Choregus in Birtwistle’s Punch & Judy
English National Opera / cond. Edward Gardner / dir. Daniel Kraemer
“The Ringmaster (a sinister, top-hatted and excellent Ashley Holland) promises a ceremony of sadism and death at the "altar of pain" and, on cue from a riotous cacophony of demented woodwinds and brass, he delivers.”
Edward Seckerson, The Independent, April 2008
“Ashley Holland’s eloquent Choregos”
Fiona Maddocks, The Evening Standard, April 2008
“Ashley Holland as an excellent Choregos...”
Colin Clarke, Seen and Heard, April 2008
Title role in Detlav Glanert's Caligula
Cologne Opera / cond. C M Stenz / dir. Christian Pade
"In the title role, Ashley Holland knows how to get maximum value from screams. He is compelling through all his character's violent mood-swings. Holland's performance is charismatic, refined and committed."
Shirley Apthorp, Financial Times, January 2007
"Holland could have been born to sing the role of Caligula: a singer who effortlessly meets all the demands of the exhausting score, from voluminous parlando to violent outburst; from cunning plotting to rapt pianissimo."
Kölnische Rundschau, January 2007
"The opera stands and falls by the strength of the main character. Ashley Holland mastered the interminable role with ease."
Westdeutsche Zeitung, January 2007
"Baritone Ashley Holland sings the role of Caligula, as he did in Frankfurt. He is ideal casting for this role in both stature and voice: he portrays the character's inner conflict and suffering as well as his unleashed violence; he is moving in the arioso sections and convincing in the expressive outbursts."
Bonner Generalanzeiger, January 2007
"Ashley Holland sings the role with fine characterisation and expression."
Die Deutsche Bühne, January 2007
"The wonderful baritone Ashley Holland sings Caligula's phrases such as "The people are dying and are not happy" or "To rule means to steal" with clarity and a casual, ice-cold rationality."
Neue Westfälische Zeitung, January 2007
Athanael in Massenet Thais
Grange Park Opera / cond. Martin André / dir. David Fielding
"There is much to admire about Ashley Holland's tirelessly ranting Athanaël"
Richard Morrison, The Times, June 2006
"Athanaël is sung by the baritone Ashley Holland, who brings considerable warmth to Massenet's vocal lines"
Roderic Dunnett, The Independent, June 2006
"Ashley Holland sings Athanaël with a burnished baritone"
Hugh Canning, The Times, June 2006
Orazio in Mercadante Orazi e Curiazi
Minnesota Opera / cond. Francesco Maria Colombo / dir. Peter Kosma
"Ashley Holland's burly baritone fitted the role of Orazio to perfection."
John Koopman, Opera, September 2006
Mr Redburn in Britten Billy Budd
English National Opera / cond. Andrew Litton / dir. Neil Armfield
“Ashley Holland as Mr Redburn demonstrates superior power and support in his wide range of dynamics and his articulation.”
B Kempen, Das Opernglas, February 2006
Alfio in Mascagni Cavalleria rusticana
Magdala Opera / cond. Tim Lole / dir. Geoff Bullen
“There was one towering performance in this Cavalleria rusticana, and that was Ashley Holland’s Alfio. The voice is superb: cavernous, dominating, palpably threatening. Here was a cynical bruiser. From his first arrival onboard an imaginary jeep, you could see there was trouble brewing.”
Roderic Dunnett, Opera, January 2006
Marquis de la Force in Poulenc The Carmelites
English National Opera / cond. Paul Daniel / dir. Phyllida Lloyd
“Ashley Holland made a brief but strong impression.”
Rupert Christiansen, The Daily Telegraph, October 2005
Don Pedro in Donizetti Maria Padilla
Minnesota Opera / cond. Francesco Maria Colombo / dir. José Maria Condemi
“Ashley Holland took the role of Don Pedro (clearly the prototype of the ‘Verdi baritone’ roles); he is a first-class performer, singing with high style and constantly communicating the full depth and dimension of his role.”
John Koopman, Opera, July 2005
Giacomo in Verdi Giovanna d’Arco
Chelsea Opera Group / cond. Dominic Wheeler
“Here, the baritone role of Giacomo, Giovanna’s father, elegantly sung by Ashley Holland, opens a window to the panorama of father/daughter relationships throughout Verdi’s operas.”
Hilary Finch, The Times, June 2005
Germont in Verdi La Traviata
Opera Pacific / cond. John DeMain / dir. Amy Hutchison
“Ashley Holland, as Germont, sounded fine, caramel-coloured in tone and eloquent of phrase.”
Timothy Mangan, Opera News, August 2005
“Ashley Holland exhibited a fine, even, caramel-coloured vocalism, the music streaming forth. His singing plumbed the depth of emotion in this character eloquently.”
Timothy Mangan, The Orange County Register, May 2005
Sharpless in Puccini Madame Butterfly
Opera Pacific / cond. John DeMain / dir. Francesca Zambello
“Baritone Ashley Holland offered a warm, comforting voice as Sharpless.”
Truman C Wang, Classical Voice, November 2003
“Ashley Holland was a sympathetic Sharpless.”
Chris Pasles, Los Angeles Times, November 2003
“English baritone Ashley Holland provided a warm, quietly sympathetic Sharpless.”
Timothy Mangan, Orange County Register, November 2003
Ford in Verdi Falstaff
Hallé Orchestra / cond. Mark Elder
“Ashley Holland made an excellent Ford, impressive in his care for dynamics, poised in his characterisation.”
Lynne Walker, The Independent, May 2003
Ivo in Berio La Vera Storia
Hamburgische Staatsoper / cond. Ingo Metzmacher / dir. Henning Brockhaus
“Ivo was sung by the characterful baritone Ashley Holland.”
