The cast was winning over all, especially the baritone Ricardo Rivera as Orsini,
Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times
Better were the two “heavies”, bass-baritone Philip Horst as Stefano Colonna and Ricardo Rivera who performed the baritone role of Orsini with solid technique and a great deal of menace. We are looking forward to catching him again this season as Don Giovanni with the Mannes Opera.
Meche Kroop, The Opera Insider
The May 5 performance of Mannes Opera's briskly entertaining Don Giovanni proved an excellent showcase for the gifted young baritone Ricardo Rivera in the title role. Rivera combined a terrier's boundless energy and tenacity with an easy physicality that allowed him to move smoothly from seductive gentleness to remorseless cruelty. Vocally, the role posed no problems, and he sang with shiny forward tone and clear, conversational diction. Combined with the menacing men's chorus and Rivera's eloquently painful cries of torment, the Don's final moments were as thrilling as they should be.
Joanne Sydney Lessner, Opera News
As Giovanni, Ricardo Rivera combined a sinister magnetism with unerring vocal control.
Spengler aka David P Goldman, Asia Times Online
Sharpless, the American consul, is the moral center of the story and Ricardo Rivera's resonant baritone voice brought gravitas and compassion to the role. The scene between him and Cio-Cio-San as he makes the choice not to be the one who brings her devastating news was beautifully performed and included a wonderful and dramatic interchange with Cio-Cio-San that had us all leaning forward in our seats.
Nancy Maxwell, Addison Independant
Sharpless, always one of the most sympathetic characters in the opera, was given a sensitive and beautifully and emotionally powerful performance by Ricardo Rivera.
Jim Lowe, Rutland Herald
The smaller parts in Chénier matter (and demand) more than those of many verismo scores. Ricardo Rivera's Mathieu used his impressive voice, ....
David Shengold, Opera News
The rich-toned baritones Ricardo Rivera (as the snarling ideologue Mathieu) and David Pershall (as Roucher) stood out in a spirited ensemble...
Marion Lignana Rosenberg, The Classical Review
In the small character roles in which the opera abounds, there were several good contributions. Ricardo Rivera sneered convincingly and sang strongly as Mathieu, who gets to sing revolutionary songs and polish the bust of Marat.
Opera Obession Blog
We returned to a wonderful Mathieu by Mr. Rivera, and then we begin to feel good that some of the smaller parts are always so well cast (even if several were not). As Mr. Rivera led out Ms. Elias in a black scarf over her head and blanket-like black robe that resembled a burka (well, except we could see hear face), the audience began to applaud.
Alan Savada
Saving the best for last, powerful baritone Ricardo Rivera projected a profoundly protective image in "Avant de quitter ces lieux" from Gounod's Faust and an even more profoundly self-absorbed one as Escamillo in the "Toreador Song" from Bizet's Carmen. Having seen some rather weak Escamillos at the Met recently, we totally relished the animal magnetism and role-appropriate arrogance that so enthralled the eponymous heroine.
Meche Kroop, Voce di meche
Tony Arnold and Ricardo Rivera were the able singers, both amazingly precise of musical and verbal gesture,
John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune
(Mr. Rivera) seemed at ease on stage, with communicative singing, excellent diction, intelligent phrasing and well-calibrated acting, neither too broad nor too subtle.
Zachary Woolfe, The New York Times
As Don Alfonso, Ricardo Rivera (Thursday's cast) paid precise attention to recitative — essential in this production, which provided a detailed program synopsis but no subtitles. Rivera did not let comic opportunities derail his natural and stately deportment in the role, and his strict sense of rhythm made the Act I quintet "Sento, o Dio, che questo" a highlight.
Tristan Kraft, Opera News
The performers here -- particularly baritone Ricardo Rivera, intense and commanding as Roderick Usher -- seized well on the dramatic opportunities of lunacy to put together a great short fragment of no-holds-barred opera.
An Unamplified Voice
Rivera deployed the intimacy of the room to shade his voice with a wide range of colors. His Usher began despondent, and quickly tipped over the brink of sanity, all the while maintaining clear diction.
Parterre Box
Baritone Ricardo Rivera brought tears to his voice with words that didn’t come easily in the penultimate song of Billy Budd, condemned to die at sea and now living through the moonlight to his last hour at dawn — a stirring performance.
Anthony Bannon, The Chautauqua Daily
Ricardo Rivera captivated us with Silvio’s aria from Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. Rivera’s rich vibrant baritone had exceptional warmth and fervor and you KNOW that Nedda is in big trouble with this irresistible lover with both good looks and caressing tone.
Nino Pantano, Brooklyn Eagle
Young and vibrant talents in the world of Opera continue to amaze us with their love, passion and ever expanding understanding of their voice and the field. The judgement of such talent brings us to the still-point when we seek those who are most promising. And when you are about to accept a favorite or one that is truly "up and coming," there emerges a diamond that is not in the rough. Such is the case with baritone Ricardo Rivera. The deep tones and complex vibrating mechanisms in this young man's human form are testimony to the natural ability one is born with that produces that "exceptional and brilliant sound" that embraces both the historical and current scales...we call OPERA!
David Mercaldo
Baritone Ricardo Rivera regaled us with "O Carlo, ascolta" from Verdi's Don Carlo. His soaring and vibrant baritone has a manly timbre that at once captures the ear of the beholder. His encore "Some enchanted Evening" was impressive.
Nino Pantano, The Italian Tribune
The kindly Sergeant Sulpice was superbly portrayed by New York baritone Ricardo Rivera. We will be looking forward to his portrayal of Don Giovanni in May.
Meche Kroop, The Opera Insider
Ricardo Rivera used his fine lyric baritone in a plangent, spirited and caressing "Mi Aldea" from the Zarzuela Los Gavilanes by J. Guerrero. Rivera's sudden ascent to a B flat near the finale was thrilling.
Nino Pantano, Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Perhaps the niftiest song and dance ensembles of the evening were... the brilliant, wordless “Meow duet” between the tomcat (Ricardo Rivera) and his intended (Jessica Klein).”
Terry Ponick, Washington Times
Ricardo Rivera's possess a powerful, expressive, velvety, chiaroscuro instrument, which he uses to serve the composer and his music. All the frustration, desperation and passion of the lovestruck Silvio were in his voice - the ascent to the high G IN ONE BREATH was thrilling. All the panache, braggadocio and brio of the Don were captured in his interpretation of the Champagne Aria, enhanced by his body language and excellent diction.
Lew Loesberg