Ashraf Sewailam (Doctor Bartolo) and Chrystal E. Williams (Rosina)
“Highly-respected globetrotting mezzo-soprano Chrystal E. Williams sparkled as Rosina. Handled the butterfly melodies of “Contro Un Cor Che Accende Amore” beautifully and her turn in the scene’s comic ensemble had us all smiling.” Stan Fairbank, OperaWire
Mezzo-soprano Chrystal E. Williams, accordionist Felipe Hostins, and conductor Rei Hotoda appeared with the American Composers Orchestra. (Photos by Jennifer Taylor)
“Williams’ voice is powerful, with a wide expressive range. She also has a dignified stage presence that didn’t falter even when the hem of her diaphanous black cape became stuck under Hotoda’s heel as she passed the podium, trapping her for a good 20 seconds until she (gracefully) got the conductor’s attention.”
Anne E. Johnson, Classical Voice North America
Anthony Roth Costanzo as Akhnaten, Chrystal E. Williams as Nefertiti
“In the Love Duet toward the start of Act II, Chrystal E. Williams proves to be a brilliant partner for Roth Costanzo. This is sublime ‘new baroque’ with the purity of the countertenor Akhnaten contrasting brilliantly with the voluptuous alto timbre of Nefertiti while the lyrics are drawn from the love poems that Akhnaten wrote to his wife.” [Read more…] about Akhnaten, 2023
“There is exceptional work across the board by David Portillo (Henry) Edward Nelson (The Barber), Anya Matanovic, Jorell Willams (Morbio), Matthew Anchel (Vanuzzi), Federico De Michelis (Farfallo), and—in a truly scene-stealing performance—Chrystal E. Williams (Carlotta).”
David Fox, Parterre Box
“Ariana Lucas (Housekeeper), Chrystal E. Williams (Carlotta) and Anya Matanovic (Isotta) delve zestfully into their characters.”
Oussama Zahr, The Times
Quays Life, Carmel Thomason, March 2022
“Chrystal E. Williams, who sings Carmen, is American and delivers a perfect dose of US sass and brass along with a mega-watt smile. She sings like a nightingale and escapes scrapes like a cat with nine lives. Dressing room scenes with her young daughter (imagined for this production) provide an extra layer of humanity to the character and some reasoning beyond lust behind her later romance with famous toreador, Escamillo – here portrayed as a popular club singer/rodeo rider.”
Opera North’s Carmen with Chrystal E. Williams: Review – Quays Life
Lizzie Johnston, Manchester Theatres, March 2022
“Chrystal E. Williams took on the role of Carmen, playing her with sexiness and sass. It reminded me of the strong female character of Velma in Chicago. Her voice was incredibly strong and powerful, it truly is an art having the ability to sing arias so effortlessly and gracefully.”
Jess Dalloway, West End Best Friend, March 2022
“One standout performance comes from American performer Chrystal E. Williams who plays leading lady Carmen. Williams’ interpretation of the role is excellent, and she showcases astonishing vocal technique and fantastic acting skills; she really seems to embody Carmen’s spirit through the entirety of the performance.”
Review: CARMEN, Opera North – The Lowry | West End Best Friend
Jodie Crawford, Opening Night, March 2022
“The talent on the stage is indescribable. Carmen, played by Chrystal E. Williams connects with the audience from the moment she enters the stage: She is vibrant and glamorous. She plays the character with a conviction that makes the audience invest in her journey so much so that the ending leaves us devastated, even though we know what’s coming.”
Daniel Shipman, Upstaged Manchester, March 2022
“Chrystal E Williams’ portrayal of Carmen has won acclaim since premiering in 2021, and it’s easy to see why. A powerful, sultry presence who never fails to light up the stage, I couldn’t take my eyes off her from the second she walks on stage and delivers the iconic Habanera.”
Opera North – Carmen – ManchesterTheatres.com
I Love MCR, Craig McDonald, March 2022
One such change is to portray the titular lead – vivaciously realised by the excellent Chrystal E. Williams – as a single mother caught up in the infatuations of the male characters.
