Barnaby Rea

"Barnaby Rea gave a superlative performance as Sparafucile, his stage presence combining black menace with a sense of griminess that was entirely at home in this production, while his rich, resonant bass made for a thrilling vocal performance."
Backtrack

"The other [great performance] comes from Barnaby Rea’s Sparafucile: lean, mean, handsomely sung and lethally creepy."
The Guardian

"A scene-stealing turn from Barnaby Rea as Judge Pitkin."
The Independent

"Barnaby Rea's Banquo was most impressive: his is a resonant bass but flexible too and tellingly used here."
Opera Magazine

"If there was a standout performance in this flawlessly matched cast, it would have to be Barnaby Rea as a definitive Nick Bottom. I have seen many very fine performers in this role, but none has infused Bottom with a vigorous, responsive bass of such charismatic presence, wedded to an unimaginably varied comic sensibility (...) it was hard to look away from his magnetic presence (...) His posturing as Pyramus dominated that scene with an innate star presence. Mr. Rea contributed a masterful achievement"
Opera Today

"(...) while all the supporting roles were cast from strength – especially Barnaby Rea’s sepulchrally-voiced First Apprentice who made an auspicious house debut."
MusicOMH

"Bass Barnaby Rea is another house debut as the First Apprentice. It is incredible that this fine bass, who has established himself thoroughly in mainland Europe, is only now appearing at Covent Garden"
Operawire

"Barnaby Rea and Alex Otterburn simmer with vocal and physical energy as the Apprentices"
The Stage

"Rea is a terrific Colline, forthright yet sensitive, his characterisation nicely contrasting with Thatcher’s fastidious, slightly camp Colline."
The Guardian

"Barnaby Rea, who asserts his tremendous bass, is Colline and an aspiring cinematographer. Thus when Colline is heard falling outside the garret in Act I, we see Rea tumble from a stepladder as he fulfils one of his duties as a filmmaker in a deliberate mixing of the story and the shooting of it."
MusicOMH

"(...) Barnaby Rea not only sang is farewell to his coat rather well, but he made it part of the character's musico-dramatic arc rather than the 'here's my famous aria' moment."
Planet Hugill

"Finally, let us salute the Briton Barnaby Rea whose flexible and impactful / percussive bass as well as a real stage presence give substance to the character of the peasant Mitiouka, rather physically abused in the Prologue. "
Classic Toulouse

"Barnaby Rea asserts himself in Mitioukha, the voice is strong and presents an elegant grain. "
Olyrix

"Barnaby Rea is excellent as Hobson and completing a very fine cast was Robert Murray as the awkward Methodist Bob Boles"
The Article