Owen Gilhooly - baritone
Frederick May: Sunlight and Shadow/RTÉ Lyric FM CD
"Houlihan and the NSO give consummate and vibrant performances, whilst baritone Owen Gilhooley sings powerfully without ever losing vocal agility or precision on the standout Songs from Prison." Journal of Music, November 2011
The Magic Flute/Opera Theatre Company/November 2011
"Owen Gilhooly's bumptious bird-man is hugely engaging and strongly sung." The Sunday Times, December 2011
"As the love-lorn bird-catcher Papageno, Tamino’s comic alter-ego, Limerick baritone Owen Gilhooly gave a charmingly enacted, solidly sung performance"
Irish Theatre Magazine, December 2011
"While all three were always potential scene-stealers, the clear leader in this department is Owen Gilhooly as Papageno. Never straying into slapstick, always vividly inhabiting the opera’s most human and sympathetic character, Gilhooly matched his fine comic timing and presence with his customarily refined singing"
The Irish Times, November 2011
"There are several well-characterised interpretations, not least Owen Gilhooly's excellent Papageno"
Irish Independent, November 2011
Seven Angels/The Opera Group/June 2011
"The Irish baritone, Owen Gilhooly (the General) has a very beautiful voice which I hope I will hear soon in a major role on a main stage. At the moment it seems his career is just on the edge of greatness." Opera Britannia, July 2011
The Golden Ticket / Wexford Festival / October 2010
"A strong cast — the standouts included..the highly promising Irish baritone Owen Gilhooly.." Opera News, October 2010
The Barber of Seville / Stanley Hall Opera / June 2010
"Owen Gilhooley...inhabited the role with charm and ease and sang with warm tone and clear projection.... (he) added engaging acting and a good sense of comic business: the shaving scene was done particularly deftly." Musical Criticism, July 2010
Don Pasquale / English Touring Opera / March 2010
"Some of the most stylish singing of the evening came from the Irish baritone Owen Gilhooly as the wily Malatesta. In his Act I aria “Bella siccome un angelo” his embellishments were as welcome as they were surprising and he showed a fine sense of line." Opera Britania, March 2010
"There are likeable performances from ..... Owen Gilhooly as a manipulative Malatesta, with diction as crisp as his Edwardian frock-coated suit." The Sunday Times, March 2010
"...and I like Owen Gilhooly’s clearly articulated singing as the Machiavellian Malatesta." The Times, March 2010
"Owen Gilhooly is brilliant as Malatesta.... Strong-voiced and fluent, Gilhooly oozed charm and confidence." Classical Source March 2010
'What makes a real difference is the singers’ commitment to timing and text, particularly in the case of Owen Gilhooly as the wily fixer Malatesta.' Evening Standard, March 2010
'The opera plays in English without surtitles and Owen Gillhooly makes every word intelligible.' The Stage 09/03/10
Don Chisciotte in Sierra Morena / Musikwerstatt Wien / February 2009
'In the title role Irishman Owen Gilhooly shines'
Wiener Zietung 20/02/09
' Owen Gilhooly (as Don Chisciotte) convinces with courageous stamina'
Wien Krone 20/02/09
The Marriage of Figaro / Iford Opera / June 2008
‘…Owen Gilhooly’s very stylishly sung Count…’
Musical Opinion September/October 2008
‘ Owen Gilhooly’s Count and Stephanie Corley’s Countess were as vocally blue-blooded as their roles...’
Paul Riley / Venue
‘Perhaps the star of the production is Owen Gilhooly, a charismatic Count…’
Gay Pirrie-Weir, Fosseway, 27 June 2008
Janacek: ‘Osud’ BBC Proms 08 / BBC Symphony Orchestra/ Belohlavek
‘Owen Gilhooly was a characterful Konečny’
www.classicalsource.com
Wexford Festival: The Old Maid and the Thief
'Owen Gilhooly is excellent as Bob (and particularly when Bob hits the bottle)'
The Irish Times/ October 08
Carmina Burana / Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
'Of the soloists, baritone Owen Gilhooly was easily in front: a superbly rich voice which adapted to the different moods throughout the piece'
Liverpool Daily Post/June08
Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen / London Philharmonic Orchestra
'Mahler’s Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen was heard in the Schoenberg chamber arrangement with Owen Gilhooly the fiercely expressive soloist'
Evening Standard
It was preceded by Mahler's song-cycle “Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen” ‘.....Owen Gilhooly was on hand for a performance of manifest commitment and expressive intensity’
www.clasicalsource.com
The Barber of Seville / Opera Theatre Company
'It may be that Gilhooly's ability to play the guitar sparked the idea of using the instrument as more than set dressing and he does actually accompany Niall Morris as Count Almaviva at one point...Gilhooly is a charasmatic performer who was completely at ease with the comic role of Fiagaro as the wheeling and dealing jobbing barber...His singing in buoyant and full of character and sets the standard for the whole cast..'
