Press
Seattle Opera
Freia, Das Rheingold (Seattle Opera)
“Katie Van Kooten’s pure, golden timbre was fitting for the innocent Freia.”
-D.L. Russell, Drama in the Hood
“Van Kooten’s tones were clear and golden, appropriate for the innocent Freia.”
-Erica Miner, LA Opus
“Katie Van Kooten as Freia is ready to triumph as Sieglinde.”
-Gavin Borchert, OperaWire
“..and the despair of the ransomed Freia (Katie Van Kooten, in a vocally compelling performance)…”
-Thomas May, Special to the Seattle Times Opera Review
“Big, dramatic vocals from Katie Van Kooten (Freia)…”
-Chase D. Anderson, nwtheatre.org
Tosca, Tosca (Opera Theater St. Louis)
“Katie Van Kooten’s Opera Theatre debut as Tosca is spellbinding. Carrying the complexities of the character effortlessly, this riveting soprano gives a performance that serves as one of the season’s highlights.”
-Rob Levy, Review St. Louis
“Soprano Katie Van Kooten, making a huge impression in her Opera Theatre debut as the title character. In big moments, the power in the three leads’ voices feels like it could blow the roof off the Loretto-Hilton Center – and the applause on opening night was appropriately thunderous.”
-Sarah Fenske, Riverfront Times
“Katie Van Kooten, as Tosca, brings a voice of lovely purity and immense power to the role.”
-Steve Callahan, Broadway World
Opera Theater St. Louis
Houston Grand Opera
Tatyana, Eugene Onegin (Houston Grand Opera)
“Soprano Katie Van Kooten, in the role of Tatyana, bleeds feeling. In the famed letter-writing aria of Act 1 Scene 2, Van Kooten left nothing behind as she uncovered the depth of Tatyana’s love and desire, with the descending sixths that pass around the orchestra falling like droplets around her. Van Kooten has a refined voice whose powerful emotion often belies her attention to technical accuracy. Making your audience forget it takes work to communicate turmoil that well is the culmination of great singing.”
-Sydney Boyd, Bachtrack.com
“Tatyana is the heart of the opera and Van Kooten could scarcely be better, vocally or dramatically. In Act 1, her Tatyana is dreamy and girlishly impulsive, overwhelmed by her quite illogical passion for a man she’s just met. Her contrast as the mature Tatyana of Act 3 is striking, the composure and decorum, the passion now womanly and stringently controlled. Her singing is extraordinary in its radiance, power and sheer expressiveness. Her “Letter Scene” alone, beautifully staged and lighted and gloriously sung, would be reason enough to attend.”
-Everett Evans, Houston Chronicle
Tosca, Tosca (Utah Opera)
“With a rich, warm voice and charismatic stage presence, Van Kooten brought Tosca to life. She played Tosca’s jealousy as an endearing quirk, stemming from her insecurity as a famous performer in the public eye. The humanity Van Kooten gave the heroine made the steely resolve she displayed at the end more impressive and admirable.
Van Kooten sang it from her soul. Her tone was pure and gently pleading as her full voice glided over Puccini’s sweet melody. With stunning musicality, she communicated Tosca’s anguish and vulnerability and held the audience spellbound.”
-Rick Mortensen,
Utah Opera
