Reviews
Show Me The Way, 2024
“Will Liverman follows up 2021’s Dreams of a New Day: Songs by Black Composers with an ambitious and equally impressive double disc Show Me the Way.”
—Clive Paget, Musical America
“beautifully sung by Liverman […] This is a really interesting set of songs and it’s all performed with great skill and feeling. It’s also exceptionally well recorded with voices and piano captured in detail and balanced beautifully.”
—John Gilks, Opera Ramblings
“terrific […] a tremendous showcase for Liverman's artistry, especially when his smooth, velvety baritone feels like he's channeling Nat King Cole and Johnny Hartman.”
—Ron Schepper, textura
The Metropolitan Opera, Romeo et Juliette, 2024
“Will Liverman, as Mercutio, lit up his scenes with a richly textured, mettlesome baritone.”
—Oussama Zahr, The New York Times
“Will Liverman delighted as Romeo’s temperamental bestie, especially with his Queen Mab aria.”
—Christopher Corwin, The Observer
“Baritone Will Liverman’s ability to take a character role—here, the ill-fated Mercutio—and turn it into a showpiece is stunning. While he’s had his chance in starring roles, in FIRE SHUT UP IN MY BONES and X, it is these cameos (including a turn in Rene Orth’s 10 DAYS IN A MADHOUSE) that made me sit up and take notice.”
—Richard Sasanow, Broadway World
“Liverman also lent his fine voice and stylish singing to “Mab, la reine des mensonges,” in which Mercutio dismisses Roméo ’s strange dream of the work of a fairy.”
—Rick Perdian, Classical Voice North America
“The casting of Will Liverman as Mercutio provided a vibrant contrast to Bernheim’s Roméo. Where Bernheim’s tenor was gentle in the initial going, Liverman’s Mercutio was aggressive and pointed in his famed Mab aria, the darkness in his voice magnetic. This counterpoint grew throughout the night, climaxing in the big duel scene where his Mercutio’s rugged aggression played in perfect contrast to the balletic movements of Frederick Ballentine’s Thibaut.”
—David Salazar, Operawire
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, 2024
“The two excellent soloists, soprano Joélle Harvey and baritone Will Liverman, made shining contributions. […] Liverman is one of America’s most celebrated baritones. He communicated the text clearly and with a voice of velvety warmth […] The sixth movement, the requiem’s most highly charged, was enhanced by Liverman’s seamless vocal leaps and dramatic enunciation.”
—Janelle Gelfand, Cincinnati Business Courier
Cincinnati Song Initiative, 2024
“Will Liverman mesmerized in his recital for Cincinnati Song Initiative […] eclectic program […] Liverman’s powerful, resonant baritone soared effortlessly in Memorial Hall. But it was his artistry as a storyteller that captivated his listeners […] Liverman has become one of the leading voices of our time. […] These are wonderfully crafted songs. The interpretations of both Liverman and Huang were richly atmospheric, starting with Liverman’s somber, profound phasing in “Winter Night,” enhanced by deep, sonorous chords in the piano. The set took the singer’s voice from the depths up to a high falsetto […] Liverman’s phrasing was radiant […] Liverman performed with exquisite control and beauty of tone. […] The three concluding Schubert songs, all favorites of the literature, offered yet another side of the baritone’s artistry. He displayed a smooth upper register and burnished sound in “An die Leier” (“To my lyre”), a song of striking contrasts. “Im Abendrot” (“In the glow of the evening”) and “An die Musik” (“To music”) were introspective, even reverent. […] Liverman was an exuberant storyteller”
—Janelle Gelfand, Cincinnati Business Courier
The Metropolitan Opera, X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, 2023 & 2024
“Will Liverman leads the cast as Malcolm X in an intense performance galvanized by his fine baritone and serious demeanor. His Malcolm X is eloquent and passionate when railing against societal injustice. He is at his most compelling, however, in the scene where Malcolm X goes to Mecca and experiences a personal and philosophical rebirth.”
—Rick Perdian, Classical Voice North America
“Baritone Will Liverman, embodying the titular X with a stately presence, initially presented vulnerability, his back to the audience and arms outstretched under a piercing spotlight. It was quite a sight and a jaw-dropping opening. […] Malcolm’s Act One rage aria lists his grievances with white men [...] Liverman delivered these lines with such a depth of feeling that this reviewer doubts he was the only audience who got shivers down his spine. […] Liverman’s [voice was] in top form. Liverman’s powerful baritone laid Malcolm’s anger and frustration bare.”
