Opera Magazine Review by Ken Smith, February 2024 Issue

“The gamble paid off surprisingly well, in large part because the company's artistic director Nancy Yuen (who directed the production) took so few chances with anything else … With so few visual distractions, the singers could forgo the usual operatic grandeur and focus more on the subtleties that marked their different characters. Heredia's Turiddu was noticeably less toxically masculine than usual, his Canio more full of desperation than classic jealousy. Algozzini's Santuzza and Nedda stood on opposite ends of the adultery divide (first a wronged woman, then the woman doing the wronging). Ng went from a borderline thug as Alfio to a bumblingly inept Tonio with vocal aplomb.”

The Straits Times Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci Review by Chang Tou Liang, 24 November 2023

“Truly inspired finds, [Jose Heredia and Lisa Algozzini] were young and fresh yet had enough experience to command the stage with authority.

A vital chemistry was struck for their antagonistic male-female love pairings in the tragedies that unfolded.”

“Another vital aspect was the community reach of opera, represented splendidly and colourfully by the 39 singers from the SLO Adult Chorus, led by chorus master Terrence Toh. The Easter Hymn (Cav) and Bell Chorus (Pag), the latter joined by seven children, may also be regarded as true highlights in this production.”

“Most importantly, musical values–singing, ensemble work and accompaniment–were upheld to the highest levels of SLO's capabilities. No one who attended could deny this production was a largely enjoyable one.