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As Tosca, with Bass David Pittsinger as Scarpia – Florida Grand Opera
As Fedora – Washington National Opera
Photograph © Karin Cooper
As Minnie in La Fanciulla del West – Florida Grand Opera
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A C C L A I M
Tosca, Florida Grand Opera
‘Tosca’ thrilling, singing senational
The Florida Grand Opera’s current subtle, elegant production of “Tosca,” under the brilliant direction of Catherine Malfitano, is a must see for opera lovers.
Leading the splendid cast as Floria Tosca was dramatic soprano Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs. She has a potent vocal sound, with light and shade in all the right places and strong dramatic texture when needed. Her rendition in Act ll of “Vissi d’arte,” (I have lived for Art), in which she asserts God has forsaken her in her hour of need, had passion, pathos and perfect pitch. The audience gave her many bravas for her beautiful and sensitive performance. In contrast, her repeat of the word “Morte” (die) in the lower part of her register, as she stabs Baron Scarpia to death, was spine tingling stuff; rivalling that of the late Maria Callas whose use of the same three words has the same chilling effect on the listener. Blancke-Biggs owns this role, her vocal range is suited to Puccini’s music. Hers was indeed a great performance.
— Rex Alan Hearn, Coral Gables Gazette
Puccini’s ‘Tosca’ boils with emotion
Soprano Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs in the title role last seen with the Florida Grand Opera for Puccini’s Girl of the Golden West in late 2005, brings a strong, focused soprano to the role of Tosca that, while darkly inflected in softly lyrical moments, becomes a pure fiery instrument through the score’s most passionate expressions. Her interactions with Honeywell and Pittsinger carved a full portrait of the actress who is equally capable of being girlish, vain and heroic - cemented by the time Blancke-Biggs reaches her second-act aria Vissi d’arte, vissi d’amore (I lived for art, I lived for love).
— Jack Zink, Sun Sentinel, Feb. 13, 2008
Excellent 'Tosca' at FGO
We were told in advance to expect magnificent voices. All were great. The Soprano Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs assumed the title role. Blancke-Biggs manifested a Floria Tosca hard to top, both in stage presence and projection of the voice, both agile and intense. She began a little cool but very soon the engine warmed up to give each note its expressive due. Her delivery of the aria "Vissi d'arte" was unparalleled, as was the delivery of her duets and trios in acts 1 and 3.
— Ariel Ramos, Diario Las Americas, Feb. 11, 2008 (translated from the Spanish)
Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West, Opera Holland Park
“A bull’s-eye, then, to Opera Holland Park for finding a Minnie at all, leave alone one as good as Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs.
“She is, in a word, terrific – mature enough to make this earth-mother figure believable, youthful and spirited enough to have us choking back the tears at her first kiss. And still thinking that a shotgun wedding might be on the cards.
“Minnie has the best entrance in all opera: ... her rolling theme swelling proudly from the orchestra ... Blancke-Biggs, has more than enough voice and vocal authority to hold her own against the many different male timbres.
“The voice has the plangency and steely core to make its presence felt, the smoky chest- voice colour to give it depth and warmth, and a free and uninhibited top. When she sings of her humble origins and her dream to “rise as high as the stars”, Puccini has her do just that. Blancke-Biggs wrings pathos, not bathos, from all of her big moments. Pleading for her lover's life in the masterly final scene, she nails her “boys”, and us, with the line: “None of you ever said, ‘that's enough’, when I gave you the best years of my youth.” Their response finally makes this a five-handkerchief opera.”
— The Independent
“The American Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs is an impressive Minnie in Puccini’s frontier saga ... (she) impressed with her authority, and incisive soprano. This girl of the Golden West managed to make Puccini and Belasco’s proposition at least half-way plausible.”
— The Times
“Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs is the beating heart of Puccini’s opera set in the wild west ... (she) has the required vocal weight and dramatic sense: here you feel, is opera’s Mae West, quite capable of controlling the rowdies without the Bible-bashing the composer forces on her.”
