Rusalka, Stadttheater Bremerhaven
...vocal characterisation did not come at the expense of tonal beauty. She was able to express the Foreign Princess’s anger with vocal nuance and consistency. -Seen and Heard Internationl
Julia Mintzer as the provocative princess fulfilled her duties very well. -Der Opernreund
…the foreign princess would fit the prince much better, which Julia Mintzer equips with a luscious soprano and copious sex appeal. -Leselust
Chasing Waterfalls, Die Semperoper Dresden
Julia Mintzer puts contagious euphoria in the voice of Happiness. -Die Deutsche Buehne
Salome, Tulsa Opera
Mintzer, who was making her debut in the role of Salome, was from start to finish extraordinary. This was a fearless, fully inhabited performance that required her to span her entire vocal range in addition to evoking all manner of dark emotions, and Mintzer sang with power, precision and nuance.
- Tulsa World, April 2022
Thérèse Raquin, Theater an der Wien
Julia Mintzer ... embodies Thérèse in all her humanity, her cruelty and her desire for revolt. The interpretation of the role takes into account the complexity of the character and underlines her sensual as well as existential frustration, which gives her no outlet. Her singing is a testament to self-confidence and virtuosity. Its silky and warm timbre is able to embody the multiple facets of the character through thoughtful and precise nuances. The low register is dark and menacing, but also seductive and appealing due to its natural gravity, while the high register is pleasingly piercing, uniting precision with sensuality. --Olyrix, December 2021
The savior of the evening was American soprano Julia Mintzer... shining with an intense portrayal of a woman forced to marry a disabled cousin, falling in love with his best friend, and eventually helping her lover kill her husband...the result was harrowing and vocally impressive. Everything was just right. She was rightly celebrated. - Radio Klassik, December 2021
The American soprano Julia Mintzer was a win as a splendid jump-in, who rehearsed the role of Thérèse Raquin both musically and scenically within four days (!) A border crossing that has paid off, because Mintzer is this Thérèse, a woman trapped in philistine hell who wants to free herself, who has passionate, obsessive sex with the painter Laurent, only to go mad after the shared murder. And you can see all of this extremely drastically because director Christian Thausing does not take prisoners. He transports the events from the 19th century into a desolate American small-town ambience, for which Christoph Gehre created a fantastically detailed standardized stage design. And yes, all of the sex scenes are shown very explicitly; in the second act, however, a film like “One flew over the cuckoo's nest” almost says hello. Mintzer is right in the middle of it all, singing and acting to the point of complete emptying. Our compliments! - Kurier, December 2021
...the main part of the work rests on the title character - - on Sunday Julia Mintzer was flown in from London, and on Thursday she sang the premiere brilliantly, something that no one could imitate so quickly. Dressed up "witch-like" with wild black curly hair, she is not for a moment the pitiable creature, but always an active perpetrator who "jumps" at her lover (with all the consequences) and does not shy away from murder. Afterwards, she wanders around like Lady Macbeth - a great performance, also sovereignly rendered with a mezzo that reaches effortlessly into the heights. -Der Merker
Julia Mintzer ...had five days to rehearse the demanding mezzo part with its bloodcurdling heights. It's magnificent how Mintzer, with wild, black curls and a psychotic look, walks between depression and obsession. - Der Standard, December 2021
As Therese, Julia Mintzer, who jumped in at short notice - commanding, spirited and piercingly intense— takes center stage.. - Kronen Zeitung
….the US-American succeeds in a brilliant performance as Thérèse, wading in suffering. - Pulse24, December 2021
