Reviews By Role

ARABELLA

“Ellie Dehn, singing her first Arabella, was splendid—regal in bearing and intelligent in her deliberations—and sang the role with clarity and fresh, expressive phrasing. Heidi Stober was a captivating Zdenka, her lithe instrument registering with yearning intensity. The two sopranos made their Act I duet, “Aber der Richtige,” a richly moving episode.”

Georgia Rowe, Opera News

“Two sisters from the aristocratic-but-broke Waldner family are at the center of the plot; its eponymous protagonist is played by clear-voiced soprano Ellie Dehn. Though Arabella may be short on finances, she’s not short on stature, beauty or, consequently, suitors; Dehn sounds good and looks particularly engaging in her ballroom finery.”

James Ambroff-Tahan, San Francisco Examiner

“In the title role, soprano Ellie Dehn anchored the performance with a pleasing new roundness in her tone and gracious presence. There is something a little cool about her acting, but Arabella has cautiousness about her, and the warmth of Dehn's singing was convincing.”

Phillip Campbell, Bay Area Reporter

MANON

“American soprano Ellie Dehn (Fiordiligi and Donna Anna in recent SFO Mozart revivals) brought purity of voice, impeccable technique and refined musicianship and made Massenet’s shallow trollop into an exquisite porcelain miniature. In aria after aria (there are lots and lots of them) Ms. Dehn’s Manon’s artistic integrity belied her selfishly frivolous ambitions. Her crystalline portrayal reflected off of the mirrored floor, her shadow caught on a curved wall that was at once her world and the world’s display case.”

Michael Milenski, Opera Today

"The equivalent of the orchestral splendor on stage came from Ellie Dehn in the title role. The beauty of her voice, at its optimum now, combined with a stage presence that gave us a believable Manon — she met a tough challenge, rarely accomplished because the character has such great range, from a naive, silly girl on her way (reluctantly) to the convent, to a lover, a temptress, and finally the victim."

Janos Gereben,  Opera West
 

"Fortuitously, soprano Ellie Dehn in the title role proved a riveting focus throughout the production. As the opera’s conflicted protagonist who is torn between her love for Des Grieux and the luxe lifestyle that other men offer, Dehn’s ample, clear voice was up to the composer’s five-act demands on the role. She could be sublimely powerful, as she was with a touching yet intense delivery of “Adieu, notre petite table” in Act 2 or delightfully impish, as in a balloon-festooned, jaunty Cours-la-Reine scene in Act 3.”

James Ambroff-Tahan,  SF Examiner

Alice Ford

“As his romantic nemesis Alice Ford, Dehn had no trouble sparring with de Candia. Her luminous soprano and virtuoso theatrical abilities were perfectly matched with de Candia's vocal power and comical skills. Their ironically tender amorous exchanges were a joy to watch: impeccably timed, riotously funny and vocally skilled.”
Erica Miner, Broadway World

“Ellie Dehn, who had sung Mozart and Puccini with San Diego Opera, was a clear toned Alice Ford who sang with an opulent, voluminous sound. I would love to hear her sing one of the lighter Richard Strauss roles. ” 
Maria Nockin, Opera Today

“As Alice Ford, Ellie Dehn’s soaring, elegant soprano illuminated every scene blessed by her presence, and the lighter but equally fluid soprano of the young Maureen McKay as her love-struck daughter Nannetta proved an ideal match.” 
Ken Herman, San Diego Story

“The quadrant of scheming women is headed up by Alice Ford, wonderfully interpreted by Ellie Dehn. Of all cast members, Ms. Dehn deflects Tambosi’s insurmountable hilarity by achieving comedic sarcasm judiciously. Her soprano voice is well-suited for the rôle, ensuring a bracket of sensibility, good taste and understated dominance. Since her appearance in La Bohème in 2010, one can see a greater depth of sophistication, poise, control, confidence and operatic maturity...she’s the glue that holds Falstaff together. ” 
Christie Grimstad, Concertonet.com

Violetta

“Heading the production’s excellent cast was soprano Ellie Dehn, who lit up the main character, Violetta Valéry, with her sparkling stage presence, affecting acting and charismatic brio. With a radiant, dazzlingly agile voice that could hardly be better suited to this music, she handled every facet of the role with confidence and aplomb, from its most challenging coloratura to its most tender moments. In short, this was a star-worthy performance in every way.”

