Performance Reviews

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 "DeLara...sang with poise, strength and polish"..."Every note was cleanly hit.  Her highs were ​brilliant while in the middle, and especially down low, she ​sounded deliciously warm and sensuous."  

                                      Vesperae Solennes de Dominica ~ W. A. Mozart

"In  [the] duet, DeLara seemed to present more of a lyrical quality with  listenable high notes that seemed effortless. Like the men soloists  before them, these two women seemed well matched, especially when they  turned to each other to produce a beautifully coordinated a  cappella cadenza. It must have felt right because I noticed DeLara’s  smile as the piece ended."
               Recordare  from An American Requiem ~ James DeMars

"Soprano Ava  DeLara, in this movement, gave us the first taste of her rich,  controlled voice.  As she sang, I was impressed with her restraint as  she built to a thrilling climax."               

                                                                      Magnificat ~ Gabriel Ruiz-Bernal

"Ava DeLara  was superb as Ariadne in the Greek mythological opera 'Ariadne auf  Naxos' ... Her effective acting combined with her voice ​was truly  moving." 

                                 Araidne auf Naxos (R. Strauss) ~ North Bay Opera

..."[S]oprano  Ava DeLara shone in both the elegant 'Salve Regina' and 'Dixit Dominus'  of Handel. DeLara has a strong, confident voice that expressed well the  plaintive passages of the 'Salve Regina,' especially the high 'O  Clemens, O Pia' section and the more forceful 'De Torrente' in the  'Dixit.' ... "When Shoemaker and DeLara sang together near the end of  the work ['Dixit'], they seemed angelic."
                                                Domine Deus/Dixit Dominus ~ G.F. Händel 

"One of my  favorite sections was 'To Music, To Becalm His Fever' ... in which  soprano Ava DeLara was accompanied only by the children’s choir.  It was  a beautiful combination that made for very pleasant listening, and I  was especially impressed by DeLara’s performance.  I have heard so many  sopranos lose 50% of their tone when working in the lower part of their  range.  Not so with DeLara, whose low range was clear and strong,  matching the beauty and power of her upper register."                           

                                                         In the Arms of Music  -- Matthew Harris  

(The) "Dies  Irae began with a solo by soprano, Ava DeLara. It featured a long  crescendo that demonstrated the great power and drama of which DeLara is  capable, as she matched (and topped) the simultaneous crescendos by the  organ and timpani."  

Ava DeLara  needs recognition for giving “I know that my Redeemer liveth” some  special umph! First, her pleasing tone quality and beautiful  bellrung notes were simply divine. I enjoyed hearing a lady behind me  take note of DeLara's control and pitch perfection, adding just before  she began singing, “I try to make it to all the concerts where I  know she is singing.” The placement and quality of vowels makes this  lengthy aria delightful or dull. I was delighted that DeLara made this  aria special with her beautifully shaped vowels... slightly adjusting  placement while adding the contrast necessary to break up the monotony.  I’m grateful I paid close attention to her outstanding performance.​ 

                                                The Messiah (Easter Section) ~ G.F. Händel