TobySpence

Press

• Der fliegende Holländer (Erik)

  Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Irish National Opera

  Mar 2025

  • Senta already has a boyfriend, the self-centred butcher Erik, sung by the tenor Toby Spence. His initial hectoring quality calms down with a fine lyrical performance for his foreboding dream about Senta.

    • David Byers, Irish Times
    • 24 March 2025

  • English tenor Toby Spence plays Eric, evoking lyrical passion in his attempts to woo Senta.

    • No More Workhorse
    • 25 March 2025

• Mozart Idomeneo (Title Role)

  Opéra national de Lorraine with Jakob Lehmann

  Sep 2023 - Oct 2023

  • Appelé à remplacer au pied levé Attala Ayan, le ténor anglais Toby Spence investit le personnage d’Idoménée avec humanité, et traduit parfaitement son dilemme vis-à-vis de son fils Idamante. Called to replace Attala Ayan at short notice, the English tenor Toby Spence invests the character of Idomeneus with humanity, and perfectly conveys his dilemma vis-à-vis his son Idamante.

    • Pierre Brévignon, Première Loge
    • 01 October 2023

  • Toby Spence, remplace Atalla Ayan dans le rôle-titre, ce qu'il ne laisse nullement paraître. La projection vocale soutient un italien modèle. Cette aisance lui permet de se concentrer sur l'incarnation de son personnage hanté, ainsi que ses variations de volume et un vibrato savamment contrôlés. Les vocalises sont aisées et les aigus sont atteints... Toby Spence , replaces Atalla Ayan in the title role, which he in no way lets appear. The vocal projection supports an Italian model. This ease allows him to concentrate on the embodiment of his haunted character, as well as his expertly controlled volume variations and vibrato. The vocals are easy and the high notes are reached...

    • Alexandre Valette, Olyrix
    • 01 October 2023

• Der fliegende Holländer (Erik)

  Teatro la Fenice

  Jun 2023

  • Toby Spence made his role debut as Erik. The tenor, who began his career singing Rossini and Mozart has grown into a heldentenor while still maintaining the lyric qualities that allowed him to excel in the earlier repertoire. In his opening lines, you could hear, through his ardent singing, an Erik who was tormented by Senta’s rejection. This was furthered by his accented phrases...as he entered the “Auf hohem Felsen lag ich träumend.”...he began with a light and airy voice and gained in muscularity as he progressed through the passage. His voice erupted into a powerful fortissimo that demonstrated the anguish in Spence’s Erik. In Act three, following the famed Steuermann chorus, Spence entered with a booming “Was musst’ich hören!” His “Greecther Gott!” was accented with gleaming high notes and a weighty sound. That led to his aria “Senta! oh Senta, leugnest du?” Here, Spence lightened his voice and delivered gorgeous pianissimo phrases. As he reached his higher notes, the voice took on a darker complexion, expressing his melancholy and grief. The brief trio allowed Spence to power over the orchestra alongside Kampe and Youn.

    • Francisco Salazar, Opera Wire
    • 24 June 2023

  • Interessante il tenore Toby Spence, che ha dato al cacciatore Erik, innamorato deluso di Senta, eleganza di accenti e di colore, sottolineando nel fraseggio la forza emotiva della parte, in buon equilibrio fra dolcezza sentimentale e meditabonda introversione. The tenor Toby Spence was interesting, giving the hunter Erik, Senta's disappointed lover, elegance of accents and colour, underlining the emotional strength of the part in his phrasing, in a good balance between sentimental sweetness and brooding introversion.

    • Cesare Galla, Le Salon Musical
    • 20 June 2023

  • Toby Spence confirme ici la finesse de son timbre... Toby Spence here confirms the finesse of his tone...

    • Renato Verga, Première Loge
    • 26 June 2023

• Janáček Glagolitic Mass

  London Philharmonic Orchestra with Edward Gardner

  May 2023

  • Toby Spence's bright-toned tenor, clean and clear at the top...one felt a strong sense of the text in his singing. ★★★★

    • Dominic Lowe, Bachtrack
    • 08 May 2023

• The Tempest (Alonso)

  Teatro alla Scala with Thomas Adès

  Nov 2022

  • Il tenore inglese Toby Spence è un Re di Napoli dallo strumento vocale chiaro e malleabile, estremamente musicale e ricco di armonici... The English tenor Toby Spence is a King of Naples with a clear and malleable vocal instrument, extremely musical and rich in harmonics...

    • Stefano Balbiani, Connessi all'Opera
    • 06 November 2022

  • Toby Spence nel ruolo del re di Napoli Alonso, è credibile nella sua sincera disperazione per la temuta morte del figlio Ferdinand, messa in rilievo con accento lamentoso pur carico di pudore e nobiltà. Toby Spence in the role of the King of Naples Alonso is credible in his sincere desperation for the feared death of his son Ferdinand, highlighted with a plaintive accent yet full of modesty and nobility.

    • Ugo Malasoma, Opera Click
    • 05 November 2022