Central City Opera-La Traviata

The production’s other standout was Troy Cook, a veteran baritone with a pleasing, pliable voice. In a stirring debut as Giorgio Germont, he delivered a technically flawless performance as he burrowed in and conveyed the emotional core of the conflicted father. One hopes to see more of him in this role.”

– Central City Opera, La traviata, Kyle MacMillan, Opera News

 

Opera Philadelphia – Don Carlo

One performance truly stands out in my mind—even in the shadow of Owens, Troy Cook’s noble portrayal of Rodrigo was a thrill to behold. It can be a thankless task, representing the loyal sidekick of a troubled Infante, but Cook was fully invested in his character, and his voice is ideal for the role. He has a beautiful, robust, woolen baritone, the sort that flows effortlessly in its middle range, and gathers energy as it climbs higher, never showing the faintest hint of a blemish. His interpretations of the two arias in his death scene could stand next to just about anyone’s—that glorious, full tone never faltered, even as he peppered his final lines with twinges of agony. To this point, Cook has appeared mostly with regional American companies, such as Kentucky, the Boston Lyric, and Opera North Carolina. It’s rarely worth speculating as to why this or that singer is not engaged at this or that house, and I won’t attempt that here. But I will say that if Cook should make an appearance in New York, I will make a point of going to hear him.”

-Eric Simpson, The New Criterion

 

 

“The evening’s most elegant singing came from Cook’s nobly enacted Posa, consistently well-limned and attentive to bel canto phrasing. In this part his compact baritone suits a midsize venue like the Academy of Music better than it might a huge house; but his beautifully done two-part farewell to Carlo (and life) capped the evening and roused deserved cheers.”

-David Shengold, Opera News

 

 

Boston Lyric Opera – I puritani

“…Troy Cook’s Riccardo (firm yet agile of voice, neglecting none of the needed passagework, giving words full value) really approached the ideal.”

-David Shengold, Opera Magazine

 

“…it’s Troy Cook’s Richard, heartbreaking in his cavatina “Ah! per sempre io ti perdei,” who seems the more passionate lover, and there’s an excruciating moment when Elvira, thinking he’s Arthur, snuggles up to him.”

-Jeffrey Gantz, The Boston Globe

 

Pittsburgh Opera – La bohème

For his part, Mr. Cook showed off the multiple sides of Marcello. He played an equally comic counterpart to Musetta but still lent vigor to his character with powerful vocals, particularly at the end of the festive second act.
-Elizabeth Bloom, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

Central City Opera – Show Boat

The vocal star of the evening was baritone Troy Cook as the slick gambler Gaylord Ravenal. In his second principal role for the company, he just kept ringing out beautiful sounds, making it easy to believe that the show’s young ingenue, Magnolia, could easily fall for him.
-David Sckolnik, The Gazette

 

Cook is a commanding presence as the flawed romantic lead, gambler Gaylord Ravenal, capable of switching quickly from high comedy to heartrending pathos and again to suave romance. Gorgeously presenting several signature songs, including “Make Believe,” Cook is always the center when onstage.
-Kelly Dean Hansen, The Daily Camera

 

Opera Philadelphia – Silent Night

On the Scottish side, Troy Cook, as the chaplain, sang Puts’ setting of the Prayer of St. Francis so effectively that it was the emotional center of Act II.
-David Patrick Stearns, Philadelphia Inquirer

 

Opera Philadelphia – La bohème

Her boyfriend Marcello is sung by Troy Cook with the sort of baritone that could promise a great future in Verdi…
-David Patrick Stearns, Philadelphia Inquirer

 

Central City Opera – La bohème

Baritone Troy Cook offered a strong, well-rounded portrayal of Marcello…
-Kyle MacMillan, Opera News

 

In strong supporting performances, baritone Troy Cook shone as the gullible but good-hearted Marcello…
-Sabine Kortals, Denver Post

 

Best of the men was Troy Cook, whose Marcello ripped through the house with a manly baritone and a maniacal presence.
-David Sckolnik, ColoradoSprings.com

 

Opera Philadelphia – Manon Lescaut

Baritone Troy Cook was first-rate as Manon’s venal brother, Lescaut…
-Craig Smith, SantaFe.com

 

Minnesota Opera – Silent Night

The many male voices are well-differentiated: Troy Cook’s Palmer, Andrew Wilkowske’s Ponchel and the trio of lieutenants (Liam Bonner, Craig Irvin, Gabriel Preisser) merit special praise.
Larry Fuchsberg, Star Tribune

 

Other notable singers were…Troy Cook as a Scottish priest.
-Heidi Waleson, The Wall Street Journal

 

Royal Opera House, Covent Garden – Così fan tutte

Troy Cook’s excellent baritone was in fine fettle from the off.
-Colin Clarke, The Opera Critic

 

As a heavy metal aficionado, Guglielmo (Troy Cook) was suitably cock-sure, and petulant in his comeuppance, angrily muttering uncharitable thought during the Ab canon at the wedding.
-Claire Seymor, Operatoday.com

 

Troy Cook, also American-half the cast is- made for a fine Guglielmo, with an extremely well-schooled lyric baritone of ideal Mozartian weight, evenness, flexibility and colour, all of which is a fine irony given that of all the principals, he gets both the least, and the worst music to sing (“non siate ritrosi” and “Donne miei” are both pretty weak specimens).
-Stephen Jay-Taylor, Opera Britannia

 

Opera Philadelphia – Madama Butterfly

…a vocally secure and theatrically poised Sharpless.
-David Patrick Steams, Philadelphia Inquirer

 

Florida Grand Opera – La bohème

Troy Cook is the cast’s ringleader, an animated Marcello the painter, always engaging.
-Jack Zink, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

 

Lyric Opera of Kansas City – Les pêcheurs de perles

But the opera belonged to Cook, whose Zurga seemed like the only human being onstage. His resplendent baritone is always a pleasure, but beyond that you really believed in the complexity of his character. Most of all, his simple act of sacrifice becomes the agent of sanity in this insane but oddly rewarding piece of musical theater, and in his bracing final aria you realized that “Pearl Fishers” is really just a love triangle in which somebody had to give in for sake of friendship.
-Paul Horsley, The Kansas City Star

 

Opera Philadelphia – La bohème

It was Troy Cook (Marcello) and Ermonela Jaho (Mimi), however, who really stole the stage. Cook’s rich inflections and Jaho’s delicate spin to each phrase reinforced Puccini’s wonderful sweeping melodies. Their voices meshed perfectly together in their duet at the beginning of act III, perhaps the highlight of the entire production.
-Sydney de Lapeyrouse, Phllyist Goes to the Opera

 

Berkshire Opera Company – L’elisir d’amore

Baritone Troy Cook came close to stealing the show as the fatuous Sergeant Belcore, who’s as much in love with himself in uniform as he is with Adina, and he lobbed a string of high notes into the auditiorium.
-Richard Dyer, The Boston Globe

 

Lyric Opera of Kansas City

Troy Cook as Enrico was every bit Wilson’s equal as Enrico, the manipulative brother whose remorse comes too late to save his sister. His bronze baritone was verile and controlled, his acting exceptional.
-Paul Horsley, The Kansas City Star