Julia Mintzer was flown in from London for the premiere on Thursday, who only had a few days to familiarize herself with the production and to refresh the role she last played 12 years ago. ... Mintzer offered an expressive, versatile portrait of this character, and was as undeterred in her physicality by the sex scenes as she was by the stage blood. Her slightly dark mezzo also managed to arouse some sympathy. - Opera in Wien, December 2021
…jump-in Julia Mintzer (Thérèse) conveys the desperation of a predator driven into a corner — Wiener Zeitung, December 2021
Julia Mintzer, who was specially flown in from London, only had five days to rehearse the demanding part - and she did it with flying colors. — Opinion Leaders Network
Carmen, Welsh National Opera
The part of Carmen is often described as the ultimate mezzo-soprano role. The performer has to be seductive, sing with power and accuracy, and has to be able to dance. Fortunately Julia Mintzer, who has sung the role in America and elsewhere in Europe, meets the three tests with plenty to spare. Whether singing alone, in duets with Don Jose, or in ensembles with her smuggler pals, she sounds marvelous. —Plays to See, March 2020
Julia Mintzer as Carmen is pure energy and grit. This is a great improvement from last year’s production, which lacked tension and teeth. Mintzer has stage presence and a voice to match it. She is a credible Carmen who never falls into stereotype. She’s sensual and defiant.—Get the Chance Wales, February 2020
…the UK premier of Julia Mintzer playing Carmen was exciting. She makes the role, with swagger and lustful intent…the spice of the part is always present.. —Art Scene in Wales, March 2020
From America, Julia Mintzer, with her clear seductive mezzo, gives her Carmen a wild gypsy touch, almost and at times literally fighting her feisty way through the narrative…Julia Mintzer just is Carmen— she brings Carmen’s gypsy quality to flavour her strong mezzo and to her acting…She also has a strong physical quality that we see more and more of as she ‘dashes’ from scene to another. She is the show, and we are very much excited by her. An extraordinary, brilliant performance to watch. —Theatre in Wales, February 2020
Julia Mintzer plays Carmen’s free spirit well. She’s sultry, dominant, determined and will ultimately be punished for embracing it. —Backstage Bristol, March 2020
Carmen herself is opera’s ultimate seductress, a role convincingly played by Julia Mintzer who portrayed her fiery spirit and sexual appeal with an air of danger and an almost tangible awareness of her own sexual power. The scene where she is tied up and uses her sexual allure to reel Jose into her clutches was mesmerising. —Chew Valley Gazete, March 2020
Julia Mintzer was compellingly sexy as the titular temptress —Good Reads, March 2020
Julia Mintzer's titular Carmen is sultry and modern. —What’s On Wales, March 2020
It’s Julia Mintzer’s UK and WNO debut in the role and she brings a welcome Latino warmth to Leslie Travers’ dusty urban set. —Bristol 24 7, March 2020
La forza del destino, Theater Aachen
Julia Mintzer had unbelievable charisma and theatrical presence. — Der Opern Freund, September 2018
Julia Mintzer as Preziosilla convinced with her stage presence and cleanly produced voice — O-Ton, September 2018
Julia Mintzer in the role of Preziosilla again was impressive in appearance and physical presence. — Klenkes Stadt Magazin Aachen, September 2018
Maria Stuarda, Theater Aachen
Here, the acting talents of the Juillard graduate Julia Mintzer in the role of Elisabetta convinced. She also deserves the laurels of the evening for her vocal performance. —Klenkes Stadt Magazin Aachen, June 2018
Julia Mintzer convinces with a cool, exciting, well-controlled mezzo as Elisabetta.— Aachener Zeitung, June 2018
Maria Stuarda, Landestheater Schleswig-Holstein
Maria Stuarda’s adversary, the Queen of England, has a fitting performer in Julia Mintzer. Her Elisabetta is bursting with anger, frustration, arrogance and self doubt— frames of mind and characteristics which the American, with her full, earthy, powerful mezzo-soprano, is able to capably realise with her expressions and her voice. —Das Opernglass, January 2017
