"Craig Colclough sings an excellent Macbeth. He takes possesion of the role from 'Mi si affaccia un pugnal'. As he does with "E squillo eterno che nel cielo ti chiama o nell'inferno" (It is the eternal clock that calls you to heaven ... or to hell!) before he kills Duncan, 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."
"In the title role, Craig Colclough imposes a rich bronze, which favors the harshness of feelings and torments, in consonance with the theatrical angle of the show. It does not sacrifice the line, carried by an undeniable endurance throughout the evening. Though the timbre can have sometimes ungrateful accents, the main thing is the obvious mastery of the effects, distilling mezza voce where the spectral fears that hug the ambitious Macbeth condense."
"Craig Colclough in the pivotal role of Falstaff pulled out all stops and delivered a strong and thoroughly convincing performance that, I found, so pleasurable to watch. He sticks to his guns as always and, indeed, is always one step ahead of his motley deuce of vagabonds and Garter Inn cronies."
"The presentation of Craig Colclough was very convincing, capable of the most beautiful nuances and sung with great expressiveness."
ResMusica
November 2019
"American bass-baritone Craig Colclough has an inordinately strong voice and delivers the lengthy arias of Macbeth effortlessly... A brilliant vocal performance."
"Craig Colclough 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."
“Craig Colcloughs exquisite Telramund was the surprise of the evening. This was so excitingly articulated that we would suspect Colclough of having a flawless Wagner instinct.”
“Craig Colclough was an impressive Father whose beer aria brought comic relief to an otherwise sad moment. With dark but resonant tones, he projected words and music into the auditorium with pristine clarity.”
“Craig Colclough's Father was a standout, with his rustic energy and wonderfully clear diction!”
"As Pasquale, Craig Colclough was very convincing in a role he performed with both strength and agility. His comedic timing was flawless, which worked well when interacting with the other characters on the stage… the patter duet with Colclough was one of the showstopping highlights of the entire opera – and partially repeated for the benefit of the appreciative audience."
"Leading man Craig Colclough was tremendous: With equal attention given to his singing and his acting, he was both impressive and hilarious. His ‘pantaloon’ character of a buffoon demanded a great deal of physical humor which was delivered with ease."
"And what a joy to encounter a bass-baritone voice as clear and powerful as Craig Colclough’s, especially when wielded by such a gifted comic actor"
“Bass-baritone Craig Colclough has sung roles ranging from Scarpia to Falstaff and was the most impressive of the rowdy shepherds, with a robust sound and comedic flair that would make him a natural Leporello.”
"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."
"Craig Colclough brought a manic brilliance to the attendant that might be called pioneering."
"The protagonist is nevertheless often irresistible thanks to the recital and mockery of bass-baritone Craig Colclough. Colclough has been singing Falstaff repeatedly and makes what he misses in years and posture amply well with vocal maturity and acting talent. He convinces most when he puts his imposing bronze sound in for more subtle shades."
"...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."
“By far the most interesting voice was Craig Colclough’s Scarpia. In Act Two, he found a cutting-edge timbre and richness of tone"
"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 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."
"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."