— The Evening Standard
“The performances, by and large, are terrific ... Blancke-Biggs sings Minnie’s music with thrilling abandon.”
— The Guardian
“The American soprano Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs gave a searching performance as Minnie, tough but very vulnerable ... .”
— The Sunday Telegraph
“The American soprano Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs was a committed Minnie, bringing to the role a voice that was ample, poised, and capable, even stirring ... ”
— Opera (UK)
“Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs’s Minnie may look slim and pretty in Act One, but by Act Two her authority and her anger at being duped by Dick Johnson was totally convincing. Minnie’s Valkyrie-like entrance and Minnie’s sermon and farewell to the miners were fully delivered.”
— Classical Source
“Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs sings Minnie with a glorious tone ... .”
— Metro
“Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs took Minnie’s role by storm ... .”
— The Spectator
“Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs, fielding an enviably secure soprano, is a heroic Minnie ... ”
— The Stage
“Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs sang with bullet like force ... .”
— The Financial Times
Bellini’s Norma, Opera Holland Park
“Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs’ Norma ... has a strong, penetrating soprano, secure of coloratura and legato.”
— Opera Japonica
Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West, Florida Grand Opera
Puccini would puff up with pride
“To say that the heroine in Florida Grand Opera's season debut triumphantly rode off into the sunset is an understatement. On Saturday, FGO offered one of its finest productions in recent seasons as it opened with Puccini's operatic spaghetti western La Fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West) at the Dade County Auditorium.
“Puccini's Gold Rush saga requires stellar voices and FGO fielded three star turns in the leading roles. As Minnie, Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs was a veritable powerhouse. Her gorgeous lyrico-spinto soprano gleamed in Puccini's stratospheric flights. Blancke-Biggs' rapturous sound literally enveloped the stage. A flamboyant, charismatic stage presence, the soprano made the poker scene a real musico-dramatic tour de force.”
— Lawrence Budmen, The Miami Herald
“With her beautiful voice, musical intelligence, and stunning theatricality, Blancke-Biggs is set for operatic stardom!”
— Entertainment News
“La soprano californiana Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs, hace una magnífica interpretación de la heroína en la que el autor mezcló la suavidad de Mimí en Bohemia, con la fortaleza de Floria Tosca, logrando un personaje sumamente atractivo.
“Blancke-Biggs está dotada de una voz fácil y potente para encarar exitosamente el a veces inevitable énfasis del conjunto orquestal. Su voz brilló en todo momento halagando al máximo los oídos del público, que la premió con una cerrada ovación final.”
— Diario Las Americas
“The soprano, Californian Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs, delivered a magnificent performance as the heroine in whom the author blended the softness of Mimi in Boheme with the strength of Floria Tosca to achieve a very attractive character.
“Blancke-Biggs is gifted with an easy, powerful voice that can successfully face the inevitable over-emphasis of the orchestra. Her voice was brilliant at every moment and greatly pleased the audience who rewarded her with a standing ovation at the end.”
— Diario Las Americas
“Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs is an aptly spunky heroine, conveying the toughness as well as the tender heart of the woman who reads psalms to the illiterate miners but will also cheat at cards to save her man ... Blancke-Biggs has a pure, focused soprano and sang with technical aplomb and precision.”
— Lawrence A. Johnson, Florida Sun Sentinel
“Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs brought a distinctive voice, to the title role. A native Californian, she cut a fine figure in Constance Hoffman's leather-and-lace costumes ... her multicolored instrument convinced for long stretches of this grueling role.”
— Octavio Roca, New Times
As Leonora in Verdi’s Il Trovatore, New Jersey Opera Theater
The stand-out performer of the concert was soprano Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs, singing the role of Leonora. Ms. Blancke-Biggs was a true Verdi soprano, smoothly maneuvering the runs with rich clarity and impeccable timing. She had the role of the Verdi heroine down, floating high Bs and Cs out of nowhere with ease.
