Salvatore Sciarrino
L’Agamennone
Cassandra
BÜHNEN BERN
“Patricia Westley has only one scene, but what a scene it is: for nearly twenty minutes she laments her fate in an impressive, steadily intensifying performance without a single weak point. And the singer commands the stage.
Layer by layer, her garments fall away…Patricia Westley is certainly strikingly beautiful, but an erotic reading misses the point: rarely has a victim been portrayed with such self-assurance.”
“Patricia Westley hat nur eine Szene, aber was für eine: Fast 20 Minuten lang beklagt sie ihr Schicksal: Ein beeindruckender Steigerungslauf ohne jede Schwachstelle. Und die Sängerin beherrscht die Bühne. Schicht um Schicht fallen ihre Kleider… Patricia Westley sieht zwar hinreissend aus, aber der erotische Blick greift zu kurz: Selten wurde selbstbewusster ein Opfer inszeniert.”
- Reinmar Wagner, MUSIK & THEATER“Patricia Westley explores new artistic realms and mastered the role of Cassandra with great vocal and physical commitment.”
- DER BUND
- PRÈMIERE LOGE
“Patricia Westley gives a deeply moving portrayal of Cassandra and reaches outstanding form in her well over twenty-minute solo scene.”
“Patricia Westley gibt eine bewegende Cassandra und läuft in ihrer gut zwanzigminütigen Soloszene zu grosser Form auf.”
- ONLINE MERKER„Hell wie eine Lerche, die sich zum Himmel schwingt, spricht Patricia Westley mit silbernem Sopran die Todesahnungen der Schwarzseherin aus.“
“Bright as a lark soaring toward the heavens, Patricia Westley gives voice to Cassandra’s premonitions of death with her silvery soprano.”
- DIE STIMME DER KRITIK « La prestation vocale de Patricia Westley est sublime. Sa prestation scénique est également remarquable. »
“Patricia Westley’s vocal performance is sublime. Her stage performance is equally remarkable.”
- RTS (SWISS NATIONAL RADIO)« Son chant déclamatoire constamment tendu vers l’aigu et le suraigu, force le respect par sa maîtrise exceptionnelle, d’un naturel confondant. »
“Her declamatory singing, constantly stretched toward the high and extreme upper registers, commands respect through its exceptional mastery and striking naturalness.”
“Patricia Westley, as a clever, modern, all-knowing Cassandra who nevertheless can prevent nothing, dominates the evening. Westley embodies, with wonderful humanity, an idea of hope.”
- SÜDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG Mozart
Le nozze di Figaro
Susanna
BÜHNEN BERN
“Patricia Westley as Susanna impresses with her bell-like, impeccably controlled soprano and vibrant stage presence.”
-ONLINE MERKER“Patricia Westley lends Susanna a warmly grounded authenticity; she appears intelligent, sincere, and deeply approachable. This Figaro and Susanna are, one must admit without envy, a perfect match. ”
- DER BUND“Patricia Westley, as Susanna, allows her silver-toned soprano to settle and bloom, increasingly asserting itself with poise and clarity as the evening unfolds."
-PLATTFORM JVerdi
RIGOLETTO
Gilda
BÜHNEN BERN
Her Gilda was extraordinary, with a magical voice that delivered what was perhaps one of the most beautiful “Caro nome” renditions I’ve ever heard live. Soft, soaring high notes, stunning breath control, and a sincere emotional connection to her father.
Patricia Westley is the kind of artist who makes me want to hop on planes just to hear her again.
-Geoffrey Grand
Opera Diary
“Patricia Westley as Gilda was every bit Rigoletto’s equal. Her brightly radiant coloratura soprano soared with ease, even in the highest passages.”
-Peter König
Der Bund
“The stage is set for the voluminous, flowing baritone Aluda Todua and the brilliantly focused soprano Patricia Westley. Rigoletto's duet scenes with Gilda are among the highlights of the premiere of the Verdi opera at the Theatre Bern."
-Herbert Büttiker
Oper! Magazin
“Patricia Westley’s lyric soprano, distinguished by its ease in the upper register and warmth in the middle, conveys Gilda’s innocence and awakening love in a way that is entirely true to the role.”
-Michel Schaer
Stimme der Kritik
Richard Strauss
ARABELLA
Zdenka
BÜHNEN BERN
“Ein schöner Lichtblick war die unverbrauchte Stimme von Patricia Westley als Zdenka.”
-Reinmar Wagner
M&T
“Patricia Westley als Zdenka: In der Männerrolle beeindruckend und in der Frauenrolle berührend durch die Aufrichtigkeit ihrer Darstellung.”
