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Baritone Michael Chioldi portrays Enrico as a cold, twisted psychopath. Mr. Chioldi’s Enrico exhibits further signs of depravity early in the opera’s second half. He’s quite the villain in this production, and underlines his character’s inner motivations with an effective, menacing vocal delivery. His scenes with Edgardo, Saimir Pirgu crackled with tension.

Washington Times

As dominating brother Enrico, baritone Michael Chioldi walks a fine line. It's not easy being a repugnant character, especially with Alden's interest in suggesting, at worst, the incestuous, and at best, a thorough unpleasantness, but Chioldi keeps Enrico as compelling as he is awful. Chioldi sings with a rich, beautifully flexible tone, serving Donizetti's somber score well.

[In Glory Denied] Chioldi gave us the climactic song, “Welcome Home”, and what a knock out that was. Structured as a list of newspaper headlines and topical phrases, Chioldi shaped every image with a mounting sense from bewilderment to embittered outrage. He gave us the whole experience of bombardment from culture shock in one nugget of a song.

Moving as well was the performance of baritone Michael Chioldi as the hapless, yet compassionate American consul, Sharpless. Mr. Chioldi seems to understand deeply the role of a professional diplomat, a person who, while representing his country and standing up for its citizens abroad, must also understand and respect the traditions and the people of the country to which he’s posted.

Mr. Chioldi articulates all this and more with great understanding and compassion by means of superior acting skills and an assured, profoundly moving instrument.

Michael Chioldi, in a commanding performance [as Jim Thompson], made a strong impression as equal to both the dramatic as well as musical demands of the piece.

Michael Chioldi gave a strong performance as Sharpless...the good hearted American consul.

Washington Post

Michael Chioldi delivers a nicely understated but detailed and poignant Sharpless, the American consul who tries his best to prevent and mitigate the tragedy. His singing is expressive and nicely executed.

Last seen in Washington National Opera's production in the title role of Hamlet, baritone Michael Chioldi once again exuded star-like charm, bringing a striking, debonair presence to the character of the American consul, Sharpless.

Tonio was sung by Michael Chioldi. His top was brilliant, and the prologue won its just applause. His acting as both Tonio and Taddeo was deeply ingrained.

Michael Chioldi sang the conniving Tonio with bold urgency, especially his magnificent Prologue. And as Leoncavallo intended, Tonio – not Canio - speaks the opera's final words, "La commedia e finita," in this production.

Chioldi makes his performance as Tonio in Pagliacci just as convincing as that of a foursquare teamster [in Cavalleria Rusticana] moments before. His voice is a vigorous baritone, pleasantly gruff when he wants it to be, suave at other moments; in either case his dramatic inspiration never flags.

Most crucially, the title role was persuasively performed by baritone Michael Chioldi, who offered an admirable evenness and warmth of tone, consistently sensitive phrasing... this was very potent singing. His acting, too, hit home. He conveyed the character's brush with madness tellingly, and, in the confrontation with the frightened Gertrude (one of the opera's most inspired passages), Chioldi hit a dramatic peak to match the vividness of his vocalism.

Michael Chioldi's Hamlet was a three-dimensional character, on the edge of madness from the outset, yet capable of clear-headed resolve. The baritone used his warm, supple voice to put a consistently compelling spin on his phrasing.

Baritone Michael Chioldi is magnificent as Hamlet, a young man who is less mad than full of rage. Chioldi sings a wide range of music throughout the opera, most notably a melancholy recitative lamenting his situation, a moving love duet with Ophelie in the first act, a rousing drinking song, as well as the beautiful aria "To Be or Not to Be." Chioldi handles this variety easily, exhibiting great strength, sensitivity and nuance.

Michael Chioldi was appropriately somber and pensive as Hamlet, with a rich, almost Russian voice that centered the production all evening. Thomas’ Hamlet is a huge role, obviously taxing to the soloist. But Mr. Chioldi never faltered in his performance.

On opening night, baritone Michael Chioldi gave an appropriately pensive reading of the always-conflicted Hamlet. The title character is on stage and singing nearly all of the time in this taxing role, but Mr. Chioldi handled his part well, singing and acting with dignity, grace, and power.

The evening belonged to Michael Chioldi in the title role of Washington National Opera's Hamlet.

Michael Chioldi is a forceful presence as Hamlet. He walks the razor's edge of madness for the entire evening, singing with a firm, round tone and meeting all of the role's considerable physical and vocal requirements. His best scene is in the second act, where he dominates the staging of the play-within-a-play, narrating The Murder of Gonzago like a '40s crooner. His "Être ou ne pas être" was completely introverted and thoughtfully sung.

www.superconductor.com

Baritone Michael Chioldi produced a superb Nixon, comic but sympathetic as well, crisp of diction, firm of phrase and tone.

Opera News

Michael Chioldi's Richard Nixon is a perfect fit. Having sung in many established opera houses around the world, his vocal talents as a baritone are strong and presidentially confident.

Michael Chioldi was equally distinguished as Nixon, singing beautifully and creating a complete picture of the forceful, politically adept yet just a tad paranoid, President.

www.gazettes.com

Michael Chioldi is a strong-voiced, virile, and surprisingly sympathetic Nixon. His brash mannerisms and self-absorbed pomposity perfectly capture the spirit of the president, while his sturdy lustrous tones sends his phrases soaring.

www.showmag.com

...as Richard M. Nixon is Michael Chioldi who debuted at the Met with the late, great Luciano Pavarotti, having appeared also in San Francisco Opera, Houston, Chicago, Santa Fe, Los Angeles, and the Washington National Opera. His presentation in Long Beach of Nixon was riveting, with multiple showings of Nixon's famed "V for Victory" gestures with arms aloft.

Michael Chioldi (Count Almaviva) wooed, blustered and raged, as strong vocally as physically, using his dark baritone to great effect.

Honolulu Advertiser

The baritone, Michael Chioldi, was an impressive John Sorel as he made his debut with Glimmerglass Opera in their new production of Menotti's The Consul.

New York Times