In the trouser-role of Smeton, Faith Sherman revealed a gorgeous velvety mezzo, allied to a beautiful sense of line and unostentatious delivery.
Alexander Campbell, classicalsource.com
Smeaton, Anna Bolena, Welsh National Opera, November, 2013
The trouser-role of the page Smeaton, whose obsession with Anna contributes to her downfall, was richly sung by Faith Sherman.
Rian Evans, The Guardian
Smeaton, Anna Bolena, Welsh National Opera, September, 2013
the poor court musician Smeaton, movingly sung by Faith Sherman
Hilary Finch, The Times
Smeaton, Anna Bolena, Welsh National Opera, September, 2013
The turning point in Act I is when the queen’s 24 year old musician Smeaton returns the portrait pendant of Anne he had stolen, and his soliloquy, so beautifully sung by Faith Sherman, was a high point of the Act.
Mark Ronan, Theatre Reviews
Smeaton, Anna Bolena, Welsh National Opera, September, 2013
As the innocent caught up in events he doesn't fully understand, Mark Smeaton is sympathetically played by mezzo-soprano Faith Sherman
Elizabeth Davis, classical-music.com
Smeaton, Anna Bolena, Welsh National Opera, November, 2013
Excellent support came from ... Faith Sherman’s Smeton
Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph
Smeaton, Anna Bolena, Welsh National Opera, September, 2013
Faith Sherman made a passionate Smeton, for much of the time she has to act in a vacuum as Farnocchia's Anna was completely unaware of Smeton's passion. Sherman has a nicely warm voice ... and against that was the lovely way she moulded phrases and conveyed the young man's intense passion. His/her big scene is towards the end of act one, where he is alone in Anna's chamber, here represented simply by a mannequin wearing Anna's shift. Sherman made this work well, and really made us care for the young man.
Robert Hugill, Opera Today
Smeaton, Anna Bolena, Welsh National Opera, September, 2013
In the trouser role of Mark Smeaton, Faith Sherman stands out with a wonderfully expressive and shining tone.
Tomos Watkins, Cherwell
Smeaton, Anna Bolena, Welsh National Opera, September, 2013
...with an appealing Faith Sherman in the trouser role of Smeton, the youth with the fatal crush on Anna
Mike Smith, Wales Online
Smeaton, Anna Bolena, Welsh National Opera, September, 2013
As the musician Smeton (historically Mark Smeaton) Faith Sherman acquitted herself well in a difficult ‘trouser’ role. ‘Come innocente, giovane’ was sung with lyrical grace in Act I and throughout she communicates Smeton’s naivety, so dangerous to himself and to others.
Glyn Pursglove, Seen and Heard International
Smeaton, Anna Bolena, Welsh National Opera, September, 2013
Smeaton, the musician, strongly sung by Faith Sherman also impressed
Jeanette Smith, Click Liverpool
Smeaton, Anna Bolena, Welsh National Opera, October, 2013
Faith Sherman, a generous-voiced Smeaton the musician
Nigel Jarrett, South Wales Argus
Smeaton, Anna Bolena, Welsh National Opera, September, 2013
Faith Sherman sang the part of the boy Smeaton with great sensitivity.
In The Dark blog
Smeaton, Anna Bolena, Welsh National Opera, September, 2013
Faith Sherman is an effective Smeton
George Hall, The Stage
Smeaton, Anna Bolena, Welsh National Opera, September, 2013
To mezzo-soprano Faith Sherman fall several of the score’s trickiest numbers, and she shines in every scene in which she appears.
Joseph Newsome, Voix des Arts
Southern Lady & Nurse, Rappahannock County, Recording, May, 2013
Faith Sherman's rich mezzo found powerful outlets in the songs of Southern ladies...
Tim Smith, Opera News
Southern Lady & Nurse, Rappahannock County, Virginia Arts Festival, 2011
Sherman is one of these new, young, superstar singers who can toss off the most difficult repertoire (three gorgeous songs by Rachmaninov, in Russian) after presenting familiar, fun and fervent songs.… Her perfect diction in five languages, deep understanding of the words and her breezy, charming, warm personality brought her through with flying colors.… This is a mezzo to watch for.
June LeBell, The Observer
Recital—The Artist Series of Sarasota, 2010
His songs are brought to her ears by a mysterious chap called the Pilgrim (Faith Sherman—intriguingly good).
Kieron Quirke, London Evening Standard
The Pilgrim, L’Amour de loin, English National Opera, 2009
...the crystal-clear Pilgrim of outstanding young American mezzo Faith Sherman
David Nice, London Music Critic and Writer, I'll Think of Something Later blog
The Pilgrim, L’Amour de loin, English National Opera, 2009
The cast is rounded out by the excellent and expressive mezzo Faith Sherman.
Alexandra Coghlan, Oxford Times
The Pilgrim, L’Amour de loin, English National Opera, 2009
Faith Sherman’s Pilgrim,… blessed with some of the most beautiful passages, was superb, her carefully-placed vibrato echoing the oriental melismas of the vocal line.
Laura Battle, musicOMH.com
The Pilgrim, L’Amour de loin, English National Opera, 2009
Faith Sherman, an American mezzo-soprano making her UK debut, transformed the Pilgrim from a mere messenger, a conveyor of tales and gossip, into the architect of the relationship. With high arched eyebrows she looked slightly Vulcan-like, adding an air of manipulation into her dealings with the two would-be lovers. Her rich toned mezzo carried easily into the Coliseum whilst her diction delighted with its clarity and vigour.
