Florestan in FIDELIO

Houston Symphony Orchestra

“Making his Houston Symphony debut, Russell Thomas provided the evening’s high points as Florestan. Emerging from a darkened corner of the stage  Thomas began his aria, “Gott! Welch Dunkel hier!” seated and in chains. Showing superb vocal control, he entered pianissimo on a high B-flat, making a crescendo as the line descends. Thomas portrayed with compelling emotion the anguish of the imprisoned protagonist, bringing hair-raising intensity to Florestan’s distressed state of mind in the middle section.”
–Lawrence Wheeler, Texas Classical Review