"When the Dutchman makes his entrance and sings his first aria, you immediately recognize the power of Wagnerian music. What a singer the bass-baritone Craig Colclough is. And he has a stage presence that not even his exceptionally ugly clothes cannot hide." -Boborg.se
"...an excellent Macbeth. He takes possession of the role from 'Mi si affaccia un pugnal'... it is his "parole scenica” that pull you into the piece. He turns 'Pietà, rispetto, amore' into the vocal highlight of the evening. It is a great pity that “Mal per me” has been deleted. Yet he doesn't sound like a typical Verdi baritone. He articulates with an expressive naturalness that is purely his own." -Leitmotif
Colclough‘s Leporello was, simply put, a masterclass. What set him apart from others I have seen in the role was his ability to convey Leporello’s internal conflicts and evolving perspective on his master. As the opera progressed, Colclough’s Leporello transitioned from being a simple bystander to grappling with moral dilemmas and questions of loyalty. This evolution was subtly reflected in Colclough’s nuanced acting and vocal delivery, adding an extra layer of complexity to the character. His performance of the famous “Catalogue Aria” was a true highlight, as he navigates the rapid-fire list of Don Giovanni’s conquests with clarity and precision. Colclough’s delivery not only showcased his technical skill but also his ability to infuse the aria with humor and personality. -Stage and Cinema
"It was Craig Colclough’s Kurwenal that stole the show. A role debut for him, his enormous sound felt wonderfully offensive in act I, and act III seemed to belong to him. His voice is a thrilling, bright bass-baritone, and he was all at once heartbreaking and a much-needed source of comic relief." -Schmopera
"From the moment of Colclough's singing, the goodness of a man, to whom life is a feast and who does not understand the meaning of mischief, shines forth. While externally he may be a degenerate, inside - you can hear that he is a beautiful soul." -Frankfurter Allgemeine
"American bass-baritone Craig Colclough has an inordinately strong voice and delivers the lengthy arias of Macbeth effortlessly... A brilliant vocal performance." -Luxembourg Times
"The highlight of the performance was the portrayal of Craig Colclough in the role of the dwarf Alberich. With confident voice guidance and a terrifying timbre, unsurpassed in facial expressions and gestures, he embodied every wave of emotions of this, probably, most tragic figure of Richard Wagner from scorn to pain to shame." -The Opera Magazine
(image credit Xiomara Bendser)
"...with excellent diction and a skillfully controlled voice all evening. He interpreted his role visually with exquisite comic timing and aurally with a wide range of dynamics and luminous bronzed vocal tones. His was a moving and sympathetic, but broadly drawn, portrayal of the fat knight.” -Opera Today
"...the evening goes to the American bass-baritone Craig Colclough as Scarpia, a performance chilling for its ability to flick in an instant from sybaritic sentimentality to sadism. His glittering mad eyes and unstable, reptilian presence coupled with a voice that could freeze the Tiber are reason enough to catch this show." -CultureWhisper
"Colclough’s voice is capable of an alarming edge, a mercurial menace that his Macbeth can wield with easy fury. But from the very beginning, we also see him, hear him, lose his grip in what was an impressively relentless and deeply probing characterization." -Chicago Sun Times
“Craig Colclough's exquisite Telramund was the surprise of the evening. This was so excitingly articulated that we would suspect Colclough of having a flawless Wagner instinct.” -Lietmotif
"...seduces greatly with his remarkable musicality and phrasing, as well as the grain of voice that sometimes makes one think of that of the great Bryn Terfel. His Falstaff is never fat, or exaggeratedly caricatured: just truculent enough, you always sense the dapper gentleman adrift behind the late lover." -Opera Online
"This is one of those rare performances when all the leads are on a particularly high level. Bass roles in Bellini generally do not offer singers the chance to show their dramatic worth. Craig Colough saw this as no obstacle and with a booming, clear, and beautiful sound gave Oroveso a not often seen power. In this production, he is both a loving father and also a powerful leader of the Druid Resistance. His command of the long vocal line was impressive and his presence is felt even when the character is not onstage." -Concerto.net
"...the fearless Craig Colclough, a singer-actor at once vulnerable and charismatic, embodied the opera’s ironies. No mere cartoon figure, Colclough’s Pasquale seemed to revel in the quirks of the character, sympathetic despite his faults." -Opera News