Antony Lias, Opera Britannia
The Pilgrim, L’Amour de loin, English National Opera, 2009
The American mezzo-soprano Faith Sherman makes a striking debut as the Pilgrim.
Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph
The Pilgrim, L’Amour de loin, English National Opera, 2009
The Pilgrim is played by Faith Sherman (making an impressive European debut)… the three solo singers are very believable in their roles and each impresses musically.
Colin Anderson, The Opera Critic
The Pilgrim, L’Amour de loin, English National Opera, 2009
Saariaho’s music is kind to the singers in the sense that they never seem to be battling with it, but easily singing over it, and I thought Faith Sherman did particularly well as the pilgrim.
Mark Ronan, Theatre Reviews
The Pilgrim, L’Amour de loin, English National Opera, 2009
Auch Faith Sherman als Pilger gestaltet ihre Rolle mit fein gesponnenen Legatolinien im dynamisch weit gefassten Spektrum.
von Jurgen Otten, FR-online
The Pilgrim, L’Amour de loin, English National Opera, 2009
Faith Sherman’s portrayal of the Pilgrim seemed to be the hit of the night. She certainly brought character to the assumption, colourful in her interactions with the others, and affecting at the end, and of all three characters she made the most of Saariaho's wonderful sleights of hand between arioso and speech at the ends and beginnings of some lines.
Stephen Graham, MusicCriticism.com
The Pilgrim, L’Amour de loin, English National Opera, 2009
The part [The Pilgrim] was taken by the American mezzo Faith Sherman, making her European debut in this role. She was actually excellent, acting and singing superbly and with good stage presence.
Colin Clarke, Seen and Heard International
The Pilgrim, L’Amour de loin, English National Opera, 2009
Their poise is matched by Richard Stokes’s translation, by Roderick Williams, Joan Rogers and Faith Sherman (a sensational European debut) in the three roles.
Andrew Clark, Financial Times
The Pilgrim, L’Amour de loin, English National Opera, 2009
A travelling pilgrim (the excellent Faith Sherman) initiates and facilitates their “love from afar.”
Edward Seckerson, The Independent
The Pilgrim, L’Amour de loin, English National Opera, 2009
“Faith Sherman is convincing as Dorabella, and is no less endearing musically, with a broad, warm sound impossible to resist.”
Zachary Lewis, The Chautauquan Daily
Dorabella, Cosi fan Tutte, Chautauqua Opera, 2008
“Faith Sherman was lovely as Dorabella, the mezzo of the pair of sisters, and her rich, beautiful tones blended especially well with her stage sister’s soprano.”
Robert W. Plyler, The Post-Journal, Jamestown, NY
Dorabella, Cosi fan Tutte, Chautauqua Opera, 2008
“A luminous mezzo-soprano.”
Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times
Hermia, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Juilliard Opera Center, 2005
“Faith Sherman made a persuasive Cherubino and sang with admirable evenness of tone.”
Tim Smith, Opera News
Cherubino, Le Nozze de Figaro, Wolf Trap Opera Company, 2006
“A special hat-tip also goes to mezzo-soprano Faith Sherman whose Erminella, the good-hearted madam, gets to sing some of the opera’s finest lyrical moments and does so with great passion and poise.”
T.L. Ponick, The Washington Times
Erminella, Volpone (Musto), Wolf Trap Opera Company, June, 2007
“In the trouser role of Cherubino, mezzo-soprano Faith Sherman also exhibited a nimble comic sense, behaving every bit the maddening, frisky, hormone-driven teenager that her character is supposed to be and often is not.”
T.L. Ponick, The Washington Times
Cherubino, Le Nozze de Figaro, Wolf Trap Opera Company, 2006
“Mezzo Faith Sherman (in the trouser role of the girl-crazy Cherubino) turned in an energetic and accomplished performance.”
Stephen Brookes, The Washington Post
Cherubino, Le Nozze de Figaro, Wolf Trap Opera Company, 2006
“And this evening we had this excellent singing competition (Eleanor MacCollum Competition at Houston Grand Opera) with a worthy winner — a splendid young mezzo from Juilliard — Faith Sherman”
Brian Dickie, General Director, Chicago Opera Theater, Blog
Eleanor MacCollum Competition at Houston Grand Opera February 7, 2007
“Faith Sherman was a standout in the dual roles of Mother and Witch”
Janelle Gelfand, The Cincinnati Enquirer
Mother/Witch, Hansel and Gretel, Cinncinati College Conservatory of Music 2005
“I was especially impressed by mezzo Faith Sherman in the trouser role of the Cavalier Ramiro. She has a very lovely voice and used it well. She’s also a good actor and was quite convincing in this male role.”
Dale-in-Queens, LiveJournal.com
Cherubino, Le Nozze de Figaro, Wolf Trap Opera Company, 2006
“Faith Sherman did a nice job with Cherubino’s gorgeous arias.”
Charles T. Downey, Ionarts
Ramiro, La Finta Giardiniera (Mozart), Juilliard Opera Theater, April 2007
“Faith Sherman, powerful as Clytemnestra”
Glenn Loney, New York Theatre Wire
Clytemnestra, Iphigénie en Aulide, Juilliard Opera Theater, 2007
“Faith Sherman brought her dusky mezzo-soprano to Gertrude”
Daniel Ginsberg, Washington Men’s Camerata
Gertrude, Romeo et Juliet, Wolf Trap Opera Company 2006
