Press
FIDELIO
NEW AMSTERDAM OPERA
We consider it ambitious to have tackled Fidelio, Beethoven's sole opera; thanks to some fine and highly accurate conducting as well as some excellent casting, the night was a huge success. The large church was filled to capacity and the standing ovation impressive. Musical values were so high that sets and costumes were not missed.
- Voce di Meche
LA FAVORITA
NEW AMSTERDAM OPERA
Keith Chambers’ organization, new to me, impressed with a fairly polished and full-out reading of the score in the West Park Sanctuary Theater’s notably good acoustics. Meanwhile, watch for Chambers’ continuing explorations with New Amsterdam Opera.
- David Shengold
Putting the Chambers in Chamber Opera
Photo Credit: Daniel Welch
- John Yohalem, Parterre.com
- Francisco Salazar, Operawire
- Paul Pelkonen, Superconductor
BROADWAY WORLD
New Amsterdam Opera Pathfinder Award presented To Eve Queler
Photo Credit: Louise B Photos
Keith Chambers, New Amsterdam’s conductor and director took care with three hours of Grade A Donizetti - the orchestra was impressively able and together, no mean feat in a grand opera score. We may find here the long-awaited and worthy successor to OONY
- John Yohalem, Parterre.com
Music director Keith Chambers had a great sense of tempi and always gave his singers the space for each line. there was one thing present and that was the spirit of the New Amsterdam Opera. It was able to bring two artists at their vocal heights and bring unforgettable portrayals to the New York audience. Moreover, one has to commend the company for bringing this rare gem back to New York and this alone makes this company one to keep an eye out for.
- Francisco Salazar, Operawire
LA FORZA DEL DESTINO
NEW AMSTERDAM OPERA
Keith Chambers, the company’s director, is also its conductor. The intensity of the overture proved contagious and the ensembles (the concertato at Hornachuelos, at the abbey, in the soldiers’ camp) held together nicely. His choices of snips to make to keep the running time below four hours escaped the vigilance of all but the pedantic; the result flowed most impressively. His taste in scores to revive and singers to perform them is exceptional. With the loss of OONY, he fills a niche. I hope word spreads of his success and that other such occasions result.
The orchestra, directed by Keith Chambers, had many great moments including the overture, which had a buoyant tempo. Chambers gave the orchestra the power needed for each duet, giving the music the rhythmic accuracy that Verdi requires.
Mr. Chambers led the driving overture with gusto, a persistent energy that anticipated the return of its great themes throughout the score. This performance employed an orchestra (with just two cellos and one bass) but that proved ideal for the intimate black box theater and more importantly, did not drown out the singers.
SOUTH PACIFIC
INDIANAPOLIS OPERA
Keith Chambers conducts the production. On Friday, his support of the singers was well-illustrated by the deftness of the accompaniment to "Some Enchanted Evening." The small but polished orchestra created just the right atmosphere to evoke the charm of Bali Ha'i (the island as well as the song).
- Jay Harvey Upstage
MAN OF LA MANCHA
ASHEVILLE LYRIC OPERA
The splendid pit band – winds, brass, and percussion, with guitar and double bass – was led with keen attentiveness by Keith Chambers.
- John Lambert, Classical Voice of NC
PIRATES OF PENZANCE
THE LIVING OPERA
Chambers got mostly taut and carefully scaled playing from a compact ensemble…which without a recessed pit made plenty of sound.
- Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News
DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE
MANHATTAN OPERA STUDIO
Maestro Keith Chambers led a spirited performance from the orchestra.
- Voce di Meche
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO
MANHATTAN OPERA STUDIO
We decided to sit just behind Maestro Chambers on the front row, getting a first rate view of him and saw just how effective Maestro Chambers' conducting is. His style is restrained and not at all theatrical and there is a terrific rapport with the instrumentalists.
- Voce di Meche
HÄNSEL UND GRETEL
MANHATTAN OPERA STUDIO
Maestro Keith Chambers of the New Amsterdam Opera provided a fine presentation of this musically glorious work--sung in fine German. The major pleasure of the evening lay in Maestro Chambers' effective conducting of the reduced orchestra in which the horn and clarinet played major parts.
- Voce di Meche