Robert Hugill, Planet Hugill, February 2022
“It worked partly because Chrystal E Williams was a glorious Carmen, she really glowed. Her singing was very stylish, with lovely French, and the sultriness was part and parcel of a more complex package. I have to go back a long way, perhaps to Teresa Berganza at the Edinburgh Festival in the 1980s, to find a Carmen who managed the same same sense of character and style. Williams made the serious moments part and parcel of the whole, such was when she responds to Don Jose’s ‘La fleur que tu m’avais jetée’ with no you don’t love me, or the Act Three card trio. Perhaps this latter scene lacked the brooding foreboding of some, but it was well done and led inevitably to the last act.
This was certainly not a traditional Carmen, but it was true to the work’s spirit and dramaturgy. When the audience came out of the theatre (and several round me had not seen the opera before) they had seen a real Carmen, Bizet, Meilhac and Halévy’s Carmen, Edward Dick’s Carmen but above all Chrystal E. Williams’ Carmen.”
Yorkshire Magazine, Sandra Callard, February 2022
“There were some performances of salvation, however, and the singing of Chrystal E. Williams as Carmen was superb. Her soprano voice is clear and seems effortless, and everything she sang was perfect and emotionally effective.”
Carmen [Opera North] – Review – Leeds Grand Theatre, February 2022
Cultured North East, David J. Whetstone, November 2021
“Beautifully conveying both facets of this operatic favourite is the American mezzo-soprano Chrystal E. Williams who packs the requisite emotional punch in arias such as the famous Habanera (you’ll know it, I promise).”
Review: Carmen, Opera North at Newcastle Theatre Royal
The Arts Desk, Robert Beale, November 2021
“Chrystal E. Williams (pictured with Erin Caves as Don José) enters into this interpretation, her role debut, of the character with conviction and enthusiasm, and her vocal power and tonal quality are never in doubt.”
Carmen, Opera North review – humanity and no bull
101 Frances 11 November 2021
Williams’s stand out performance captures the timeless temptress as a devious and overwhelming force who leaves José deliriously in love after their first encounter.
Opera North – Carmen Review | The Lowry | Manchester
Frankly My Dear UK Lola Maguire, November 2021
“Carmen’s character, played by the enigmatic mezzo Chrystal E. Williams, is given added complexity with the split between her assumed, protective stage presence, ‘La Carmencita’, and her other, genuinely loving self is stressed upon firmly.
Williams brings the necessary spirit and energy and a considerable level of humanity and tenderness to the role. Her incredible range, authenticity to her accent and considerable acting skills are evident from the very start with her gentle rendering of L’amour est un oiseau rebelle.”
Theatre Review: Opera North’s CARMEN – The Lowry, Salford
The Plays the Thing, Nicola Brierely, November 2021
“Seeing a woman of colour playing a lead role like Carmen is an absolute breath of fresh air. Some critics may see this casting as ‘virtue signalling’, but Chrystal E. Williams excels in the opera’s title role. Beautifully seductive in the ‘Habanera‘ aria, it’s not surprising that Carmen literally has several men fighting over her. She effortlessly ensnares Don José and reels him in, as if he is her prey. From the moment Williams enters, majestically descending from the flies, she completely commands the stage with her presence. Equally magnificent, Williams’ vocals soar in her arias, easily overpowering the full orchestra in the pit below. She is sublime as Carmen and I would love to see Williams in another lead operatic role soon.”
Opera North: Carmen – Lowry Theatre
Everything Theatre, Scott Wddell, November 2021
“By shining a spotlight on the different sides of Carmen’s sexuality in Dick’s cabaret bar staging, she is portrayed not just as the concept of lust and greed made flesh; she is a performer at work among braying men, a friend backstage, a mother and a woman in charge of her own desire. Chrystal E. Williams plays the lead with such gorgeous warmth and with such an amazing voice that the whole of the auditorium falls in love with her too. She is present in the role throughout and is entirely engaging in a character that she truly makes her own.”
