PRESS
Herodias, Salome, West Bay Opera
“Michelle Rice as Herodias [is] superb. Ms. Rice’s voice is lush, vibrant, and thrilling to hear.”
— The Almanac
Marcellina, La nozze di Figaro, West Bay Opera
“Michelle Rice (Marcellina) and Silas Elash (Bartolo) also made an adorable pair; Rice was ridiculously excited during the Act III double wedding and her joy was irresistible.”
— San Francisco Classical Voice
Emilia, Otello, Festival Opera
“Soprano Michelle Rice brought vocal and theatrical impact to the role of Emilia.”
— San Francisco Chronicle
Dritte Dame, Die Zauberflöte, West Bay Opera
“The majority of performers achieve equal mastery. At the top of the list are the Three Ladies - Liisa Dávila, Molly Mahoney, and Michelle Rice - who ironically transcend their identities as attendants to the thoroughly evil Queen of the Night (Dana Pundt) to open the opera with the most sublime singing of the three-hour performance.”
— San Francisco Classical Voice
Maria, Gesualdo: Prince of Madness, Opera Parallèle
“Michelle Rice, as his murdered wife Maria, brings a wounded remorse to the role that is positively palpable in every note she sings.”
— Stark Insider
Mezzo-soprano Soloist, Elijah, Masterworks Chorale
“The soloists were a source of strength and sensitivity…. Rice’s dark, full sound shone brightly and gave serious weight to her aria ‘O rest in the Lord.’”
— San Francisco Classical Voice
“Michelle Rice as Gertrude, Juliette’s nurse, and Nicholas Shelton as Frère Laurent…are two standouts.”
— The Independent
Gertrude, Roméo et Juliette, Livermore Valley Opera
Savitri, Savitri, The In Series
“Holst’s opera was the most satisfying overall and included dramatically focused, rich singing from mezzo-soprano Michelle Rice in the title role.”
— The Washington Post
Mrs. Grose, The Turn of the Screw, Opera Cleveland
“The tale’s abiding anguish extends to Mrs. Grose, the housekeeper, whom Michelle Rice essays with a touching blend of empathy and terror.”
— The Plain Dealer
“Michelle Rice sang Mrs. Grose’s narrative with great intensity and provided sympathetic support to the Governess.”
— Opera News Online
Berta, Il barbiere di Siviglia, Annapolis Opera
“Michelle Rice sang Berta…with roundness and clarity.”
— The Washington Post
“Mezzo-soprano Michelle Rice, remembered by Annapolis Opera fans for a portrayal of Suzuki two years ago, delivered another memorable performance as Berta, Dr. Bartolo’s housemaid, singing beautifully.”
— Baltimore Sun
“Mezzo-soprano Michelle Rice gave a nicely vocalized comedic turn as Berta, Doctor Bartolo’s long-suffering housemaid. Her little second act aria, ‘Il vecchiotto cerca moglie,’ was delightful….”
— Capital Gazette
Woman, Holy Hell, Madcap Players
“The only dramatic entry in this year’s collection features the best acting, perhaps because the characters have the most to work with. Tony Simione and Michelle T. Rice really sink their teeth into Barbara Lindsay’s Holy Hell, the story of a man who causes a traffic accident in which a woman loses her two children.”
— Potomac Stages
Mrs. Grose, The Turn of the Screw, with Maestro Lorin Maazel
Castleton Festival/ The Châteauville Foundation, Kennedy Center
“Michelle Rice as housekeeper Mrs. Grose had a marvelous, rich voice.”
— Ionarts
“Soprano Michelle Rice, in the smaller role of Mrs. Grose, possessed a full, mature tone as befitted her older character.”
— The Washington Times
“Michelle Rice created a sympathetic Mrs. Grose, the housekeeper, and her firm, warm vocalism made every phrase speak.”
— Baltimore Sun
“…[D]ramatically charged and vocally superlative performances from…Michelle Rice (the housekeeper, Mrs. Grose).”
— DCist.com
Soloist, Mozart by Candlelight, Annapolis Opera
“Mezzo-soprano Michelle Rice offered a lovely, moving ‘Mi tradi quell’alma ingrata’ from Don Giovanni.”
— Baltimore Sun
Soloist, Works by Charles Gounod, Washington Concert Opera
“Michelle Rice enlisted her supple mezzo to reach contralto depths with tones of pure gold.”
— The Washington Post
Mezzo-soprano soloist, Verdi Requiem, University of Maryland
“What set this performance apart, aside from the unusual skill and dedication of the young musicians, as the stellar group of soloists imported for the occasion: soprano Sharon Sweet, mezzo-soprano Michelle T. Rice, tenor Benjamin Warschawski and bass James Morris, established artists who have graced opera stages throughout the world, yet found their way to College Park to work with the next generation. … Rice stepped in for an indisposed Delores Ziegler at the last minute, singing credibly and fervently, in true Verdian style, as though she’d just stepped out of ‘Aida.’”
— The Washington Post
Irene, Tamburlaine, Opera Vivente
“As Irene, Tamburlaine’s eventual queen, Michelle Rice sang in rich, compelling tones.”
— Baltimore Sun
Suzuki, Madama Butterfly, Annapolis Opera
“Michelle Rice was excellent as Suzuki, the one character who remains completely devoted to Butterfly, delivering a lovely Flower Duet with Williams in Act 2 and rising to dramatic power in the Act 3 trio.”
— Baltimore Sun
“As Suzuki, Michelle T. Rice sang firmly and with considerable interpretive fire.”
— Baltimore Sun
“Michelle T. Rice…became a strong presence in the two latter acts. In fact, her ‘Flower Duet’ with Ms. Williams near the end of Act II was one of the highlights of the entire production, so beautifully did her dark, lustrous mezzo-soprano voice contrast Ms. William’s high, more gleaming tone. Ms. Rice’s Third Act, as she comes to grips with the very real tragedy that is about to confront her, was both moving and terrifying.”
— Capital Gazette
Clara, Clara, Maryland Opera Studio
“The voices of mezzo-sopranos Michelle T. Rice and Lee Anne Myslewski as the older and younger Clara were expressive and clear.”
— The Washington Times
“Stand out performers in the cast of the ten players [include] mezzo-soprano Michelle Rice as the dying Clara….”
— Culturevulture.net
“Mezzo-soprano Michelle T. Rice was convincing as the mature Clara, reflective and confident in both her singing and acting. She excelled at dramatic subtleties and pierced scenes with her presence and clarity of voice—especially compelling during revelatory biographical moments.”
— The Washington Post
Mrs. Grose, The Turn of the Screw, University of Washington Opera
“Michelle T. Rice (Mrs. Grose) has a powerful and resonant mezzo-soprano.”
— The Seattle Times
Madame de la Haltière, Cendrillon, University of Washington Opera
“Michelle Rice had a nicely judged comic turn as the wicked stepmother.”
— The Seattle Times
“The unpleasant stepmother, Madame de la Haltière, is the only role with much character, and Michelle Rice made the most of it.”
— Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Incidental music, Much Ado About Nothing, Fair Oaks Theatre Festival
“There are some extremely good musical performances in this…by soprano Michelle Rice and a trio of ‘Swing Sisters.’”
— The Sacramento Bee