—Chris Ruel, Operawire
“The strong cast [...] did a fine job in making real what could have just become a mythic character from recent times. […] what a fine character actor [Liverman] is. Here, as Malcolm, even when his voice was consistently strong enough, he was clearly at his best in the scenes where he had [to] call on his acting resources as his Malcolm developed, morphing into the man whose life was cut short.”
—Richard Sasanow, Broadway World
“As Malcolm, baritone Liverman proved a fine actor, in touch with the crosscurrents of the leader’s character, and vocally up to the demanding role” and “fervent”
—David Wright, New York Classical Review
“Baritone Will Liverman, who snapped into the character with naked ferocity, sounded the best I’ve ever heard him.”
—Heidi Waleson, Wall Street Journal
“His stage presence is notable, reflecting a subtle progression from passive young adult to figure of commanding stature. […] The key turning point is Malcolm’s pilgrimage to Mecca. This scene is one where the stasis on stage suits the ceremony of the moment, and the music and Liverman’s singing bring out the depths of the character.”
—George Grella, Financial Times
“Will Liverman’s […] earnest portrayal […] powerful […] Liverman excelled when Davis’s writing took him into his high register”
—Christopher Corwin, The Observer
“Baritone Will Liverman inflected those first stanzas, delivered from a prison interrogation room, with spite and indignance, reinforced by an unsettling preamble of clarinet multiphonics […] As Malcolm X the orator, Liverman continued to lean into those snarls, his rich, booming tone conveying defiance and action. But when Malcolm X leaves for his pilgrimage to Mecca — and when he returns enlightened — Liverman smoothed those edges, highlighting his character’s transformation in voice and affect alike.”
—Emery Kerekes, San Francisco Classical Voice
“The man at the center of this remarkable piece of stagecraft is Malcolm X, as sung by the powerful baritone Will Liverman”
—Kaitlyn Greenidge, Harper’s Bazaar
“in a performance that powerfully channeled Malcolm X’s energy, Liverman’s mahogany baritone resonated with a spiritual weight that compelled as it educated.”
—Stephanie Ann Boyd, I Care If You Listen
“With soaring power and the acting skills to embody his character’s metamorphoses, Liverman captures the unmistakable voice of Malcolm, his grounded strength and high seriousness.”
—Susan Ruel, The Boston Musical Intelligencer
“with stellar moments from Will Liverman as Malcolm”
—Herb Boyd, Detroit Metro News
“A stellar cast, featuring the remarkable baritone Will Liverman as Malcolm X”
—Ericka Alston Buck, Afro
“shining”
—Ron Scott, New York Amsterdam News
“Will Liverman does a phenomenal job portraying Malcolm”
—Nadine Graham, Cassius
“baritone Will Liverman’s delicate slide into the upper note […] Liverman possesses a rich, supple voice that conveyed Malcolm’s smoldering fury”
—Heather Mac Donald, City Journal
Opera Philadelphia, 10 Days in a Madhouse, 2023
“The villain, Dr. Josiah Blackwell, performed by the baritone Will Liverman with frightening warmth, is given a gentle melody over an unstable waltz that shifts from 3/2 to 2/2 time and back again.”
—Joshua Barone & Zachary Woolfe, The New York Times
“Baritone Will Liverman was endearingly unlikeable as the lurking, gaslighting Dr. Josiah Blackwell, whose ground-scraping growls lilted into patronizing falsettos whenever he had something particularly sinister or disingenuous to say.”
—Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post
“Mr. Liverman gave Dr. Blackwell a subtle, predatory edge; his leaps from baritone into falsetto and the scenes in which he waltzed with Nellie “to soothe” her were especially creepy.”
—Heidi Waleson, Wall Street Journal
“[Librettist Hannah Moscovitch’s] characters feel complex and lived in; even the abusive Dr. Blackwell felt like a human monster instead of a cardboard villain. This, combined with baritone Will Liverman’s underhandedly threatening portrayal, made the bad doctor all the more terrifying for feeling real. […] sterling-voiced Liverman (who sounded absolutely splendid throughout)”
—Gabrielle Ferrari, The Observer
“Dr. Blackwell’s smarmy charisma was well served by Will Liverman’s velvet baritone”
—Alex Baker, Washington Classical Review
“Excellent support is provided by Will Liverman, whose mellifluous baritone and grounded stage presence raise the role of the institution’s doctor above stock villainy.”
