Reviews and Features

Landestheater Detmold: Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk 2023

Lippische Landeszeitung (Thomas Krügler) The title role of the unloved merchant's wife Katarina is superbly realized by Italian-American soprano Shelley Jackson, who adds great luster to the opera as a guest singer. With her brilliant timbre, she easily masters the enormous demands of her extensive role and manages the balancing act between perpetrator and victim.

Der Opernfreund (Jochen Rüth) In the title role, I am convinced by Shelley Jackson, who convincingly brings all facets of Katerina's inner troubles to the stage of the Landestheater. She has a rich middle range and repeatedly intersperses heartfelt piani.

IOCO (Karen Hasenstein) The Italian-American soprano Shelley Jackson creates the role of Katerina Ismailova with great dedication. She has a radiant dramatic soprano with brilliant high notes. But also in the quiet moments she knows how to convince with delicate piano.

Online Musik Magazin (Stefan Schmöe) For this, the Theater Detmold offers quite excellent performers. Shelley Jackson does not sing the Katerina with a "beautiful" voice in the true sense of the word; her soprano, flickeringly nervous in the forte and at the same time captivatingly present, is too restless for that, but that is precisely what fits the characterization of her figure so well. Also acting-wise she keeps this Katerina in the balance, creates a distance with her radicalism and also brutality, shows at the same time the tornness - with that Shelley Jackson succeeds in a very impressive role portrait of high intensity.


Schleswig- Holsteinsiche Landestheater: Tosca 2022

Opernglas (G. Helbig) Not only due to her enormous vocal quality, but also Shelley Jackson with her powerful, colorful, melodious, dramatic soprano as a counterpart, is his [Cavaradossi’s] equal in every respect, still achieving lightness in the extreme fortissimo and not forcing. Both are always vocally sovereign in their interpretation, and both actors realize everything credibly and uniquely in terms of content, subtle in facial expressions and gestures, erotically piquant, dramatically virtuosic.

NordDeutschland Kultur (Peer-Axel Kroeske) An ideal casting- on the stage she is very present with her gestures and facial expressions and above all her singing- difficult passages brought forth uninhibitedly with ease.

Flensburger Tagblatt (Christoph Kalies) Shelley Jackson thrilled the audience at the Tosca Premiere- Jackson realizes the diva with outstanding vocal power and exuberant emotionality.

Flensborg Avis (Lars Geerdes) Shelley Jackson is a spirited Tosca with a glorious soprano in the Landestheater's new production of Puccini's opera.

Online Merker (Marc Rohde) Shelley Jackson has sung Tosca before at the Malmö Opera and is also in the best of form in Flensburg. Her warm and never strained soprano reminds me a bit of Kiri Te Kanawa. Even in dramatic outbursts, her voice does not tend towards sharpness, and for all her vocal beauty, the young American always manages to outshine the orchestra and not sing against it.

Kieler Nachrichten (Christian Strehk) Moreover, the singers are truly aptly cast. The American Mirella Freni student Shelley Jackson makes the title role blaze fierily, showing a sense for jealous overtones and Tosca's courage born of fear.


Theater Bielefeld: La bohème 2022

Opernmagazin (Detlef Obens) Director Julia Burbach tells the story of the opera La Bohème from Mimi's point of view. As a result, the singer of Mimi is present on stage from the first to the last moment of the Bielefeld production.. Of course, such a production, especially with regard to the part of Mimi, demands a lot of vocal, but also high acting, commitment. As mentioned at the beginning, the originally planned singer of Mimi dropped out at short notice, which meant finding a singer who could join the ongoing preparations for the premiere at equally short notice. However, with the American soprano Shelley Jackson, Theater Bielefeld succeeds impressively. She portrayed a very empathetic Mimi, a Mimi with all the emotional facets of this part. From the initial falling in love, to the pain of the relationship crisis, to the despair over her fatal illness. She sang her "Mi chiamano Mimì" in the first scene of the opera very intimately and emotionally. Her "D'onde lieta uscì" from the third picture, in which she describes very expressively - and with a great deal of feeling in singing and interpretation - the farewell of the lovers in the next spring, left a special impression. In the last picture of the opera, she then also convinced with her portrayal of the dying Mimi. The audience saw it too. Much applause and bravos for Shelley Jackson on this evening.

