SOLO RECITAL / East Carolina University / 2018:
“Poems set to music require a special voice, one perfectly musical and perfectly understandable at the same time. Such is Shirley’s, which can be described as either spoken singing or singing talking. His tone quality was perfect and his diction flawless.”
— Classical Voice North Carolina
WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED / Opera Philadelphia / 2017:
“Daniel Shirley’s plaintive, well-controlled tenor illuminated the inner struggle of John Little, a white or mixed-race kid who self-identifies as black.”
— Opera News
“Tenor Daniel Shirley beautifully sings lyric lines and also speaks with great dramatic effect.”
— Schmopera
“Daniel Shirley rounded out the family as John Little, able to color his smooth lyric tenor to suggest real danger and aggression.”
— Opera Today
THE MIKADO / Kentucky Opera / 2017:
“Shirley’s Nanki-Poo was lovable with his Billie Joe Armstrong-hairdo, and not too naïve, and his tenor voice had a honey-like flow and sweetness.”
— Louisville Courier-Journal
THE ZOO / Odyssey Opera / 2015:
“In the leading roles, Daniel Shirley made a strong impression as Carboy, singing with sweet, clarion tone.”
— The Arts Fuse
THE BEGGAR’S OPERA / East Carolina University / 2015:
“The star of the show is Daniel Shirley. His glorious voice – unforced, as clear as a bell, devoid of quaver, and truly bel canto – enriched every scene he was in.”
— Classical Voice North Carolina
SWEENEY TODD / Madison Opera / 2015:
“The most consistently affecting vocalism came from Daniel Shirley, with his floated upper register in Anthony Hope’s soaring vocal writing.”
— Opera News
“Tenor Daniel Shirley was an appropriately ardent suitor to Johanna.”
— Isthmus Magazine
“Daniel Shirley and Jeni Houser, as young sailor Anthony and excitable Johanna, respectively, bring both strength and delicacy to their vocal work.”
— The Capital Times
MESSIAH / Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra / 2014:
“Shirley sang with tremendous clarity, facility and ease, making artful use of vibrato as an expressive tool.”
— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
CARMINA BURANA / Lexington Philharmonic / 2014:
“Daniel Shirley embodied the roasting swan in the tenor aria’s cruelly high tessitura with élan.”
— Lexington Herald-Leader
IL RITORNO D’ULISSE IN PATRIA / Boston Baroque / 2014:
“…tenor Daniel Shirley, in the minor role of Eurimaco, gave one of those whole-hearted, full-throated performances that for a moment seems to walk off with the whole show.”
— The Hub Review
“Mezzo Abigail Nims as Penelope’s maid and tenor Daniel Shirley as her swain produced a particularly delightful and lusty “low-life” love duet.”
— Berkshire Fine Arts
“The following scene between [Penelope’s] maid, mezzo Abigail Nims, and her lover, tenor Daniel Shirley, brought lighthearted relief, both musically and dramatically, as the two exchanged dance-like song stanzas while cavorting nimbly about the narrow stage platforms.”
— Boston Musical Intelligencer
CARMINA BURANA / Seattle Symphony / 2014:
“Tenor Daniel Shirley — who lurched on and off the stage to illustrate the unfortunate fate of the “roasted swan” he portrayed — sang lyrically and full-voice the extremely high lines that are more usually rendered in falsetto.”
— Seattle Times
“Tenor Shirley had only a small part, but achieved it memorably, reeling on stage seemingly very drunk to sing, plaintively, the saga of a roasting swan, reeling off again without bumping any of the violinists on the way, while the orchestra added belch-like chords.”
— CityArts
THE FLYING DUTCHMAN / Michigan Opera Theatre / 2013:
“Shirley…captures us with his beautiful tenor voice.”
— New Monitor
“As the Steersman, Daniel Shirley has a lithe, high tenor voice.”
— Encore Michigan
“Daniel Shirley sang well as the Steersman.”
— Classical Voice North America
ISRAEL IN EGYPT / Music of the Baroque / 2013:
“…tenor Daniel Shirley made good capital of the very tricky “The enemy said, I will pursue.”’
— Opera News
“Tenor Daniel Shirley’s articulate delivery was to the Handelian manner born.”
— Chicago Tribune
“…with especially vibrant contributions from tenors Daniel Shirley and Klaus Georg.”
— Chicago Classical Review
‘A GREAT AND GLORIOUS VICTORY’ at Carnegie Hall / Distinguished Concerts International New York / 2013:
“…tenor soloist Daniel Shirley’s voice soared over the large forces with strength and clarity.”
— New York Concert Review
ACIS AND GALATEA / Madison Opera / 2013:
“…Acis, Daniel Shirley, appears to possess a light tenor perfectly suited to the intimate Playhouse; as they both [Shirley and Angela Mortellaro as Galatea] were in local debuts, we can hope to sample their artistry again in other contexts.”
— Madison Magazine
“The show stealers were Shirley and bass Jeffrey Beruan (Polyphemus), Shirley for his command of the stage as a whole, and Beruan for giving depth to his character.”
— Isthmus Magazine