—David Fox, Parterre Box
“Will Liverman conveyed stern warmth as Dr. Josiah Blackwell, the master of the asylum, who believes (however misguidedly) in his work.”
—Cameron Kelsall, Bachtrack
“Will Liverman’s cooly professional Dr. Josiah Blackwell. Liverman’s rich voice and demeanor could be warm and seductive, but more often they expressed his detachment from the plight of the women in his charge. He was at his most dangerous when waltzing with Lizzie with lust burning in his eyes.”
—Rick Perdian, Seen and Heard International
“Mr. Liverman has become a hot ticket, winning many awards and appearing on the best opera stages. His baritone voice and singing was enjoyable to hear again. His Dr. Blackwell was likable, a seemingly sympathetic physician, but a bit creepy, one whose motives you would not trust.”
“Will Liverman’s portrayal of Dr. Josiah Blackwell is menacing and manipulative”
—Colin Mcatee, Vigour Times
“Will Liverman sings the doctor in charge. He is an attractive stage presence”
—Susan Hall, Berkshire Fine Arts
“Will Liverman as the creepily ‘normalizing’ Dr Blackwell […] A gifted chameleon of a singing actor who disappears into his roles, Liverman provided keen textual delivery and a fine, layered baritone often extending effortlessly up into head-voice flights evoking Wozzeck’s Captain.”
—David Shengold, Opera
American Pops Orchestra, 2023
“The Met Opera’s Will Liverman brought his rich baritone to spirituals including “Ain’t Got Time to Die” and “Lord God of Abraham.” His operatic style brought the immense range of existing gospel music to the night’s repertoire.”
—Alexandra Bowman, DC Theater Arts
The Factotum on Film, 2023
“Liverman and Rico have created their own story with detailed and multifaceted characters. This is truly an original work, inspired by one of the most loved operas in the canon. Both the music and the story details are contemporary, but there is also the universal message of the power of community which shines throughout the work. […] As I was watching the film I had many of the same reactions as when I saw the live performance. First and foremost, I was and still am struck by the power and the persuasion of Will Liverman. He’s a baritone with a rich voice of many colors and great depth. He is a commanding presence on stage with his ability to connect text to music. He seemed to perfectly embody the story. You read about composers who have conducted their own operas. But I have never heard of an opera where the composer sang the major role themselves. Of course he’s amazing — he knows exactly what the composer wants! This made the performance exciting for me in a way I hadn’t contemplated the first time around.”
—M.L. Rantala, Hyde Park Herald
LA Opera, Pelléas et Mélisande, 2023
“Will Liverman, fresh from starring in Terence Blanchard’s “Fire Shut Up in My Bones” at the Metropolitan Opera and about to assume the role of Malcolm X in Anthony Davis’ “X,” is a boyishly eager Pelléas, with a beaming, high baritone that easily asserts.”
—Mark Swed, LA Times
“Will Liverman, the Pelléas, had the same directness and naturalness.”
—Truman C. Wang, Classical Voice
“His burnished baritone easily encompassed the higher lying passages”
—Patrick Mack, Parterre
“Baritone Will Liverman (Fire Shut Up My Bones / The Pearl Fishers) as Pelléas also delivers a moving performance as the tormented half-brother who falls for Mélisande”
—Victor Riobo and G. Dhalla, Indulge Magazine
Wigmore Hall, Henze’s El Cimarrón, 2023
“a tour de force of technique and stamina from baritone Will Liverman”
—Andrew Clements, The Guardian
Lincoln Center Recital, 2023
“Will Liverman’s performance explored an extraordinary depth of emotional intelligence and expansive intuition through works that expressed a world of infinite hope, empowerment, and transcending awareness… His voice was grounded, aligned, and full of life… His own unique and brilliant creative palette radiated hope as he fully embraced moments where his vocal range extended into an otherworldly dynamism. Liverman embodied his most powerful presence as his purpose. The audience was absolutely captivated… Liverman’s profundity of expression proved to be his mastery. He sang with ardent awareness… Will Liverman’s performance felt deeply personal and transcendental. His voice was rich and exuberant… triumphant and pure… dynamic and enlivened. His stamina really showed… His tone was pure and inspiring… a beautifully complex and intelligent recital. Liverman’s ideas were original and thoughtfully presented with care and precision. His musicality was on another level, and his proclivity for hard work resonated with the core purpose of his art. Liverman radiated his most powerful presence throughout.”