Opernwelt (Arno Lücker) Shelley Jackson stepped in on short notice as Mimì. Her warm, engaging, pure, beautiful voice is enchanting.

Neue Westfälische (Christoph Guddorf) From the beginning she is a silent observer of the events, from which she finally emerges as the deceased.. the Mimi of the premiere evening succeeds unreservedly (the intended cast had to be replaced due to illness). Shelley Jackson's soprano exudes warmth, strength, vulnerability, gentleness, and determination- the light of Christmas in the cold of winter. Jackson embodies the inescapable doomed woman with an almost ideal presence in voice and expression, a childlike naiveté and tenderness as well as inner maturity. 

Die Glocke (Dr. Silvana Kreyer) The highly decorated American-Italian singer Shelley Jackson convinced in the bravura role of Mimi. Her flawlessly carrying full soprano voice shone wonderfully.

Westfalen- Blatt (Armin Kansteiner) To have heard Shelley Jackson as Mimi... was an experience. It would have been easy for either of them to stand up to a full orchestra. Instead, the audience enjoyed the wonderfully delicate tones in multiple gradations in the love scenes and at the end in the death scene.... At the end of the harrowing opera, long moments passed before the audience broke into a roar of applause.

Kulturfeder (Dominik Lapp) The guests engaged at short notice, Shelley Jackson and Garrie Davislim, as Mimi and Rodolfo are a dream couple on the very highest level.. Shelley Jackson as Mimi is as tenderly vulnerable as she is grippingly engaging, and fascinates with her bell-bright soprano. Her transformation from the initially shy Mimi to a woman suffering and resigned to her illness is impressive. In their duets, Shelley Jackson and Garrie Davislim harmonize perfectly, delivering one musical highlight after another.


OPÉRA DE LAUSANNE: ANNA BOLENA 2019

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“A timbre of velvet, irreproachable high notes, ductile virtuosity, expressive phrasing, and equally a touching and captivating presence…”

Le Courrier (Marie Alix Pleines) “A diva is born at the Lausanne Opera”: Replacing the title role of Donizetti's Anna Bolena, soprano Shelley Jackson has all the makings of a great bel canto singer. A timbre of velvet, irreproachable high notes, ductile virtuosity, expressive phrasing, and equally a touching and captivating presence: the American soprano Shelley Jackson, laureate in 2017 of the 40th International Maria Callas Grand Prix, spread the wings of a unique talent, to the greatest delight of the public at the Sunday premiere of Anna Bolena at the Lausanne Opera.

Opera Magazine (Nicolas Blanmont) The cast was dominated by the superb Anna of Shelley Jackson.. The American soprano had made a strong impression in the role in Karlsruhe last year and she again proved memorable: her voice was rich and rounded across its range and her breath control, coloratura and phrasing were exemplary. Her dazzling vocal performance was matched by powerful acting, and there were moments where she resembled a dark haired Princess Diana.

Bachtrack (Laura Servidei) Anna Bolena was Shelley Jackson, whose soprano is supported by a great middle register, velvety and burnished, which explodes in fireworks of brilliant, powerful high notes. The volume of her voice was impressive and exciting, with a remarkable range of dynamics…Her acting was remarkable; she managed to express all the different facets of Anna’s personality: the humiliated queen, the abused, terrified wife, the tender lover, the magnanimous ruler who forgives her rival Jane Seymour.

Opéra (Patrice Henriot) Shelley Jackson, laureate of the "International Maria Callas Grand Prix" of Athens, in 2017, had just sung Anna Bolena in Karlsruhe.. With a beautiful appearance and dignified gestures, the American soprano extends the famous portrait of the sovereign.. As injustice unfolds around the imprudent queen, Shelley Jackson's voice brightens to reach authority and light in the final scenes, where the sometimes guttural medium and low of the first act give way without any doubt to the most aerial ecstasy.

