"Musacchio, whose lowest notes are warm caramel"
John Evans, Music in Other Words, March 2013

Articles

An Offbeat Falstaff

The Turn of The Screw in Opera News

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Critical Acclaim

La Chatte, L’enfant et les Sortileges/Zita, Gianni Schicchi Pacific Opera Project
“Sharmay Mussachio was a powerhouse as Zita, her beautifully colored contralto slicing through proceedings with incisive appeal and stature. As the White Cat in the French opus, Ms. Mussachio trades in her deviousness for a slinking, warmly vocalized feline that would bewitch even an avowed dog lover.”
John Sohre, OperaToday.com – 2020
Frasquita, El Gato Montés, LA Opera
“Sharmay Musacchio deployed her rich mezzo with matronly compassion to Frasquita, the mother of Rafael the Toreo, especially touching when she was comforting Soleà in her excitement at his return to the village at the top of Act I.”
Patrick Mack, Parterre Box – 2019
“……worrisome mother Frasquita (Sharmay Musacchio) is allowed to rise as a superior singer...”
Mark Swed, LA Times – 2019
"....El Gato Montés was helped by an excellent cast. As Frasquita, Rafael's mother, Sharmay Musacchio provided fine support for the principals..."
Gordon Williams, Operawire – 2019
"....Furthermore, Sharmay Musacchio's Frasquita is a welcomed and soothing veteran presence on the stage...."
Imaan Jalali, LAExcites.com – 2019
".....As the mother, Frasquita, American contralto Sharmay Musacchio delivered a solid vocal and acting performance..."
Humberto Capiro, Living out Loud LA – 2019
Auntie, Scarlet Ibis, Chicago Opera Theater
“Contralto Sharmay Musacchio boasted formidable chest tones as the quaintly superstitious Auntie...”
Mark Thomas Ketterson, Opera News – 2019
“As the kindly yet superstitious Auntie who sees “bad omens” in everything, Sharmay Musacchio was amusing and occasionally irritating, as intended. Musacchio is that rarest of voices, a true contralto, and she plumbed some remarkable subterranean depths that one rarely hears from a female singer...”
Lawrence A. Johnson, Chicago Classical Review – 2019
“The superstitious Auntie, Sharmay Musacchio, is a superb singing-actor…”
Stage and Cinema Chicago – 2019
“Also standing out was Sharmay Musacchio as Auntie, who provided a few moments of comic relief. The contralto adroitly handles the appealing barrel notes that were included for this character...”
Kyle MacMillan, Classical Voice America – 2019
“Sharmay Musacchio helps create a rich&deeply connected family unit as Auntie. The maturity and sheer power of her vocal talent is nothing short of a modern marvel...”
Quinn Rigg, Chicagoland Musical Theater – 2019
“....These were stellar vocal performances- all, with startling moments too, such as when contralto, Sharmay Musacchio summoned baritone notes from beneath her toes..”
Picturethispost.com – 2019
“..Auntie is sung by a true contralto, Sharmay Musacchio, who sings the lowest notes I’ve ever heard from a woman...”
Catherine Hellmann, chiilliveshows.com – 2017
Giovanna, Rigoletto, LA Opera
“Last but not least,……Sharmay Musacchio as Giovanna makes up a spectacular and star studded cast.”
LAExcites.com – 2018
Antonia’s Mother, The Tales of Hoffmann, LA Opera
".....following the brilliantly performed trio (sung with California Contralto Sharmay Musacchio as the voice of Antonia's Mother...)
www.operawarhorses.com – 2017
"..... and the spirit of her departed mother, winningly sung by Sharmay Musacchio. (The role also demanded that Musacchio, in the form of a powder-white statue, stand stock still for around 20 minutes until activated by the Villain.)"
Marc Haefele, Off-Ramp www.scpr.org – 2017
Dame Carruthers, The Yeomen of the Guard, Winter Opera of St. Louis
"Contralto Sharmay Musacchio was powerful vocally and dramatically secure as Dame Carruthers the Towers Housekeeper..."
Sarah Bryan Miller, St. Louis-Dispatch – 2015
Dame Quickly, Falstaff, Pacific Opera Projects
"Sharmay Musacchio's rich dark sound and expressive ability made her an imposing Mistress Quickly."
Maria Nockin, Opera Today – 2015
"Sharmay Musacchio as Mistress Quickly provided characterful, winning singing and deftly handled funny business vocally and physically."
Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times – 2015
"Musacchio sparks several scenes as the sassy, snappy Mistress Quickly."
Falling James, LAWeekly – 2015
"Sharmay Musacchio as Mistress Quickly played a driving character with her lovely contralto, going toe-to-toe with Falstaff in both trying and succeeding in outwitting the wit..."
Georja Umano, LASplash – 2015
Eunice, A Streetcar Named Desire, Fresno Opera/Townsend Opera
"It was exciting to see the talented Sharmay Musacchio as the neighbor Mrs.Hubbell.."
Donald Munro, The Fresno Bee – 2015
"A Valkyrie onstage.."
Brad Dalton, Stage Director – 2015
Mrs. Grose, The Turn of the Screw, New York City Opera
"The rich-voiced contralto Sharmay Musacchio is wonderful as the well-meaning, baffled and finally desperate housekeeper, Mrs. Grose."
The New York Times – 2013
"Excellent as well are contralto Sharmay Musacchio as the housekeeper, Mrs. Grose...."
Associated Press – 2013
...."Sharmay Musacchio, a stentorian Mrs. Grose, the housekeeper."
The Wall Street Journal – 2013
"Musacchio shines as the housekeeper with fantastic acting chops and a rich contralto voice that luxuriates in the lower tones of her register."
Berkshire on Stage – 2013
"Ms. Jakubiak's crisp soprano lines coupled with Sharmay Musacchio's full- bodied contralto tones as the housekeeper mixed perfectly to add stark contrasts in the tonal musical line. The drastic shifts and transformation these two characters go through, as mirrored in the 12-tone structure of the music, was well portrayed on the stage."
BWW Reviews – 2013
"Sharmay Musacchio’s firm contralto helped ground Mrs. Grose, the clueless housekeeper."
New York Post – 2013
"Sharmay Musacchio, in her NYCO debut, was a touching Mrs. Grose and negotiated the wide range of her part with her powerful contralto voice."
Icareifyoulisten, Blog – 2013
“Sharmay Musacchio’s full-bodied contralto tones as the housekeeper adds stark contrasts in the tonal musical line. The drastic shifts and transformation her character goes through are well portrayed on the stage”
Opera World.com – 2013
Zita, Gianni Schicchi, Opera Northwest
".....contralto Sharmay Musacchio is most impressive with her booming voice as Zita, the Matriarch of the Donati family and does so again in the double bill as the steely-toned Princess. "
Albuquerque Journal – 2012
Soloist, Messiah, San Diego City Symphony Ballet
“Mezzo Soprano Sharmay Musacchio, proved herself to be highly effective in ‘O thou that tallest good tidings’ and her rich alto voice delivered a powerful message on ‘He was despised.”
San Diego Arts/Tribune
Maid of Mahagonny, The Rise and Fall of Mahagonny, Los Angeles Opera
“Contralto Sharmay Musacchio was quite good as one of the cartoonishly wicked Maidens of Mahagonny, in LA Opera’s production of ‘The Rise and Fall of Mahagonny.”
Opera West