Tenor Piotr Beczala’s first Metropolitan Opera performance of Un Ballo in Maschera earned acclaim from audiences and critics alike. The Huffington Post named him “an ideal fit for the role of Gustavo. He has a strong voice with a clear, ringing timbre that climbs effortlessly to the soaring high notes. And his range, from the flashy Act 1 aria ‘Di tu, se fedele’ to more the pensive ‘Ma se m’e forza perderti’ in the final act, is impressive.”

The New York Times concurred, noting that “Mr. Beczala’s ardent voice was up to the challenge of Gustavo, a demanding role,” and praising him as a “vocally virile” Gustavo III.

From the international press, the Financial Times wrote, “A generally stellar cast was led by Piotr Beczala as Gustavo. The tenor cut a dashing figure onstage and sang with a nice combination of power and sensitivity.” The Guardian added, “Met house favorite Piotr Beczala didn’t merely sing with gleaming lyric authority in each of the modes (comic, romantic, tragic) that Verdi packs into his part. Beczala also engaged strongly with Alden’s staging. … This was just the first hint of how completely Beczala would elevate everything around him.”

Piotr continues in the Met’s revival of Un Ballo in Maschera through May 9.

(Photo: Ken Howard / The Metropolitan Opera)