Opera Online (Emmanuel Andrieu) The American soprano Shelley Jackson is a very beautiful discovery in the title role, which she has already performed at the Karlsruhe Opera. She has a confident, homogeneous voice over the entire range, with a dramatic low, a sufficiently large and stable medium voice, and a timbre bursting with harmonics that is reminiscent of some of her illustrious predecessors, Leyla Gencer coming to mind ... the vocalization is particularly precise and the colorations varied. In this respect, the extraordinary final scene - one of the highest summits of all musical romanticism - is particularly successful, with an elegant and moving "Al dolce guidami" and an equally impressive "Coppia iniqua".

Le Temps (Julian Sykes) The American Shelley Jackson hardly wavered in the final scene - even though she had already sung two hours, feeding on a fire that intensifies throughout the performance, able to support the line and invest maledictions with weight.. this is a singer with a large range and roundness of an ideal timbre - without artifice moreover - for the role. Claiming a lyrical vein with tragic aplomb, the title role possesses extraordinary means.

24 Heures (Rene Reymond) Shelly Jackson was a sublime and touching Anna Bolena, especially in the incredibly demanding final 30 minutes.

ConcertoNet (Claudio Poloni) The cast is particularly young, which is in itself a feat for a bel canto work famous for its difficulties. Replacing the singer originally planned in the title role at a moment's notice, Shelley Jackson has the proud bearing and noble look that suits her character. The American soprano embodies a perfectly credible sovereign, draped in her dignity, which ends up being absolutely overwhelming in the final scene, before climbing onto the scaffold.


MALMÖ OPERA: TOSCA 2019-20

Politiken (Henrik Friis) Young American soprano Shelley Jackson portrays an intense Tosca, defending herself against the psychopathic police chief Scarpia in Puccini's swelling drama… Jackson is a beautiful sounding lyrical soprano with a pure and quick vibrato, and the power and technique to sing over the swelling orchestra as the drama culminates.


BUXTON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL: EUGENE ONEGIN 2019

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“We were treated to a masterclass of melancholy by superb American soprano Shelley Jackson in the role of Tatyana…”

The Times (Matthew Parris) Never have I been so moved by this opera… The soprano Shelley Jackson’s Tatyana . . . wow! This is the fourth time I’ve seen Onegin but the first in which such a spellbinding, gut-wrenching, show-stopping depiction of a woman suddenly, madly, hopelessly and stupidly in love, has shaken me as this did.

Bachtrack (Robert Gainer) We were treated to a masterclass of melancholy by superb American soprano Shelley Jackson in the role of Tatyana. The first act of Onegin is something of an endurance test for a soprano in this role, but Jackson was up to it, never faltering and delivering in emotion and power in equal measure. She held my complete attention throughout. Nor did she overdo it, saving her very best for the final scene where she really staked her claim as the star of the show.

Opera Now (Anthony Arblaster) The outstanding performance came from Shelley Jackson as Tatyana. She has a big, rich voice…but also a range of expression, and a gift for acting, physically as well as vocally, which made her account of the Letter Scene marvelously eloquent and deeply moving.

The Arts Desk (Richard Bratby) Jackson’s Tatyana provides exactly the heart a good Onegin needs; her voice delicate and then tremulous with ardour in the Letter Scene, and rich but recognisably passionate in her final confrontation with Onegin.

British Theatre Guide (Colin Davison) The composer loved his heroine and this is really Tatyana’s gig, with Buxton happily importing rising star Shelley Jackson for the role. Hers is a big voice, commanding across the range, but one that throbs with tenderness and, with a strong dramatic personality, she seems set for a major career.

Anaclase (Hervé König) The North American soprano Shelley Jackson, distinguished at the Maria Callas International Competition 2017, offers a very unctuous soprano as Tatyana, whose melancholy, desire and disappointment she brings a high degree of sensibility. The flexibility with which she leads the vocal line is a true pleasure.

OperaWire (Alan Neilson) Tatyana was played by the young American soprano, Shelley Jackson, who is currently building a strong reputation for herself on the international stage. She gave a dramatically intense presentation, which captured the inner conflicts of Tatyana’s struggle between her emotional drives, her moral decency and loyalty towards her husband. She possesses a well supported voice, which blooms brightly in the upper register, but to which she is able to add depth through subtle coloring.


