Daniel Gundlach

Countertenor


Reviews

Hell, New York: PS122

“[W]hen a show succeeds, and uses the unique advantages of live theatre to do so, there’s nothing like it. Hell is one of those shows. The cast is uniformly excellent… the performances are first rate–as good as anything at the New York City Opera or the Met… Each cast member has their chance to shine, and shine they do, especially… Daniel Gundlach as Thomas.”

Gyda Arber, nytheatre.com


“Hell finds…redemption in its heavenly-voiced cast [including] Daniel Gundlach.”

Jorge Morales, Village Voice



Le Luthier de Venise, Théâtre du Chàtelet/Opéra de Rouen/Octobre en Normandie

“On y entend également… le contreténor Daniel Gundlach en mendiante, au chant irréprochable.” (“In addition one heard the countertenor Daniel Gundlach, who sang faultlessly.”)

Bertrand Bolognesi, Anaclase



Perelà, l’homme de fumée, Opéra de Paris/Opéra de Montpellier/Recording: Naïve Classics

“For a sense of Boschian grotesque, Daniel Gundlach as the Archbishop... provide[s] a sinister comedy.”

Robert Carl, Fanfare


“Mention spéciale, dans la formidable galerie des comparses, pour le Perroquet de Daniel Gundlach, appelant Dieu de toute l’énergie de l’incompréhension et du désespoir.” (“Special mention, in the formidable gallery of supporting roles, for the Parrot of Daniel Gundlach, crying out for God with all the energy of despair and misunderstanding.”)

Vincent Agrech, Diapason


“Nicht zu vergessen, der rotberüschte Papagei (Daniel Gundlach), der als letzter in dieser gottlosen Welt noch das Wort ‘Dio’ kennt.” (“Not to be forgotten is the red-frilled parrot (Daniel Gundlach), the last personage in this godless world that still understands the word ‘God’.”)

Eleonore Bühning, Frankfurter Allgemeiene Zeitung


“Countertenor Daniel Gundlach, with a flame-red Mohawk haircut and pink tutu, emits several poignant squawks as the parrot.”

Judy Fayard, Wall Street Journal



Messiah, Jeffrey Thomas, American Bach Soloists

“The soloists were exemplary... Daniel Gundlach, an excellent countertenor singing the alto role, contrasted beautifully with the strong soprano Catherine Bott in ‘He shall feed his flock’.”

William Glackin, Sacramento Bee



120 Songs for the Marquis de Sade, Modern Baroque Opera, Vancouver

“Countertenor Daniel Gundlach–as blond and attenuated as an Edward Gorey aesthete–poses naked, or nearly so; his thighs are garnished with red, ribbonlike garters... his on-stage posing is as freakishly delightful as his voice.”

Alexander Varty, The Georgia Straight



Weihnachts-Oratorium, Helmuth Rilling, Athens State Orchestra

“Αvαφέρoυμε ότι o Αμερικαvός Γκoύvτλαχ, πoυ διαθέτει μια από τις ωραιότερες, καλά τoπoθετημέvες και εγκάρδιες φωvές κόvτρα-τεvόρoυ τις επoχής μας, τραγoύδησε τις άριες τoυ με κατόλληλo αίσθημα, και ειδικά τη ‘Schlafe, mein Liebster’ από τη δεύτερη Καvτάτα, με περισσή τρυφερότητα.” (“Specific mention must be made of the American Gundlach, who sang his arias with a lovely, well-placed and warm voice, and with appropriate feeling. In particular, ‘Schlafe, mein Liebster’ from the second cantata, was sung with exceeding tenderness.”)

Konstantinou Karabela-Sgourda, Apogeimatini



Saul, Helmuth Rilling, Bach-Collegium, Stuttgart

“Mit Andreas Schmidt als Saul und Daniel Gundlach als David waren die beiden Hauptpartien ideal besetzt, auch wenn dieser David von seinem Wuchs her eher einem Goliath glich... Die Entdeckung der Aufführung aber war der Countertenor Gundlach, der seinem David mit einer kristallklaren, schwebend leichten Stimme die Züge eines Träumers gab.” (“With Andreas Schmidt as Saul and Daniel Gundlach as David the two main parts were ideally cast, even though this David, by virtue of his height, appeared more of a Goliath... The discovery of the evening, though, was the countertenor Gundlach, who, with his crystal-clear, easily soaring voice, gave his David the demeanor of a dreamer.”)