Kyle MacMillan, Opera News

“On Saturday, opening night for the Central City Opera summer season, soprano Ellie Dehn took the stage in the jewel box theater at 8,500 feet and delivered one of CCO's most extraordinary performances in recent years. Almost from the moment the curtain rose, Dehn's physical and vocal presence gripped the audience. The brief first act saw her run a gauntlet of emotion and mental conflict that made everybody understand why young Alfredo Germont falls in love so quickly with Violetta… And for a soprano to get all that, she had better be spectacular. Dehn basks in her character's radiance, nowhere more movingly than the moment she sings her own title of "Traviata" in a deathbed prayer.”
Kelly Dean Hansen, Daily Camera

“But the star of the evening is “la traviata” herself, “the wayward one” Violetta, and with Ellie Dehn the Opera has a Violetta of the first rank. She has sung at Milan’s La Scala and the Metropolitan Opera, and on the strength of her performance here she should have more major appearances in her future. Blessed with a lovely voice, Dehn sang with control and expression. The decorative passages were not mere technical display, but expressions of her fickle nature before she discovers her love for Alfredo. Her signature aria “Sempre libera” (Forever free) was just one shade too insistent, as if trying to convince herself. And in the final scene, Dehn used the contrast between the full-voiced singing that Verdi demands, and more halting moments to convey the contrast between Violetta’s soaring spirit and her failing body. Opera lovers should fill the house to hear Dehn’s Violetta.”
Peter Alexander, Boulder Weekly

Rusalka

“Soprano, Ellie Dehn, in the title role knocked the ball out of the park, the aria was well-done, too. She carried off the girl-in-love, and the jilted girl-in-love with a natural, graceful, musical finesse with which she commanded the stage.”
Floyd Gingrich, The Examiner

“Ellie Dehn, who portrayed Rusalka, was stunning: even when her character was unable to speak, her facial expressions and body language dominated the stage, leaving no questions as to Rusalka’s thoughts or feelings. This laudable acting made the audience silently beg for her to produce sound. When she was singing, her voice was magnificent, floating above the orchestra and enriching the emotional content of the opera.”
Christopher Gage, KC Metropolis

“Ellie Dehn was convincing as the tormented title role, with a gorgeous “Song to the Moon” but also compelling during her silence.”
Libby Hanssen, Kansas City Star

Euryanthe

"The title role has been the property of Wagnerian sopranos on recordings, with Maria Reining and Jessye Norman notable interpreters. Yet Euryanthe was created by soprano Henriette Sontag (1806–54), who sang the premieres of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and Missa Solemnis in 1824. Obviously Sontag had flexibility and easy, blooming top notes; so did Bard's Ellie Dehn, a real boon in Weber's many quick scale-work passages. The basic purity of Dehn's Mozart-honed sound and her very sympathetic stage persona also proved assets." --

David Shengold, Opera News

"Among its many assets, Bard’s production boasts two first class voices—tenor William Burden as the virtuous knight, Adolar, and soprano Ellie Dehn, as his much-maligned lover, Euryanthe. Dehn, in particular, has a gorgeous melting quality to her voice, and used her considerable acting skills to create an appealingly vulnerable Euryanthe."
Laura Genero, The American Spectator

"Ellie Dehn was the lovely, corseted Euryanthe.  She has a luscious, silky voice and a pleasing stage presence."

