Royal Opera House London - Lohengrin - Elsa

"Jennifer Davis steps up and a star is born" 

Few things in theatre are more exciting than watching a star being born, and the big-bang roar that greeted Jennifer Davis’s curtain call after her debut as Lohengrin’s beloved Elsa was one such magic moment. Little known – I had registered her name, but not her talent – Davis had been promoted from understudy at short notice when Kristine Opolais withdrew, and she confounded all the sceptics.....from her first aria – a test of control over pitch and tone – she was rock-steady and generous of phrase. Elsa is a taxing role, but she paced herself consummately, never overegging the climaxes and always keeping the line fluent. Add to this a lovely stage presence and acting of ingenuous immediacy, and you have what could blossom into a world-class career. Well done Covent Garden for taking an inspired risk. What made Davis’s achievement even more impressive is that she shone in distinguished company.”

- The Telegraph, Rupert Christiansen

“There can have been few more pressured operatic debuts than Jennifer Davis’s as Elsa. A late replacement, the young Irish soprano had never sung Wagner before, and the Royal Opera’s website was full of affronted vitriol from people unwilling to give her a chance. Their loss. She sang gloriously, floating exquisite pianissimos, yet cutting through Wagner’s tubbiest orchestral textures. And she looked and acted the part: a dreamy ingenue fatally obsessed with a romanticised legend — which, with inspired irony, Alden unfurls as a tapestry above her wedding bed.”

- The Times, Richard Morrison

“The whole thing really takes off when Irish soprano Jennifer Davis crowns the Act One ensemble, and again in her Elsa's confrontation with the scheming Ortrud in Act Two. An exciting substitution for Kristine Opolais ... Davis is a recent graduate of the Royal Opera's Jette Parker Young Artists Programme ... With a lyric voice verging on the heroic, strong and even throughout the range, and utterly plausible acting at every point, she made a fine impression. She has...a secure and brilliant upper register...Other Elsas who have a more other-worldly sound in the first act don't come out as strongly in their conviction of good in the second; there was potential heartbreak in this girl's assurance, and queasiness in Ortrud's woeful misreading of her behaviour as prideful. Davis can also manage Wagner's romantic gruppetti or turns with absolute clarity...[Act 3] Davis holds her own here, too, pushing the question with perfect dramatic intensity.”

- The Arts Desk, David Nice

“…a new Wagner star was born…The discovery of a new Wagnerian star – the Irish soprano Jennifer Davis, a late and bold replacement as Elsa von Brabant – made any qualms about the Royal Opera’s new staging of Wagner’s Lohengrin shrink into insignificance.”

- The Observer, Fiona Maddocks

“With the withdrawal of Kristine Opolais from the original cast The Royal Opera took the daring step of casting a recent alumnus of the Jette Parker programme to fill the difficult role of Elsa. A brilliant move as Jennifer Davis comes close to stealing the show with a voice that is both creamy yet mettlesome – Elsa needs power as well as sweetness – and allied to a very sympathetic presence. She has a great career ahead of her.”

- Classical Source, Alexander Campbell

Jennifer Davis as Elsa made a big impression, quite rightly, after she emerged from a trapdoor in the floor to begin her defence. Charming to look at, radiant to hear, she is a star. 

- The Spectator, Michael Tanner

“And thanks to the young Irish soprano Jennifer Davis we get an Elsa whose light, pure tone contrasts poignantly with soprano Goerke’s darker and deeper sound.”

- The Independent, Michael Church

“He’s well matched also to the Elsa of Jennifer Davis, who conveys innocence and vulnerability in a thoroughly musical way. A product of the Jette Parker young artists’ scheme, Davis is a lyric soprano with a bit of extra steel, and a more than plausible actor.”

- The Guardian, Andrew Clements

“Central to the evening’s success is a major step up for Irish soprano Jennifer Davis (covering for the announced Elsa, Kristine Opolais), who goes on to triumph with a performance notable for its security and fine-grained lyricism.”

- The Stage, George Hall

Davis meanwhile, an Irish graduate of the Jette Parker Young Artist programme (and a late replacement for Kristine Opolais), seduced ears and grabbed hearts like the fully-fledged star she now is.

