Ein Wintermärchen, Wexford Festival Opera

Irish Times (November 2021)
‘Australian baritone Simon Thorpe is rock solid as Polixenes, the friend of Leontes.’

BackTrack.com (November 2021)
’…the fine heft of baritone Simon Thorpe as Polixenes. One of the few characters to have a role in all three acts, he conveyed his pure-as-the-driven-snow attitude rather well.’

Seen & Heard International (November 2021)
'Simon Thorpe gave a solid performance as Polixenes and he was particularly impressive in Act I.’

Die Walküre, London Opera Company

Wagner News (November 2021)
‘Simon Thorpe, so memorable as the Holländer at Longborough in 2018, here sang the WalküreWotan complete for the first time. This was a Wotan who knew from the first that he was likely to lose control of the situation and might actually have preferred to have Brunnhilde stay with him as backup in his showdown with Fricka. His grief and rage as he was overtaken by grief and loss gave his rendition heroic stature. His baritone has a lovely chestnut colour beautifully suited to the role.’

Der Fliegende Holländer‚ Longborough Festival

Seen & Heard International (June 2018)
'Thorpe was vocally and dramatically convincing from his first slow walk into the action right through to his anger and resentment at Senta’s apparent betrayal at the end.'

The Observer (June 2018)
'Simon Thorpe (Dutchman) and a promising new name‚ Kirstin Sharpin as Senta ... head a worthy cast.'

The Spectator (June 2018)
'The climactic duet between her and the Dutchman (Simon Thorpe) — she determined to sacrifice herself for him ‘whoever he may be’‚ he incredulous but half-believing that he has found ‘the Angel’ he has so long sought — was marvellous‚ magnetic for us as for them.'

What’s on Stage (June 2018)
'The eponymous Dutchman is Simon Thorpe‚ who looks the part and then some. Bearded‚ burly and mysterious‚ the Tasmanian bass-baritone materialises from his (unseen) phantom vessel like Orson Welles from shadows and delivers an authoritative account of his role. '

Seen & Heard International (January 2018)
'Guthrie’s idea initially clearly concentrates on the Dutchman as the outsider – or ‘Wandering Jew’ if you will – seeking assimilation into a community. Thorpe was vocally and dramatically convincing from his first slow walk into the action right through to his anger and resentment at Senta’s apparent betrayal at the end.'

Fidelio‚ Longborough Festival

Opera Magazine (September 2017)
'Pizarro’s uncompromising villainy was a good fit for Simon Thorpe’s big‚ dark voice‚ and he tore into the melodrama of ’Ha‚ welch’ ein Augenblick!’ with a will.’

MusichOMH (July 2017)
'...Simon Thorpe and John Paul Huckle demonstrate security and power in their respective baritone and bass ranges as Don Pizarro and Rocco.'

The Spectator (July 2017)
'And as Pizarro‚ Simon Thorpe sings with a guttural force and a menacing‚ hollowed-out paleness that’s all the more impressive for being delivered from a wheelchair.'

BachTrack.com (June 2017)
'Simon Thorpe was an impressively thuggish Don Pizarro whose rich‚ chocolatey tones – seemingly unaffected by his wheelchair confinement – gave his lines an imposing strength. In “Jetzt‚ Alter‚ hat es Eile” he and John Paul Huckle‚ as Rocco‚ formed a powerful duo...'

The Times (June 2017)
'Simon Thorpe is full of rage and Wagnerian power as a maimed Pizarro...'

The Merchant of Venice‚ Welsh National Opera

Planet Hugill (July 2017)
'The supporting roles were all strong‚ Salerio and Solanio were turned into a double-act of paparazzi by Simon Thorpe and Gary Griffiths.'

Fidelio‚ Longborough Festival

Il tabarro‚ Melos Sinfonia

Opera (July 2016)
'Thorpe has a powerful stage presence and he pleaded‚ smouldered and roared superbly as the barge captain reached the end of his tether. '

Seen & Heard International (May 2016)
'Simon Thorpe’s darkly tortured – and torturing – Michele was at least as powerful a portrayal of the role as I have heard.’

The Rinse Cycle‚ Unexpected Opera

Opera Magazine (February 2016)
'Simon Thorpe as a commanding Wotan‚ Alberich‚ Hunding‚ Fafner and Hagen displaying particular versatility...'

