Press & Reviews

What the Critics Say

Reviews and press coverage from the world's leading publications — The Guardian, The Washington Post, The Times, The Independent, Evening Standard, and more.

Royal Opera House Debut

The London Reviews

The Guardian

Mamzer Bastard Review — Haunting Hasidic Opera Illuminates '77 New York Blackout

Tim Ashley's review for The Guardian describes Na'ama Zisser's opera — co-commissioned by the Royal Opera and Guildhall School of Music and Drama — as a haunting exploration of family secrets within New York's Hasidic community, set during the 1977 blackout. Ashley notes how cantorial music was introduced into opera for the first time, punctuating the narrative with moments of communal reflection. Among a cast that includes countertenor Collin Shay, Steven Page, Robert Burt, and Gundula Hintz, the review singles out one performer above all.

“Most striking of all, perhaps, is cantor Netanel Hershtik, from New York's Hampton Synagogue, superb in his vocal control, and mesmerising whenever he sings.”

Tim Ashley 15 June 2018 Read full review

The Times

Opera Review: Mamzer Bastard at the Hackney Empire

Neil Fisher's review for The Times covers Na'ama Zisser's operatic debut — a 90-minute noir mystery set among a Hasidic family in 1970s Brooklyn, produced through Zisser's three-year residency at the Royal Opera House and the Guildhall School. Fisher describes how the librettists interweave the narrative with authentic cantorial pieces, and notes that among an amplified cast conducted by Jessica Cottis with the Aurora Orchestra, only one performer truly commands the stage.

“Jewish prayers beautifully sung by Netanel Hershtik… Hershtik really cuts through.”

Neil Fisher 16 June 2018 Read full review

The Independent

Mamzer Bastard Review — Dense and Disorientating Drama Sheds Light on Jewish Past

Michael Church's review for The Independent describes the opera's setting: a synagogue with a real-life cantor at its centre of gravity. While the review critiques the production's direction, it distinguishes clearly between the staging and the music itself — noting that whenever the cantor's voice enters, the score transforms, anchoring itself in tonal beauty. Church praises the valiant efforts of the cast, including Edward Hyde, Collin Shay, Steven Page, Robert Burt, and Gundula Hintz.