–Jennifer Pyron, Operawire
Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Factotum, 2023
“an extraordinary event in Chicago’s cultural history, re-imagining the definition of opera… gorgeous singing… The great strength of “The Factotum” is its score, a lush soundscape … that feels entirely like the undergirding of a great American city but allows for individual musical vulnerability… It is at those moments you think, “Will Liverman is the real deal,” a soaring, romantic and relentlessly upbeat melodist who can capture his characters’ emotional states and yet who (with Rico) also is fully capable of exploiting such forms as quartets… the entire experience here is not to be missed… Liverman actually has composed, and done so beautifully, an opera about the history, the struggles and the loving determination of an entire community.”
–Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune
“The Factotum is terrific… it’s really good—often mic-drop fabulous good… The Factotum score offers a chameleonic pastiche of soul, funk, and classical elements that is incredibly effective… lovely writing for strings… The ensembles were dazzling, particularly with a large-scale number “The Conversation”... Liverman’s burnished baritone was employed to great expressive effect as Mike… the work’s genre fluidity may ultimately be its greatest strength: The Factotum could comfortably be revived in either an opera house or in a commercial musical-theater setting… The ovations reached a fever pitch, and it was thrilling to overhear lobby chatter from patrons who rhapsodized over attending an opera for the first time. But the star of the show was Will Liverman. Whatever Factotum’s future may bring, Liverman’s accomplishment here, as visionary and performer, is nothing short of extraordinary.”
—Mark Thomas Ketterson, Opera News
“a vibrant first impression… Co-creator Will Liverman leads a first-rate cast in the often heartwarming world premiere… Liverman, who masterfully anchors this production and provides some of its finest vocal moments.”
–Kyle MacMillan, Chicago Sun Times
“It’s a “soul opera” and as a whole, it is fun, thought-provoking, and undeniably Black… [Will Liverman and DJ King Rico] have created something wonderful with an exceptional cast… When characters take to rapping instead of singing, it is infused with melody and the rapping goes supersonic. This is intersectionality and creativity at a very high level… Liverman and Rico … give us a story that is relatable and, more importantly, accessible. There’s something very refreshing about hearing “HOLD UP, WAIT A MINUTE…” in an operatic vibrato. Even on stage, even in an opera, The Factotum reveals hip-hop and Black culture are right at home.”
–Cristalle Bowen, Chicago Reader
““The Factotum” blends classical singing with diverse musical styles to create a soul opera, shifting from gospel and funk to rap and hip-hop to classic barbershop quartet and R&B. The result is a heartfelt comedy that redefines everything an opera can be, while celebrating the strength of community… Liverman and Rico have blended their experiences with electronic music production, traditional operatic musical scores, and live performance into an irresistibly upbeat work… “The Factotum” is both authentic to the spirit of Chicago’s South Side and innovative in its approach to operatic storytelling.”
–Elaine Hegwood Bowen, Chicago Crusader
“groundbreaking world premiere… And true to that definition of “factotum,” this opera is not only a brilliant hybrid of a vast range of seamlessly interwoven musical styles, dance moves and personalities, but it also suggests that a new opera can master the art of becoming an instantaneous commercial as well as artistic success. For as it happens, “The Factotum” opened with a completely sold-out run, filling the Harris Theater’s 1,499 seats for each of its five performances even before opening night… The true magic of this opera is rooted in its seamless interweaving of countless musical styles that take operatic voices into the realm of funk, rap, hip-hop, gospel, R&B, barbershop quartet and even electronic… there is no arguing with the astonishing power and originality of this work, with its ideal cast, top-notch orchestrations... and a team of excellent designers… The work also serves as proof that Will Liverman is, indeed, a man of many talents — a stellar example of a “factotum.””
–Hedy Weiss, WTTW
“Baritone Will Liverman is becoming a real Renaissance man.”
