2009-2010 SEASON

"A debut to remember" as Pelléas at L'Opéra Comique in Paris

"Luminous, the Pelléas of Phillip Addis, English but with perfect diction...with a perfect voice for the role." (Le Figaro, 17 June 2010)

"Phillip Addis and Karen Vourc'h are the young Pelléas and Mélisande. The first, a real Martin-style baritone, possesses the ideal timbre for the role, the high notes negotiated in a middle voice betraying the fragility of the character." (Resmusica, 16 June 2010)

"Phillip Addis is a brilliant Pelléas, clear voice, perfect diction, tense and passionate." (Premiere, 15 June 2010)

"For his Paris debut, the Canadian baritone Phillip Addis (who was Roderick Usher by the same Debussy at the Florence Gould in New York in November 2009) offered us the youngest, the most seductive and the most idiomatic of Pelléas's...[he] entered so perfectly into the character that one could say he embodied the role. A debut to remember." (Opéra Database, 15 June 2010)

"Perfect French, with a viril and warm baritone timbre, the Pelléas of the English (sic) Phillip Addis is this adolescent 'a little strange' that is spoken about by his half-brother Golaud, a gangling, impetuous, dreamer, darkly romantic." (Télérama, 15 June 2010)

"...the stage provided some wonderful surprises, beginning with the almost-ideal Pelleas of Canadian Phillip Addis - adolescent physique, impeccable diction, the precise qualities of a Martin-baritone." (Diapason, 17 June 2010)

"Her Pelléas, the young American (sic) Phillip Addis sings for the first time in France: a discovery - a real Martin-baritone, this rare tessitura that borrows the high notes from a tenor and who is exactly, and often unfindable, a true Debussy hero. Good-looking, beautiful actor and who pronounces his French almost without accent." (Webthea, 17 June 2010)

"The protagonists are almost the same age as their characters. Pelléas, a Canadian baritone with the high notes of a tenor ("a Martin-baritone") seems to have barely left adolescence. His name is Phillip Addis. He cultivates the strangeness of the character with a portrayal of young innocence. He should rapidly become a celebrity... Their love scene is a masterpiece of sensuality... Their diction in French, so difficult in the declamation, is impeccable." (Le Journal du Dimanche, 17 June 2010)

"Phillip Addis's superb Pelléas moves from diffidence to unbridled passion in subtle stages." (Financial Times, 16 June 2010)

"A true revelation, the sensitive Phillip Addis, with an undreamt-of adolescent physique, is an ideal Pelléas. With a chameleon-like traditional baritone voice, capable of lightening at every possible opportunity and varying the colour as easily as the Martin-baritones of old, and with admirably projected high notes, all without neglecting [French] diction, that casts a shadow over our compatriots." (Altamusica, 17 June 2010)

"The Canadian Phillip Addis portrays a young Pelléas and often with beautiful fervour." (Agence France Presse, 17 July 2010)

 

Phillip made his Opera Atelier debut in The Marriage of Figaro

"Baritone Phillip Addis (the Count) [is] extraordinarily talented. While Addis looks a trifle young for the Count (a powdered 18th-century wig would have helped), his commanding voice rings rich and true. What a career he has ahead of him as his instrument darkens and deepens." - Globe and Mail, 25 April 2010

"This production's big newcomer is Toronto baritone Phillip Addis, who was in spectacular voice at Sunday's matinée performance." - Toronto Star, 26 April 2010

"Vocally, the stars of the show are Giunta and Addis... Addis, with his rich, powerful baritone, is one of the most impressive Counts I've seen." - EYE Weekly, 26 April 2010

"From a casting point of view, Pynkoski scores a coup or two as well, with baritone Phillip Addis turning in a triumph as a youthful and overly-amorous Count Almaviva." - Toronto Sun, 26 April 2010

As Roderick Usher in Debussy's rarely performed The Fall of the House of Usher with Opéra Français de New York, November 2009

"Citons tout d'abord Phillip Addis pour sa double performance scénique dans le rôle de Roderick Usher. Double tant ses talents de comédien étaient bien à la hauteur de ses prouesses vocales. Ses aigus rayonnants et son mezza voce expressif lui offraient la palette nécessaire pour donner vie à l'héritier maudit. (First we must highlight Phillip Addis for his double performance in the role of Roderick Usher. Double as well his talents as an actor which were equal to his vocal feat. His radiant high notes and his expressive half-voice provided the necessary palette to give life to this cursed heir.) - ClassiqueInfo.com, November 2009

"...two young and attractive singers, the baritone Phillip Addis and the soprano Ariadne Greif, as the Usher siblings." - New York Times, 25 November 2009

"A wonderfully emotional performance by Philip Addis." - ConcertoNet, 23 November 2009