Plays To See (February 2016)
'The performances of the five actor/singers – and of Kelvin Lim who plays piano throughout – are simply superb. Simon Thorpe as Ronnie/Wotan is a natural comic‚ a fine singer – and the best Sean Connery impersonator I have heard for long time...I realised what a fine achievement this show is when I found myself in tears during the great duet from the end of Valkyrie as Wotan bids farewell to his beloved daughter‚ Brunhilda. Thorpe and Williams sing this sublime duet with real power and passion. To be able to move from the broad comedy of Patisserie Valkyrie to such an effective version of one of the finest moments in opera – despite all the limitations of space and resources – is a real treat for the audience'

The Stage (February 2016)
'Simon Thorpe plays the scheming dwarf Alberich with a Brummie accent‚ Sieglinde’s abusive husband Hunding is a cockney‚ and Alberich’s son Hagen is performed in the style of Sean Connery. His ability to move effortlessly between comedy and drama is matched by Mari Wyn Williams...an upbeat‚ entertaining show featuring a fine ensemble cast'

L’amore dei tre Re‚ Opera Holland Park

Opera (October 2015)
'...the baritone Simon Thorpe was in strong‚ focused voice as his slightly weedy warrior son‚ Manfredo'

Opera Now (October 2015)
'Simon Thorpe captured the pathos of Manfredo'

BachTrack.com (July 2015)
'Vocal performances were strong. The main roles all require dramatic‚ heroic voices‚ and we had them...Manfredo is a smaller role (he’s absent at the wars for much of the 100 minutes of the opera) but Simon Thorpe made the best of his opportunities: his closing duet with Montero‚ in which Manfredo is desperate to find out whether his wife was really in love with him‚ was every bit the emotional high point of the opera that it should be’

Classical Source.com (July 2015)
'Vocally the production is cast from strength...While his is by definition a less compelling role‚ Simon Thorpe made the most of Manfredo’s increasingly desperate entreaties to his wife as he realises his inability to win her over – his fatalistic farewell an undoubted highpoint...this revival of L’amore dei tre Re is a resounding success'

Financial Times (July 2015)
'The cast give it their all‚ throwing themselves fully into every soaring line and tortuous metaphor that comes their way — and there are a few...baritone Simon Thorpe is in strong voice as his weedy warrior son'

MusicOMH.com (July 2015)
'Simon Thorpe is effective as Manfredo'

The Stage (July 2015)
'...the singing is consistently high-powered...Simon Thorpe’s weighty baritone establishes Manfredo as Fiora’s surprisingly sympathetic if unloved husband'

What’s On Stage.com (July 2015)
'Simon Thorpe growls and scowls effectively as the cuckolded Manfredo‚ despite being saddled with Montemezzi’s least attention-grabbing music'

La Fanciulla del West‚ Opera Holland Park

Independent (June 2014)
'Simon Thorpe’s Jack Rance smoulders convincingly'

London Evening Standard (June 2014)
'Simon Thorpe’s glowering Jack Rance'

Music OMH.com (June 2014)
'Simon Thorpe as Rance reveals a very strong baritone instrument. We can hardly ignore the fact that he is attempting to kill his enemy‚ but one can still feel some sympathy as Thorpe reveals how Rance’s actions derive from a genuine love for Minnie and a hatred of seeing her with someone whom‚ he believes‚ is so unworthy of her'

Seen & Heard International (June 2014)
'The Sheriff‚ Jack Rance‚ is played by Tasmanian singer Simon Thorpe‚ one of the stronger singers who has a fine sense of drama. He makes us believe the emotional journey Rance goes through during the course of the opera’

The Stage (June 2014)
'American tenor Jeff Gwaltney and Tasmanian baritone Simon Thorpe are impressive as bandit Dick Johnson and sheriff Jack Rance respectively‚ both offering focused vocalism and finely achieved acting performances'

What’s On Stage.com (June 2014)
'Simon Thorpe was a suitably broody sheriff'

Tosca‚ Longborough Festival

The Arts Desk.com (June 2014)
'Simon Thorpe is a youngish Scarpia‚ perhaps too prone to outbursts of sexual frustration for a successful police chief‚ but forceful of voice and presence'

