GORDON GIETZ

"The Nationale Reisopera presented the best Contes d'Hoffmann I have attended anywhere (November 13). (...) The singing of the principal roles was memorable. Young and idealistic, Gordon Gietz seems a perfect Hoffmann, coping with all the heroic, poetic and bitter aspects of his music with radiant tone and excellent French. (…) A full audience rapturously greeted this glorious production: opéra fantastique indeed."

"Gordon Gietz is a valiant Mazal…" (The Excursions of Mr Broucek)

"…in the smoothly voiced Gordon Gietz, the Reisopera has a strong interpret of that demanding role…"

"The tenor Gordon Gietz, flexible of voice and gesture, proves himself to be a convincing Hoffman. The Canadian is blessed with a pleasant timbre."

"… Hoffmann, sung by Gordon Gietz with beautiful dedication …"

"... Gordon Gietz is a lithe, energetic Yonas."

"Gordon Gietz's Lysander stands out for his suave ardor ..." (DVD Review)

"... Cora Burggraaf (Bella) and Gordon Gietz (Jack) make a big impression ..."

"...the Canadian tenor Gordon Gietz as Jack makes a charming and mellifluous partner."

"The cast, led by ... and Gordon Gietz, was excellent.

"Yet is is Bella and Jack who take the stage for a greater proportion of the opera, and here Cora Burggraaf and Gordon gietz excel in assumptions - both superbly sung - that recognise the social convention holding back their respective characters ..."

Gordon was featured in Time Out London. Read the article here.

"Gordon Gietz se révèle un Don José plus classique, jeune et tout simplement sublimé par la beauté de la bohémienne."
[Gordon Gietz reveals himself to be a more classical Don José, young and simply sublimated by the beauty of the bohemian.]

"L'ex-Montréalais Gordon Gietz, au français très soigné lui aussi, campe un Don José très jeune, très naïf (comme il se doit) troublé par cette bohémienne depuis l'instant où il l'aperçoit jusqu'à la dernière page de l'opéra où , fou de jalousie, il la tue. Gietz fait bien passer dans toute la salle (comble samedi soir) une voix toujours agréable et juste."
[The former Montrealer Gordon Gietz, who's French is also first-rate, plays a very young Don José, very naive (as it should be) troubled by the bohemian from the moment he sees her right up until the very last page of the opera where, crazed by jealousy, he kills her. Gietz fills the entire theatre (full on Saturday night) with a voice that is always pleasant and in tune.]

"Als Hoffmann überzeugte Gordon Gietz durch geschmeidige Kantabilität ebenso wie durch Intensität des gesanglichen Ausdrucks."
[Gordon Gietz impressed in the role of Hoffmann with his cantabile singing as well as with the intensity of his vocal expression.]

"Gordon Gietz est lui aussi un fin interprète : sexy et tendre, irrésistiblement jeune, son Hoffmann est d'autant éperdu. Vocalement, il surmonte la longueur du rôle et sa haute tessiture sans jamais perdre le fil d'un français bien articulé."
[Gordon Gietz is too a fine interpret : sexy and tender, irresistibly young, his Hoffmann is equally bewildered. Vocally, he surmounts the length of the role and its high tessatura without losing the thread of a well articulated French.]

"Ils entendront le jeune ténor américain (sic), Gordon Gietz, chanter avec raffinement et une voix splendide le difficile rôle d'Hoffmann."
[They will hear a young American tenor, Gordon Gietz, sing with refinement and a splendid voice the dificult role of Hoffmann]

"Clearly, Mr. (Jonathan) Miller's playful contemporary imagery resonated with the cast, for they delivered breezy, dynamic and musically elegant portrayals."
".. he (Gordon Gietz) brought an engaging youthful ardor to his portrayal of Ferrando."

"Gordon Gietz's Fritz and Kevin Glavin's irrepressibly energetic and humorous General Boum were among the star solo turns."

"Tenor Gordon Gietz was her (Stephanie Blythe) equal as Fritz, the object of her out-of-bounds lust. His buoyant singing and athlectic acting made the Grand Duchess' attraction to him thoroughly understandable."

