Critical Acclaim

Opera Boston – Ernani

Jason Stearns as Don Carlo showed off a smooth and commanding baritone.

The Boston Globe (Jeremy Eichler)

Though difficult to believe, the baritone of Jason Stearns was even larger in size. It is a huge, dark voice, with a powerful cutting edge. At full volume, it can best be described as a force of nature. Scaled for a much larger theater, it nearly dislodged the first few rows of the house. But he also sang with a fine legato, and, in the lyrical moments, nuance. Judging from this performance, he seems destined to be an important, Verdi baritone.

The Edge  (Ed Tapper)

Baritone Jason Stearns sang a booming Don Carlo (crowned Carlo V in the third act, and rocking some Prince Humperdinck hair) with one of the loudest voices that this Bostonist has ever heard emitted from an unamplified human mouth.

Bostonist.com (C. Fernsebner)

• Summer Opera Theatre – Tosca

  “…and only Jason Stearns (Scarpia) so inhabited his role that his singing "disappeared," in a sense… / Stearns was the standout. He made every smirk and shrug tell, but he was more than a cardboard villain; you saw the wheels turning in Scarpia's head as he plotted, and in his reflective moments he seemed to be genuinely searching for the source of his evil. Vocally, he was impeccable all evening, with perfectly centered sound, and he made the Act 1 malediction "Va' Tosca" both thrilling and terrifying. His performance was a triumph.”

  -Robert Battey, Washington Post,  July 16, 2007

• “…and it boasts a strapping baritone you are likely to be hearing a lot more of in the future. Jason Stearns, cast as the villainous Baron Scarpia who comes between a diva and her painter/revolutionary boyfriend, possesses a vocal instrument of uncommon presence - a discernible tinge of star quality, if you will. / Stearns dominated the opening-night performance Saturday at the Hartke Theatre on the Catholic University campus. His tone, evenly produced from top to bottom, fleshed out Puccini's music effectively, rising mightily in the great Act 1 finale and oozing considerable sensuality in Scarpia's fatal Act 2 advances on Tosca. / Additional layers of shading and nuance would have been welcome, but this was nonetheless remarkably assured, thoughtful, mature singing. Stearns also delivered the theatrical goods. If his acting was a little on the obvious side, well, it's a pretty obvious character, and the baritone did get beyond the broad gesture here and there to give Scarpia some depth.”

  -Tim Smith, Baltimore Sun, July 17, 2007

• “Best of all, oddly enough, is baritone Jason Stearns' Scarpia. Mr. Stearns brings great support, beautiful diction and brilliant vocal discernment.”

  -Washington Times, July 16, 2007

• Florida Grand Opera – Samson Et Dalila

  “As Dalila's co-conspirator, the High Priest of Dagon, Jason Stearns overcame his Ming-the-Merciless get-up to deliver the most consistent singing of the evening with a burnished, penetrating baritone.”

  -Lawrence Johnson, Miami Herald, April 13, 2007

• “Moments of pleasure crop up in strange places. Jason Stearns, as the Philistine High Priest, has a dark and sparkly instrument, all velvety evil.”

  -Brandon K. Thorp, Miami New Times, April 12, 2007

• “En el tercer acto fue opacada por completo por el barítono Jason Stearns, quien como Sumo Sacerdote de Dagón fue lo mejor de la noche. Muy en carácter a pesar del cuello ridículo que le impusieron. (In The Third Act she was completely dwarfed by the baritone Jason Stearns who as the High Priest of Dagon was the best thing of the evening. Very much in character despite the ridiculous collar they made him wear.)”

  -Daniel Fernandez, El Nuevo Herald, April 17, 2007

• “As the villainous High Priest of Dagon, Jason Stearns unfurled a powerful, voluminous bass-baritone. Theatrically he was a suave embodiment of evil.”

  -Lawrence Budmen, Entertainment News & Views,  April, 2007

• “Top singing and acting honors go to Stearns, whose voice is well controlled through all the extreme demands of the role, notably the gamut of emotions in Act 2 that range from a tearful plea for mercy to a thundering pledge of revenge. His acting is as powerful as his singing, which is very powerful indeed. (Rigoletto)”

  -The Washington Post

• “Stearns showed off his acting talents and fine singing in his heartbreaking performance as Chevereuse in Maria di Rohan…”

  -The Washington Post

• “Baritone Jason Stearns in the title role of Elijah gave a rich characterization of the embattled prophet, as well as an eloquent and musically proficient presentation of his words.”

  -The Washington Post

• “Jason Stearns gave a wonderful performance of Poulenc’s Le Bal Masque at the National Gallery last night.  He approached the vivid texts first as an actor, reveling in the rapid-fire declamation…rolling the French vowels out over his tongue as if he could taste them, his fine voice heightening the drama and the absurdity of each scene.”

  -The Washington Post

• “Baritone Jason Stearns lent his considerable vocal talents to the role of Sharpless.  He contributed substantially to the drama, both in the Act III trio and in his Act I duet with Pinkerton where he brought such fire to Sharpless’s warnings to Pinkerton that they became more memorable later.  Stearns invested his Act II exchange with Butterfly with worldly wisdom and warm compassion.”

  -The Baltimore Sun