Newsletter - Northern Ireland
'Owen Gilhooly, playing the part of Figaro, entered the stage from behind the audience and proceeded to win them over with his roguish performance and amazing voice'
Evening Echo
'Owen Gilhooly's suitably manipulative Figaro finds a far more satisfying balance between energy and musical style.'
The Irish Times / February 08
The Vanishing Bridegroom / BBC Symphony Orchestra / Barbican
'.. there was some beautiful singing from Ailish Tynan and Owen Gilhooly....'
The Guardian
'Anna Stephany (Daughter), Owen Gilhooly (Bridegroom/Husband/Father) and Jonathan Lemalu (Doctor/Policeman/Stranger) gave welcome performances that successfully conveyed the fateful spirit of the piece '
Opera Magazine/March 08
The Times: Review of the Year 2007 / Hilary Finch
'So perverse is even the fairest competition system that it's often the ''losers'' who go on to make the real careers. So watch out too for...... Owen Gilhooly..(inter alia)...among many others'
Capuleti e I Montecchi Grange Park Opera / Pimlico Opera
‘Owen Gilhooly supplied vocal weight as Capellio, the implacable head of the family and ultimate domineering father.’
Musical Opinion
‘Her dad (Owen Gilhooly, very Godfather-like) is the villain of the piece.’
Manchester Evening News
L'Enfance du Christ BBC Symphony Orchestra / Sir Andrew Davis
“Owen Gilhooly, drafted in at short notice, made a fiery Polydorus in Part One, a more gentle Joseph for the rest of the evening”
L'Enfance du Christ /Evening Standard/ Decemeber 06
“Owen Gilhooly – replacing Darren Jeffery – was confident”
L'enfance du Christ /Classical Source
“As Mary & Joseph, Anna Stephany & Owen Gilhooly(standing in at short notice for the indisposed Darren Jeffery) gave intelligent & accomplished interpretations & their voices blended sympathetically in their poignant Scene Three duets ”
Musical Pointers/ Serena Fenwick
Messiah Irish Baroque Orchestra / Monica Huggett
Owen Gilhooly was a powerful presence who gave the evening some glorious moments”
Messiah/ Irish Baroque Orchestra / Munster Express
Fidelio Opera Theatre Company / Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin
“The casting was excellent with a well balanced team of singing actors who achieved really convincing characterisations in music and dialogue... Owen Gilhooly's Don Fernando carried a quiet authority”
Fidelio / Opera / December 2006
BLOND ECKBERT The Opera Group / Linbury Studio, ROH
“The cast was uniformly excellent... Owen Gilhooly suggested Eckbert's growing paranoia to scarifying effect”
Blond Eckbert / Opera / July 06
“From the start, Eckbert (compelling sung by Owen Gilhooly) senses that there's something wrong, but can't grasp what it is.”
Blond Eckbert / The Times / June 06
“Owen Gilhooly is powerful as the increasingly fraught Eckbert”
Blond Eckbert / The Stage / June 06
“Owen Gilhooly cut a tragic, Wozzeck-like figure as poor Eckbert”
Blond Eckbert / The Sunday Telegraph / June 06
“Owen Gilhooly's Eckbert and Mark Wilde's Walther are a pair... Gilhooly and Wilde are very convincing performers..”
Blond Eckbert / Seen and Heard / June O6 (Cheltenahm Festival)
“the cast of Owen Gilhooly, Mark Wilde, Heather Shipp and Claire Wild is excellent”
Blond Eckbert / The Telegraph / June 06
“Owen Gilhooly and Heather Shipp excel as Eckbert and Berthe”
Blond Eckbert / The Financial Times / June 06
“Owen Gilhooly's Eckbert, Heather Shipp's Berthe and Mark Wilde's Walther - bumbling botanist and false friend all sing splendidly”
Blond Eckbert / The Observer / June 06
“..the performances are excellent... Owen Gilhooly is the tortured Eckbert”
Blond Eckbert / The Guardian / June 06
MARITANA RDS Opera Orchestra / Dublin, June 2006
“Baritone Owen Gilhooly as Don Jose combines spontaneous expression with luxuriously mature tone.”
