LET EVENING COME: AMERICAN SONGS OLD AND NEW (Albany Records, 2020)
“Even in a country as comparatively young as the United States, the art song tradition runs deep. “Let Evening Come” spans 20th and 21st century repertoire, with sterling and emotionally charged performances of music by Frank La Forge (dating from 1906 to 1925), Robert Spillman (2015, 2016 and 2018) and Lori Laitman (2014). Sopranos Emily Martin and Ariana Wyatt make the most of every phrase, with Richard Masters summoning practically orchestral color at the piano.”
- Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune “Best Classical Recordings of 2020”
“The two pieces offer a nice interlude before the next vocal item, more La Forge with the Seven Songs of 1906– 25, sung by the soprano Ariana Wyatt. Unlike Spillman, La Forge mixes his texts, and even languages. After two songs setting Arthur Guterman and Elizabeth Ruggles, we have “An einen Boten” from Des Knaben Wunderhorn, sung in German (the translation in the booklet is by Richard Masters), as is “Erwartung” and “Schlupfwinkel” (both with texts by Princess Gabrielle Wrede). The rest of the poems are in English. The actual song cycle has an elusive tinge, wistful and evocative. Ariana Wyatt’s legato is particularly impressive (try “Schlumpwinkel”). The composer Frank La Forge is something of a discovery and, looking at the catalogs, it is time we heard even more.”
- Fanfare Magazine
Nellie Forbush in South Pacific (Opera roanoke)
"In casting soprano Ariana Wyatt and baritone Corey Crider, Opera Roanoke leaps across the show's first hurdle, finding singers who can anchor its theatrical mix of musical comedy and romantic opera. Wyatt shines throughout as she embraces the vaudeville with gusto, and Crider give the evening its requisite sweep of operatic passion."
- Gordon Marsh, Roanoke Times
Norina in Don Pasquale (Opera on the James)
"It is encouraging to note that soprano Ariana Wyatt is a member of the Virginia Tech voice faculty because her portrayal of Norina—remarkably, her rôle début—was a lesson in the art of successfully mastering comic bel canto. In Norina’s Act One cavatina ‘Quel guardo il cavaliere in mezzo al cor trafisse,’ the pert, pretty singer cavorted through the coloratura flourishes to top C and D♭, and she exhibited her technical merit with winsome fulfillment of Donizetti’s request for an extended trill on F at the top of the stave. In the duet with Malatesa, this vixen preened and posed hilariously, sculpting ‘Pronta io son; purch’io non manchi all’amore del caro bene’ with a bonafide prima donna’s command of the repeated ascents to top B♭. In the manic terzetto with Don Pasquale and Malatesta, Wyatt tossed off the crazy fiorature, cresting on top B, as though she were merrily sowing seeds in a flower garden. The soprano’s lusty singing in the quartetto finale brought down the curtain on Act Two—here Act One—with a scurry of smirks and scowls and a fabulous interpolated top D. The emotional heart of Don Pasquale beats in the Act Three duet for Norina and her put-upon consort, in the course of which the feisty young lady takes the charade too far and slaps Don Pasquale, an action that, as Donizetti’s music unmistakably reveals, she immediately regrets: despite the audience’s roars of laughter, Wyatt played the moment appreciably ‘straight,’ her face still with the realization of her fun having descended into cruelty. Nevertheless, she sprinted through the vivace ‘Via, caro sposino, non farmi il tiranno’ as though Norina had not a care in the world except to show off her ripping top C. The sheer beauty of tone that Wyatt lavished on her singing of the notturno with Ernesto, ‘Tornami a dir che m’ami,’ was breathtaking, and she and Curran intertwined their voices with gorgeous results. The rondo finale, ‘La morale in tutto questo è assai facil di trovarsi,’ was dispatched with a fetching lightness, the roulades rolled out with blazing virtuosity. Wyatt was anything but a standard-issue soubrette Norina: reminding the listener of how the music ought to be sung, her portrayal suggested that virtually every other Norina since Beverly Sills’s last performance of the rôle has been a pretender."
- Joseph Newsome, Voix des Arts
Mabel Pirates of Penzance (Opera Roanoke)
"Wyatt possesses a coloratura’s skill and a stand up comic’s sense of timing. She was especially wonderful in Act. I."
-Michael Saffle, The Roanoke Times
Flavia Eliogabalo (Aspen Opera theater)
"Cavalli also provides plenty of vocal opportunities for Flavia, Eliogabalo’s new prey, and soprano Ariana Wyatt made the most of them. Possessing an alluringly complex, slightly dark-hued voice, she handled the role’s sometimes intricate ornamentation with aplomb." -Kyle MacMillan, Denver Post
"Ariana Wyatt, with her alluringly complex, slightly dark-hued timbre, stood out as Flavia."-Kyle MacMillan, Opera News (edited and re-printed in Opera News a month later)"Ariana Wyatt displays the dazzling alabaster looks and flexible soprano to make Flavia a believable target for the randy Eliogabalo." -Harvey Steiman, The Aspen Times"Ariana Wyatt’s brilliant soprano combined with her natural beauty to make Flavia a credible object for Eliogabalo’s raging hormones…" -Wes Blomster, Opera Today
Isifile Giasone (Apsen Opera theater)
"Ariana Wyatt was simply stunning as Jason’s spurned woman, Isifile. Beautiful in voice and appearance, Wyatt almost stole the show in her flirtation with suicide in the dramatic final scene. The winner at the 2003 Met Regional competition has star quality."
- Marc Shulgold, Rocky Mountain News
"Ariana Wyatt who delivered a “mad scene” with such over-the-top zest that this was a high point of the evening."
-Glenn Griffin, Denver Post
"Ariana Wyatt was also compelling as Isifile, as close to a consistently sympathetic character as the opera has, at least in this production."
-James R. Oestreich, New York Times
