REVIEWS
The Aspern Papers / Michael Hurd / Nova Music Opera - George Vass / Ulster Orchestr
'Owen Gilhooly manages to make the unscrupulous Harry Jordan into a believable and indeed sympathetic character'
Music Web International / CD of the Month
Faust / Everyman Theatre - Cork Operatic Society
'A wealth of duets, trios and quartets endorses the magic of the classic tradition, a genre well suited to Owen Gilhooly’s fine Valentin'
The Irish Times
Through his Teeth / Royal Opera House, Linbury Theatre / World Premiere
'Owen Gilhooly’s devilishly sexy car salesman'
Richard Morrison - The Times
'Owen Gilhooly, as the sociopathic R, manages apparently effortlessly to capture the smooth, convincing fraudster whilst allowing us glimpses of the undercurrents of fear and violence within him.'
Edward Lewis - Classical Source / www.classicalsource.com
'As R, baritone Owen Gilhooly, making his Royal Opera debut, looks the part and sounds it as well; his voice has all the requisite heft'
Colin Clarke - Seen and Heard International - www.seendandheardinternational.com
'Anna Devin as the deluded A, Owen Gilhooly as the mendacious R, and Victoria Simmonds , doubling as A's interviewer and her cannier sister, comprise the excellent cast.'
George Hall - The Guardian / www.theguardian.com
'Owen Gilhooly projects the dangerous charm of R'
Eleanor McFarlane - The Upcoming / www.theupcoming.co.uk
'it makes a compelling 55 minutes of theatre, with Anna Devin and Owen Gilhooly excellent in the main roles.'
Hugo Shirley - The Spectator www.thespectator.co.uk
As the enigmatic Robert, Owen Gilhooly has a solid grasp on his character’s rapidly-shifting moods and reflects them adeptly in his strong performance
Laura Peatman - A Younger Theatre www.ayoungertheatre.com
'Owen Gilhooly manages to combine sexual allure with fanaticism to chilling effect'
Keith McDonnell - What's on Stage www.whatsonstage.com
'Owen Gilhooly plays the devious R with chilling precision – one moment kind and loving, and the next a scheming monster. His opening scene (scene two of the work) is fairly high in the voice, and Gilhooly displays a full range of dynamics, even in this part of the voice. He very effectively plays the part of a man who is playing a part – something which is never easy.'
Levi White - Bachtrack www.bachtrack.com
Il Cappello di Paglia di Firenze - Wexford Festival Opera
'Owen Gilhooly made a strong impression as Emilio, managing to be both menacing and sympathetic at the same time'
Opera Today / www.operatoday.com/ November 2013
'Owen Gilhooly effectively captured the exaggerated macho attitude of the “big nose” Emilio'
Das Opernglas / www.operalively.com/ December 2013
Le Nozze di Figaro - Lismore Music Festival
'The sharpest focus in this production was on Owen Gilhooly's Count Almaviva, really concentrated, scary and sympathetic at the same time, as goings on at his country retreat, Alma Aguas Frescas, spin out of control; his aria 'Verdro mentr'io sospiro' suddenly became a dark and telling pendant to the Countess's complaints'
Robert Thicknesse - Opera Now / www.rhinegold.co.uk/magazines/opera_now/ August 2013
'Owen Gilhooly was a fine Count, striking just the right balance of arrogance and foolishness and emerging as very human'
Brian Kellow - Opera News / www.operanews.com/ August 2013
Curlew River - Nova Music Opera / St. John's, Smith Square
'the three main characters - Madwoman, Ferryman and Traveller - the three protagonists being quite magnificently sung by Mark Milhofer, Owen Gilhooly and Christopher Foster respectively.'
Robert Matthew Walker - Musical Opinion / www.musicalopinion.com / January 2014
'Owen Gilhooly’s Ferryman was just as fine – bracingly robust and almost denying the role its mythic status, thus making it all the stronger. From his heartless mimicking of the Madwoman’s keening to his astutely observed growing sympathy for her, Gilhooly’s performance had a vivid presence, with singing of unflagging perception and energy.'
Peter Reed - Classical Source / www.classicalsource.com / August 2013
Hagar in the Wilderness - Sally Beamish - Nova Music Opera / Presteigne Festival
'and sung with stentorian power by Owen Gilhooly as the overbearing Abraham'
Hereford Times / www.herefordtimes.com / August 2013
'There was some fine singing.. Owen Gilhooly gave sterling support as Abraham'
Opera / www.opera.co.uk / November 2013
'baritone Owen Gilhooly also showed an excellent smooth technique and an ability to vary mood'
Opera Scotland / www.operascotland.org / November 2013
Carmen - Opera Theatre Company
'From the entry of Escamillo in Act Two, however, a spark lights in the production. A pumped-up Owen Gilhooly, clearly enjoying himself immensely, delivers the famous 'Toreador Song' with infectious swagger – you can almost see his bullish self-confidence rubbing off instantly on the other performers'
Irish Theatre Magazine / www.irishtheatremagazine.ie / May 2013
The Maiden in the Tower / Kashchei the Immortal - Buxton Festival
'The best singing comes from the baritone Owen Gilhooly as the Bailiff’s Son and as Ivan, the lover in “Kashchei.”'