“Gordon Gietz, Alfred de premier ordre ..."
[Gordon Gietz, first class Alfred ...]

“... Mary Dunleavy et l'Alfred bien chantant de Gordon Gietz leurs volaient donc la vedette ..."
[...Mary Dunleavy and the well-sung Alfred of Gordon Gietz stole the show ...]

"Avec son amant Koudriache (Gordon Gietz), ils forment le couple d'acteurs le plus crédible de la distribution."
[With her lover Koudriache (Gordon Gietz), they are the cast's most believable actors.]

"Le couple Varvara (Dagmar Peckova) et Koudriache (Gordon Gietz) se distingue par son jeu et ses voix alliant l'éclat à la grâce."
[The couple Varvara (Dagmar Peckova) and Koudriache (Gordon Gietz) sets itself apart by its acting and voices uniting brilliancy and grace.]

“Le Steva de Gordon Gietz, hâbleur et vain, a ce qu’il faut de lâcheté dans le regard et de terreur dans la voix."
[The Steva of Gordon Gietz, boaster and vain, has what is needed of cowardice in the eyes and terror in the voice.]

“Gordon Gietz was suitably arrogant as Steva."

“Isolemment doré, le Steva du ténor canadien Gordon Gietz n’a de rival que le Laca de Stefan Margita, à l’émission, la projection et au legato exceptionnels, mais surtout à la couleur naturellement idiomatique."
[Uniquely golden, the Steva of Canadian tenor Gordon Gietz has no other rival except the Laca of Stefan Margita, in terms of production, projection and exceptional legato, but above all in terms of his idiomatic natural color.]

“Deux excellents ténors: Stefan Margita, au timbre puissant, Gordon Gietz, désinvolte et sarcastique."
[Two excellent tenors: Stefan Margita, with powerful timbre, Gordon Gietz, uncaring and sarcastic.]

“Le Steva de Gordon Gietz, bravache et futile, possède ce qu'il faut de lâcheté revendiquée et de terreur sacrée."
[The Steva of Gordon Gietz, falsely brave and futile, possesses what is needed of cowardice and terror.]

“Le Steva du Canadien Gordon Gietz, donnerait du brio à la lâcheté".
[The Steva of Canadian Gordon Gietz, makes cowardice brilliant.]

“Gordon Gietz (Steva), coq du village à la voix claire et brillante, au physique avantageux, …"
[Gordon Gietz (Steva), the cock of the walk with a clear and brillant voice, a favorable physique …]

“Mention spéciale également à Gordon Gietz (Steva) …"
[Special mention also of Gordon Gietz (Steva) …]

“Excellent Steva de Gordon Gietz …"
[Excellent Steva of Gordon Gietz …]

“The opera’s the thing, though, here conducted by (Sir Colin) Davis with the skills of a master lapidarian and handsomely sung by Susanne Mentzer (Béatrice), Gordon Gietz (Bénédict), …"

“So, the tenor Gordon Gietz, who sang Bénédict, (…), was doubled by the actor David Hyde Pierce (of "Frasier" fame), who portrayed Bénédict in the episodes of spoken dialogue.
Those two artists played off each other charmingly. One example was the scene in which Mr. Pierce hid himself beside the conductor's podium so that he could eavesdrop on a conversation revealing that the defiantly single Béatrice in fact loved him. (The conversation is actually a ploy.) As Mr. Pierce listened bug-eyed, he motioned to the wings for Mr. Gietz to come onstage, as if to say, "You'd better hear this." So Mr. Gietz, a dashing and lively young performer, snaked his way warily through the violin section so he could sit nearby and listen too."

“Most impressive still is Camille’s return-from-the-dead, pseudo-Baroque aria. Written in Handelian counter tenor range, it is phenomenally sung by Gietz and a highlight of the opera."

“As his naïve and boyish victim, Gietz proved fearless in high notes and fortissimo passages."

“… fabulous Canadian tenor Gordon Gietz as nerdy Camille Raquin, the sacrifical lamb who returns as a soppy spook in Act Two after being spectacularly drowned in Act One…"

Cover of the weekly guide Night & Day. View the page here.

Gordon was featured in Opera News. Read the article here.

“Gordon Gietz was robust as young Stingo."