—Henson Keys, Parterre
“In a seismic soundscape of Hip-Hop, Gospel, Soul and elements of Classical Opera, creators Will Liverman (whom opera lovers saw in last season’s smash hit Fire Shut Up In My Bones) and DJ King Rico unleashed a masterpiece that rivaled anything on the stage at Civic Opera House… one of opera’s most satisfying evenings… The spot-on orchestration includes a live DJ (King Rico), a first for Lyric Opera, which lends a note of authentic modernity. The dancing and choreography are out of this world, putting anything on the nearby Broadway In Chicago stages to shame… With almost no tickets to be had, it might be wise for the Lyric to consider moving it into the ‘Big House’ over on Wacker Drive for a much-deserved reprise … that will give full breath to the rich orchestrations and powerful voices in this superb production.”
–Dwight Casimere, The Times-Weekly
"The story is unusually well constructed and is both complex yet laid out in a way that is clear and convincing."
—M.L. Rantala, Hyde Park Herald
“This work illustrates an inextricable connection between modern soul and classic opera, from phrasing to range to emotion… Like Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, The Factotum offers a vital look at everyday African American lives, including musings about work, love, personal challenges, and relentless racism, of course.”
—Karin McKie, Third Coast Review
“The opera draws people in with a strong score and a storyline that blends passion, humor, a sense of family togetherness and community awareness… "The Factotum" features a selection of outstanding music and strong vocals by the cast… Many of the songs, which are conducted by Kedrick Armstrong, easily tug at the heartstrings as well… [a] fresh take”
—Eloise Marie Valadez, The Times of Northwest Indiana
“The style of the show involves an easy mingling of modern sounds and freer forms that define America’s contribution to opera in our time… What Liverman and DJ King Rico have accomplished already is tremendous”
—Nancy Malitz, Chicago on the Aisle
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Songs In Flight, 2023
“Will Liverman’s brawny, bristling baritone lent the piece backbone and solemnity.”
–Oussama Zahr, The New York Times
Chamber Music Northwest, 2022
“Will Liverman has a huge voice and an amazing range of talents. […] rich and complex voice […] Liverman’s powerful baritone […] Liverman’s voice and demeanor seemed perfectly suited to the excitement […] of these old German stories. […] Liverman’s rich baritone came into full flower. The melodious lines from poet Robert Louis Stevenson provided Liverman’s voice with the clarity and fullness for which he is rightfully praised. […] For the final part of the program, Liverman sat down at the piano and presented what he called a mash-up of show tunes […] His presentation was so relaxed and cheerful, his improvisations so smooth, it felt like being in a nightclub.”
–Alice Hardesty, Oregon Artswatch
Kennedy Center, Bernstein’s Mass, 2022
“And though “Mass” is massive, it rests on the shoulders of a single soul, the Celebrant, movingly embodied and sung in this revival by baritone Will Liverman.”
–Michael Brodeur, The Washington Post
“All this would come to naught, however, were it not for the sterling performance of Will Liverman as the Celebrant. He shifts movingly from his deep, resonant baritone to delicate falsetto. He complements vocal virtuosity with fine acting and body language.”
–Alexander C. Kafka, Broadway World
"he left his heart and soul on the stage, and maybe a lung into the bargain, in an astonishingly unrestrained and vulnerable performance."
Aspen Music Festival, 2022
“baritone Will Liverman’s extraordinary recital was as meaningful in content as it was rich with his resonant voice — both elements impressive for their range... His voice ... bloomed into a kaleidoscope of timbres Tuesday that brought the words to vivid life... Liverman showed masterful control and seemed to suspend time in these songs"
–Harvey Steiman, Aspen Times
Tanglewood Music Festival, Don Giovanni, 2022
“Baritone Will Liverman distinguished himself immediately as the Don’s servant Leporello, granting the character more dignity than usual without sacrificing the opera’s comedic elements… [Liverman] treated the audience to a delicious comic scene.”
–A.Z. Madonna, Boston Globe
Dreams of a New Day, 2022
“There’s all the grit required of a committed performance as well as a wealth of emotions, often finely tuned to a particular line or single word. This is music that the baritone wears like a second skin, living and breathing the music… Liverman offers a heartfelt interpretation… He adds delicate touches to the fascinating musical colors of Burleigh’s “Five Songs of Laurence Hope.” … There is anguish in Liverman’s singing yet it is distilled with grace and dignity… a talented baritone”
–M.L. Rantala, Hyde Park Herald
College of Charleston, International Piano Series, 2022
“acclaimed baritone Will Liverman, the toast of the opera world… With mournful, gorgeous, healing artistry, the baritone offered…his tremendous talent and palpably open heart.”
