Reviews and Acclaim

“Perhaps the most shocking of Geter’s renovations to the architecture of the “Requiem” is his incorporation of a long stretch of fiery prose by the early-20th-century Black journalist and suffragist Ida B. Wells, compellingly stretched into an expansive aria by mezzo-soprano Karmesha Peake, who delivered stunning emotional colors and striking presence all night.”

Michael Andor Brodeur, The Washington Post

“Next was an excerpt from Musgrave's telling of the story of Harriet Tubman and the underground railroad, "HARRIET, THE WOMAN CALLED MOSES," jointly commissioned by the Virginia Opera (where her husband, Peter Mark, was founder and general director) and the Royal Opera, Covent Garden. Mezzo Karmesha Peake was riveting as Tubman's mother, Rit, using her velvety voice to excellent effect, with soprano Christine Lyons poignant as the young Harriet and bass Martin Fisher as her father.”

— Richard Sasanow, Broadway World

“In between, soprano Christine Lyons and mezzo-soprano Karmesha Peake argued forcefully about justice as the young Harriet Tubman and her mother Rit; Peake then went on to lament, with rich mezzo tone and strong stage presence, the loss of her character’s husband, jailed for helping fellow slaves escape.”

— David Wright, New York Classical Review

“Bass Gustav Andreassen used his dark voice menacingly as the hired assassin Sparafucile, while contralto Karmesha Peake put sass and feeling into the role of Sparafucile’s sister Maddalena.”

— Mary Ellyn Hutton, Music in Cincinnati

“BRAVA . . .the ‘reviews’ are in and Karmesha Peake's appearance today at Charleston, SC’s historic Mt Zion AME Church - Glebe St. was absolutely fantastic and received a standing ovation (two, actually)!
The combination of:

1. the power and beauty of Ms. Peake’s voice

2. the charisma that has serves her soooooooooo well on-stage (as the audience at The Kentucky Center Governor's School for the Arts saw in her performance of the ‘Habanera’ from Bizet's Carmen this summer), and

3. the spiritual fervor that informs all of her singing (especially when she sings ‘Traditional Negro Spirituals),

I am told, made for true emotional and spiritual highlights of today’s service.”

— A. T. Simpson Jr, Associate Professor of Music at Bellarmine University