Alfredo - La Traviata/ Piedmont Opera
Tenor Orson Van Gay, II has a charming warm tone, very even in all registers, with an intense vibrato, well-suited to his role of earnest young lover hoping to woo La Violetta away from her coterie of admirers and imitators. In Van Gay’s performance, Alfredo’s aria ‘De’ miei bollenti spiriti’ was a potent statement of personal conviction, the zealous lover proclaiming his total immersion. Van Gay was a romantic Alfredo. The vitality of his work was gratifyingly unflappable. 
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Bringing to his performance of Verdi’s music for the lovelorn Alfredo a flickering vibrato reminiscent of Miguel Fleta, tenor Orson Van Gay II sang and acted ardently, his body language in the opening scene of Act One communicating the character’s devotion to Violetta before his first word was sung. Launhcing the celebrated Brindisi, Van Gay voiced ‘Libiamo, libiamo ne’ lieti calici’ ebulliently. His traversal of ‘Un dì, felice, eterea’ was properly amorous... |
Orson Van Gay displayed a fine heroic tenor for Vitaliano.
- San Francisco Classical Voice
Danilo - The Merry Widow/Pocket Opera
Rodolfo - La bohème / Pacific Opera Project
Orson Van Gay II’s top notes were thrilling... |
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The Young Man - The Last Romance / New Theatre Kansas
The Central Park Five
World Premiere by Anthony Davis
2020 Pulitzer Prize in Music
"Forthright and impassioned"
"Musical excellence, with a strong cast, an orchestra that could cook and viscerally stunning conducting..." "Potent, jazz-based style intricately meshed with more classical idioms and the occasional hip-hop riff" |
Review: Anthony Davis' opera 'The Central Park Five'...Since his pioneering first opera, "X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X" in 1985, Anthony Davis has helped give American opera - often and importantly African American opera - a conscience. "Balances both [classical and jazz] with seamless ease" "Spirited and gut-wrenching" |
"A Powerful Work That Shines A Spotlight on An Important Event...“The Central Park Five” was an ensemble piece well-served by its strong cast.” |
"Knowing the outcome in advance does not detract from the opera's devastating emotional power." The Central Park Five,’ now an astounding world premiere opera |
Alfredo - La traviata / Pacific Opera Project
Candide - Candide / Angel Vocal Arts
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What People are Saying...My colleague and I really enjoyed Candide! Especially your performance...you really made the show. Your acting ability is equal to your singing, which makes a show like that all the more enjoyable. Thank you for inviting me. It was a tremendous performance! |
Voted Best Actor - Christian Film Festival
Voted Best Actor Fan Favorite - Christian Film Festival
Operatic Tenor sings in Mandarin to standing ovation
Diverse Spring Festival gala applauded in PhoenixHis performance of famous Chinese song "I Love You, China" in Mandarin won big applause from the audience. Spring Festival gala attracts Chinese, Americans in Los AngelesChinese News USA The climax of the show was the performance of American operatic tenor Orson Van Gay II from L.A. Opera. |
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Nemorino - L'elisir d'amore / Center Stage Opera
Tenor Soloist Debut with Pacific Symphony
An Evening of Music and Charm
His opera training and acting ability moved the entire audience. Orson is a superb talent...
Los Angeles Opera artists perform Lyceum series Sunday in Morgan Auditorium.
Singers pay ‘electrifying’ tribute to opera!
Ben - Night of the Living Dead / Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center
San Francisco Classical Voice
Car Hop: The Industry’s Mobile Opera Hopscotch Takes to the Streets
BY JIM FARBER
Cherubino - ¡Figaro! (90210) / Los Angeles Opera (world premiere)
"Van Gay unleashes a seductively smooth pop voice when Li’l B-Man transforms an ode to Barbara from a sexist rap into a soulful love song." Modern-Day Mozart Opera 'Figaro 90210' to World Premiere in LA Figaro! (90210); It’s a Hoot … and it Works. By Richard S. Ginell: From Out of the West 
Photographed by Ben Gibbs
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LA Opera's Figaro 90210 - Hilarious and Sublime Modern Masterpiece | Splash Magazines | Los Angeles Figaro 90210 is a hilarious Los Angeles -themed adaptation of The Marriage of Figaro where every inch lives up to Mozart's beautiful score.
- LASPLASH.COM |
The performers were so remarkable, guests were mesmerized...the trio's incredible range of voice sent chills up most spines
- The Desert Sun
Tenor Orson Van Gay, Celebrity of the Evening
"Mr. Van Gay had high notes of his own in a song from Flotow's Martha. He carried a rose and sang of love and despair, regaling us with the exciting ring (squillo) in the highest notes of his tenor voice...there are moments when Orson brings to mind the great German tenor Fritz Wunderlich (1930-1966)."
-Art Song Update
Issue #86
http://artsongupdate.org/Issues/Issues.htm
Art Song Recital by Tenor Orson Van Gay II
Ghent United Methodist Church is presenting a concert series of seven Sunday afternoon programs from March 7 through May 16, 2010. Tenor Orson Van Gay, an Old Dominion University senior opened the series with an art song recital with Jason Paul Peterson at the piano. Dr. Peterson is Ghent UMC music director, a full time faculty member at ODU and concertizes around the US and Europe. His doctorate is from Peabody Institute and he is also a Fulbright scholar.