- What’s On Stage, Mark Valencia

Replacing the originally advertised Kristine Opolais, Jennifer Davis impressed greatly as Elsa. This was by any standards a high-profile debut. Vocal and dramatic sincerity were matched by a security one had little right to expect.

- Opera Today, Mark Berry

“Stepping in for the originally advertised Kristine Opolais, Jennifer Davis tackled the biggest night of her career creditably....the former Jette Parker Young Artist’s Elsa blossomed, with pearly tone and earnestly acted.”

- Bachtrack, Mark Pullinger

“All the leading roles in this production are superb. Elsa is played by the Irish soprano Jennifer Davis, who has magnificently seized her chance after being promoted from understudy when the original singer cast for this role dropped out. She sings beautifully and powerfully and acts the part perfectly, from her anguish at the start to her stronger vow-breaking demands towards the end.”

- The Express, William Hartston

“He’s well matched by the young Irish soprano Jennifer Davis as Elsa, Lohengrin’s bride, who steps into the A-list with her radiant singing and touching stage presence.”

- Metro, Warwick Thompson

Royal Opera House London - L`Elisir d'Amore - Adina

On the one hand we had Irish soprano Jennifer Davis, a Jette Parker Young Artist, stepping forward at the last minute to replace the expert Adina of Aleksandra Kurzak and offering a vocally impeccable performance which showed star potential in the rapid passagework of the second act. 

- Opera Magazine, August 2017

On the one hand we had Irish soprano Jennifer Davis, a Jette Parker Young Artist, stepping forward at the last minute to replace the expert Adina of Aleksandra Kurzak and offering a vocally impeccable performance which showed star potential in the rapid passagework of the second act. 

- Opera Magazine, August 2017

Irish soprano Jennifer Davis as Adina wowed us with her tonal beauty and tenderness. Her Adina showed innocence and cunning and we enjoyed every note of Donizetti’s incomparable melodies.

- James Karas ReviewsRead the article

Leeds Opera North - Don Giovanni - Donna Anna

The noble Donna Anna is sung with breathtaking poise by Jennifer Davis. Her account of Anna’s regretful Non mi dir (Tell me not that I am cruel) immaculately places every note of the fiendishly difficult coloratura passages.

- Ilkley Gazette, Geoffrey MogridgeRead the article

Jennfier Davis’s fluttery soprano brought out Donna Anna’s despair beautifully and was matched with a solid Don Ottavio in Nicholas Watts.

- Seen and Heard International, Cornelius FitzRead the article

Soprano Jennifer Davis' Donna Anna was hair-raising, but in the best possible way. Her gorgeously pure voice and acting ability gave her character a particularly strong significance.

- Bachtrack, Richard WilcocksRead the article

Royal Opera House London - Oreste - Iphigenia

As Ifigenia, Jennifer Davis showed that at the top she can manipulate colour, dynamic and weight of her lyric soprano with ease, and that she can embellish stylishly. 

- Claire Seymour, Opera TodayRead the article

[...] the other two female cast members, Jennifer Davis (Ifigenia) and Vlada Borovko (Ermione) display gloriously precocious singing talent. 

- ExpressRead the article

Powerful performances from the cast of six, particularly Handelian mezzo from Angela Simkin as Oreste and soprano Jennifer Davis as Ifigenia.

- Clare Colvin, ExpressRead the article

 Jennifer Davis (Ifigenia) possesses a voice of rare beauty, lamenting her appalling situation with real warmth and tenderness

- Stephen Pritchard, The GuardianRead the article

In the title role, Angela Simkin drew us in with her rich, clear mezzo; she, along with Jennifer Davis as Ifigenia, had subtlety in her sound, layers of humanity that set the long-lost siblings apart as (ironically) the sanest characters of the story. Simkin's Oreste sang with plaintive wails and fiery coloratura, and Davis' control over her instrument showed us a three-dimensional Ifigenia, resisting her horrific circumstances.

- Jenna Douglas, SchmoperaRead the article

The women are ahead of the game here, with Vlada Borovko, Jennifer Davis and Angela Simkin all providing attractive and accomplished virtuosic singing

- Rupert Christiansen, The TelegraphRead the article

Super Irish and Russian sopranos Jennifer Davis and Vlada Borovko were moving and stylish Handelians as the much abused young women

- Brian DickieRead the article

The Irish soprano Jennifer Davis as Ifigenia, reluctant priestess, and the Russian soprano Vlada Borovko as Oreste's wife, Ermione, give particularly fine performances that grow and grow in strength. 

