Reviews

​OFFIE nomination for Performance
​(Opera Production)
Helen May, Calisto, La Calisto
Ensemble OrQuesta,
Cockpit Theatre, 
Wednesday, January 29th - Saturday, February 1st, 2020.
'Astonishing directness and drama. These were all strikingly different and specific portraits of each woman – and awesomely, uncomfortably dramatic (rightly so). There was real vulnerability as well as astonishing power. This was outstanding.'
Recital, August 2020 
​'As Calisto, Helen May excels. Despite the comic chaos that sometimes surrounds her, she keeps the tragic heart of the opera beating
​with admirable passion'.
​La Calisto, Cockpit Theatre, January/February 2020. Plays to See. 
'Vocally, all eleven singers impressed, as they did in their acting ability. It would be invidious to pick out specific singers in what was clearly a collaborative enterprise, but Helen May as Calisto.... deserve(s) special mention for (her) singing and acting ability.'
​La Calisto, Cockpit Theatre, January/February 2020. Early Music Reviews.​
'Always compelling on stage: comedically sophisticated and bold, but also human and sensitive.
(Helen) has a natural talent as an actor and an advanced ability to access and analyse character thought, attitudes, and motivations. A delight to work with and an excellent singing actor of rare ability.'
RAO Sir John in Love, November 2019.
​​Helen 'has such radiance as a performer.
​Vocally courageous.., ambitious and capable.
​A fine singer on her way.'
Professor Susan Waters: English Song Prize,  Royal Academy of Music, October 2019. 
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​'Helen May... a mellifluous Diane..'
Hippolyte et Aricie, Grimeborn Opera Festival, August 2019. Planet Hugill.

​'Diane and L’Amour - Helen May and Katherine MacRae - were both impressive.' 
Hippolyte et Aricie, Grimeborn Opera Festival, August 2019. Early Music Reviews.
​​'The soloists were superb... The Crucifixus and O Salutaris were sung by soprano Helen May beautifully and faultlessly...Of the soloists, the highlight of the evening was the duet Qui Tollis where Helen May was joined by mezzo-soprano, Beth Moxon; it was enchanting to hear & watch.'
Rossini's Petite Messe Solenelle, Lark Reviews, July 2019.

​​​'Helen May’s finely sung Pamina seemed a far stronger character than the text sometimes gives her credit for, and her rendition of Ach, ich fühl's was very effective and moving'.
Mozart, Die Zauberflöte​​, Hastings Observer, June 2019.
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​​'A perfect choral piece followed, with Haydn’s 'Nelson Mass', or its correct name: Missa in Angustiis. This piece is brimming with delicious chorus numbers and some true highlights for soprano soloist.
​Helen May does a supreme job with the soprano role.'
Art scene in Wales, March 2019.
​'As Nerone and Poppea, Helen May and Kathleen Nic Dhiarmada are superb. It is a real triumph to conjure up a passionate affair out of 400 year old words and music... May nicely catches the difficult balance between autocratic emperor and lovestruck suitor and, in a role that would probably have originally been sung by a castrato, she makes a convincing male hero..The famous final duet between the two of them is spell binding.' 
L'Incoronazione di Poppea, Ensemble Orquesta, Cockpit Theatre. Plays to See, February 2019.
​'It’s difficult to pinpoint a standout performance as every person involved demonstrated a high level of vocal and acting skills.
​...the scenes and duets between Poppea and Nerone must be mentioned for their intensity and passion, excellently delivered by Kathleen Nic Dhiarmada and Helen May'.
Nerone, L'Incoronazione di Poppea, Ensemble OrQuesta. thespyinthestalls.com, January 2019.
'Cosi has some of the most dazzling music Mozart ever wrote and the challenge is always to manage to hold on to the emotional undertow of the music whatever the follies of the plot. This was accomplished with sure direction, and great charm and panache by the young performers. 
​It's hard to single anyone out, but Helen May's Despina was outstanding... A name to watch.'
Cosi fan tutte, Woodhouse Opera Festival. Surrey Gazette, September 2018.​
​'In something of an operatic caucus race, each of the eleven soloists deserved a prize... Amastre's status as an outsider was emphasised by the plangency of Helen May's timbre.'
Xerse, Grimeborn Opera Festival, August 2018. Opera Magazine, November 2018.
​'…the ever-impressive Helen May. May drew out the disguised princess’s anger, shame and angst to perfection. …She blazes out among the sober Persians…'
​Xerse, Ensemble OrQuesta, Grimeborn Opera Festival, August 2018. The Idle Woman Blog, September 2018. ​
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​'Helen May's big, open soprano is not conventionally 'Baroque', but she made an affecting Galatea.' 
Acis and Galatea, Ensemble OrQuesta Opera in Britain, Opera Magazine, June 2018.

​​​​'Greatly promising... a well integrated tone of
​alluring quality.'
Professor Mark Wildman, David Clover Festival of Singing, January 2018.
'Soprano Helen May filled the building with richly glowing tone, the top of the voice thrilling as it floated above the choir.'
 Schubert, Mass in G, Holst, Two Psalms. Hastings Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra, Lark Reviews, November 2017.

​​'The audience will be able to welcome back the beautiful soprano voice of Helen May to sing with the choir..'
​Hastings Philharmonic Choir, Rye News, November 2017.

​​'Helen May was very effective in the small role of Mélisse'.
Armide, Grimeborn Festival​ Plays To See, August 2017.
'….there was some impressive singing, notably from Helen May (Diane) ….. demonstrating excellent fluidity in (her) ornaments, and .. having the rare ability to sing a proper trill…'
Hippolyte et Aricie, Woodhouse Opera/Ensemble Orquesta. Early Music Reviews, July 2017.
​​'Helen May was superb as one of the Three Little Maids at the last Simonsbath Festival’s @Opera Anywhere's production of ​The Mikado​'.
@Simonsbath Festival Twitter, June 2017.
'May, whose passionate acting leading up to the seduction scene with Damigella (Conner) is more than credible and convincing.. the almost acrobatic dance sequences among the lovers, employed throughout the opera, is also especially captivating.'
L'Incoronazione di Poppea, Hampstead Garden Opera. Plays To See, June 2017.
'May's.... terrifically bolshy, punky, cocksure performance as Valletto... an amusing caricature of a roosterish teenage boy.' 
L'Incoronazione di Poppea, Hampstead Garden Opera. The Idle Woman Blog, May 2017.