Charles Jernigan, Opera Pronto

Mostly Mozart

"Ellie Dehn possesses a beautiful, bronzed and rich soprano,"
Corrina da Fonseca-Wollheim, The New York Times

"Most astonishing of all was the final piece on the program, Messiaen’s Chants de terre et de ciel of 1938, arranged in 2008 by Cliff Colnot for voice, violin, viola, cello, piccolo, flutes, clarinets, piano, and percussion. The playing was decisive and emotive from beginning to end: bright constellations of notes conveying a wide range in dynamic and drama. To avoid unnecessary levels of gushing, I’ll list some adjectives that I jotted down while listening to this performance: thought-provoking, beautiful, strong, intense, stunning. Messiaen’s texts, written himself as a reflection on love and family, were treated with care not only by soprano Ellie Dehn but by all of the performers. During the section “Rainbow of Innocence (for my little Pascal)”, I could hear the “rainbows” that Messiaen must have seen while composing the music. Every word and note sprang alive with the imagery of the text, from “strands of sunshine” and an “alphabet of laughter” to “slanted midnights” followed by Easter morning."
Rebecca Lenties, Bach Track

Antonia

"The best moment of the evening, however, came from the Antonia of Ellie Dehn: vocally flawless, completely in tune and capable of phrasing pain and full of sadness. The character is revealed in all its fragility, even through tense moments during the difficult trio, where the frenzied ascent to high D flat signified a moment of musical emotion." -
Andrea Dellabianca, GB Opera

Fiordiligi

"As Fiordiligi, soprano Ellie Dehn gave her finest performance since her SFO debut in 2010. The extreme smoothness of her beautiful voice, which betrayed no hard edge, seemed ideal for such a pastel production, and her tall, graceful bearing and extraordinary neck were a joy to gaze upon."

Jason Victor Serinus, San Francisco Classical Voice

"The evening’s pleasures lay in the remaining trio: Ellie Dehn’s sincere Fiordiligi, showing beautiful sound and musicianship throughout"

David Shengold, Gay City News

“In contrast, Ellie Dehn's Fiordiligi was a mesmerizing combination of vocal and theatrical know-how.” -
David Patrick Stearns, The Philadelphia Enquirer

Countess

"There's no better place than with Ellie Dehn's transportingly beautiful performance as the Countess Almaviva… Dehn imbues the Countess with such purity of voice and eloquence of spirit that her dilemma pierces the heart. In every appearance, especially in her two key arias, Dehn entrances with her elegant legato and ability to express the most intense emotion with grace and composure." -
Everett Evans, The Houston Chronicle

"Also making an impressive SFO debut was Ellie Dehn as the Countess. The slender soprano has the right regal bearing for the philandering Almaviva’s long-suffering spouse, yet she also entered into the comedy surely as well. Possessed of a lovely radiant soprano Dehn’s two arias were highlights of the evening her spacious hushed Dove sono reducing the vast house to complete silence." -
Lawrence A. Johnson, The Classical Review

"As the long-suffering Countess, soprano Ellie Dehn brings regal reserve, authority, and a velvety voice to break our hearts (There wasn't a noise to be heard during her ravishing aria "Dove sono," her simple plea to return to times past when her husband still loved her.)"
D.L. Groover, Houston Press

Musetta

"Fortunately, soprano Ellie Dehn was on hand to reprise her sumptuous, sparkling turn as the sexually irresistible Musetta- her act 2 rendition of the showpiece "Quando M'en Vo" was as joyous and witty as ever."  

Josh Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle

"Vocally, the evening is excellent... Special mention for Musetta, spinning and perfectly sung is the young American
Ellie Dehn."
Jean-Marc Proust, OPÉRA Magazine

"In her first in-house lead, Ellie Dehn had a wonderful evening as a clearly articulated, clean-voiced Musetta, adorable but not outlandish. Can we hear this fine Mozartean singing her specialty?" 
David Shengold, Gay City News

Donna Anna

"In the role of the wronged and vengeance-seeking “Donna Anna”, soprano Ellie Dehn is a lovely presence and is vocally pleasing throughout each of her two arias. Although not as formidable as the male leads, including her suitor – “Don Ottavio” (Shawn Mathey) – Dehn is nevertheless the attractive leading lady worth waiting for."
Sean Martinfield, San Francisco Sentinel

“American soprano Ellie Dehn's Donna Anna was a revelation. Her horror at her father's murder was palpable, and her satiny soprano unleashed a torrent of desperation and passion as she veered between mourning and a thirst for vengeance.” -
Wynne Delacoma, The Chicago Sun-Times