—Maura Hogan, The Post and Courier
Lyric Opera of Chicago, Fire Shut Up in My Bones, 2022
“a rich leading performance from Will Liverman, a rising international baritone… Liverman’s performance truly has an aching vulnerability, as if his character is lost on the Lyric’s huge stage, rushing through set designer Allen Moyer’s remarkable physical renderings of childhood, college hazing, expectations, abuse.”
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune
“Baritone Will Liverman rises to the vocal and dramatic challenges of the central role of Charles, capturing both the deep pain and quiet toughness of this character and adroitly handling Blanchard’s taut vocal writing.”
—Kyle MacMillan, Chicago Sun Times
“Chicago audiences have treasured Will Liverman’s performances since his early apprentice years at Lyric (including a workshop traversal of Donizetti’s Don Pasquale in which the young baritone virtually stole the show as the Notary), so it was a special delight to have him back with his beautifully vocalized, gripping portrayal of Charles.”
—Mark Thomas Ketterson, Opera News
“a sizzling, emotional performance. Liverman embodies all of Charles’ passions perfectly from joy to panic to despair, all the while singing with beauty and emotional power. It is the marriage of a beautifully written role with a remarkable singing actor.”
—Henson Keys, Parterre
“Blanchard’s jazz roots are woven into the soaring baritone of Will Liverman as Charles… Liverman sings… with heartbreaking tenderness and emotion.”
—Kathy D. Hey, Third Coast Review
“Will Liverman, a formidable baritone and fine actor”
—Hedy Weiss, WTTW
“Will Liverman delivers a strong, fearless portrayal of Charles.”
—Eddy Lamarre, Rolling Out
“The topflight cast includes many of America’s most brilliant singing actors, including Will Liverman, an alumnus of Lyric’s Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, in the central role of Charles”
—Barbara Keer, Splash Magazines
Chicago Sinfonietta, Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute Concert, 2022
“Liverman’s commanding voice … was warm, with rich low notes and an exciting ring to his upper range. His declamation, particularly in the selections from Mendelssohn’s Elijah, was emotionally charged, bringing the oratorio into the realm of opera. “Is not his Word Like a Fire” was especially electrifying.”
—Katherine Buzard, Chicago Classical Review
“Liverman's voice gained Biblical dimensions"
—Bob Benenson, Third Coast Review
Dreams of a New Day, 2021
“While opera singers were sidelined during the pandemic, baritone Will Liverman made his dream album – one devoted to Black composers. He commissioned Shawn Okpebholo to write Two Black Churches, which includes "The Rain," a dark mediation on the horrific 2015 church shooting in Charleston, S.C. With water as a recurring image, the song reveals its pain slowly and deliberately. Midway through, Liverman's velvety voice rises high to a hushed falsetto as he sings "Emanuel AME Church." The song ends with a shower of rippling piano notes turning to solitary, slowly rising chords, as if trying to keep its head above water.”
—Tom Huizenga, NPR, “The Best Music of 2021”
“Will Liverman’s album was a 2021 top pick for me because of its sincerity – rarely have I heard a singer able to convey so much honestly in every song. The baritone is not afraid to take chances when it comes to using effective programming to create a narrative. … I found myself immediately captivated by how Liverman could portray a scene, a poignant moment, or even a tragic historical event with such emotional vibrance. … This album is musical and collaborative mastery at its finest.”
—Azusa Ueno, The Classical Review, “Year In Review - Our Top Classical Albums for 2021”
“his luscious baritone voice joyous in its beauty and musicality”
—Mike Bolton, WRTI, “WRTI’S Best of 2021”
The Metropolitan Opera, Fire Shut Up in My Bones, 2021
“the muscular-voiced baritone Will Liverman, in a breakthrough performance”
—Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times
“a remarkable, richly nuanced performance...he shined throughout”
“Will Liverman sings the older Charles, sometimes in unison with the child, and we know from his carriage and his beefy baritone that the terrors and tremors will ease. Liverman is an elegant singer, precise in his phrasing, timbre, and diction.”
—Justin Davidson, New York Magazine/Vulture
“Baritone Will Liverman took his lyric voice to the very limits of its capabilities in Charles’s violently emotional arias. And in more reflective moments, he revealed a piano sound so delicious you couldn’t help falling in love with him purely on the basis of timbre.”