Don Josè de Santarem / Maritana / Royal Dublin Society/ Irish Times June 06
FAUST Opera Irelan, April 06
“The Fench Soprano Chntal Mathias sang splendidly as Marguerite, as did Irish singers (inter alia) Owen Gilhooly (Valentin)”
Valentin / Faust / Opera
ALFONSO UND ESTRELLA University College Opera, March 2006
“Owen Gilhooly found nobilty in the deposed Froila”
Froila / Alfonso und Estrella / The Guardian
“In the senior roles of Froila and Mauregato, Owen Gilhooly and James Harrison both made an appreciable mark”
Froila / Alfonso und Estrella / Opera
WEXFORD FESTIVAL OPERA 2005
“…among the Elders and their wives, [Owen] Gilhooly (Ott), Frances McCafferty (Mrs Ott) and Anna Burford (Mrs McLean) stood out as perfectly etched cameos.”
Elder Ott: Susannah / Wexford Festival / Opera
“Vocal standouts were (inter alia) Gilhooly as the con man Don Parmenione…”
Don Parmenione: L’occasione fa il ladro / Wexford Festival Opera / The Sunday Times
LA BOHEME National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland 2005
“Alison Roddy and Owen Gilhooly were equally good as the second pair of lovers. Gilhooly’s Marcello was well sung and acted. His warm baritone was the strongest of the male voices.”
Marcello: La bohème / RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra / Irish Times
LA CENERENTOLA Opera Theatre Company, Dublin 2004
“Owen Gilhooly was an impish Dandini and his vocal work was impressive.”
Dandini: La cenerentola / OTC, Dublin / Munster Express
“…his Italianate high baritone is rich in timbre and exciting in prospect.”
Dandini: La cenerentola / OTC, Dublin / The Irish Times
“Owen Gilhooly’s comic baritone role of Dandini was a joy from start to finish.”
Dandini: La cenerentola / OTC, Dublin / Irish Examiner
BIRDS, BARKS, BONES The Opera Group 2004
“The casts — including Owen Gilhooly as Philoctetes, Julian Tovey an overweening Odysseus, Louise Mott a frowsty Penelope and Donna Bateman a vampish Kalypso… — are outstanding too.”
Philoctetes: Birds.Barks.Bones / The Opera Group / Guardian
“Owen Gilhooly was suitably tormented as the wounded hero.”
Philoctetes: Birds.Barks.Bones / The Opera Group / ConcertoNet.com
“Owen Gilhooly really creates a flesh and blood being out of the bitter and twisted Philoctetes.”
Philoctetes: Birds.Barks.Bones / The Opera Group / Opera
ST JOHN PASSION Christus
“Outstanding among the soloists were the Evangelist, Neil Mackie (tenor), Pilate, Roderick Williams (baritone) and bass, Owen Gilhooly (Christus).”
St John Passion / Leicester Philharmonic Choir c. Hilary Davan Wetton / Leicester Mercury
Elijah
“In fact, the Irish born baritone, Owen Gilhooly, in the demanding role of Elijah was awesome.”
Elijah / Shrewsbury Choral Society / Shrewsbury Star
Praise for Owen Gilhooly as Figaro in The Barber of Seville, Savoy Opera 2004
“Owen Gilhooly played this part to perfection, oozing confidence and charisma on his first appearance as he descended a ladder onto the stage.”
BBC News
“As for Figaro, the omnipresent barber of the title role, he was played by the urbane Owen Gilhooly as a designer–stubbled hairdresser.”
Evening Standard
“Owen Gilhooly is a sexy, impudent Figaro.”
The Guardian
“Owen Gilhooly makes Figaro a power house of confident virility.”
The Independent
“Owen Gilhooly is a masterful Figaro, driving the action with a commanding presence and ringing tones.”
Musical Pointers
“Owen Gilhooly was a lively, likeable Figaro.”
Opera
“The real figure of the opera however, is Owen Gilhooly’s sturdy Figaro.”
British Theatre Guide