“… the Southern writer Stingo (sweetly acted and sung by the Canadian Gordon Gietz) …"

“The two men in her life, Nathan and Stingo, were also portrayed with style and conviction by Rodney Gilfry and Gordon Gietz."

“Gordon Gietz as the sweetly reliable Stingo has perhaps the most ardent music to sing, and seizes it gratefully."

“She (Angelika Kirchschlager) is beautifully matched by beefy baritone Rodney Gilfry (Nathan) and exciting young tenor Gordon Gietz"

“Mr. Gietz is charming and sympathetic as young Stingo, singing with lyrical ardor yet anguished power when challenged by Nathan or in despair over Sophie."

“Canadian tenor Gordon Gietz captured the vulnerability and charm of Stingo and sang eloquently."

“Le ténor Gordon Gietz et le baryton Rodney Gilfry sont formidables de présence physique et de précision musicale."
[The tenor Gordon Gietz and the baritone Rodney Gilfry are formidable in their stage presence and musical precision.]

“Stingo, a vivid Gordon Gietz."

“… Stingo, sung here with simple, easy delivery by Canadian tenor Gordon Gietz. His plaintive tone pleads for truth and justice from his disturbed friends. “

“The two male leads are also outstanding. Gordon Gietz’ Stingo, so handsome in looks, so limpid in expressivity, brings youthfulness to his role, in part rather a thankless one. At times there is an ambivalent child-like simplicity to his performance (more than once he just looks lost), at others (and this is when his singing rings out with a virility of tone) where he has all the attractiveness any woman could wish for in a man. When he finally gets to sleep with Sophie the passion of his singing is matched by the highly charged eroticism of his love-making."

“Angelika Kirchschlager and Gordon Gietz move and engage as Sophie and Stingo, ..."

“En Andres, Gietz est d’ailleurs étonnant, de voix notamment."
[As Andres, Gietz is stunning, in voice especially.]

“… and Gordon Gietz (Andres) were all in ringing voice. The last, an alumnus of the Opéra de Montréal, sounds ready for heroic repertoire."

“Dans des rôles écrits sur mesure à leur intention, les chanteurs ne déméritent à aucun moment et le jeune ténor américain (sic) Gordon Gietz fait même grosse impression vocalement en Camille."
[In roles written especially for them, the singers do not disappoint and the young American (sic) tenor Gordon Gietz makes a huge impression vocally as Camille.]

“Here Camille, especially as portrayed by the dashing young tenor Gordon Gietz, is a decent young man."
“Yet Mr. Picker (the composer) could not have asked for a more able and willing cast. (…) Mr. Gietz brought a sweet tenor voice and solid musicianship to Camille."

“… tenor Gordon Gietz brought eargerness and a bright sound to the doomed Camille."

“The quarter of lovers was well matched… Gordon Gietz and William Dazeley complementing each other ideally as Lysander and Demetrius."

“… Gordon Gietz’s Lysander makes a nice crisp tenor sound."

“Madeline Bender and Gordon Gietz make promising house debuts as Helena and Lysander."

“Madeline Bender (Helena) and Gordon Gietz (Demetrius) make successful Glyndebourne debuts, with him disclosing a sweet-toned tenor."

“Distribution en or pour un opéra de feu… le Steva puissant et insoutenable de lâcheté de Gordon Gietz. “
[Golden cast for an opera of fire… Gordon Gietz’s Steva is powerful and unbearably cowardly.]

“En costard vert, cheveu blond oxygéné, le ténor Gordon Gietz confirme ses dispositions théâtrales. Il est le sale gosse que tant de femmes sont prêtes à aimer sans retour, et il module sa voix de même: tonitrurante, arrogante et diablement électrisante."
[In a green costume, bleached blond hair, the tenor Gordon Gietz confirms his theatrical dispositions. He is the bad boy that so many women are ready to love without love in return, and he modulates his voice the same: thunderous, arrogant and devilishly electrifying.]

“… le ténor canadien Gordon Gietz, Ottavio, affirme un beau timbre mozartien."
[the Canadian tenor Gordon Gietz, Ottavio, reveals a beautiful Mozartean sound.]

