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Opera Boston's The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny Dan Snyder as 'Jimmy' March 2007
The Wall Street Journal March 2007
-- Heidi Waleson
"Tenor Daniel Snyder played Jimmy like a man bent on self destruction"
Opera News May 2007
-- Wayman Chin
"The opera's take on human survival — that one should get as much action as one can since one may not be around tomorrow — was driven home by a formidable cast looking like circuits too frayed to spark a connection. As the work's antihero, Daniel Snyder was a Jimmy McIntyre shell-shocked and spent from the outset. Snyder's railing against the ugliness around him was poignant; there's very little fight left in him, and he knows it. Playing to feeling rather than irony, Snyder stood out as the one person, amid a sea of caricatures, who still has some heart."
The Boston Herald February 24 2007
-- Keith Powers
"Throughout it all, the music was rapturous, especially the ensemble pieces. And the stars, notably Daniel Snyder as Jimmy MacIntyre, the aforementioned deadbeat who gets executed, and Amy Burton as Jenny Smith, his high-priced hooker/girlfriend, sang with distinction."
The Boston Globe February 26 2007
-- Jeremy Eichler
"Provocative assault on hedonism by Weill and Brecht roars to life"
"Daniel Snyder had just the right feel for MacIntyre, playing him as a simpleton with a good heart, seeking refuge from life's endless toil, only to watch bewildered as it - and he himself - are consumed by the internal contradictions of a capatilist world even Mahagonny could not escape. His tenor sounded pressed at points, but he sang with courage and conviction."
Operaonline.us February 23 2007
--Paul Joseph Walkowski
"Opera Boston's "Mahagonny" oozes sex appeal, tipping close to soft porn. Hoochie mamma, now that's Opera!"
"...this show has a large cast, and two who really stood out were tenor Dan Snyder, also making his OB debut, singing the lead as the condemned Jimmy MacIntyre (a rich, piercing tenor di grazia/lyric sound, that is fully rounded at the top and weighty in the middle, with plenty of emotional content throughout; and soprano Amy Burton, who makes her OB debut, as Jenny Smith, the sexy, flirtatious, whore with less a heart of gold than a purse waiting to be filled with it."
Virginia Opera's 'Tales of Hoffmann' -- Dan Snyder as Hoffmann, September- October 2007
The Washington Times October 11 2007
--T.L. Ponick
"Schizophrenic Reality Show: Virginia Opera's Sparkling Hoffmann "
"As Hoffmann, Dan Snyder is the embodiment of the haunted storyteller with a tenuous grip on reality. Sure of himself only when fortified with a bottle, Mr. Snyder's Hoffmann can't make romance click in the " Twilight Zone" of his troubled mind. During the September 30 matinee performance in Norfolk, Mr. Snyder's instrument exhibited considerable power and breadth"
Port Folio Weekly October 9 2007
--B.J. Atkinson
"Superlative Tales"
"As Hoffmann the poet who only embraces his creative muse after crying in his beer for three hours over women, tenor Dan Snyder dazzled us with his lovely, lyrical tone and convincing portrayal of the pathetic guy who keeps on standing up ... romantic knock-down after knock-down. The voice was strong and consistent in this well paced performance; ringing in the upper register, full and present in the lower."
Richmond Times-Dispatch October 21 2007
Opera Singers in Grand Form: Their excellence makes 'Hoffmann' something special
--Walt Amacker
"There's a reason it's sometimes called "grand" opera. And a number of those reasons were on display Friday night at the Landmark Theater as the Virginia Opera Company made a road trip to Richmond to put its first production of the season on display for central Virginia.
There are a number of Virginia Opera Company personnel who must be recognized, including artistic director and conductor Peter Mark, who does a masterful job holding together a full orchestra and 44 singers and dancers.
Lillian Groag also must receive props for her imaginative stage direction.
But the singers carried the load.
Tenor Dan Snyder was excellent in the demanding role of Hoffmann, and newcomer Manon Strauss Evrard displayed a brilliant voice in the roles of Hoffmann's various (if not imaginary) lovers -- Olympia, Antonia and Giulietta..."
