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Cincinnatti Opera: L'Étoile, June 2006
The role of Lazuli, who gets five songs, including the charming "Romance de l'étoile," provides a stunning vehicle for a mezzo-soprano. Jennifer Rivera was a triumph in the pants role (her pants were red plaid). She had a richly resonant voice and natural acting ability, whether delivering patter or her amusing sneezing song.
-Cincinnati Enquirer, June 23, 2006
Rivera displayed a luscious voice as Lazuli, combining it with sneezes in her tour de force aria "Enfin, je me sens mieux" as Lazuli - whose life or death is key to Ouf's and Siroco's - emerged from near drowning.
-Cincinnati Post, June 23, 2006
Mezzo soprano Jennifer Rivers makes a triumphant return in the "trouser" role of Lazuli. Her voice has a purity and sweetness that are ideal for French operetta. She's also a great physical comedienne, clambering around the stage with the confidence and angularity of the 18-year-old youth she's supposed to be.
-City Beat, June 23, 2006
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New York City Opera: Lysistrata, March-May 2006
At City Opera, one voice often towers above the rest, and this night it belonged to the lovely mezzo soprano of Jennifer Rivera as Myrrhine. Ms. Rivera delivered a sensational Rosina in the company's most recent "Barber of Seville," and she seems on her way to great things. Here she is rewarded with the prize song as she sings her paean to physical love.
-New York Sun, March 26, 2006
One of the most memorable arias is sung by Myrrhine who tells Lysia "Peace, yes, but what about love?" It is a sultry and jazzy aria that mezzo-soprano Jennifer Rivera puts across with sexy longing.
-The Culture Vulture March 26, 2006
The vocal lines are difficult, and while the cast working as an ensemble is a crucial element, there are standouts. Jennifer Rivera, in the punishingly high role of Myrrhine, who can hardly keep to the pact of abstinence, is spirited.
-Classics Today.com, April 5, 2006
An American mezzo, Jennifer Rivera, was Myrrhine, and she was superb. Adamo gives this character a wonderful bluesy, torchy aria.
-The New Critereon, May 2006
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New York City Opera: Il barbiere di Siviglia, October 2005
"Jennifer Rivera's account of “Una Voce Poco Fa” was immediately striking for the warm dark tone she lavished on it. Later, she showed that the style, with all it's detail, was well within her grasp, and her portrayal of Rosina was fluid and assured."
-The New York Times, October 18, 2005
"In a previous “Carmen” at the New York State Theater, one of the few bright spots was the Mercedes of Jennifer Rivera. Now, given a starring role, she made the most of her opportunity to portray Rosina. The role was actually written for a contralto, and Ms, Rivera's lower tones were authentic. Especially adept at the cabaletta, she struck that delicate balance between a voice of substance and a dexterity of lightness. Ms Rivera (also) proved herself a genuine comedienne, pantomiming a caricature of Bartolo behind his pontificating back and reflecting the underlying harpsichord continuo that mocks these risible characters throughout."
-The New York Sun, October 17, 2005
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New York City Opera: Le nozze di Figaro, October 2004
"[The Countess] certainly managed to cast the smitten young page Cherubino plenty of reciprocal winks. How could you not, when the dusky toned mezzo soprano Jennifer Rivera portrayed the role with such adolescent charm. This Cherubino seemed 100 percent hormones."
-The New York Times, October 26, 2004
"Special praise is due to the Cherubino of Jennifer Rivera. Delighting in her hosenrolle with a twist, Ms. Rivera made the most of her delicious casting as a woman playing a man playing a woman. She/he/she held sway on several occasions, not just vocally, where she was delightful, but also kinetically. She turned her dressing scene into a virtuoso commedia dell' Arte pantomine on the subject of sexual orientation, while never resorting to gestures of the more explicit variety."
-The New York Sun, October 27, 2004
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Kentucky Opera: Così fan tutte, May 2004
"Jennifer Rivera, tall and a good comedienne, brought a pleasing, fluid lyric mezzo to Dorabella, with apt appoggiature in “E amore un ladroncello”.
-Opera News, August 2004
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Lyric Opera Cleveland: Little Women, June 2004
"Jennifer Rivera's Jo is a passionate, funny joy, from the grimaces and asides to a mezzo-soprano of urgent beauty."
-The Plain Dealer, June 18, 2004
"Anyone who loved Katharine Hepburn's portrayal of Jo as a headstrong firebrand in the old George Cukor film Little Women would appreciate Jennifer Rivera's intentional lack of ladylike charm in the role of Jo. Rivera, a soprano who performed Meg in the New York City Opera production of Little Women, was heart-rending as Jo. Vocally, she was a standout for her freshness and strength."
-Akron Beacon Journal, June 18, 2004
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Portland Opera: Le nozze di Figaro, October 2003
"The role of Cherubino is pumped full of life by mezzo soprano Jennifer Rivera. She wears the pants in the role of the page in love with the countess. She, in the role of a he, jumps out of windows and hides in closets. Her lively stage presence and boyish presentation are convincing. The audience loved Rivera's comic adroitness and strong expressive voice."
-The Columbian, October 1, 2003
"As Cherubino, Jennifer Rivera was a standout singer. Tall and slim, she accomplished the difficult task of portraying a teenager's awkwardness while singing with ravishing beauty."
