REVIEWS
Don Giovanni: Charleston Opera Theater
The Post and Courier, Charleston Scene / Arts & Entertainment:
"Among the set dressings was a cemetery, which remained on stage for the entirety of the production, and features a statue of the Commendatore, with bass-baritone Rubin Casas portraying the father of one of Giovanni’s female targets, Donna Anna. Having died at Giovanni’s hand, from the grave he belts out his condemnation and serves up a reckoning. For the production, Charleston Opera Theater had rounded up him and a host of other top-notch opera artists from afar..."
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Tosca: Opera Company of Middlebury
Rutland Herald:
“Casas used his rich and powerful but pliable bass with unexpected nuance and coloring, and seemed to take great pleasure in portraying the evil Scarpia”
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Samson et Dalila: Virginia Opera
Opera News Magazine:
“Rubin Casas (Abimélech)…did solid, vibrant work.”
Richmond Times-Dispatch:
"A Philistine, Abimélech, arrives, all arch-villainy, artfully wielding a cane, threatening the crowd, disrespectful of their heritage. Rubin Casas fills the role with charisma, his bass impressive and commanding. His mockery enrages Samson, and the tables are quickly turned.”
The Virginian-Pilot:
“The bass-baritone Rubin Casas is tyrannical and brief as Abimélech.”
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Rigoletto: Opera Las Vegas
Opera Today:
“Bass Rubin Casas was a mean and evil Sparafucile who had no compunction about killing a nobleman. He simply said his fee was higher for a duke. He sang with rich dark sounds that helped evoke interest in his character.”
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Macbeth: Opera Company of Middlebury
The Rutland Herald:
“Rubin Casas employed his dark bass expressively as Banquo, who returns to haunt Macbeth.”
The Addison County Independent:
"Rubin Casas’ Banquo is solid and beautifully sung. He is a fine actor, whose appearance as a ghost gives ample motivation for the beginning of Macbeth’s undoing.”
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Don Giovanni: Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre
The Gazette:
“Rubin Casas provides rumbling bravura as Anna's nobleman father, Il Commendatore, who is Don Giovanni's undoing in a scenario so magnificent audiences will be talking about it for days to come. And all the modern-day implications of the various ripped-from-the-headlines scenarios will resonate, as well, with a shudder. “
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Lucia di Lammermoor: Opera in the Heights
Houston Press:
“Rubin Casas dives deeply into his stentorian bass to enliven the role of chaplain Raimondo.”
broadwayworld.com:
“Opposite Amanda Kingston, baritone Octavio Moreno as Enrico Ashton and bass-baritone Rubin Casas as Raimondo Bidebent, the chaplain, control the stage and they deftly grab the audience's attention every time they deliver a solo. Both sing with compelling majesty, strength, and conviction, ensuring that their characters stick with us long after the opera has ended.”
The Houstonia Magazine:
“Matching Jones in rigor and making a role debut as Enrico, the Mexican-born Octavio Moreno is a baritone I’d like to hear again. Moreno’s voice rings out commandingly with textured emotional agility and a thick, round timbre. As the chaplain Raimondo, bass-baritone Rubin Casas echoes Moreno’s rich voice at a lower range—I, too, would take advice from a clergyman with voice of such depth.”
Houston Chronicle:
“Rubin Casas delivered the chaplain Raimondo's proclamations deeply and fully."
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Rio de Sangre: Florentine Opera
Opera News Magazine:
“Rubin Casas, as Bishop Ruiz, delivers a powerful, fervent confirmation service in Latin.”
Chicago Classical Review:
"Rubin Casas showed a strong and imposing bass-baritone as Bishop Ruiz."
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A View From the Bridge: Butler Opera Center-UT Austin
Austin American Statesman:
“Smart acting and deft singing throughout the cast made for a riveting performance. Visiting alum Rubin Casas made a powerful, expressive Eddie.”
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Don Pasquale: Spokane Opera
The Spokesman:
“Rubin Casas also impressed in the title role. He labored under the handicap of performing in what looked like a Bozo the Clown fright wig—he was supposed to be an old fool, after all – but he is clearly no fool dramatically or vocally. His voice was expressive throughout and he stole at least one scene as he got down on his knees like a smitten schoolboy and panted over Norina. “
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Le Nozze di Figaro: Boston Youth Symphony
Boston Music Intelligencer:
“Enter Bartolo with his surprising admission-he is Figaro’s father! Rubin Casas made a compassionate doctor out of him, drawing our sympathy for his plight. His deep, rich voice lent authority and reason. He, along with the near full cast on stage, got most everybody in the audience laughing out loud.”
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La Fanciulla del West: Opera Orchestra of New York at Carnegie Hall
Opera News Magazine:
“Bass Baritone Rubin Casas (Ashby) showed promising vocal material.”
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Madama Butterfly: Shreveport Opera
The Shreveport Times:
“Rubin Casas (Il Bonzo) deserves high praise for singing his role forcefully.”
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Lucia di Lammermoor: Opera New Jersey
Packet Publications:
“Donizetti’s doomed heroine was impressively supported by a number of stand-out performances, notably…Rubin Casas as a darkly compelling Raimondo.”
US-1 Newspaper:
"A cast of uniformly strong voices carried the “Lucia” production successfully. Rubin Casas, a last minute substitution as Raimondo, fitted in smoothly."