August 31, 2010

“Musical Juggernaut”

Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln (The Book with Seven Seals)
Oratorio (1935-37) by Franz Schmidt

Thomas Cooley, tenor "Johannes"
Christiane Libor, soprano
Fredrika Brillembourg, mezzo-soprano
James Taylor, tenor
Robert Pomakov, bass-baritone
Kent Tritle, organ

"Evangelist and narrator Thomas Cooley was given the most challenging part, one that clearly "makes or breaks" such a long oratorio. His impeccable tone, articulation, and expressivity were winning; I could not imagine a better performance."
--Seth Lachterman, The Berkshire Review

HEAR Thomas Cooley

June 23, 2010

“Fiendish Agility”

Thomas Cooley, tenor
FestspielOrchester Göttingen  
Nicholas McGegan, conductor

HANDEL Tamerlano "Bajazet"

HEAR Thomas Cooley sing Handel

VISIT Thomas Cooley      

March 16, 2010

“TOOK EVERY RISK”

Thomas Cooley, tenor
Münchner Kammerorchester
Windsbacher Knabenchor
Karl-Friedrich Beringer, conductor

BACH St. John Passion “Evangelist”

“As the Evangelist he took every risk to increase the drama of the narrative.”

“The American tenor Thomas Cooley threw himself into the story... As the Evangelist he took every risk to increase the drama of the narrative. The passion-story of Christ vibrated through his entire body.”
--Berliner Morgenpost

“...the American tenor Thomas Cooley proved to be a fortunate choice [as Evangelist]. Thanks to his rarely heard radiant power and sensitivity, simply listening to the outer narrative line was a pleasure. Every word received its own interpretation and mood, whether in a simple recitative or in a solo-aria. Cooley overcame the acoustic difficulties of the 100+ meter church with absolutely no problem.”
--Main-Post.de

“...one has seldom heard such a bright-voiced Evangelist as Thomas Cooley with his ability to glide effortlessly into his falsetto...”
--Der Tagesspiegel

HEAR Tom sing “Total eclipse” from Handel’s Samson

January 6, 2010

“AN EPIPHANY”

Thomas Cooley, tenor
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra
Nicholas McGegan, conductor

MENDELSSOHN Lobgesang “Hymn of Praise”

“This neglected masterpiece proved an epiphany...a moving, exhilarating experience...particularly the gentle power of tenor Thomas Cooley. Each aria Cooley delivered was magnetic, but never more so than during a dark night of the soul that concluded with Pier offering a soaring solo of comfort from the third balcony.”
--Ron Hubbard, Pioneer Press



HEAR Tom in the title role in Handel’s Samson

Available at www.amazon.com

October 22, 2009

“THRILLING TRILLS”

Thomas Cooley, tenor “Acis”
Handel Acis and Galatea
Music of the Baroque
Jane Glover, conductor

“Tenor Thomas Cooley as Acis had the best diction, most even runs and thrilling trills of the evening, bringing a contagious and youthful exuberance to the role of the fated lover willing to sacrifice everything for his love.”
--Dennis Polkow, Chicago Classical Review

“Thomas Cooley as the amorous Acis was equally authentic, boasting a pure, expressive tone that easily filled the hall.”
--Michael Cameron, Chicago Tribune

“APPLAUSE WITHOUT END”
September 14, 2009

Thomas Cooley, tenor
Beethoven Symphony No. 9
Bamberg Symphony Orchestra
Jonathan Nott, conductor

“The well-earned praise for the gripping performance by soloists, choir and orchestra was applause without end. Outstanding, the lyric tenor Thomas Cooley. Beautiful, that the four soloists created a rounded but also differentiated sound.”
--Frank Kupke, Mainpost

“Nicht enden wollender Applaus war der verdiente Lohn für die ergreifende Darbietung von Solisten, Chor und Orchester. Hervorragend der lyrische Tenor Thomas Cooley. Schön, dass die vier Solisten auch als Ensemble ein rundes und doch differenziertes Klangbild schufen.”
--Frank Kupke, Mainpost

BBC 5-STAR PERFORMANCE
July 10, 2009

Nicholas McGegan, conductor
Thomas Cooley, tenor “Samson”
Handel Samson
FestspielOrchester Göttingen
Carus 83.425

JULY’S “BBC MUSIC CHOICE”!
PERFORMANCE
RECORDING

“Nicholas McGegan’s approach focuses on... states of mind and emotions. Tempos are reflective rather than animated, while instrumental expression and phrasing is strikingly subtle. Among many high points is...Micah’s ‘Return O God of Hosts’ with deeply sensitive orchestral support, the astonishingly unpredictable tonality of the middle section, the chorus joining in the da capo repeat.