— Nancy Plum, Town Topics, Princeton NJ
As Musetta in Puccini’s La Bohème, Baltimore Opera
Bohemian Rhapsody
As the lusty, brawling counterpoint couple, [Marcello and Musetta] Blancke-Biggs and Kneebone give full voice to their inflamed emotions. Blancke-Biggs’ first aria in the second act is the most memorable of the night.
— Gadi Dechter, City Paper, Baltimore
Verdi’s Requiem
“The fearless soprano of Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs stormed the heights and plumbed the depths with a skillfully deployed voice, expressing real terror in Tremens factus sum ego and much worry in the nervous chants.”
— Los Angeles Times
Desdemona in Otello
“Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs was exceptional ... She infused her character with personality and life, and she put heart-felt emotion into her singing. [She] possesses a dramatic soprano that is at the same time tender, lyrical and expressive.”
— Deseret News
“Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs sings with affecting sincerity and impressive strength, conveying Desdemona’s growing alarm without simpering or cowering.”
— Salt Lake Tribune
Violetta in La Traviata, Metropolitan Opera
“Blancke-Biggs had a wonderful legato and pianissimo. She also acted well with a credible death scene. This was everything the Met audience wants and gets, as shown by a massive ovation. Maestro Viotti, fresh from Venice, took much of the work quite slowly but clearly had control and it never dragged.”
— Andrew Byrne – CUNY online
Ginevra in Un Racconto Fiorentino,, World Premiere, Lincoln Center, NY
“Soprano Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs a young artist with a warm Mediterranean timbre, ample vocal heft and excellent technique, gave a bravura performance indicating an important career in the making.”
— Opera News
Leonora in Il Trovatore
“Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs as Leonora has a voice to die for. It has a dark coloration along with a bright, pointed intensity, a perfect vehicle for Leonora’s emotional spectrum – languid lovesickness to leaping trilling ecstasy.”
— The Augusta Chronicle
“The spotlight shines brightest on Leonora, sung by Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs. [She] has a lovely soprano voice, bright and secure with a middle register most mezzo-sopranos would envy.”
— The State
Mimì in La Bohème
“As Mimì, Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs displayed ample promise, her warm lyric soprano lending ardor and finely etched line.”
— Opera News
“Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs is truly terrific as Mimì. Blancke-Biggs’ crystalline clarity of line, coupled with her good looks makes her irresistible.”
— Virginia Gazette
“She exploited the expressive potential of the music. She was riveting with a strong middle voice. In the crucial last act she floated her soft notes.”
— Virginian Pilot
Violetta in La Traviata
“ Blancke-Biggs seemed born for the role. Her Violetta is a model of self-confidence and charm. Her marvelous voice reflects the different sides of Violetta’s persona: clear and sparkling in the vocal ornamentation of her party scenes, firm, vibrant and open – seemingly down to her very heart – when her true passions speak.”
— Waco Tribune
Madama Butterfly
“Blancke-Biggs made a superb debut as Butterfly. Tender with Pinkerton, comically mocking with Yamadori, fierce with the servants, warm and loving with her young son. [She] gave a complete performance, spinning a good story while delivering achingly beautiful singing.”
— The Grand Rapids Press
Tosca
“Breathtaking singing and convincing acting ... Blancke-Biggs’ performance was characterized by a robustness of presence and theatrical timing.”
— Worchester Telegram
“Most fortunately for the audience, soprano Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs’ performance throughout Tosca left little to be desired musically or dramatically. From her first entrance – the diminutive yet powerfully emotive and radiant-voiced singer was thoroughly captivating and believable.”
— Cape Cod Times
“Ms. Blancke-Biggs’ marvelous voice is always full and powerful, never shrill.”
— At the Theatre
Liù in Turandot
“Soprano Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs, a woman with a voice both lovely and penetrating, captured the essential simplicity and earnestness of the slave girl Liù, tenderly singing of her love for Calaf and her willingness to die for him.”
— The Grand Rapids Press
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Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs
is represented by
ROBERT LOMBARDO AND ASSOC.
New York • 212 586 4453
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