Dana Beth Miller "Thrills" with her "remarkable" mezzo as Ulrica in Florida Gran
"The Ulrica of Dana Beth Miller harkens to the great mezzos and contraltos of the past. She is the most interesting character in the entire piece. Her commitment is to giving a most beautiful sound while scaring the bejeezus out of us. It is time for her Azucena, Eboli and Amneris at Florida Grand Opera; this caliber doesn’t come along often.
-Jeff Haller, ConcertoNet.com, The Classical Music Network
"Mezzo-soprano Dana Beth Miller, showing her opposite side (having played the vulnerable young priestess Adalgisa in FGO’s last production of "Norma") easily slipped into the role of the sorceress Ulrica. She had the moves and officious pipes to plausibly summon the King of the Abyss to do his bidding (“Re dell'abisso, affrettati”). Miller’s remarkable chest and head voice was devoid of an edge. Her articulation was as rich as her facility for tone and character; her dramatic gestures and robust voice left the audience captivated and engaged." -Steve Gladstone, Miami ArtZine Read full review.
"I have saved the best for last. The role of Ulrica is a definitive scene-stealer. Marian Anderson made her Met debut in the role and I recall the extraordinary Dolora Zajick stealing the performances each time I saw her. Florida Grand Opera has a true star in Dana Beth Miller. Unusually young for the "hag" role, she is only on for one scene, and the impression she makes is palpable. A beautiful woman, she has a mezzo that thrills from her very first note. In addition, she consistently turns in the best acting of the evening."
- Jeffrey Bruce, Broadway Regional News and Reviews
"Mezzo Soprano Dana Beth Miller sang the famous role of the fortune-teller, Ulrica. Miller's voice is dark, velvety, rich, and throbbing as she sings her way through the agony and ecstasy that is Ulrica's short appearance in the opera. The character only appears in the second half of Act One but Verdi demands just as much from his mezzos as he does from his sopranos. Miller was able to sing a low G below the treble staff with a full-throated sound that filled the auditorium, and just a few measures after the composer had her singing near the top of her range. Miller was also the most committed to her character of all of the performers on stage and the only one who never seemed unsure of what she was doing." - Jack Gardner, Edge Media Network Read full review.
"Dana Beth Miller was a frightening Ulrica with the rich voice to match, her low notes reaching contralto depths." - Lawrence Budmen, South Florida Classical Review
"In her single scene, Dana Beth Miller made a profound impression as Ulrica, her deep contralto matched by a commanding stage persona." - Robert Croan, Palm Beach Arts Paper Read full review. "Saturday’s audience also was deeply fond of mezzo Dana Beth Miller, who sang Ulrica. Miller, who sang Adalgisa in last season’s Norma, has a thrilling lower register that she imbued with real fire, and indeed it was at her entrance, in scene 2 of Act I, that the production took off and found its groove. The selling point for Miller’s Ulrica was the dark, almost haunting quality of her lower notes and the sheer force with which she sang them; it was in every sense a memorable reading."Greg Stepanich, Palm Beach Arts Paper