Classical Voice of North Carolina , October 20, 2007
www.cvnc.org/reviews/2007/102007/VirginiaOpera.html
---William Thomas Walker
Tales of Hoffmann review
"Tenor Dan Snyder was terrific in the title role, Hoffmann, melding an even, strongly supported voice with flexibility and gorgeous head tone. His warm timbre was pleasing, his high notes were spot-on and ringing, and his diction was outstanding. Snyder was perfect as the poet constantly blinded by love. He captured Hoffmann’s character perfectly in his first aria in the prologue, “Il était une fois à la cour d’Eisenach,” as he drifted from the comic description of a dwarf into a reverie, rhapsodizing about his lady-love. Another highlight was Snyder’s ecstatic duet with Evrard in Act IV, “Si ta presence m’est ravie,” during which Hoffmann loses his reflection."
Loessin at Large, October 2007
–Edgar Loessin , reviewer for WHRO public TV, Norfolk, VA
Tales of Hoffmann review
"In a tavern, powerful tenor Dan Snyder as Hoffmann, a drunken poet torn between looking for love and the prodding of his muse, sings of his greatest affairs and their empty endings. His strong, virile arias come from a body ravaged with neurosis and disenchantment. He has been manipulated by a supernatural villain. His face is an etching of an abandoned, world-weary libertine in the striking portrait of Hoffmann Mr. Snyder presents to us."
OnHamptonRoads.com, October 3, 2007
---Stephen Mason
Tales of Hoffmann review
"Snyder’s Hoffmann was spot on both vocally and dramatically. His voice has a color and timbre that gets more brilliant the higher sings yet the voice is never so pointed that it is difficult to listen to. His voice made me want to hear him in “Magic Flute" or "Elixir of Love" just to hear that beautiful instrument in those gorgeous arias (I know it isn't his fach, but it would still be beautiful)."
AllArtsReview4U.com October 15, 2007
---Bob Anthony
Tales of Hoffmann review
Tenor Dan Snyder played Hoffman throughout and he had more command of a role than any singer seen in this area for a long time. His French was impeccable throughout and his French nasals added romantic overtones that were romantically exciting. He put total emotional passion into his singing and he should be forewarned that he should be careful as that has ruined many blossoming singers. This is not so true in Italian opera with the fully rounded vowels.
Letter V October 20 2007
letterv.blogspot.com Tales of Hoffmann review
---Clarke Bustard
"Dan Snyder, the American tenor who has performed in many roles with this company, is a winning Hoffmann, with a soulful, mildly decadent look and a voice that is both robust and youthfully yearning."
Shreveport Opera's 'Carmen' -- Dan Snyder as Don Jose May 2007
Shreveport Times May 7 2007
--Alexandyr Kent
"Carmen blazes with passion"
"Georges Bizet’s “Carmen,” the rouser that it is, was given convincing life and drama Saturday by its principals, Cristina Nassif (Carmen) and Dan Snyder (Don Jose).
Wrapped into an alternately sunny and somber vision of a seduction story gone very wrong, this production worked because it approached the familiar music with fresh, unbridled passion.
Snyder won lots of praise from the audience for his strong vocal and dramatic work.
No piece was more emotionally tumultuous than “La fleur que tu m’avais jetee” in Act II. Snyder was smart, however, to save his most devastating surprise for the final act. If you didn’t shed a tear when he made one last plea for Carmen’s love in “C’est toi, you left your heart in the car."
Orquesta Sinfonica de Xalapa production of 'The Magic Flute' -- Dan Snyder as Tamino June 2007
Diario Xlapa, 24 De Junio, 2007
--Jorge Vasquez Pacheco
"En la representacion de referencia se hace obligado resaltar el magnifico desempeño del tenor Dan Snyder en el papel Tamino. La presencia escenica de este cantate es tan compatible con el personaje, que la afinidad toma por sorpresa al publico. Su desenvuelto movimiento sobre el foro se combina con una voz de atractivo timbre, con nitidos agudos no despojados de la "pasta" requerida en los pasajes que asi lo exigen. Con la presencia de Snyder, hemos atestiguado la entrega de una labor impecable en su planeacion y proyeccion."
