2010: The Metropolitan Opera
2008: Festival Amazonas de Ă“pera
2005: Pittsburgh Opera
2004: L’Opera de MontrĂ©al
2003: Seattle Opera
The Metropolitan Opera – New York, New York
This is the season of colds. And illness has certainly taken a toll at the Metropolitan Opera this winter, as it did on Thursday night for the first performance of Strauss’s “Ariadne auf Naxos” in a revival of Elijah Moshinsky’s slightly surreal 1994 production. The (scheduled) tenor… was sick and had to withdraw. The American tenor Michael Hendrick, an experienced Bacchus, took over. As it turned out, Mr. Hendrick was grappling with a cold as well. He went on, but he requested the audience’s understanding, a Met spokesman announced from the stage…. Bacchus is a relatively short yet notoriously punishing heldentenor role. Clearly struggling, Mr. Hendrick dropped some phrases and skipped some top notes. Still, the basic components of his burly voice came through, and he survived the big final duet with Ariadne.
~ Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times, February 5, 2010
Pittsburgh Opera – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (USA)
In Richard Strauss’ opera about an opera, “Ariadne auf Naxos”, Michael Hendrick‘s Tenor was funny throwing hissy fits in the Prologue, but even funnier as an overly dramatic Bacchus in the opera. Soprano Jane Eaglen seems born for the role of the Prima Donna, and Hendrick’s booming voice is a sure fit with Eaglen’s.
~ The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The leading male roles are also magnificently performed. Tenor Michael Hendrick as Bacchus steps up to match Eaglen’s soaring melodic lines at the end of the opera.
~ The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
L’OpĂ©ra de MontrĂ©al – MontrĂ©al, Quebec CANADA
Michael Hendrick performed Bacchus with a noble bearing and a trumpet tone. There are good tenors out there after all.
~ The Gazette (Montréal)
…Bacchus (was) sung well by tenor Michael Hendrick
~ The Globe and Mail (Montréal)
Michael Hendrick has a strong, estimable heroic tenor voice, silver plated and magnificently constant, and delivers a convincing interpretation of the invaluable TĂ©nor/Bacchus.
~ Concertonet.com