—James Jorden, Observer
“As the grown-up Charles, Will Liverman parceled out his emotions, reserving his outbursts for key moments in a performance infused with intelligence and restrained intensity.”
—Joanne Sydney Lessner, Opera News
“Will Liverman ascends to superstardom... Liverman was subtle, prickly, heartbreaking, and transcendent, with a powerful dramatic range and voice absolutely resplendent with color. This role shows him as an artist capable of creating fascinating, realistic characters while retaining complete control over his instrument, which he wields like a champion fencer.”
—Gabrielle Ferrari, Parterre
"Liverman’s baritone takes flight"
—David Salazar, Operawire
“the opera's main character is Charles, embodied with brilliant gravity and charisma by baritone Will Liverman”
—Nate Chinen, WBGO
“Will Liverman (Charles), Latonia Moore (his mother), and Angel Blue (a variety of feminine ideal characters) were in top vocal and theatrical form opening night”
—David Patrick Stearns, The Philadelphia Inquirer
“Liverman (in the main role of Charles) ennobled everything he sang, not with any exterior sanctimony but through a candid portrayal of a distressed human soul.”
—David Patrick Stearns, Classical Voice North America
“As the adult Charles, Will Liverman captures the young man’s singular struggle and anguish in a portrayal that comes across with great emotional intensity on screen. His beefy baritone has a heroic ring to it, but as revealed in two recent recordings of art song, he has a gift for mining a text which is on full display here. He’s also adept at conveying Charles’ tender side and shyly developing sense of humour.”
—Clive Paget, Limelight
Park Avenue Armory, Recital Series, 2021
“he balanced forceful intensity with winningly intimate singing in songs by Strauss, Ravel and Rachmaninoff… I was moved, and impressed, when Liverman performed his own arrangement of a medley of music by Brian McKnight — a favorite R&B artist of his, he explained — singing with lovely casualness while accompanying himself deftly on the piano."
—Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times
“Liverman… proved, yet again, that he is one of the most compelling baritones around. In addition to possessing an uncommonly radiant instrument, Liverman sings with a level of textual specificity and musical nuance that suggests a constant interior monologue and a clear point of view about the person or persons he’s singing to.”
—Joanne Sydney Lessner, Opera News
The Metropolitan Opera, SummerStage Recital, 2021
“great romantic sentiment and skillful execution”
—Logan Martell, OperaWire
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Highway 1, USA, 2021
“Will Liverman, as Bob, gave an exemplary vocal performance, his fine, fluent baritone resonant and freely produced throughout its range. His projection of the character’s decency and loving nature seemed as effortless as his singing.”
—Opera News
“Bob gets some of the most beautiful solo music in “Highway,” which Liverman handles with affecting, even soothing grace. But he also makes the most of the moments that curdle. In the second scene, when Bob briefly comes around to Mary’s more jaundiced view of his brother, Liverman seethes along with the churning, mechanical sound that Slatkin elicits from the orchestra.”
—Seth Colter Walls, The New York Times
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, I Dream A World, 2021
“Will Liverman's voice has such resonant power and drama... Will Liverman's rich, deep voice and the wonderful stride piano give us gospel at its best.”
—Steve Callahan, Broadway World
Dreams of a New Day, 2021
“What I love about Liverman's voice is his dynamic control. He has a gorgeous half-voice, or mezza-voce as the opera nerds would say, and even falsetto, used to astonishing effect…”
—Tom Huizenga, NPR
"...devastatingly beautiful..."
—Michael Andor Brodeur, The Washington Post
“He sings, with generous, full-heated conviction… […] Liverman taps his full operatic powers in both Churches, whether in sustained long phrases, dramatically sharp attacks, or dying lamentations.”
—Steven Winn, San Francisco Classical Voice
“Will Liverman’s lyric voice is well suited to many pieces selected for this album and shows off his proclivities to power, attention to poetry, and fine-tuned vocalism... Fans of his rumbling baritone voice will be equally pleased with the great deal of sensitivity displayed throughout this album.”
—Aaron Paige, Archives of African American Music and Culture
"Dreams of a New Day faultlessly captures the Black American experience, past and present."
—Kiana Del, 90.5 WUOL
“Liverman and the pianist Paul Sánchez perform the diptych with clarity, sensitivity, and barely contained heartbreak.”