Lohengrin‚ Welsh National Opera

Wagner News (July 2013)
'Simon Thorpe‚ replacing the indisposed John Lundgren as Telramund‚ sang and acted beyond all expectation. His rousing acknowledgement by both audience and chorus was well deserved'

MundoClassico.com (June 2013)
'...Simon Thorpe articuló su Telramund con enfática claridad y variedad cromática /// Simon Thorpe articulated his Telramund with emphatic clarity and color variety'

Seen & Heard International (May 2013)
'Simon Thorpe was in good resonant voice as the herald'

Tristan und Isolde‚ WNO at Edinburgh International Festival

Seen & Heard International (August 2012)
'Simon Thorpe’s Melot was strong and effective'

The Opera Critic.com (August 2012)
'Simon Thorpe was a convincing Melot'

Tristan und Isolde‚ Welsh National Opera

The Arts Desk.com (May 2012)
'The best male singing comes from Matthew Best‚ a moving‚ steady-voiced Mark‚ and from Simon Thorpe’s Melot...'

Times (May 2012)
'Simon Thorpe is a strong and serviceable Melot…'

Lohengrin‚ Opéra de Toulon

Anaclase (January 2012)
'Simon Thorpe’s Herald was characterised by full-bodied tone‚ strong high notes and incisive characteristion...'

Concerto.net (January 2012)
'Simon Thorpe – a valiant‚ strong voiced Herald'

Forum Opera (January 2012)
'Simon Thorpe – a clarion toned Herald'

Var Matin (January 2012)
'We must also praise King Henry (Bjarni Thor Kristinsson) and baritone Simon Thorpe who enjoyed a tremendous success'

Carmen‚ State Opera of South Australia

Adelaide Now.com (November 2011)
'great credit also to Simon Thorpe as the haughty toreador Escamillo'

Falstaff‚ Longborough Festival Opera

Birmingham Post (July 2011)
'...there are some tremendous performances‚ including Simon Thorpe as the proudly corpulent Falstaff...'

Opera (July 2011)
'...Simon Thorpe’s revoltingly corpulent (but very well-sung) Falstaff...'

Il Tabarro‚ English Touring Opera

The Opera Critic.com (May 2011)
'Simon Thorpe conveys Michele’s distress‚ his love for Giorgetta‚ his suspicions and jealousy - also that‚ plausibly‚ it need not have played out as it does. He brings out a great tenderness in the character as well as passion'

Guardian (April 2011)
'...relying on first-rate protagonists – tenor Charne Rochford as Luigi‚ Simon Thorpe as Michele and Julie Unwin as the restless object of their affections‚ Giorgetta – and‚ of course‚ on Puccini’s perfect pacing’

Independent on Sunday (March 2011)
'Michele (Simon Thorpe) is sympathetically drawn. For her‚ an adulterous kiss is redemption from the misery of grieving for her dead child. For the twice-betrayed Michele‚ murder is the only adequate response. The singing is tough-minded‚ the drama believable'

Opera Britannia.com (March 2011)
'Simon Thorpe played Michele as being significantly older than Giorgetta‚ truthful and straightforward‚ so his lyrical outburst in the duet and subsequent bitterness in ‘Sgualdrina!... Nulla‚ silenzio’ was especially effective. Vocally‚ the role fits him perfectly at the moment‚ and he was utterly believable in it'

Opera Now (March 2011)
'Simon Thorpe sang very well as the cuckolded barge owner‚ Michele – no caricature‚ this was a serious‚ musical performance by a baritone who is now a contender in the Verdi-Puccini repertoire'

Seen & Heard International (March 2011)
'Of the principal male characters‚ Michele is played by Simon Thorpe‚ looking uncannily like the late Oliver Reed‚ who is gruff‚ world-weary and past his prime though he insists‚ “My pipe may be out‚ but I’m still hot”. It is difficult to empathise with him until towards the end he bares his soul revealing how his hopes were shattered by the death of his daughter. Simon Thorpe’s powerful‚ anguished singing served to completely change our preconceptions of him'

Stage (March 2011)
'Julie Unwin fleshes out Giorgetta’s unhappiness‚ with Charne Rochford perfectly presenting her doomed romantic partner and Simon Thorpe excellent as her unloved husband. All three sing with passionate engagement'

Sunday Express (March 2011)
'Director James Conway brilliantly ratchets up the tension to the spine-chilling finale‚ the impact all the greater for the heartfelt performances by Simon Thorpe as Michele'