As Belcore in Atlanta Opera's production of L'Elisir d'Amore, October 2009

"Phillip Addis...sang the role of Nemorino's rival Belcore with narcissistic hilarity and vocal charm." - Opera News, December 2009

 

2008-2009 SEASON

Opera Extravaganza at the Toronto Summer Music Festival, August 2009

"Baritone Phillip Addis has a delivery that is creamy, rich and compelling." - Paula Citron, Classical 96.3

"I really enjoyed the singing of Phillip Addis, whose beautiful lyric baritone never sounded better." Joseph So, La Scena Musicale

In the production of Les pêcheurs de perles at L'Opéra de Montréal

"...baritone Phillip Addis as tormented Zurga did some good on-the-spot acting and sang with striking focus and mobility. This former member of the Atelier program reminded us of a time when audiences understood words without surtitles." Arthur Kaptanis, The Gazette November 03, 2008

In the new production of La Bohème at Theater Basel

"...hinreißend ist der Marcello von Phillip Addis, ein klangsatter Bariton, sorgsam um dynamische Kontrolle bedacht. (... the Marcello is gorgeous as played by Phillip Addis, a full-sounding baritone, attentive to the considerations of dynamic control) Alexander Dick, Badische Zeitung September 29. 2008

2007-2008 SEASON

As George in the Forth Worth Opera's production of Of Mice and Men

" Phillip Addis' George delivers first-class singing, his baritone potent, clear and true."
- Scott Cantrell, The Dallas Morning News, June 2, 2008

In the 2008 performance of Mahler's Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra

"Daring, yet sensitive in his reading of Mahler's "Songs of a Wayfarer," Addis has a vigorous energy on stage. With a solid command of his entire range and a technical facility that borders on perfection his is certainly a voice to match this challenging and dramatic concert repertoire."
- Steven Baric, Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal, March 3, 2008

As Peter in the Atlanta Opera's production of Hansel and Gretel

"Canadian baritone Phillip Addis performed the role of the father with terrific diction and a pleasing timbre."
- Stephanie Adrian, Opera News, November 10, 2007

As Mercutio in Opera Carolina's production of Roméo et Juliette

"The most satisfying vocalism was provided by Phillip Addis as Mercutio... Addis's light, bright baritone was well suited to Roméo's ebullient companion"
- Luther Wade, Opera News, October 20, 2007

"On Romeo's side, Phillip Addis' Mercutio cut a swashbuckling figure, singing his Queen Mab aria with pizazz and jumping into the swordplay with gusto."
- Steven Brown, The Charlotte Observer, October 19, 2007

PAST SEASONS

As Julien in the Opéra de Marseille production of Colombe

"Phillip Addis, her Julien, is a fine young Canadian artist with a handsome stage presence, clear French and an attractive high baritone, which suggests the makings of a future Pelléas."
- Stephen J. Mudge, Opera News, April  2007, vol 71, no.10

"...young Phillip Addis (Julien) is a real find with a stalwart baritone." (Financial Times, 4 March 2007)

"The young Canadian baritone Phillip Addis also stood out as an ideal Julien, both physically and vocally.  He showed great mettle and mastery in music that sits in a particularly difficult range."
- André Segond, Opera Canada, March/April 2007, Volume XLVIII

"Der Kanadier Phillip Addis spielt einen verbissenen Soldaten des Gefühls und bewältigt dei hohe Baritonpartie souverän."
- Stephan Mösch, Opernwelt, March 2007

As Tarquinius in the 2006 Pacific Opera Victoria production of Britten's The Rape of Lucretia

"Addis conveys just the right edginess in his attractive voice, and his stage presence suggests the panther Lucretia sees in her nightmares."
- J. H. Stape, Review Vancouver

"Baritone Phillip Addis as Tarquinius was vocally apt, both forceful and smooth."
- Elissa Poole, The Globe and Mail

"Phillip Addis, a rising star who can act as well as sing, is a sinister and virile-looking Tarquinius."
- Grania Litwin, Times-Colonist, Victoria

In the 2006 Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec performance of Gustav Mahler's Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen

"Addis calls upon a very subtle sense of nuance. His interpretation is supported by a truly sincere quality of expression."
- Richard Boisvert, Le Soleil

With pianist Emily Hamper in Schumann's Dichterliebe at the Queensland Music Festival

"Addis and Hamper linked the highs and lows, the joy and loss in Schumann's exquisite settings of Heinrich Heine's poems with keen sensitivity and unity together they spun a spell-binding mini-drama."
- Patricia Kelly, Courrier-Mail, Brisbane

As Taddeo in the 2003 Opera de Montreal production of Rossinis L'Italiana in Algeri

"...the sharpest and brightest performance of the night was by baritone Phillip Addis as Taddeo."
Arthur Kaptainis, The Gazette, Montreal