Horst Koegler, Stuttgarter Zeitung


“Virtuosität alleine hilft nicht. Imagination ist gefordert... [Andreas Schmidt] gegenüber als Hauptprotagonist Daniel Gundlach in der Partie des David. Schon lange keinen Altus mehr gehört, der den heldischen wie den lyrischen Ton in solcher Perfektion beherrscht.” (“Virtuosity alone is not enough. Imagination is required... In the same league as Andreas Schmidt was Daniel Gundlach in the role of David, the main protagonist. One has seldom heard such a countertenor, in which the heroic as well as the lyrical tones are balanced to such perfection.”)

Annette Eckerle, Stuttgarter Nachrichten



Fairest Isle: The Glory of the English Baroque, Apollo Muses

“The hallmark of Gundlach’s voice is not his quite obvious power but his expressive abilities. Nuance is the coin of his musical realm, and he is most generous with it. Given those two elements, the most crowd-pleasing part of Gundlach’s technique is his ability to dazzle the ear with runs, melismas and fioraturas. “Sweeter than Roses” from Purcell’s Pausanias concluded the first set with just such displays... Those who may have thought that Handelian opera was somehow arcane and a touch stodgy could have walked away from the afternoon with a different opinion based entirely on Gundlach’s heroic, virtuosic and ultimately hair-raising “Vivi, tiranno” from Rodelinda.”

Paul Somers, Classical New Jersey



Pierrot Lunaire, American Chamber Opera

“[The work] is performed in English by Daniel Gundlach, a countertenor, who also prepared the translation... Mr. Gundlach’s impersonation of the morbidly beset clown of the title is haunting, as he steps into the character upstage, fills it out down front, then backs out again, all as if to show how short the route is between ‘normal’ life and madness. In a fine theatrical stroke... Mr. Gundlach’s disembodied head is subsumed into a ball of light–that mad-making moon, in one of its manifestations–at the end of ‘Decapitation’. Mr. Gundlach’s conception of Schoenberg’s Sprechstimme was persuasive... seeming a genuine heightening of speech rather than the more typical devaluation of song into singsong.”

James R. Oestreich, New York Times



Carmina Burana, Dayton Philharmonic

“Daniel Gundlach gave [an] elegantly rendered and delightfully personable performance.”

Carol Simmons, Dayton Daily News



Dido and Æneas, Dallas Bach Society

“Much the most striking figure onstage was the Sorceress of countertenor Daniel Gundlach, not only because he sang so well, but also because his costume–Halloween clothes a day early–freed him from 17th-century shackles.”

Paul Griffiths, New York Times


“Not all is refinement. There [is]... a towering, masked sorceress (countertenor Daniel Gundlach) who moves with undisguised masculine assurance.”

Margaret Putnam, Dallas Morning News


“The most captivating performance came from countertenor Daniel Gundlach as the Sorceress. In common with other male altos who have come into prominence in recent years, Gundlach has more vocal resources, and the ability to use them, than countertenors of yore. Gundlach portrayed a Sorceress on a frightening power trip, injecting a persistent menace that made the doom of the famous love affair more real.”

Jay Harvey, Indianapolis Star



La Vergine Addolorata, Clarion Music Society

“For St. John and Nicodemus, [Newell] Jenkins found countertenors with very different vocal qualities... Daniel Gundlach, the Nicodemus, brought to the production a darker, smoother approach to countertenor singing.”

Allan Kozinn, New York Times



Partenope, Skylight Opera

“Daniel Gundlach as a nerdy Prince of Rhodes is a countertenor of exceptional talent whose rounded tones are devoid of the strain so often present in this range.”

Jay Joslyn, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel


“Daniel Gundlach’s Armindo [has] personal charisma beyond character. This is a wonderful cast of actors. They enjoy the playful juxtaposition of stylized Baroque artifice and more modern, naturalistic acting. Everyone has at least two or three virtuoso arias, and everyone is up to them.”

Tom Strini, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel


“Countertenor Daniel Gundlach sang well as Armindo, a suitor who wins Partenope’s favor in the end... well suited to the virtuosic rigors of the score.”

Lawrence Singer, Opera News



A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Broomhill

“There were voices well worth hearing, two of them from the US: ...Daniel Gundlach, an Oberon with well focussed tone and excellent diction.”

Rodney Milnes, Opera


“A fluent Oberon (Daniel Gundlach)... feature[s] strongly in the mostly young professional cast.”

Robert Maycock, The Independent



Messiah, Orchestra of the Old Fairfield Academy

“Daniel Gundlach, a countertenor of extraordinary gifts with rare lyricism and flexibility, sang with conviction and dedicated attention to style.”

John Sweeney, Greenwich Time



Giulio Cesare, Edmonton Opera

“As Cleopatra’s silly, jealous brother, Ptolemy, Daniel Gundlach has a welcome cutting edge to his countertenor and is very effective.”

John Charles, The Edmonton Sunday Sun