-Michel Schaer
Die Stimme der Kritik
“Patricia Westley singt diese dankbare Rolle mit zauberhafter Stimme, auch sie mit dem herrlichen Silberklang, den nur Strauss so wunderschön in die Kehlen seiner Sopranistinnen schreiben konnte."
-Kaspar Sannemann
Der Opernfreund
“Patricia Westley ist Arabellas Schwester Zdenka und betört mit silberfeinem Sopran.”
-Peter Wäch
Platform J
“Einen neuen Blick wirft die Regie auf Zdenka, die Patricia Westley in Spiel und Stimme berührend zur genderfluiden Person macht und der Michał Prószyński als Matteo mit kraftvollem Tenor nolens volens folgt. Wie wenig Arabella mit Operette zu tun hat, zeigt gerade dieses zweite Paar in der Distanz zum Tanzbetrieb von Soubrette und Spieltenor.
-Herbert Büttiker
Oper! Magazin
Mozart
Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Konstanze
BÜHNEN BERN
“Die Wollust des Begehrtwerdens ihrem Gesang brünstige Glissandi, und ihre Spitzentöne verraten, von welchen Phantasien Mozart beim Komponieren angetrieben war."
-Michel Schaer
Die Stimme der Kritik
“Patricia Westley ist Konstanze, ihr Sopran ist glockenhell, die Koloraturen sitzen.”
-Peter Wäch
Platform J
Mozart
Die Zauberflöte
Pamina
BÜHNEN BERN
“Der Sopran von Patricia Westley, ebenfalls neu im Ensemble der Oper Bühnen Bern, passt mit seiner klaren jugendlichen Frische ideal.”
"Patricia Jane Westley gibt eine tadellose Pamina.”
-Jan Krobot/Zürich
Online Merker
Britten
Peter Grimes
First Niece
TEATRO LA FENICE
“Patricia Westley and Jessica Cale, styled as 1950s pin-up girls, sang magnificently and brought vivid, charismatic presence to their roles, and embodied the erotic desire of the village men. ”
-Paolo Locatelli
Opera Click
“Patricia Westley and Jessica Cale, both endowed with a pleasant soprano voice, were striking and radiant presences.”
-Cristina Miriam Chiaffoni
Opera Libera
“A very positive contribution came from Sara Fulgoni as Auntie, along with her two striking nieces, Patricia Westley and Jessica Cale.”
-Roberto Campanella
GB Opera
“Patricia Westley and Jessica Cale played the delightfully daffy nieces with comic timing and charm.”
-Pierluigi Guadagni
MTG Lirica
“Patricia Westley and Jessica Cale delivered flamboyant and sensual performances as the Boar’s unforgettable barmaids.”
-Stefano Pagliantini
Rivista Musica
Wagner
Siegfried
Waldvogel
BÜHNEN BERN
“Weiterhin beglückt das Waldvöglein, entzückend quinkeliert von Patricia Westley, nicht nur den jungen Siegfried mit seiner Stimme, sondern das Publikum gleichermaßen.”
-E. Engler
Das OPERNGLAS
“Patricia Westley, in dazzling form as the Woodbird.”
-Nicolas Blanmont
Opera Magazine
“Kristallklar erklang Patricia Westley’s Sopran als Stimme eines Waldvogels”
-Jan Krobot/Zürich
Online Merker
Bellini
I Capuleti e i Montecchi
Gilda
PALM BEACH OPERA
“As Giulietta, soprano Patricia Westley, played her role with a sense of innocence and vocal finesse; her delicate instrument displayed a variety of colors and her phrasing was exquisite.”
-Márcio Bezerra
Palm Beach Daily News
Mendelssohn
Lobgesang
Charlotte Symphony Orchestra
Soprano I Soloist
“Patricia Westley brought shimmering high notes to her utterances of joy.”
-Lawrence Toppman
WDAV Classical Public Radio
Liederabend
Palm Beach Opera
Richard Strauss & Joseph Marx
“Patricia Westley with experience in the famous Merola program of San Francisco Opera, sang Strauss’s “Ständchen” and “Pierrot Dandy” of the Austrian composer Joseph Marx to Leletkina’s brilliant accompaniment. Westley’s silken sounds lofted through the air with delicate precision in her first song and full-throated, dramatic feeling in the second.”
-Rex Hearn
Palm Beach Arts Paper
Mozart
IL RE PASTORE
Merola Opera Program
ELISA
“Patricia Westley was, in fact, the star of this show. Singing with a bright, bell-like tone, Patricia Westley depicted Elisa as a flirtatious lass.