-The Oregonian, September 20, 2003
"some of the funniest stagecraft comes courtesy of Jennifer Rivera, singing in pants as the wide-eyed, wild-souled teenage boy Cherubino."
-Wilamette Week, October 1, 2003
"Most remarkable was the vocal prowess and comic timing of Jennifer Rivera in the role of Cherubino."
-OPERA, March, 2004
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New York City Opera: Hansel and Gretel, November 2002
"…the siblings are nicely sung and acted by Jennifer Rivera and …Ms. Rivera was recently the star of the company's L'Étoile, and she is again delightful as the stage boy, all flailing limbs and fresh, ready singing."
-The New York Times, Nov. 22, 2003
"Jennifer Rivera's Hansel offered the best singing and a very good impersonation of a boy."
-Gay City News, November 23, 2003
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Madison Opera: Roméo et Juliette, November 2003
"Among a large and competent cast of 66, a few of the more notable performances were by ….and Jennifer Rivera, who made the trouser role of Stephano, a brief highlight."
-Wisconsin State Journal, November 22, 2003
"The single number allowed mezzo-soprano Jennifer Rivera as Stephano, Romeo's page and a character conceived for the opera, to earn an enthusiastic round of applause."
-The Capital Times, November 22, 2003
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Lake George Opera: La Cenerentola, July 2003
"Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Rivera had a voice like spun gold. Her technique was so formidable that all her many coloratura arias had an effortless fluidity. The consistency of her range was equally impressive."
-Glenn Falls Post Star, July 7, 2003
"The opera was the perfect vehicle for mezzo-soprano Jennifer Rivera, who got things rolling vocally with a lovely 'Once there was a king', and then turned every coloratura aria that came her way into a sparkler. A Cinderella as charmning as Rivera deserves a prince…"
-The Daily Gazette, July 7, 2003
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Caramoor Festival: Deidamia, 2002
"With a high, agile, light mezzo, Jennifer Rivera made Achille goofily amusing, shining particularly in the bravura of the fiery final ‘Ai greci questa spada’, when she rose to Ulisse’s bait."
-Opera, December 2002
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New York City Opera: L’Étoile, November 2002
"It is Jennifer Rivera's Lazuli that warrants the most acclaim, however. The young mezzo soprano is physically perfect for the role: She has an inner joy that produces the wide-eyed gasps, incorrigible snickers, and wiry body movements an "enfant terrible" deserves. Her voice also seldom failed, despite a pre-show announcement that she was suffering from a sinus infection (divas will be divas). In fact, it was her delicate leaps to high notes that added the sugary cream to the tart pastry that the piece turns out to be. She is someone to watch."
-The New York Sun, October 25, 2002
"Looking good, the singers behave with supreme confidence and sound just fine. Jennifer Rivera, in the central role of Lazuli, was singing through a sinus infection, marvelously. Only her lowest notes seemed to be affected, most of all in the number in which she has to explain, "I've got the flu." There her voice just added candor, poignancy and humor: three prime Chabrierian virtues. Otherwise, her singing had richness, ease and exactness."
-New York Times, October 23, 2002
"Dans les pas de la toute jeune Frederica von Stade qui, ily a des années, chanta Lazuli dans und production estudiantine de L'Étoile, Jennifer Rivera confère à son personnage élégance et aisance." "(In the footsteps of the young Frederica von Stade, who sang the role of Lazuli years ago in a student production, Jennifer Rivera portrayed her character with elegance and ease.)"
-Opéra International 274
"As Lazuli, a trouser-role, Jennifer Rivera offered a star turn. She has most of the show's solos, and her fine mezzo is a handsome instrument."
-Classics Today.com, October 22, 2003
"Jennifer Rivera sang Lazuli with a silvery voice and genuine charm"
-New York Newsday, October 25, 2002
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Cincinnati Opera: Le nozze di Figaro, June 2002
"As Cherubino, Ms. Rivera was a lanky adolescent with a stunning voice. She projected a velvety, rich tone and beautiful expression in 'Voi che sapete', one of the evening's highlights."
-The Cincinnati Enquirer, June 28, 2002
"I was particularly taken by two performances, however. I greatly enjoyed the performance of Jennifer Rivera as the adolescent pageboy, Cherubino. Rivera, a mezzo-soprano from California, is so believable as an awkward, lust-struck teenage boy that, in scenes in which Cherubino allows himself himself to be disguised as a girl, Rivera's characterization is so strong that it is truly comical to watch this young boy have to pretend femininity. In addition to her fine character development, Rivera delivers a strong vocal performance as well. "
-City Beat, June 27, 2002
"Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Rivera, in the difficult "pants" role of girl imitating boy (and sometimes girl again) displayed a satiny voice as the hormonally crazed Cherubino."
-Cincinnati Post, June 28, 2002
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Eugene Opera: Così fan tutte, 2001
"with her rich mezzo soprano and exciting stage presence, she displayed an impressive command of this role".
-The Register Guard, February 11, 2001
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Juillard Opera Center: La Cenerentola, 2000
“Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Rivera (attained) victory over the title role…her voice is dark, musical and very agile…hers will be an interesting carreer to watch."
-The New York Times, November 18, 2000
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