- Claudia Pritchard, Culture WhisperRead the article

Jennifer Davis makes a touching Ifigenia, psychologically damaged but vocally so clean an antidote to the filth surrounding her.

- Alexandra Coughlan, Broadway WorldRead the article

It outlines Oreste’s reunion with his sister Iphigenia (remarkably secure soprano Jennifer Davis) while she is serving as high priestess of Diana in Tauris

- Cara Chanteau, The IndependentRead the article

Simkin and Davis, meanwhile, sing Handel with wonderful finesse. Davis’s voice gleams at the top and her coloratura is exacting in its precision. 

- Tim Ashley, The GuardianRead the article

Royal Opera House London - Les Enfants Terribles - Lise

"...while Jennifer Davis gave a towering sense of the histrionic, self-aware and invincible Lise. Her final heart-rending aria before shooting herself to beat her fatally-poisoned brother to death - and thus win "The Game" - brought shivers down my spine."

- Bachtrack - Graham Watts

"The majority of the excellent singers (Jennifer Davis, Gyula Nagy, Paul Curievici and Emily Edmonds) are Jette Parker Young Artists. They also succeed in imbuing their characters with depth and emotion to such an extent that they feel every bit the equal of some of the most outstanding dancers of our generation, who themselves are performing at the height of their game."

- musicohm.com - Sam Smith

"Jennifer Davis was a powerful Elisabeth, feisty and compelling..."

- The Times, Debra Craine

"The highest level of artistry is evident throughout the production. The singers are also fine actors, Gyula Nagy's Paul (pictured above) becoming progressively more revolting as he malingers in his pyjamas. Paul Curievici's Gérard is culpably inert (he alone saw the incest and could have averted tragedy), but it's Jennifer Davis as Lise who takes the evening's laurels, for maintaining such a thrillingly sweet sound right through to the frantic dénouement."

- The Arts Desk, Emmy Gilbert

"As Lise, Jennifer Davis sings with lucidly sweet tone, while moving with complete physical commitment..."

- The Independent, Zoë Anderson

Royal Opera House London - Il Trovatore - Ines

‘…Smaller roles were very well taken, with special praise for Jennifer Davis’s Ines, who made all her words count and who dealt sensitively (even movingly) with a wardrobe malfunction that befell her fictional mistress …

- Opera Magazine

Royal Opera House London - Mitridate, re di Ponto - Arbate

Fine contributions from soprano Jennifer Davis as the local governor Arbate, and Rupert Charlesworth as the Roman Consul Marzio

- Mark RonanRead the article

Royal Opera House London - JPYA Summer Performance

"Arabella seemed an ideal fit for the creamy, soaring Soprano of Jennifer Davis..." 

- Yehuda Shapiro, Opera Magazine

"Jennifer Davis wowed us in a scene-stealing performance of Arabella, and then again as Donna Elvira. She and David Shipley, as Leporello, were the most interesting to watch on stage."

- John Beckett, SchmoperaRead the article

"In what followed, three singers were truly at their ease [...] and Jennifer Davis...amazing us with the ideal Straussian bloom at the top of the voice in the final scene of 'Arabella'."

"Davis' "Mi Tradi" and Atkins' "Il mio tesoro" were performances you'd be delighted to hear in a main Royal Opera production, very stylish, with excellent breath control, and dramatically firm..."

- David Nice, The Arts Desk

Irish National Opera - The Big Bang! Inaugural Concert

"Davis must be the most accomplished of all young Irish sopranos. She couples the natural gift of a luscious and powerful voice to an always heartfelt acting"

 

- Pia Maltri, BachtrackRead the article

Bernadette Greevy Recital National Concert Hall

- Brian Kellow, Opera NewsRead the article

'A casting director’s dream'

 

 "developed the kind of healthy, strong delivery that singers need to project in larger halls and opera houses... Davis seemed more immediately engaging, open-hearted and personal in a way that was easy to identify with.

If Ireland had such a thing as a national opera company, its casting director would be delighted to have..."

- Michael Dervan - Irish Times