MEROLA GRAND FINALE – SAN FRANCISCO OPERA CENTER
“The program was staged with particular ingenuity by apprentice stage director Jennifer Williams, who in addition to a number of imaginative individual strokes – staging one Berlioz solo, for instance, as an old-time radio broadcast – hit upon the nice idea of bleeding one scene into the next to give the evening extra fluidity.” – Joshua Kosman, The San Francisco Chronicle
SUMEIDA’S SONG – PITTSBURGH OPERA
“A revealing, complex depiction.” – Elizabeth Bloom, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
“A strong production … remarkable.” – Mark Kanny, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
27 – PITTSBURGH OPERA
“An imaginative staging … delivered with verve and strong dramatic sensibility, and persuasive acting.” – Elizabeth Bloom, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
“A winning new production.” – Mark Kanny, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
AINADAMAR – MIAMI MUSIC FESTIVAL
“Director Jennifer Williams’ production smoothly segued between Xirgu’s dressing room, the performance of the play on stage, and flashbacks to Spain and Cuba. Against Alyiece Moretto’s unit set, Steven Covey’s projections of Picasso-like suggestions of suffering, the ravages of war and Xirgu and Lorca on and off stage were strikingly effective. Julia LaVault’s subtle lighting underscored moments of drama and joy. Patricia Hibbert’s costumes captured the theatrical ambience in varied tones and the war in bleak hues. In a striking climax to Williams’ pitch perfect staging, Nuria assumes the role of Pineda as Xirgu joins Lorca in death.” – Lawrence Budmen, South Florida Classical Review, Formerly, Miami Herald
“A mesmerizing performance … Not a moment was wasted in this production of Ainadamar. Director Jennifer Williams’ seamless transitions and fluid imagery beautifully paired with the sonic world of a musical composition combining electronic sounds and orchestra. Williams’ staging celebrated the fractal nature of the score, matching every angle with visceral meaning.” – Sarah Hutchings, The Musical Times
DARK SISTERS – MIAMI MUSIC FESTIVAL
“Williams’ spare staging cut to the heart of the drama, keeping the emphasis on Eliza’s dilemma and the wives’ faith.” – Lawrence Budmen, South Florida Classical Review Formerly, Miami Herald
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM – MIAMI MUSIC FESTIVAL
“An audacious production … Director Jennifer Williams has transferred Shakespeare’s romp in the woods to a post-apocalyptic landscape strewn with discarded remnants of the former civilization. Television monitors and Yee Eun Nam’s backdrop projection display the trees, flowers and global views that once were part of the milieu. In the tradition of Peter Brook’s famous Royal Shakespeare production of Shakespeare’s play, the singers playing mortals wear modern dress … Williams’ vision shapes the many characters’ personalities with a distinctive touch and a sure sense of theatricality.” – Lawrence Budmen, South Florida Classical Review, Formerly, Miami Herald
LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN – MIAMI MUSIC FESTIVAL
“Jennifer Williams’ consistently imaginative production made a virtue of the theater’s small stage with characters entering through openings in the set … Patricia Hibbert’s handsome and multihued costumes and Yuki Izumihara’s clever unit set were enhanced by Yee Eun Nam’s projections of Spalanzani’s machines, Hoffmann’s stolen image and Miracle’s sinister medical positions in the manner of a horror movie. The entire staging was imaginative, thoughtfully conceived and greatly entertaining.” – Lawrence Budmen, South Florida Classical Review, Formerly, Miami Herald
“Extraordinariamente hermosa, con un gran despliegue de creatividad … Pero sin duda, la clave para el éxito de esta producción tan bien estructurada fue la dirección escénica de Jennifer Williams. Sin duda una producción muy competitiva dentro su nivel de limitados recursos y que bien se mereció la larga ovación de pie.”
Extraordinarily beautiful, with a great display of creativity … Without a doubt, the key to success of this production was the stage direction of Jennifer Williams … Undoubtedly a very competitive production within its limited resources and well deserved its standing ovation. – Daniel Fernández, El Nuevo Herald
LA BOHÈME – MIAMI MUSIC FESTIVAL
“The youthful cast of Miami Music Festival’s production brought enthusiasm and dramatic aplomb to director Jennifer Williams’ inventive staging … Williams’ imaginative production made an asset of the low-budget, bare bones sets … The Bohemians’ horseplay exuded a real sense of fun. Mimì’s death was given grandly tragic dimension on the darkened stage.” – Lawrence Budmen, South Florida Classical Review, Formerly, Miami Herald
“Billed as ‘a great introduction to new opera-goers,’ MMF’s staging of the accessible and emotionally driven drama is exactly that, having been given a modern twist … The energetic direction of director Jennifer Williams occasionally left me reminded of Baz Luhrmann and the 1996 film ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ in that they are both hugely successful adaptations of a timeless masterpiece … The cast, fresh-faced and youthful, was stupendous, creating a chemistry and cohesive atmosphere seen in those who have truly been friends for years, but is rarely seen onstage.” – Erin Dahlgren, Edge Media Network
VENUS AND ADONIS – NEW CAMERATA OPERA
“The joyful aspect was largely created by Director Jennifer Williams’ favoring of frolic and fun. We had a wide smile throughout and were hit by a wave of sadness at the tragic ending … The simple story has been decked out with some very amusing scenes, the best of which involves Cupid giving lessons on love to his students in a classroom setting. We don’t always enjoy the current trend for gilding Baroque operas with such fancies but in this case it worked extraordinarily well and we now consider ourself a fan of Ms. Williams.” – Meche Kroop, Voce di Meche
BACKWARDS FROM WINTER – CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY OPERA
“All the parts that make up opera are unified on stage to create an enormously satisfying theatrical experience. Monodrama may mean one voice, and Backwards from Winter spoke as one.” – Susan Hall, Berkshire Fine Arts
THE TURN OF THE SCREW – DC PUBLIC OPERA
“DC Public Opera is molding the way opera is experienced by taking every element of their production to the next level.” – Modern Singer Magazine
ARIADNE AUF NAXOS – AUSTIN OPERA
“The desire to liberate opera from their traditional settings can yield powerful and intriguing new productions from which we experience the music, story, and characters, perhaps even our world with refreshed clarity … Austin Opera’s presentation of the Richard Strauss classic Ariadne auf Naxos is the latest … Meticulously staged by Jennifer Williams.” – Robi Polnar, Austin Chronicle
COSÌ FAN TUTTE – DC PUBLIC OPERA
“An admirable and ambitious production. [Stage director Jennifer Williams] is finding fresh ways to deliver opera … which the audience clearly loved.” – Susan Galbraith, DC Theatre Scene
SAINT MATTHEW PASSION – CINCINNATI COLLEGE-CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC
“The stage action was ingeniously interwoven with the music to give the Passion contemporary resonance.” “[The production] gave the music a powerful new dimension. …The three-hour production flew by.” “Extremely powerful … Brilliant … Monumental.” – Mary Ellyn Hutton, Music in Cincinnati
AS TIME GOES BY – PITTSBURGH OPERA
“As bubbly as champagne … It will have folks talking for a long, long time.” – Jean Horne, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
UNE BELLE SOIRÉE – PITTSBURGH OPERA
“Incredibly talented … funny and whimsical show.” – Natalie Bencivenga,
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