Long Beach Opera and Opera Theater Pittsburgh Production of 'The Ring Cycle' -- Dan Snyder as "Siegfried"
Los Angeles Times, January 17, 2006
–Mark Swed
Siegfried “was sung with plenty of testosterone and good tone by Dan Snyder.”
Musical America.com, January 17, 2006
–David Mermelstein
“Dan Snyder’s ebullient virility was irresistible”
Showmag.com, January 2006
–Michael VanDuzer
“Dan Snyder’s clarion-voiced Siegfried rang through the hall seemingly without effort. If he couldn’t actually make the character likable, his careless virility brought Siegfried to life.”
Opera News April 2006
–Timothy Mangan
“Dan Snyder made an unusually lithe and nimble Siegfried”
Press Telegram (What Would Wagner Think?) January 2006
–John Farrell
“…And then there is Dan Snyder’s Siegfried: a joyous hero if ever there was one, confused about life and love (He was raised by Mime in a blacksmith’s shop) but ready to try anything, …….he is a powerful, even slightly manic hero.”
www.Opera West.com, January 19, 2006
–David Gregson
“….Take the case of the wonderful tenor, Dan Snyder who played Siegfried in the final two operas. ... in many ways he was the best Siegfried I’ve ever seen and heard (and I am a veteran of several ‘Rings’). No, he was not a muscle-bound L’ll Abner type: in fact, he looked and acted a bit like a petulant punk rock star. But act he did – and with a passion. He was not your usual aging singer impersonating a young man. He exuded youth and exuberance – and of course foolishness. ”
Downtown Gazette, Long Beach CA, January 2006
-Jim Ruggirello
“I was only able to catch the “Siegfried” (third in the cycle), but so was able to see and hear most of the major characters. Dan Snyder was excellent as the young energetic hero, a big, good-looking guy possessed of a nice ringing tenor. His “Nothung” aria was a highlight, and I’m too weak to resist making the unoriginal observation that this opera is much ado about Nothung.”
“ And finally Siegried awakens Brünnhilde and we get to hear (and see) Suzan Hanson. Siegfried’s line when he removes her mask, “That’s no man!”, usually worth a chuckle, in this case was hilarious. Hanson is beautiful, and for once the sex frolic between hero and heroine was playful and convincing. Her voice is huge, lovely and gleaming, and the duet at the end of the opera featured some pretty terrific singing.”
Beverly Hills Outlook, January 2006
–Wendy Kikkert
“The level of talent Long Beach Opera brought together for this production was astonishing.”
“Dan Snyder personified the restless impetuosity of Siegfried.”
Long Beach Random Lengths, January 2006
–Gene Warich
Dan Snyder “captures the naivete: open heart (and callousness) of a sacred fool with consummate acting and an impressively strong and expressive voice.”
Representative Concert Reviews
The Republcian Union News 2003
-- Mark Baszak
Spingfield Symphony Orchestra – Carmina Burana
“While Snyder had the least solo material, he made the most of “Olim Lacus Colueram” or “The Roasted Swan”. Snyder's powerful and hypnotic voice was a perfect match to the unusual lyrics reflecting on what a swan might feel like as it is roasted and prepared for the feast”.
The Washington Post 2003
--Joe Banno
Masterworks Chorus, Verdi “Requiem”
“The combined forces of the Masterworks Chorus and the George Mason University Choruses made a mighty sound in the Verdi Requiem...Tenor Daniel Snyder's virile low notes and ringing, tightly focused top (with its flickering vibrato and rock-solid high notes) gave the most pleasure”.
Burlington Times Argus 2003
--Jim Lowe
Vermont Symphony – Opera Night
“Tenor Daniel Snyder easily won over the crowd with a powerful performance of the beloved Nessun Dorma (no one sleeps) from Puccini's “Turandot”.
The Washington Post April 12, 2005
--Joseph Mclellan
New Dominion Chorale – Haydn “Creation” and Mendelssohn Symphony #2, 'Lobgesang'
Tenor Daniel Snyder (the busiest and best of the four soloists) put some badly needed drama into the music with the aria "The sorrows of death."