—Oussama Zahr, The New Yorker
"velvet-voiced baritone Will Liverman is out to make the classical music canon more inclusive..."
—Tom Huizenga, NPR
"Dreams of a New Day, which highlights the work of Black composers and writers across several generations, ensconces you in its sonic amber, and you’ll welcome the paralysis...Dreams of a New Day is both timeless and all too timely."
—Hannah Edgar, Chicago Reader
“Performed with beauty, poise and conviction, the resulting disc is a powerful tribute to a sea of talent too often neglected and sounds a call for social justice.”
—Kate Wakeling, Classical Music, BBC Music Magazine
"the program is revelatory...both compelling and groundbreaking"
—James Manheim, AllMusic
“Liverman envelops us in his full-bodied voice, one that delivers a message of yearning and hope...Dreams of a New Day is one of those rare albums that transcends being a top-notch performance – it is an experience. Strongly recommended.”
—Azusa Ueno, The Classic Review
“A breakthrough… I listened to this album with pleasure and affirmation”
—Norman Lebrecht, Ludwig van Toronto
"A unique and thought-provoking encounter not only with some first-rate music and performances, but also with equally important poetic texts that in various ways express the Black experience in America."
—David Vernier, Classics Today
“The new album by the baritone Will Liverman, a recent Papageno at New York’s Metropolitan Opera, and pianist Paul Sánchez should be obligatory listening… Liverman is a nuanced, heartfelt storyteller, with Sánchez an ever expressive musical partner.”
—Fiona Maddocks, The Guardian
“This CD succeeds on so many levels that it leaves you stunned with admiration … the model for what a release of this sort should be … in so many ways, an indispensable recording.”
—Fanfare Magazine
"These are first-rate songs that deserve to be known and performed, and it is hard to imagine them performed better than they are here by Liverman and Sanchez."
—R. Moore, American Record Guide
"Liverman sings superbly throughout"
—Graham Rickson, The Arts Desk
"Liverman delivers a series of heart-felt songs of the highest quality that run the gamut of human emotion and particularly focused on what it means to be Black in America […] This is a superior collection of art songs whose drama and artistry will register with lovers of great singing, music and poetry regardless of their own experience."
—Linda Holt, ConcertoNet
"remarkable"
—People’s World
The best classical recordings of 2020: CSO, Kevin Cole and James Lentini, 2020
“Baritone Liverman, a Ryan Opera Center alum, transcends barriers of genre and style on this immensely appealing album.”
—Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune
2020 Marian Anderson Vocal Award Concert: Will Liverman in Recital, 2020
“...firmly supported and commanding an ever-expanding palette of shades and resonances...”
—Harry Rose, Parterre
“...a voice for this historic moment.”
—Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post
Whither Must I Wander, 2020
"The first thing one experiences on hearing this program is the sheer burnished beauty and heroism of Will Liverman's baritone. His voice is impeccably musical, nicely declamatory, dramatically present, powerful and rather sublimely booming forth no matter what the song. Pianist Jonathan King seconds Liverman with a pianism that is poetic and, yes, heroic in its own way as well.”
—Grego Applegate Edwards, Gapplegate Classical-Modern Music Review
"An exquisitely polished and engaging performance. The storytelling in each song and the chemistry with pianist Jonathan King is something quite exceptional."
Wolf Trap, Winterreise, 2020
"This interpretation had a sustained intensity that never faltered. With consummate composure, Liverman stood like a glaring statue, fists clenched at his sides, for a little over an hour. Little movement or other emoting undermined the dramatic sense of a man on a journey inward, trying to hold in his explosive rage and not always succeeding. The voice revealed itself gradually and in many complicated facets. Liverman took the first song and others in phrases that joined together two lines of poetry in a single breath, displaying powerful lung support and a seamless legato line.”
—Charles T. Downey, Washington Classical Review
The Metropolitan Opera, The Magic Flute, 2020
"In a capital portrayal, baritone Will Liverman's Papageno wowed the crowd with his attractive timbre, excellent diction, and the endearing, masculine charm of his acting. Steering clear of the shrieking that some Papagenos have resorted to in the production's dialogue, Mr. Liverman opted instead for a wonderfully natural presentation, his verbal timing always on the mark. He was as perfect a Papageno as I have ever encountered.”
—Oberon’s Grove
Photo by Jaclyn Simpson