Singing like a spitfire, Elisa berates Agenore and literally ties him up and gags him with a handkerchief over his mouth. As Elisa, Patricia Westley really did herself proud. She was outstanding!”
-James Roy MacBean,
Berkeley Daily Planet
“Playing Elisa as a drama queen, Westley garnered quite a few laughs from viewers while at the same time holding her own in the challenging vocals.”
-Ryan Tuozzolo
The Daily Californian
“Soprano Patricia Westley’s Elisa looked a confection in her pink A-line dresses and sang bright streams of bubbly coloratura. Her mischievous energy onstage was infectious. This Elisa knew what she wanted, and woe to anyone who got in her way!”
-Ilana Walder-Biesanz,
San Francisco Classical Voice
“Soprano Patricia Westley tackled the role Elisa with bravado. With her bright pink dress, you couldn’t miss her every time she was on stage.”
-Michael Anthonio
Parterre Box
SCHWABACHER RECITAL with MARTIN KATZ
San Francisco Opera Center
Wolf Mörike Lieder
Barber Hermit Songs
Brahms Deutsche Volkslieder
“From the substantial Wolf song “To an Aeolian Harp,” with its “lovely cry ... sweet terror ... and sudden stirring of the soul,” through Wolf’s rapturous “Insatiable Love” and “Song of the Wind,” Westley sang with the right projection (in the Atrium where even Katz’s knowing accompaniment couldn’t prevent an erroneous balance, the piano often stepping on vocal lines), fine diction, and the kind of presence rarely exhibited by young artists.”
-Janos Gereben, San Francisco Classical Voice
“Soprano Patricia Westley brought fluency and tonal grace”
-Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle
“The variable for the recital was the cancelation by the originally scheduled soprano just 10 days before the event…and Westley came to the rescue. Were the listener unaware of the situation, the soprano’s performance would have received high marks; given the limited time to prepare for semi-staged performances of lieder without a score, Westley was most impressive.”
-Janos Gereben, San Francisco Classical Voice
MEROLA GRAND FINALE
2018 & 2019
AMINA La sonnambula
NANNETTA Falstaff
“Patricia Westley demonstrated exemplary bel canto in “Care compagne ... Come per me sereno” from Bellini’s La Sonnambula.’’
-Janos Gereben, San Francisco Classical Voice
“Soprano Patricia Westley shone as Nanetta in Verdi’s “Falstaff”
-Leslie Katz, San Francisco Examiner
”Lighter, agile, beautiful voices came from soprano Patricia Westley as Nannetta in a magical scene from Verdi’s Falstaff.”
-Janos Gereben, San Francisco Classical Voice
LAMPLIGHTERS MUSIC THEATRE
AMIAM (Yum-Yum) The “New” Mikado
ELSIE The Yeomen of the Guard
CASILDA The Gondoliers
“Vocal honors go to Patricia Westley’s radiant Amiam. She mines the considerable humor in her dialogue and delivers “The sun whose rays” with a perfect balance of lyricism and textual clarity”
-Joanne Sydney Lessner, Opera News
“Sunday’s matinee performance was mostly notable for the superb debut of soprano Patricia Westley. It can be easy to forget that Sullivan’s vocal writing is truly operatic in nature until you hear two hugely impressive artists deliver it with such precision and grace.”
-Joshua Kosman, The San Francisco Chronicle
SACRAMENTO
CHORAL SOCIETY
SOLOIST
Mozart’s Litaniae de venerabili altaris Sacramento
Arvo Pärt’s Berliner Messe
“Soprano Patricia Westley was a highlight of the evening. She sang several solos in both the Pärt and Mozart’s Litaniae de venerabili altaris Sacramento, effortlessly, exercising control and clarity in the note-heavy passages and showing exceptional virtuosity in the lyrical moments. Her expressiveness was well-received by the audience and, judging by her own reaction, she knew it as well.”
-Jonathan Minnick, San Francisco Classical Voice
Die Fledermaus
Pocket Opera
ADELE
“Lively and clear-voiced in both song and spoken drama. As Adele the chambermaid, Patricia Westley sang her daunting high soprano roulades (especially her famous “Laughing Song” in Act II) with assurance and verve, combining musical and comedic talents.”
-Nicholas Jones, San Francisco Classical Voice
Jake Heggie’s
IF I WERE YOU
Merola Opera Program
SELENA (World Premiere)
“In yet another accomplishment of creating something out of almost nothing, soprano Patricia Westley made the bland character of Selena come alive, conquering also with a rich, beautifully modulated voice.“
-Janos Gereben, Classical Voice America