Review: Carmen, The Lowry (Salford)
Theatre review: Carmen at The Lowry, Salford
Northern Soul, Robert Hamilton, November 2021
“This was a fantastic performance by all involved, not least Williams who made her Opera North debut in the title role. Beautiful and sexy, she sung powerfully to inhabit her vibrant, tragic spirit. Her Habanera, the most famous aria from the opera, was stunning.”
Opera Review: Carmen, Opera North, The Lowry, Salford
ReviewsGate, William Ruff, November 2021
“Her world may be sleazy but Carmen (Chrystal E. Williams) sure has vocal and physical charisma, from the moment she flies down onto the stage in her red outfit accompanied by fluttering ostrich feathers. “
Carmen (Opera North). Theatre Royal, Nottingham. On tour till April 2022 4****. William Ruff
LeftLion, Gareth Morgan, November 2021
“Chrystal E Williams, superb in the lead role of Carmen, sings beautifully and who, as she descends on a swing into her opening number, captivates from the moment she first graces the stage.”
Theatre Review: Opera North – Carmen
East Midlands Theatre, Kathryn Mcauley, November 2021
“Chrystal E Williams is superb in this role, drawing us into Carmen’s world, showing the raw underbelly of her hard life in her toughness, but with glimpses into her more vulnerable self. Williams’ rich mezzo-soprano voice glides through the music with ease, from flirtatious coquette to determined woman, every phrase given its due weight. Her performance is riveting, physically demanding and expressive.”
Review: Carmen. Opera North. Nottingham Theatre Royal
“Chrystal E Williams, superb in the lead role of Carmen, sings beautifully and who, as she descends on a swing into her opening number, captivates from the moment she first graces the stage.”
Theatre Review: Opera North – Carmen
The Guardian, Erica Jeal, October 2021
“Opera North’s colourful production zeroes in on female agency with Chrystal E Williams as a magnetic Playboy-styled Carmen”
“It’s a long way from the cliched Spain of Bizet’s original, although Chrystal E Williams, who gives a magnetic and beautifully sung performance in the title role, still gets to show off her castanet skills.”
Carmen review – Bizet’s opera goes on a camp bunny-hop with serious ambitions
Bachtrack, Richard Wilcox, October 2021
“She was played by the charismatic mezzo Chrystal E Williams, who is first seen on a descending swing dressed in rose-pink and ostrich feathers. She brought both the necessary fire and a considerable amount of gentleness to her role, with a lithe voice and considerable acting skills, established from the start with her delicate rendering of “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle”.”
British Theatre Guide, James Ballands, October 2021
“Also making her Opera North debut is Chrystal E Williams, who convinces as both a glamorous showgirl and a free-spirited single mother. She sings beautifully throughout, particularly during her rendition of the immortal “Habanera”.”
https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/carmen-leeds-grand-the-20313
The Reviews Hub, Ron Simpson, October 2021
“Chrystal E. Williams has charm to burn as Carmen and a sweet, well-focussed mezzo-soprano voice, but finds it hard to shake off the show-girl image.”
Yorkshire Times, Richard Trinder, October 2021
“Chrystal E. Williams (Carmen) began to breath fire and fully embodied the passion of the piece.”
https://www.yorkshiretimes.co.uk/article/Opera-North-Carmen-And-The-Cowboys
Leeds Living, Tom Tollet, October 2021
“I am of the opinion that American soprano, Chrystal E. Williams, another ON debutante, could settle on a successful international career based solely on her portrayal of Carmen. Her Act 1 Habañera, with its irreconcilable contradictions, radiates a mesmerising, yet mystifying allure, the Seguedilla an irresistible flirtatiousness. The less familiar scenes – the defiance when put under arrest, the heavy portents of death in the game of chance, the seductive dance with castanets – normally requiring a good deal more work for a singer to bring off, Miss Williams takes in her stride. Vocally, she found that elusive balancing point, pivoting softness with attack, a bright top range with a duskiness pervading her lower notes. She is dangerous. She is beautiful. She is fabulous.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from The Stage
“Vocally commanding, Chrystal E. Williams is a top-of-the-range Carmen…”
www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/carmen-leeds-grand-theatre
The Spectator, Richard Bratby
“Chrystal E. Williams, as a burlesque-queen Carmen, was the exception: sensuous and often tender in her vocal performance, she maintains a gravitas that’s all the more impressive once you’ve seen some of the moves that she’s asked to perform.”
