Press
We had to wait for Act II for the tall and playful bass-baritone Christian Pursell to take the stage, but when he entered, he owned it. Mr. Pursell’s substantial orotund sound, musicality, and charismatic demeanor were wholly winning. His and Mr. Austin’s love duet about Valancia was arguably the highpoint of an evening that was chockfull of them.
JAMES SOHRE
And bass-baritone Christian Pursell is a warm and sympathetic Thomas—a marked contrast with his swaggering Escamillo in OTSL’s Carmen in 2022.
CHUCK LAVAZZI
Baritone Justin Austin brings supple emotional nuance to the role of Lindon, Ida’s son, while Christian Pursell lends warmth and pathos to Thomas, Lindon’s lover.
CHAS ADAMS
And when Lindon’s gay lover Tom (Christopher Pursell) arrives to urge Lindon to come with him to Spain … Wow!! Things get suddenly OPERA! I never realized how gorgeously dramatic the word “Valencia!” is. When sung with such an astonishing voice as Mr. Pursell’s it is a very fanfare—it’s almost an opera in itself!
STEVE CALLAHAN
Zoe’s brother, poetic painter Lindon (baritone Justin Austin), doesn’t want to leave the house. and his lover Thomas (bass-baritone Christian Pursell) suggests they travel to Spain.
RONALD BLUM
Bass-baritone Christian Pursell delivered a commanding and convincing portrait of a blindly ambitious careerist prosecutor with impressive power and a frighteningly memorable voice. As the villain, he was appropriately insensitive and self-righteous.
KEVIN T MCENEANEY
Bass-baritone Christian Pursell’s Prosecutor was all fury and inner conflict, his tight dark suit and briefcase fairly bursting with accusations as he resonantly defended his right to “do my job,” but ultimately confessed to doubts about what he had done.
DAVID WRIGHT
Fauré's Requiem setting does include moments of foreboding in the Libera me. Bass-baritone Christian Pursell added a welcome sense of dramatic tension to his plea.
THOMAS MAY
Christian Pursell as Sciarrone and William Meinert as the Jailer made fine impressions in their company debuts.
RICK PERDIAN
Christian Pursell as Sciarrone had a strong stage presence and look of shock as Tosca jumped to her death from the platform of Castel Sant’Angelo.
JENNIFER PYRON