“Gordon Gietz has one of the most gorgeous tenor voices heard in some time, as full as it was sweet. And with his fluency with the coloratura, he was able to give added meaning to the flurry of little notes."

“Sam Polk, frère alcoolique de Susannah, est chanté par Gordon Gietz. Le ténor canadien sublime ce qui pourrait être le rôle le plus difficile de l'opéra: à la fois protecteur possessif et passif sacrifié à la domination de sa soeur-mère."
[Sam Polk, the alcoholic brother of Susannah, is sung by Gordon Gietz. The Canadian tenor sublimes what could be the most difficult role of the opera: he is both the possessive and the passive protector sacrificed to the domination of his sister/mother.]

“Musically this is on a very high level. Gietz is splendid, with a beautiful, sturdy tenor voice touched by the heroic. His passionate portrayal of this foolish young man, torn by wordly desires and his simple love for Anne, is vigorous and finally heartbreaking, for he dies mad."

“The uniformly superb cast also included … Gordon Gietz as the Chevalier de la Force…"

"... his (Jerry Hadley's) first time working with tenor Gordon Gietz:
has turned out to be just wonderful. After three or four days' rehearsal, I appreciated that Gordon had captured a sense of simplicity and honesty I had never achieved in the role."

"Gordon Gietz's Chevalier was wonderfully sung, ..."
"Gietz sang Idamante so beautifully as almost to upstage Jerry Hadley in the title role, ..."

"... Canadian Gordon Gietz (Chevalier) and ... were luxury casting."
"Gietz was also magnificent in SFO's first ever production of Idomeneo. He brought across all the character's frustrated love and deep concern for his father ..."

"Given two such expert acting singers as Susan Graham and Gordon Gietz in the title roles, the result was effervescent"

"... and tenor Gordon Gietz's Benedict is a vocal and acrobatic treat. He even gets his head dunked in a tub and comes up singing."

“The other leads, Gordon Gietz, Elizabeth Futral and Nathan Gunn, formed a fine ensemble vocally and dramatically."

“Others making up the fine ensemble cast were Judith Forst as Cecile’s mother and Gordon Gietz as the Chevalier de Danceny, her very correct young admirer."

"Luba Orgonasova, Bernarda Fink, Gordon Gietz, and Bryn Terfel made an excellent quartet of soloists."

"In support, Gordon Gietz offered a likable Benedict, youthful and smart in demeanor, and with both lightness and strength in his lyric tenor voice. He achieved, adroitly and winningly all the character needs: ardor and irony."

“… the forces needed for the Ninth Symphony were large: soloists Marvis Martin, soprano; Marietta Simpson, mezzo-soprano; Gordon Gietz, tenor; …"

“The voices of Clifton Forbis and Gordon Gietz, as Laca and Steva respectively, both have the balance of strength and lyricism this opera requires."

"The Tamino of Gordon Gietz featured a warmly appealing voice and a suave lyrical delivery."

"Gordon Gietz made a vocally and physically striking Steersman..."

"The St.Louis tradition of finding future stars was upheld in the casting of four major roles. It is years since I have heard a better sung Almaviva than Gordon Gietz's..."

"It was only in some of the solo singing, particularly that of Gordon Gietz... that the ear fully appreciated that Handel was, above all else, a dramatic composer."

"Vocally, the freshest of the principals was Gordon Gietz, whose tenor was well suited to Paris's music."

" Gordon Gietz ( Agenore) made an impressive company debut, beautiful voice handled beautifully throughout a wide range of anger, despair, desperation, passion."

"Gordon Gietz's Albert is a more subdued, even sullen protagonist that one would expect from this dynamic talent. His tenor sounds fuller and richer in variety of tone and expression with each outing - he is a splendid actor with his voice, in other words, and a disciplined musician."

"... and the debuting and very promising Canadian tenor Gordon Gietz as Agenore attractively rounded out the cast."

"The two most beautiful voices took more supporting roles: ... and, most memorably, Gordon Gietz's suave and expressive tenor as the nobleman Agenore"

"The evening's best voices, suitably enough, belonged to the debut artist... Gordon Gietz, as Detlef, whose dashing tenor enlivened the student scenes."