The New York Times / www.nytimes.com / July 2012
'Kate Ladner was an affecting maiden in both works, Richard Berkeley-Steele reliable first as her lover then as Kashchei, and Owen Gilhooly impressive, respectively, as her captor and boyfriend.'
The Telegraph / www.thetelegraph.co.uk / July 2012
"The cast work hard in both pieces, hurling themselves at consistently challenging vocal writing... Owen Gilhooly turns effortlessly from the villain of the first opera to the hero of the second.'
The Guardian / www.guardian.co.uk / July 2012
'there is some engaging singing, notably from Kate Ladner’s Maiden and Princess, and Owen Gilhooly’s Bailiff and Ivan the Illustrious.'
The Times / www.thetimes.co.uk / July 2012
'Lawless has assembled an outstanding cast in terms of singing and characterisation. The Australian soprano Kate Ladner (Maiden/Princess) has a glorious voice. Richard Berkeley-Steele (Lover/Kashchkei), Owen Gilhooly (Bailiff’s son/Ivan) and Emma Selway (Governess/ Kashchei’s Daughter) manage their contrasting roles assuredly.'
The Arts Desk / www.artsdesk.com / July 2012
' ..and Owen Gilhooly properly unpleasant as the bullying brat. Gilhooly then swaps to being the heroic rescuer, Prince Ivan, in Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera, releasing the princess from the clutches of the evil wizard and his cold-hearted daughter with the help of the storm wind.'
The Stage / www.thestage.co.uk / July 2012
'The music is terrific – vintage mainstream Sibelius – superbly played as usual by the Northern Chamber Orchestra under Stuart Stratford, and very well sung, particularly by the maiden, Kate Ladner and the bailiff’s son, Owen Gilhooly.'
Notes from Middle England / www.notesfrommiddleengland.blogspot.co.uk / July 2012
'Gilhooly was very believable as the selfish bully.... and was suitably heroic as Ivan, unusually Rimsky Korsakov casts the hero as a baritone rather than a tenor.'
Planet Hugill Blogspot / www.hugill.blogspot.co.uk/ July 2012
'The performances in this production were simply marvellous across the board, the five main singers - Kate Ladner, Emma Selway, Richard Berkeley-Steele, Robert Poulton and Owen Gilhooly - equally strong, alive to the possibilities within these enhanced characters, giving them perfect expression in the singing and in the acting'
Opera Journal / www.filmjournal.net/ July 2012
'Irish singer Owen Gilhooly, whom I saw two years ago in Wexford and this year at Lismore Music festival had principal roles in both stories. A baddie in one and a hero in the other. He was magnificent in both.'
Munster Express/ www.munster-express.ie / August 2012
A Sea Symphony - Philharmonia Orchestra - Three Choirs Festival
'...the nocturnal Largo (melliflously sung by Gilhooly)..'
Birmingham Post / www.birminghampost.net / July 2012
'Soloists Ailish Tynan and Owen Gilhooly rode the waves of this massive seascape with imposing confidence.'
Hereford Times/ www.herefordtimes.com / August 2012
The Magic Flute / Opera Theatre Company
'While all three were always potential scene-stealers, the clear leader in this department is Owen Gilhooly as Papageno. Never straying into slapstick, always vividly inhabiting the opera’s most human and sympathetic character, Gilhooly matched his fine comic timing and presence with his customarily refined singing'
The Irish Times / www.irishtimes.com / November 2011
'there are several well-characterised interpretations, not least Owen Gilhooly's excellent Papageno'
Irish Independent / www.independent.ie/ November 2011
"Owen Gilhooly's bumptious bird-man is hugely engaging and strongly sung."
The Sunday Times / www.sundayindependent.co.uk / November 2011
'As the love-lorn bird-catcher Papageno, Tamino’s comic alter-ego, Limerick baritone Owen Gilhooly gave a charmingly enacted, solidly sung performance'
Irish Theatre Magazine / www.irishtheatremagazine.ie/ November 2011
'Owen Gilhooly is a splendidly voiced Papageno'
The Mail on Sunday / www.ani.ie / December 2011
'it is Owen Gilhooly who steals the show as Papageno. The adventure’s comic relief, Gilhooly manages to render the role as a solid character, rather than a simple archetype. He is, very clearly, the fool in this grand drama, but he’s also the most human of those involved. It’s Gilhooly more than his colleagues who manages to establish an emotional connection with the audience'
The Movieblog.com / www.themOvieblog.com / February 2012
The hilarious Papageno was played by Limerick man Owen Gilhooly. The baritone shone during the companies performance, his stage craft phenomenal and his voice controlled and exceedingly powerful, Gilhooly should be noted for his enthusiasm and dedication to his role.
Guide2Dublin / www.guide2dublin.com / February 2012
'Papageno (charmingly sung and acted by Owen Gilhooly) remains a fertile source of amusement, his yearning for a partner is made real and palpable, his contemplated suicide far from idle jesting.'
Opera Britannia / www.opera-britannia.com / February 2012
Frederick May: Sunlight and Shadow / National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland / Houlihan
' baritone Owen Gilhooly sings powerfully without ever losing vocal agility or precision on the standout Songs from Prison.'
The Journal of Music / www.journalofmusic.com / January 2012
'May's brooding Songs from Prison from 1941 impressed in Owen Gilhooly's intense rendition'
BBC Music Magazine / www.classical-music.com / February 2012