MIMI/MUSETTA La bohème PUCCINI Canadian Opera Company
Joyce El-Khoury fleshed out the character of the flirtatious (and very funny) “Musetta” with gusto and easily walked away with the first act. Her ringing soprano is extremely agile and ideally suited to the demands of bel canto singing. She added flair with extravagant use of physical gestures and captured the outward persona of the character beautifully in the process. Underneath it she countered things with subtle vocal shadings and understated gestures to depict the traits she’d reveal less openly. Joyce is cast as Mimì for four performances. It would be very interesting to see what she would do in the role.
-Brian Hay, NoRulesNoLights, Full Review (Musetta Review)
…the lovely Ms. El-Khoury has all the superlatively detailed interpretive skills of Scotto, with a luminous, meaty lyric voice that “spoke” at all registers and volumes. She could spin out high-lying phrases of unearthly beauty, unfold sustained legato passages of unerring warmth, and yet convey the serenity and placidity of a humble seamstress with well modulated parlando.
-James Sohre, Opera Today, Full Review (Mimi Review)
Canadian soprano Joyce El-Khoury was a scintillating and flamboyant Musetta on opening night, so it’s interesting to see her reign in her exuberant personality as the fragile Mimi. The voice is a lovely one with a particularly clear and warm middle, an ingratiating Italianate timbre, with the requisite morbidezza so necessary for Puccini. A sensitive musician, she uses her instrument with taste and sensitivity. Act 3’s “Donde lieta usci” was lovely, as was the rest of the duet with Rodolfo. Her Act 4 death scene was suitably touching.
-Joseph So, La Scena Musicale, Full Review (Mimi Review)
El-Khoury is playful and passionate, in complete control of her power over men.
-Glenn Sumi, NOW Magazine Full Review (Musetta Review)
El-Khoury is a fine actor and brings off Musetta’s flirtatiousness with such aplomb in Act 2 that it makes her turn toward earnestness in Act 4 all the more effective.
-Christopher Hoile, Stage Door, Full Review (Musetta Review)
Canadian soprano Joyce El-Khoury, who not only sings and acts beautifully, but also brings real stage chemistry to play in her relationship with Rodolfo.
-John Terauds, Musical Toronto, Full Review (Mimi Review)
Joyce El-Khoury, handling herself in a statuesque manner, is the perfect contrast to the fragile Mimi. She is also effective when Musetta must show her vulnerable side in the final act.
-Michael Johnson, Concerto.net, Full Review (Musetta Review)
El-Khoury was excellent as Musetta. From her flirtatious hips and glances to each perfectly sung note, it’s hard to imagine that she then goes on to play the demure Mimi as she is double-cast in this run of La Bohème. She sung and acted as if the role of Musetta was tailor made for her.
-Janelle Watkins, TheSceneInTO, Full Review (Musetta Review)