BADISCHES STAATSTHEATER: ANNA BOLENA 2018

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“She proved herself a bel canto virtuoso who could also captivate with expressive tone…'“

Die Rheinpfalz Pfälzer Tageblatt (Gabor Halasz) The encounter with Shelley Jackson proved to be something of a revelation. In the bravura role [of Anna Bolena] the young American soprano, making her German debut, gave a superbly exciting performance. With brilliantly immaculate coloratura, pinpoint articulation in the passagework and fluid, perfectly even runs she proved herself a bel canto virtuoso who could also captivate with expressive tone. What is more, her musicianship is exceptionally refined, with phrasing, dynamic shading, featherlight soft singing and a range of nuance that marked her out as a singing tragedienne of the highest order. She was just as convincing in Anna Bolena’s melancholy lyricism as in her desperate outbursts and, in the second act, her heroic expression of hurt pride.

Online Merker (Udo Klebes) Shelley Jackson's clear, slightly dark-toned soprano proves to be flexible at all times, despite her lush volume of voice and naturally integrated low register, for spinning elegant lyric phrases interwoven with coloratura. The fioratura never seems exaggerated, but moreover enhances the appeal of the musical design by their use. In combination with her tall, slim and attractive figure, in the appropriate robes she cuts a portrait of queenly dignity.

Badische Neueste Nachrichten In the B premiere, Shelley Jackson introduced herself as a title heroine who fulfilled all the highest hopes, and not just because vocally and visually she is reminiscent of Kathleen Cassello, unforgotten in Karlsruhe. An engaged artist with a very good technique and moreover a voice of a volume to make her the ideal partner for Ewa Plonka, who repeated her acclaimed Giovanna from the A premiere. 


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“As Manon, she conveyed the impression of a singer gifted with extraordinary vocal resources, who offers stage presence alongside an expressive performance with intense acting.'..”

SALZBURG LANDESTHEATER: MANON 2018

Das Opernglas (W. Kutzschbach) Responsible for this was above all the young US-American Shelley Jackson, a soprano who was discovered last season not only in her role debut as "Bohème" Mimi, but also at the Badisches Staatstheater with the title role of Donizetti's "Anna Bolena" she celebrated a successful German debut. As Manon, she conveyed the impression of a singer gifted with extraordinary vocal resources, who offers stage presence alongside an expressive performance with intense acting. A rich tone, solid technique and tremendous sensibility all allowed the significant shadings and valid intentions of Massenet's Manon to be brought out… in return "Voyons, Manon” rich with colors and "Adieu, notre petite table" with subtle tone quality become all the better, and even in extreme scaling back of the voice the sound and pronunciation are always clear.

Der Neue Merkur (Gottfried Kranz Kasparek) In the wondrous farewell to her sweetheart and the little table she is touching, as a dazzling salon lady of the drug scene she shines with coloratura, in the church she becomes a glistening seductress. Above all, she possesses a captivating, indeed enthralling soprano voice, that sounds fantastic in all situations, with which she can portray poetic introspection just as well as dramatic despair. That this joins to a perfect vocal technique, should lead to a great career.

Salzburger Nachrichten (Florian Oberhummer) Shelley Jackson vocally fulfils the requirements for the title role … Since her national theatre debut as Mimì a year and a half ago, the voice of the US soprano has once again evolved. Moving between a silvery piano and powerful top notes, she sets the coloratura unerringly. Her warm timbre allows her voice to flow rich in nuances.


DORSET OPERA: LA BOHÈME 2018

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“Leading the cast is Shelley Jackson, whose refulgent soprano imprints Mimi on the audience’s collective memory.”

Bachtrack (Dominic Lowe) Shelley Jackson was a captivating Mimì, a delicate and charming presence which became deeply moving in the third act. Vocally, she showed well-integrated registers with a beguilingly full lower voice and secure top notes. It’s a nicely sized voice, but there’s a flair for nimble pianissimo which was sensibly deployed.

The Stage (George Hall) Leading the cast is Shelley Jackson, whose refulgent soprano imprints Mimi on the audience’s collective memory.

Opera Now (George Hall) Shelley Jackson’s Mimi, Paul Putnins’ Colline and Ross Ramgobin’s Schaunard were especially notable.