“The third female role — actually a male role sung by a mezzo soprano (or pants role, as it’s often called) — is the filthy rich (though eternally bored) Russian aristocrat, Prince Orlofsky, played here in masterful fashion by Cindy Sadler. Sadler’s husky speaking voice, which could easily pass off as that of a man, was couched in a thick and convincing Russian accent strong enough to land the actor a spot in the cast of the James Bond thriller, From Russia With Love. Sadler’s character was commanding and authoritative, drawing the eyes of all guests at the opulent ball in the tuneful drinking song Chacun à son goût, where the prince invites his guests to indulge their every pleasure. Sadler’s best singing of the evening came with the magnificent Champagne Chorus, a toast she delivered with great energy and drive. With the exception of an occasional tendency to allow her vibrato to cloud an otherwise handsome singing voice, Sadler delivered a most enjoyable musical and comedic effort.”
"Deftly handling the vocal challenges and also enjoying the comedy"
“The excellent cast was the strongest component of this production, and I haven’t a single complaint about any of the singing... CINDY SADLER was an impressive Orlofsky, deftly handling the vocal challenges and also enjoying the comedy. Usually Orlofsky is sung by a lyric mezzo, but Ms. Sadler lists quite a few dramatic mezzo roles in her bio, so she deserves kudos for negotiating the high tessitura of the role. I hope to see and hear more of her.”
"Effervescent... balance between over dramatization and playing it straight"
“The performance was effervescent, with the cast spinning magic as they sang Strauss’s intricate vocal lines ...mezzo-soprano Cindy Sadler finds comfortable ground for her portrayal of Orlofsky, a trouser role that calls for balance between over dramatization and playing it straight.”
