DER ROSENKAVALIER / ANNINA / IRISH NATIONAL OPERA 2023
"Among numerous well taken smaller roles... I would single out - Carolyn Holt as a conniving meddler"
"Well-defined performances, especially from... Carolyn Holt's trouser-suited Annina"
THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA / BIANCA /ROYAL OPERA HOUSE & BRITTEN PEARS 2022
Carolyn Holt's Bianca is…warm, protective, defiant".
“Sarah Dufresne’s clear, bell-like soprano contrasts nicely with Holt’s warm mezzo.”
"(Lucretia) is convincingly supported by Carolyn Holt, offering a centred, maternal view".
"There is warmth in Carolyn Holt's Bianca."
"Carolyn Holt... sang with shining purity ."
"Carolyn Holt... impressed as Bianca."
"Playing Bianca, Lucretia’s nurse, Irish mezzo-soprano Carolyn Holt is convincingly motherly with a powerful rich texture to her voice."
WERTHER / CHARLOTTE / LYRIC OPERA IRELAND 2022
"The Irish mezzo Carolyn Holt was making her debut as Charlotte and was impressive in the role, having big success with the Letter Scene.”
Opera Magazine
THE TURN OF THE SCREW / MRS GROSE / GARSINGTON OPERA 2022
"...the voice is certainly mature enough to cope with the role’s demands. Her deferential acting underlined the often neglected class-bound aspect of this work. Revealing the former Quint-Jessel relationship, she sounded less shocked at ‘he had his will, morning and night’ than at ‘and she a lady, so far above him.’”
"Carolyn Holt plays Mrs Grose with authority and effortlessly effusive vocal power."
"Carolyn Holt... is splendid, with her relatively light voice feeling very mature on the one hand yet extremely fresh on the other. One really senses that there is genuine friendship between she and the Governess as the pair build up rapport extremely quickly."
“Prodigiously talented Carolyn Holt...made light of the fact that Mrs Grose is normally sung by a veteran"
"Carolyn Holt was no less convincing as Mrs Grose. Her reluctance to assume the worst of the children and ease of chemistry with Wingate was superbly achieved... Her voice shone with a maturity perfectly matching the role."
"It must be nerve-wracking for a young singer to step into such a role and Carolyn Holt applied herself with aplomb, settling convincingly and confidently into her part... The audience showed approval of her performance with loud drumming of feet at the curtain call.”
DEAD MAN WALKING / SISTER HELEN PREJEAN / ALEXANDER GIBSON OPERA SCHOOL 2019
"Forming the backbone of the work... Carolyn Holt’s strong spiritual mezzo as Sister Helen provided impressive focus and beautifully bookend the opera with the unaccompanied hymn ‘He will gather us around’.”
"..the first full production in the UK – is top quality. That goes for the performances too, and especially that of mezzo Carolyn Holt as Sister Helen, whose singing is matched with nuanced, characterful acting..."
“Particularly outstanding are Carolyn Holt as the crusading Sister Helen, her rich-seamed timbre captivating at every emotional level."
"...every word clear, every element of characterization truthful, no shirking the less attractive, obsessive aspects"
VAGABONES / FLORENCE NEWTON / OPERA COLLECTIVE IRELAND 2019
"Impressive performance from mezzo-soprano Carolyn Holt as Florence"
"Carolyn Holt's powerful and earthy mezzo performance as Florence assumes the recklessness of the condemned."
“Carolyn Holt as Florence Newton, a strong, energetic and vibrant mezzo with a great stage presence…"
IN CONCERT
"Mezzo Carolyn Holt was commandingly impressive in her solo movement Qui sedes. Little wonder that she is party to the universally praised Peter Grimes currently playing at Covent Garden"
VIVALDI GLORIA - MEZZO SOLOIST - EPSOM CHORAL SOCIETY 2022 - LINDA CHANG
“A resonant mezzo-soprano voice that would sound great in any opera house."
FEEL THE SPIRIT - MEZZO SOLOIST - CHICHESTER SINGERS 2017 - BILL WITTS
"Mezzo Carolyn Holt has a wonderfully dark, rich tone"
DIDO AND AENEAS / DIDO / ALEXANDER GIBSON OPERA SCHOOL 2019
"Carolyn Holt’s Dido was particularly affecting, her smooth mezzo betraying little of her final intent"
LES CONTES D’HOFFMAN / LA VOIX / IRISH NATIONAL OPERA 2018
"Carolyn Holt as the voice of Antonia's mother stood out with her rich and seductive mezzo-soprano"
"Notable smaller parts include the young Irish mezzo Carolyn Holt as the voice of Antonia's dead mother"
"Other cameos come and go all too quickly, notably ..the beautiful Voice of Carolyn Holt"
STREET SCENE / MRS JONES / ALEXANDER GIBSON OPERA SCHOOL 2018
"Bouquets to Carolyn Holt (Mrs Jones) for her Brooklyn accent and formidable presence"
Opera Magazine
"Carolyn Holt’s unsympathetic and shady Mrs Jones...is as oppressive as the city heatwave."
FLIGHT / MINSKSWOMAN / OPERA COLLECTIVE IRELAND
THE FLYING DUTCHMAN / MARY / OPERAUPCLOSE
“Mezzo-soprano Carolyn Holt’s scenes..were convincing, and her tone was crystal clear.”
BachTrack