disguise, and seduced both sexes with convincing ardor. Tony Curtis? This is how it's done! (John Yohalem, Parterre Box, Vertical Player Repertory)

Marcy Richardson may have been Wonder Woman-i.e. Diana, leader of the chaste Amazons. But she also played-as brilliant tomboy-Jupiter transformed into Diana herself to seduce Calisto. As in Rosenkavalier, we had a mixture of sexualities, but always real people. Ms. Richardson could be awkward or warm, sensual, or the absolute fishwife! A a brilliant performance." (Harry Rolnick, ConcertoNet, Vertical Player Repertory)

"Some really fine voices here. I would pick out...Marcy Richardson (Diana), a bright and focused soprano with great capacity to characterize." (La Calisto, Beckmesserschmitt, Opera-L, Vertical Player Repertory)

"...wealth of young talent in this production. Most notable: the pert soprano Marcy Richardson, doubling in the role of Diana and as the god Jupiter, who disguises himself as Diana in an effort to bed the nymph Calisto." (Paul Pelkonen, Superconductor, Vertical Player Repertory)

Ariodante-The Princeton Festival

"Soprano Marcy Richardson (Dalinda) gave the best all-around performance. I mean no disrespect to her talents and charm when I say she made a perfect seconda donna here — just what the role needs, and in good sound and style." (David Shengold, Opera News)

“A delicious lyric coloratura” (Michael Redmund, central Jersey.com)

“What makes a great Handel singer? In the space of a seconds-long vocal cadenza, Marcy Richardson (Dalinda) articulated clean scales decorated by trills and appoggiaturas - all integrated into her character's personality.” (David Patrick Stearns, the Philadelphia InquirerPrinceton Festival)

“Soprano Marcy Richardson brought energy and control over the character to the soubrette role as Dalinda, Ginevra’s handmaiden, building on the delicious sauciness of the character as the opera went on.” (Nancy Plum, Town Topics, Princeton Festival)

“Marcy Richardson also delivered an enchanting performance as the handmaiden Dalinda.” (Toby Grace, Out in New Jersey Princeton Festival)

“The sprightly Dalinda, Marcy Richardson also sang with admirable fluency.” (James Camner, Opera-LPrinceton Festival)

The Magic Flute-Opera Vivente 

“Marcy Richardson sang brightly and offered vibrant acting as Papagena (Baltimore Sun, The Magic Flute, Opera Vivente)