“Soprano Ellie Dehn is a revelation as Donna Anna, the Commendatore's daughter and the opera's most pathetic character. Dehn plays Anna not as a matronly prude, but as a vibrant, sensual, passionate woman. The beautiful aria "Non mi dir" has never sounded better.” -
Kelly Dean Hansen, The Daily Camera

“Ellie Dehn (Donna Anna) sang the coloratura in "Non mi dir" with clarity, and made full use of her lush color on the sustained lines of the aria amidst gently falling snow.”
Ruth Carver, The Examiner

Donna Elvira

“With a ravishing lyric soprano of clear international Mozartean potential, Ellie Dehn sang one of the great Elviras of my experience, fearlessly limning a sensual, funny, desperate woman worthy of Almodóvar.”
David Shengold, Gay City News

“As the jilted (and possibly crazy) Elvira, Ellie Dehn delivered rapturous tones and vocal charisma - a gorgeous talent starting to bloom.”
Pierre Ruhe, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Among the ladies, Ellie Dehn’s Donna Elvira was technically and musically the outstanding role. In this production she had the advantage of her big aria (“Mi Tradi”) coming just after the intermission: it brought down the house.” --
William Gudger, Post and Courier

Cressida

“The star of the show was Ellie Dehn as Cressida, a charismatic soprano with great stage presence and a voice combining metallic clarity and sensual richness.” -
Heidi Waleson, The Wall Street Journal

“Ellie Dehn excelled as Cressida, a role written for Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (who recorded excerpts but declined to sing it on stage). Strong in the love music and in her impassioned reaction to Troilus’s apparent failure to write, Dehn deepened the character with telling introspective singing.”
George Loomis, Financial Times

“It's hard to imagine the role of Cressida more gorgeously sung than by Ellie Dehn, who strings out her lines, and soars on high, with warmth and elegance.”

Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News

Mimi

“Two debuts at San Diego Opera’s “La Bohème” on Saturday night: one expected, one unexpected -- both impressive... She stepped onto the San Diego Civic Center stage on opening night and sang Puccini’s fragile heroine for the first time with an expansive, clear tone and simple, straightforward characterization.” 
James C Taylor, Los Angeles Times

“Anoka native Ellie Dehn, her innocence touched with guile, is a radiant Mimi; hers is a voice of enveloping warmth and richness. In her death scene, played with artful simplicity, more than one tear rolled down my hardened critical cheek.”
Larry Fuchsberg, Star Tribune

Juliet

“Great singing on the part of its leads is necessary to make a strong case for it. And in Ellie Dehn and James Valenti, Minnesota Opera struck gold… Dehn’s Juliet had the coloratura for a dazzling "Waltz Song" and a voice large enough to encompass the demands of the potion aria.” --

William Randall Beard, Mpls St. Paul Magazine

“Dehn, an Anoka native, is plainly verging on a major career. She is equally sovereign in the brittle waltz aria of Act 1 ("Je veux vivre") and in the more dramatically cogent potion aria of Act 4 (which, though traditionally cut, is perhaps Juliette's finest moment). In the death scene, her singing takes on an ethereal beauty.” 

Larry Fuchsberg, Star Tribune

George London Foundation Recital

“Since a career on the operatic stage seems in the cards, let's look at what this particular recital revealed about her chances for success...Confidence and professionalism. Ellie Dehn has got it. No hesitation, no self-effacement, no false modesty. She sings out with great verve and gusto. There is a star waiting to burst out here.”
Fred Kirshnit, The New York Sun

“…the soprano of Ms. Dehn, a 2007 George London award winner, sounded in radiant bloom. She ably wielded her appealingly warm, agile voice in a passionate rendition of “Amour, ranime mon courage” from Gounod’s “Roméo and Juliette.” 
Vivien Schweitzer, The New York Times

Jemmy

“Typical of Queler and the overall appeal of the opera in concert, an always cut aria for Tell’s son, Jemmy was given a spectacular performance by young American soprano Ellie Dehn, whom OONY introduced to New York. Her coloratura and vocal poise stopped the show.”
John Ostendorf, Bulletin of the NY Singing Teachers Association