...Thomas Cooley makes a tragic Samson, from his first soliloquy on his mental anguish, through a heart-rending ‘Total Eclipse’ to his humility and returning strength in Act III.”
--George Pratt, July 2009 BBC Music Magazine

Click here for a free download of music from Samson

Click here/scroll down to hear Thomas Cooley singing “Total Eclipse!”

Click here to watch “The Making of Samson”

Gluck & Mozart On A Moment’s Notice
June 19, 2009

Thomas Cooley, tenor
Mozartfest Würzburg
Les Siécles
François-Xavier Roth, conductor

GLUCK “Unis des la plus tendre enfance” from Iphigénie en Tauride
GLUCK “Banni la crainte et les alarmes” from Alceste
MOZART “Fuor del mar” from Idomeneo

“The American tenor Thomas Cooley, a last minute replacement...was convincing. He shaped the coloratura and the lyric passages in the arias from Gluck’s Iphigenie and in “Fuor del mar” from Mozart’s Idomeneo fantastically.”
--Frank Kupke, Main Post

BACH St. John Passion
June 4, 2009

Thomas Cooley, tenor
Münchner Kammerorchester
Windsbacher Knabenchor
Karl-Friedrich Beringer, conductor

BACH St. John Passion “Evangelist”

“The Passion-Story of Christ vibrated through his entire body”

“The American tenor Thomas Cooley threw himself into the story... As the Evangelist he took every risk to increase the drama of the narrative. The passion-story of Christ vibrated through his entire body.”
--Berliner Morgenpost

“...the American tenor Thomas Cooley proved to be a fortunate choice [as Evangelist]. Thanks to his rarely heard radiant power and sensitivity, simply listening to the outer narrative line was a pleasure. Every word received its own interpretation and mood, whether in a simple recitative or in a solo-aria. Cooley overcame the acoustic difficulties of the 100+ meter church with absolutely no problem.”
--Main-Post.de

“...one has seldom heard such a bright-voiced Evangelist as Thomas Cooley with his ability to glide effortlessly into his falsetto...”
--Der Tagesspiegel

HEAR Tom in the title role in Handel’s Samson

Available at www.amazon.com

Handel Samson
April 8, 2009

Thomas Cooley, tenor
Handel Samson
FestspielOrchester Göttingen
Nicholas McGegan, conductor

“Thomas Cooley realized the part of Samson most impressively....he illustrated the dark, painful images, imbued harmonic details with expression, created tension in passages of complete quiet and entered into an organic music-making with the orchestra.”
--Dresdner Neueste Nachrichten

Click to hear Thomas Cooley in the title role

Available at www.jpc.de

NOTHING TO FEAR
February 24, 2009

Thomas Cooley, tenor
Rameau & Handel Arias
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra
Nicholas McGegan, conductor

“Cooley calmly shatters tenorial stereotypes. His supple, multicolored voice is deployed with the utmost taste and delicacy. He was at his lyrical best in the winsome ‘Where’er you walk,’ from Handel’s ‘Semele’ -- a signature piece of the legendary Irish tenor John McCormack. Cooley has nothing to fear from the comparison.”
--Larry Fuchsberg, Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

“More Rameau came courtesy of an aria from his opera, ‘Dardanus.’ Cooley dove into the depths of its dark mood, which made the Handel arias that followed seem all the more transcendent. The soft sound of an orchestra bent on authenticity permitted Cooley to demonstrate his facility with a broad range of dynamics, both sonically and emotionally. Some larynx-stretching lines from the oratorio ‘Jeptha’ showed his voice to be as athletic as it is expressive.”
--Rob Hubbard, Pioneer Press

COMING SOON: Handel’s Samson with Thomas Cooley in the title role!

Read more about Thomas Cooley