Julia Mintzer acted in the role of Elisabetta as a gloriously bitchy power-house and wicked dominatrix with a bronzed mezzo sound. — Flensburger Tageblatt, January 2017
Julia Mintzer was a lascivious, dangerously cooing queen who...made the ambivalence of this basically unsympathetic personality credible. — Kieler Nachrichten, January 2017
Carmen, Landestheater Schleswig-Holstein
The American Julia Mintzer, a guest, is ideal casting: fresh, lascivious, coquettish, and strong. Her soprano register shines like fire, while her mezzo register definitely shows that she is not to be trifled with. — Kieler Nachrichten, September 2016
Julia Mintzer plays her role with cynicism, innocence, and cruelty, barefoot at the beginning, and with great dedication, She is very seductive with her body language and her acting. Her voice is especially expressive in her high register. —Schleswiger Nachrichten, September 2016
Carmen, Boheme Opera New Jersey
As Carmen, mezzo-soprano Julia Mintzer took immediate command of the stage and the role. From her opening "Habanera," Ms. Mintzer was clearly a cut above the singers heard to that point in the opera, and she never came onstage without sultriness and vocal craftiness. Her scenes with tenor Patrick Miller's Don José were among the most dramatic in the opera. —Town Topics Newspaper, April 2016
Madama Butterfly, Florentine Opera
Mezzo-soprano Julia Mintzer was wonderful as Suzuki. Her voice was rich and pliable-- from chest-tone power in the lower range to a graceful floating quality in her higher range to a flexible ability to blend with Cambridge in their gorgeous Flower Duet-- and she brought a quiet dignity to her role. — http://urbanmilwaukee.com/, October 2015
Julia Mintzer (Suzuki) and Mark Walters (Sharpless), by contrast, powerfully embodied their roles, both dramatically and musically. —http://www.milwaukeemag.com, October 2015
Orfeo, Grand Harmonie
The work is firmly focused on Orpheus, sung with pathos and resolve by Semper Opera mezzo-sopranoJulia Mintzer…Mintzer's singing of this music of dejection was thoughtful and original, paying close attention to the text, projecting dignity in the midst of loss. —The Boston Musical Intelligencer, October 2014
Der Teufel mit den Drei Goldenen Haaren, Die Semperoper Dresden
… Julia Mintzer also acted and sang well in the role of the Lucky Child, her voice shining as the sun, cheerful, courageous… —Neues Deutschland, December 2013
Ariadne auf Naxos, Die Semperoper Dresden
Equally impressive was a fine female trio of Naiad, Dryad, and Echo: Emily Dorn, Julia Mintzer, and Arantza Ezenarro. Their fabulous costumes were matched by assured singing and acting, offering quite the model of an Ariadne performance. — http://seenandheard-international.com, April 2014
little match girl passion, Glimmerglass Festival
Mintzer was especially impressive in a part that called for prodigious breath control and pinpoint accuracy. —Opera News, August 2013
Norma, Washington National Opera
Julia Mintzer showed promise as an intense Clotilde, a role that was once taken by the young Joan Sutherland. —Washington Post, March 2013 (Anne Midgette)
The Tragedy of Carmen, Dayton Opera
Vibrant and exciting mezzo Julia Mintzer portrays Carmen. She sings the great arias in succession with several reprises. She sings them brilliantly. Her acting is a dramatic triumph. —Oakwood Chronicle, May 2012
Roméo et Juliette, Dayton Opera
There was much pleasure in the chipper Stéphano of Julia Mintzer —Opera news, February 2012
Handel’s Messiah, Boston Baroque
The four vocal soloists—soprano Ava Pine, alto Julia Mintzer, tenor Keith Jameson, and baritone Andrew Garland, were all outstanding… Julia Mintzer in particular stood out... -Boston Musical Intelligencer (Steven Ledbetter), December 2011
...Mintzer sang with taste and generosity, and her rendering of He was despised was delivered to a hushed hall. —Boston Classical Review, December 2011
La Tragèdie de Carmen, Institut Canadien d’Art Vocal
The American Julia Mintzer… was a true Carmen: extremely sensual, with the grace of a serpent, the violence of a tiger, and a mezzo of penetrating depth. —La Presse (Montreal), August 2009