The Opera Critic, Catriona Graham, October 2021
“As Carmen, Chrystal E. Williams is a grown woman, knowing what she is doing. She has a full, rich sound and dominates the stage – whether in red for her show song, yellow for off-duty or brown velour gaucho culottes and fringed jacket for the bullfight – with her personality as much as her voice. It makes it hard for Don José, as Erin Caves took over the role at short notice when Plan A fell victim to long Covid. Caves occasionally sounds under-powered, but his passion for Carmen, his guilt about his mother and his lack of engagement with Micaela is beyond doubt.”
The Opera Critic Reviews :: Opera North | Carmen
“Although Williams sadly didn’t majestically descend from the flies this time, from the moment her Carmen appears on stage, she completely dominates and commands the stage with her presence, despite her petite stature. Equally magnificent, Williams’ vocals soar in her arias, easily overpowering the full orchestra in the pit below. Her ‘Habanera‘ aria receives a well-deserved ‘Bravo!’ from a vocal member of the audience.”
The Hubs Review, Ron Simpson, November 2021
“Never knowingly underused, the Howard Assembly Room opened up on late Sunday afternoon, hosting a short, imaginatively curated, impeccably performed concert by two of the stars of the Opera North Carmen, Chrystal E. Williams (mezzo) and Camila Titinger (soprano). …
Chrystal Williams chose a song by Margaret Bonds who, as a female black American composer in the middle of the 20th century, had indeed to be fearless to succeed. Williams sang The Negro Speaks of Rivers, Bonds’ setting of the Langston Hughes poem, with deep involvement, aided by David Cowan’s surging piano accompaniment. …
Williams sang and acted Rossini’s Una voce poco fa from The Barber of Seville superbly, ranging from the docile to the tigerish … and spoke movingly of the plight of black American slaves before launching into a stunning set of spirituals, culminating in the triumphant Ride On, King Jesus. …”
Fearless – Howard Assembly Room, Leeds
The Hubs Review, Ron Simpson, October 2021
“The most exciting performance came from Chrystal E. Williams (this season’s Carmen) recalling her religious upbringing in the United States with two spirituals. In the version by celebrated choir leader and arranger Hall Johnson This Little Light of Mine emerged as more art song, given an emotionally charged treatment by Williams, but Ride on, King Jesus was all dramatic intensity and triumphant vocal attack. As well as providing an immaculate piano accompaniment to all the singers, David Cowan introduced the songs and the singers who then talked about their choice of songs – and Williams’ bubbling enthusiasm and infectious enjoyment communicated with the audience as much as her superb singing.”
The Spectator, Richard Bratby, August 2021
“…and Chrystal E. Williams, as Fricka, really glowed, with a sweetness of tone that belied her queen-bitch shoulderpads.”
Ecstasy from Birmingham Opera Company: Wagner’s RhineGold reviewed
The Telegraph, Ivan Hewett, August 2021
“…than his wife Fricka, played with long-suffering nobility by Chrystal E. Williams.”
The Times, Richard Morrison, August 2021
“…the standouts included Chrystal Williams’s beautifully sung Fricka…”
Seen and Heard International, Rick Perdian
“Equally impressive was Chrystal E. Williams as Rebecca, Parker’s first wife, whom he married when he was fifteen and she three years older. At the end of the opera, Williams was heartbreaking when she sang bitterly that her husband abandoned her and their children for such a place as Birdland, the Manhattan jazz club where he was a headliner.”
Pittsburgh Opera again beats the odds with live performances of Charlie Parker’s Yardbird
onStage Pittsburgh
“Chrystal E. Williams, a mezzo-soprano new to Pittsburgh Opera but not to the role of Rebecca Parker, made an excellent impression, and the brief passage she shared with Ms. Muhammad lamenting the challenges of being wife and mother to a troubled black man in Jim Crow America was riveting in its vocal and dramatic intensity.”