Opera Reviews
“Peter Castaldi portrayed Don Ferrante (La farsa Amorosa, Zandonai, Teatro Grattacielo) with a lusty voice and superb comic instincts.”
The New York Times“Peter Castaldi plays Falstaff to perfection ... blowhard, braggart, coward, glutton, lecher, lush, liar and irresitably attractive ... Castaldi was over the top as Falstaff ... with Castaldi’s powerful baritone ... he managed to infuse every phrase with a knowing leer ... earned an immediate standing ovation from the full house, which roared and screamed its approval of the great rogue.”
Roanoke Times“Baritone Peter Castaldi with his rich tone is a highly effective Don Ferrante.”
Opera of the Twentieth Century“As the rapacious Spanish mayor, Don Ferrante Ramon Poncio d’Estrello, Peter Castaldi displayed a sturdy baritone as he extravagantly professed love for Lucia, wife of Renzo Magnani ... Castaldi delivered a dashing, Spanish-flavored, castanet-accompanied boast about his conquests of ladies all over Spain – shades of Don Giovanni.”
New York Q News“Peter Castaldi was superb as Don Ferrante, his robust round baritone evoking memories of the great French Canadian baritone Louis Quilico. Castaldi’s singing of the ‘Catalogue’ aria to a Bolero rhythm, ‘Quante dame, quante spose ...,’ was a marvel of open generous volume, expression and vocal largesse and made one wonder what a ‘Falstaff’ Castaldi would be. Castaldi has a voice that is expressive, large and rich ...”
Italian Tribune“Peter Castaldi brought ample power to the music of Taneyev’s Aegisthus ...”
The New York Times“Peter Castaldi’s Rigoletto was nuanced and intelligent. He sang beautifully and with confidence. His character is appealingly complex: bitter, brutal and yet with tenderness and sensitivity underneath the rough exterior. Castaldi was a crowd-pleaser and got an especially enthusiastic response at the curtain call.”
Roanoke Times“Peter Castaldi sang impeccably ... an exemplar in his role.”
Stamford Advocate“The most notable singer of the large cast was Mr. Castaldi, whose portrayal gave opportunity to show off his attractive baritone.”
The New York Times“Baritone Peter Castaldi brings sardonic bite to Marcello, combining irascibility and compassion, making him just the man to handle a lover’s quarrels and deal with the quixotic flirt Musetta.”
Daily Freeman“Castaldi’s warm baritone casts him in a sympathetic light, a man caught in the social conventions of his time.”
Waco Tribune Herald (Verdi La traviata, Lyric Opera of Waco)“Peter Castaldi displays a rich, flexible baritone.”
Opera News“Peter Castaldi is a fine Figaro. His character is a gold mine for actors who know how to be funny. Castaldi milked the role for all its worth.”
Roanoke Times“Also memorable was Peter Castaldi as the painter Marcello, a roguish baritone torn between love and jealousy.”
Waco Tribune Herald“Noteworthy was Peter Castaldi as a hangman (Weill, Firebrand of Florence) with a cavernous voice.”
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Oratorio and Concert Reviews
“Peter Castaldi, a baritone of eloquent immediacy, offered a moving performance.”
The New York Times“Peter Castaldi delivered Owen’s words with virtuosity and feeling.”
New Jersey Star Ledger“L’americano Castaldi era in perfetta complimentarietà con il pianista ... la morbidezza del suo colore sposava con la morbidezza dei fraseggi, con una condotta molto controllata e con respiri soffici.”
L’eco di Bergamo“Mr. Castaldi easily goes from soft and warm to angry and menacing. The range of his fine and flexible singing alone would have sufficed ... his acting made the score ring true.”
Attitude Magazine
CD Reviews
“Castaldi’s solid baritone is worth hearing.”
American Record Guide (Handel English Arias, Newport Classic CD)“Remarquons quand même la belle voix du baryton Peter Castaldi, égale, puissante et sonore dans le grave.”
Repertoire (Handel’s Deidamia, Vox Classics)“Le personnage de Gustavo est de loin le rôle masculin le plus important : il est incarné à travers la belle voix, assez sombre pour un baryton, de Peter Castaldi.”
Abeille Musique (Handel’s Tolomeo, Vox Classics)“Peter Castaldi made a fluent and hearty king.”
Opera News (Handel’s Tolomeo, Vox Classics)“John Cheek and Peter Castaldi complete a cast of remarkably high, well-matched qualities.”
Fanfare (Handel’s Deidamia, Vox Classics)“Peter Castald displays a rich, flexible voice.”
Opera News (Handel’s Faramondo, Vox Classics)“Castaldi ... a dark-voiced villain.”
American Record Guide (Handel’s Alexander Balus, Newport Classic)
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