The program notes tell us that Mr. Van Gay, who is originally from Los Angeles, has an interesting background as a television performer. In Tidewater he has been a member of the Virginia Opera Chorus in several productions, winner of state and mid-Atlantic regional NATS competitions and singing co-host for the Miss Virginia Pageant for two years.
In the first half of the recital Mr. Van Gay sang songs by Neapolitan composers Francesco Paolo Tosti (1846-1916), Ruggero Leoncavalo (1857-1919) and Ernesto de Curtis (1875-1937) and a Puccini (1858-1924) aria from La Bohème. With a liquid silver tone in his lyric tenor voice and confident clarity of text he sang Ideale and Non t'amo piu (I no longer love you) by Tosti. There is a compelling urgency in his tone that wins the listener's heart. His spoken introductions were informative and showcased his charisma and rapport with his audience. Leoncavallo Matinatta (Morning) has a happy, up-tempo energy. Though the piano lid was fully open the balance between voice and instrument was just right. This equal partnership continued in the de Curtis Non ti scordar de me (Do not forget me) with a story of a cold, sunless land. The matter-of-fact piano was a perfect foil for the lush vocal that goes for tears.
The familiar Puccini aria from La Bohème, Che gelida manina (What a frozen little hand), was wonderful. Top notes were perfect and the vulnerability and beauty throughout caught us in the thrall of anticipated greatness for this young vocalist as he builds a career.
After intermission Mr. Van Gay sang four Aaron Copland (1900-1990) settings from Old American Songs: Long Time Ago, Simple Gifts, The Little Horses and At the River. Sometimes operatic voices will overwhelm these simple settings but in this performance the text was clear. He cherished the words with a open naturalness and Mr. Peterson's light touch on the piano kept the balance except when the piano played alone, continuing the mood of the text. It all came out just right. The closing song, Dein ist mein ganzes Herz (My heart is yours alone) from the operetta Das Land des Lächelns by Franz Lehár came alive with the over-the-top energy found in operetta. Top notes were perfect and the vulnerability and beauty throughout caught us
The encore was Verdi's La donna è mobile (Rigoletto) with all stops out. Hopefully the audience will grow larger as the Ghent UMC concert series continues. Details are on www.artsongupdate.org.
The program notes tell us that Mr. Van Gay, who is originally from Los Angeles, has an interesting background as a television performer. In Tidewater he has been a member of the Virginia Opera Chorus in several productions, winner of state and mid-Atlantic regional NATS competitions and singing co-host for the Miss Virginia Pageant for two years.
In the first half of the recital Mr. Van Gay sang songs by Neapolitan composers Francesco Paolo Tosti (1846-1916), Ruggero Leoncavalo (1857-1919) and Ernesto de Curtis (1875-1937) and a Puccini (1858-1924) aria from La Bohème. With a liquid silver tone in his lyric tenor voice and confident clarity of text he sang Ideale and Non t'amo piu (I no longer love you) by Tosti. There is a compelling urgency in his tone that wins the listener's heart. His spoken introductions were informative and showcased his charisma and rapport with his audience. Leoncavallo Matinatta (Morning) has a happy, up-tempo energy. Though the piano lid was fully open the balance between voice and instrument was just right. This equal partnership continued in the de Curtis Non ti scordar de me (Do not forget me) with a story of a cold, sunless land. The matter-of-fact piano was a perfect foil for the lush vocal that goes for tears.
The familiar Puccini aria from La Bohème, Che gelida manina (What a frozen little hand), was wonderful. Top notes were perfect and the vulnerability and beauty throughout caught us in the thrall of anticipated greatness for this young vocalist as he builds a career.
After intermission Mr. Van Gay sang four Aaron Copland (1900-1990) settings from Old American Songs: Long Time Ago, Simple Gifts, The Little Horses and At the River. Sometimes operatic voices will overwhelm these simple settings but in this performance the text was clear. He cherished the words with a open naturalness and Mr. Peterson's light touch on the piano kept the balance except when the piano played alone, continuing the mood of the text. It all came out just right. The closing song, Dein ist mein ganzes Herz (My heart is yours alone) from the operetta Das Land des Lächelns by Franz Lehár came alive with the over-the-top energy found in operetta. Top notes were perfect and the vulnerability and beauty throughout caught us
The encore was Verdi's La donna è mobile (Rigoletto) with all stops out. Hopefully the audience will grow larger as the Ghent UMC concert series continues. Details are on www.artsongupdate.org.
ODU Vocalists Walk Away With More Awards At Regional NATS Competition
The Old Dominion University Department of Music has much to sing about these days. Two of the eight vocalists who won awards at the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Virginia District Spring Conference last month came home with awards at the Mid-Atlantic Regional NATS auditions last weekend in Boone, N.C.
Orson Van Gay II, who not only placed first in the Advanced College Men category but also was named "Best Overall Singer" at the state conference, won first place again in the Advanced College Men category at the regional conference.
Orson Van Gay II, who not only placed first in the Advanced College Men category but also was named "Best Overall Singer" at the state conference, won first place again in the Advanced College Men category at the regional conference.