The Sioux City Journal April 9, 2006
--Joanne Fox
Sioux City Symphony – Verdi “Requiem”
Joining the other three for the drumming, near sobbing strains of the 'Lacrymosa' (Day of Bitter Lamentation) was the hypnotic sound of tenor Daniel Snyder. Previously, Snyder had shown the extraordinary scope of his lyrical voice in the 'Ingemisco'.
Dan Snyder as 'Pinkerton' in Madame Butterfly
Baltimore Sun 2005
--Mary Johnson
Annapolis Opera – Madame Butterfly
Superb singing and acting created high musical drama in the Annapolis Opera's production last weekend of Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly.
Williams had a strong cast to support her. The role of Pinkerton was sung by tenor Daniel Snyder, who brought the necessary passion and swagger to the role. He conveyed the requisite tenderness and lust in the sensual Act 1 love duet, as well as remorse in the final “Addio.” Snyder also managed to look sharp in his naval officer's uniform.
The Capital 2005
--David Lindauer
Annapolis Opera – Madame Butterfly
The show was well conceived and well-executed, with a consistently high level of vocalism...In fact, I would go so far as to categorize this as one of the finest Annapolis Opera productions it has ever been my pleasure to attend.
In Daniel Snyder, who plays Pinkerton, the Annapolis Opera has paired Ms. Williams up with a tenor who can match her note for note. Their love duet, which concludes Act I, was tender and a little playful, with just a hint of the underlying passion between the two lovers. I must point out that it also a pleasure to view the "Love Duet" in which the protagonists are eminently believable in their roles: a tenor who does not physically resemble a bowling ball in shape, and a soprano who does not exceed Cio-Cio San's age (15 years) by at least two score years. Mr. Snyder's last aria, "Addio, fiorito asil" as he bids a poignant farewell to the little house in which he has enjoyed so much happiness, was quite touching as well.
Virginia Opera 'La Traviata' --Dan Snyder as Alfredo
Loessin at Large, October 2005
–Edgar Loessin , reviewer for WHRO public TV, Norfolk, VA
Virginia Opera – La Traviata
"Daniel Snyder as Alfredo makes us truly believe that he's overcome by 1,000 different feelings with his wide-ranging, sensitive vocal expressiveness."
Port Folio Weekly, October 11, 2005
–B J Atkinson
“Virginia Opera Hits One Out of the Park”
VIRGINIA OPERA launched its season September 30 with a crowd-pleasing, artistically superlative production of Giuseppe Verdi's tragedy La Traviata.
This thoroughly traditional production gave it all up: Extraordinary singing and true chemistry between the leads, over-the-top energy from the chorus, luscious and sensitive playing from the orchestra, and sumptuous costumes and set.
As Violetta's hot-blooded, hot-headed lover, Alfredo, tenor Daniel Snyder presented a dashing figure, and sang with a consistent instrument that was free and lyrical; only on occasion did his fortes sound a bit pushed. Snyder and Nassif made a compelling couple, and thankfully engaged in romantic, face-sucking kisses; dry- mouth stage pecks go a long way in destroying the illusion of passion. Their voices were well-matched in size and timbre.
Richmond Times-Dispatch , October 23, 2005
Dan Snyder brings a ringing tenor voice and earnest ardor to the role of Alfredo Germont, Violetta's lover.
Dan Snyder as 'Joe'
Cleveland Plain Dealer, November 26, 2006
–Dan Rosenberg
It helped to have strong artists as Carmen Jones and Joe... As Joe, Dan Snyder emphasized the fellow's nerdy weakness, as well as his tender feelings for his dying mother. After hearing Snyder's forceful tenor conjure lyrical enchantment in the Hammerstein version, it would be good to encounter him in the opera.
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review , November 26, 2006
–Mark Kanny
...featured compelling performances by the lead singers in a production brimming with vitality...Dan Snyder was terrific as Joe, singing his demanding part with passionate intensity. He also acted extremely well, particularly with the facial nuances of his not-so-bright Joe.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette , November 1, 2006
–Eric Haines
Tenor Dan Snyder was an excellent complement to Sheffey Powell. ... there was no disputing his technique, which grew stronger as the night went on. Moreover, he used his voice to clearly delineate the stages of his character from naive bumpkin to tormented lover.