Hugh The Drover‚ New Sussex Opera

Financial Times (November 2010)
'...Simon Thorpe was a suitably bluff John the Butcher'

Guardian (November 2010)
'Led by Daniel Norman’s adept Hugh‚ Celeste Lazarenko’s winsome Mary and Simon Thorpe’s forthright John the Butcher‚ the cast are solid…'

MusicOMH.com (November 2010)
'Simon Thorpe made a confident and imposing John the Butcher‚ his deep baritone colouring his character’s aggressive nature'

Opera (November 2010)
'Possessor of a weighty baritone‚ Simon Thorpe was equally well cast as the bullying butcher‚ exuding menace both in and out of the ring...'

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg‚ Welsh National Opera

Musical Criticism (June 2010)
'There was splendid singing from baritone Simon Thorpe (Kothner‚ but perhaps also a future Sachs)...'

Opera (June 2010)
'Brindley Sherratt and Simon Thorpe were impressive as Pogner and Kothner'

Tosca‚ Welsh National Opera

Crackerjack (April 2010)
'His acting matched his vocal ability and when he tried to force his love on to Tosca‚ he really did represent a physical as well as mental threat to her'

Die Entführung aus dem Serail‚ Welsh National Opera

Independent on Sunday (February 2010)
'Simon Thorpe’s dry sophisticate of a Pasha'

Opera Britannia.com (February 2010)
'Simon Thorpe as Pasha Selim was calm‚ dominating and oozed charisma'

Seen & Heard International (February 2010)
'...interpreted by Simon Thorpe with an air of natural authority‚ making some very telling uses of silence and hesitation and conveying a plausible sense of power restrained...'

Times (February 2010)
'...Simon Thorpe’s suave Pasha...'

Rigoletto‚ Clonter Opera

Crackerjack (October 2009)
'Vocally and dramatically the cast were in fine form. Simon Thorpe as Rigoletto and Victoria Joyce as Gilda blended together in a manor that made you believe they really were father and daughter. Passion and deep seated love came from their every phrase and reaction'

Opera (October 2009)
'His Rigoletto showed the full range of his voice‚ with expressive singing and a fine command of suppressed anger'

Opera Now (October 2009)
'Simon Thorpe – the only member of the cast not making his first appearance at Clonter – was biting‚ flexible and eloquent as the jester‚ ambiguous in his relationship with Gilda’s chaperone (Emily Stevenson) and anguished in his fatherly concern'

Cavalleria Rusticana‚ Dorset Opera

Opera (July 2009)
'Simon Thorpe was strong‚ too‚ as Alfio...'

Die Fledermaus‚ London Lyric Opera

Musicweb International (June 2009)
'Simon Thorpe was a convincing Dr Falke'

Katya Kabanova‚ Opera North

Telegraph (April 2007)
'...Stephen Richardson and Simon Thorpe etching sharp cameos as Dikoy and Kuligin'

Manon Lescaut‚ Opera Holland Park

Guardian (June 2006)
'Simon Thorpe is a sympathetic and smooth-toned Sharpless'

Observer on Sunday (June 2006)
'...Simon Thorpe as a touchingly concerned Lescaut'

Un ballo in maschera‚ Cork Opera

Irish Examiner (January 2005)
'...Simon Thorpe and Cara O’Sullivan are both absolutely magnificent…totally convincing actors who sang with sensitivity‚ authority and great musicality throughout'

Irish Times (January 2005)
'...the ardency of baritone Simon Thorpe as Amelia’s husband‚ Anckarström‚ is altogether more persuasive‚ and he also stirs up an impressive storm with his co-conspirators...'

Opera (January 2005)
'Simon Thorpe was a commanding Anckarström‚ moving from loyalist to assassin with complete conviction‚ and displaying true Verdian style throughout'

The Cunning Little Vixen‚ Opera Australia

Sydney Morning Herald (March 2004)
'The other rhapsodic lines go to the Forester‚ in which part Simon Thorpe is aptly solid‚ stolid and blunt until the closing scene'

L’elisir d’amore‚ Scottish Opera

Stage (October 2000)
'Simon Thorpe is a delicious‚ pompous Belcore'

Times (October 2000)
'Simon Thorpe made a vaingloriously macho Belcore...'