Christoph Forsthoff, General Anzeiger Bonn, September 2002
Germont in Verdi La Traviata
English National Opera / cond. Noel Davies / dir. Jonathan Miller / revival dir. Steven Stead
“Ashley Holland’s Germont is a hectoring, moralistic bully. He sings handsomely.”
Tim Ashley, The Guardian, September 2001
“Ashley Holland, singing Germont for the first time, was mightily impressive, a bull of a man with good, juicy sound at the centre of his baritone.”
Rodney Milnes, The Times, September 2001
Ford in Verdi Falstaff
English National Opera / cond. Paul Daniel / dir. Matthew Warchus
“Ashley Holland is here singing his first Ford, his baritone as warm as it is incisive and rock-steady with it. His little vocalise in the Madrigal had amazing grace. A huge step forward for a very fine singer.”
Rodney Milnes, The Times, May 2001
Escamillo in Bizet Carmen
English National Opera / cond. Vassily Sinaisky / dir. Jonathan Miller
“Ashley Holland’s Escamillo is vocally unfailingly exciting.”
Tim Ashley, The Guardian, February 2001
Marcello in Puccini La Bohème
English National Opera / cond. Michael Lloyd / dir. Steven Pimlott
“All the Bohemians were fresh and young. Ashley Holland’s earthy Marcello helped broaden the slice of life.”
Tom Sutcliffe, Evening Standard, November 1999
“Among the men, Ashley Holland stands out for his well-rounded performance as Marcello, sung with a warmth that confirms the promise of his appearances a few years ago.”
John Allison, The Times, November 1999
Belcore in Donizetti L’Elisir d’amore
Philharmonia Orchestra / cond. David Parry (Chandos Opera in English series, CHAN 3027)
“Ashley Holland gives a well-sung, gracefully turned portrayal of Sergeant Belcore.”
John Steane, Gramophone, October 1999
“Ashley Holland preens himself appropriately as the ludicrous Sergeant Belcore, his baritone well-focussed.”
Alan Blyth, The Daily Telegraph, September 1999
Lescaut in Massenet Manon
English National Opera / cond. Paul Daniel / dir. David McVicar
“The supporting roles were well done, particularly Ashley Holland’s swaggering but sympathetic Lescaut.”
Michael Kennedy, The Sunday Telegraph, May 1998
“Ashley Holland’s Lescaut is robustly likeable.”
Michael White, The Independent, May 1998
“Ashley Holland demonstrates his value to the company with another strong performance as Lescaut.”
Andrew Clark, Financial Times, May 1998
“In Ashley Holland’s brilliant interpretation, Lescaut is an unshaven, drunken lout, and dangerous with it.”
Rodney Milnes, The Times, May 1998
Belcore in Donizetti L’Elisir d’Amore
English National Opera / cond. Michael Lloyd / dir. Jude Kelly
“Completing the eternal love triangle, baritone Ashley Holland was satisfyingly oleaginous and oafish as Belcore, the officer who fails to get his wicked way.”
Adam Lively, Mail on Sunday, February 1998
“Ashley Holland is right physically and emotionally as the strutting sergeant, good nature never far beneath the bluster.”
Martin Hoyle, Time Out, February 1998
“Belcore was sung with due comically inflated authority by Ashley Holland.”
Stephen Pettitt, The Sunday Times, February 1998
“Ashley Holland managed a delicious treacliness as Belcore, the swanking sergeant.”
Fiona Maddocks, The Observer, February 1998
“Ashley Holland’s robust, heroic-sounding Belcore.”
Tom Sutcliffe, Evening Standard, January 1998
“As Belcore, Ashley Holland is that contradiction in terms – a comic macho symbol, who sings as crisply as he salutes.”
Andrew Clark, Financial Times, January 1998
“Ashley Holland’s warmly sung, nicely vainglorious Belcore.”
Rodney Milnes, The Times, January 1998
“Ashley Holland made a spirited Belcore, with a smooth line and clear diction.”
Rupert Christiansen, The Daily Telegraph, January 1998
Zurga in Bizet The PearlFishers
English National Opera / cond. Michael Lloyd / dir. Philip Prowse
“The casting of the three principals was one of the plus-points of the occasion: the fact that all three are young company members is a cheering portent to set against the gloomy ones mentioned earlier. Two of the three were playing their roles for the first time. (…) The other newcomer was Ashley Holland, a commanding figure of a Zurga, with vocal resources of enormous potential. Young singers of this resonant tone-quality across a wide range don’t grow on trees. ENO was both wise and lucky to sign him up.”
Max Loppert, Opera, February 1997
“How suitable for newcomer Ashley Holland (our man in last year’s Cardiff Singer of the World competition) to wield his magnificently resonant baritone as Zurga. (…) Best of the bunch is Holland’s slightly sober Zurga: rich, unfailing, most encouraging. That duet and its beloved tune thrill as usual.”
Tom Sutcliffe, Evening Standard, December 1996
“Ashley Holland is the new Zurga: his warm, closely focussed baritone is ideal, and his diction crystal-clear.”
Rodney Milnes, The Times, December 1996
Don Carlo in Verdi Ernani
Royal Northern College of Music / cond. Sachio Fujioka / dir. Elijah Moshinsky / revival dir. Stefan Janski
“Scarcely less impressive was the baritone Ashley Holland as Don Carlo. A postgraduate student from Scottish Opera, he will be the English candidate in the Cardiff Singer of the World contest in June. He is a strong and deeply musical singer, showing a real Verdian flair in “O de’verd’anni miei” when Carlo hymns the virtues of his predecessor Charlemagne.”
Michael Kennedy, Opera, May 1995