Regina

Regina, Marc Blitzstein, Pacific Opera Victoria: Canadian Premiere, April 2008

"Kimberly Barber poured her brandy-smooth voice into a deliciously evil role and made quick work of climbing lofty scales, and the grand staircase too in this Canadian premiere. A well sung, toxic tale"

Grania Litwin, December 14, 2008: Victoria Times-Colonist "Highlights of Victoria's Stage and Screen for 2008"


"Canadian mezzo-soprano Kimberly Barber, in the title role, has a velvet (and leopard skin) voice. During rehearsals, the company took to referring to her as Resident Evil--with good reason. Regina Giddens spends most of the opera scheming for money and abusing the people closest to her"

Michael Harris, The Globe and Mail, April 19, 2008


"from the moment mezzo-soprano Kimberly Barber first sings, she's in full command of the stage with her rich, brandy-smooth voice. She makes her evil role seem effortless, despite its huge acting demands, stairs to climb and many costume changes. Her songs sit in the middle register most of the time, but she manages to nail her high C and low G and is wonderfully aggressive in two thrilling arias: first, singing about her "aim with no shame" toward her heart's desire, and second when she lashes out at her husband, saying she hopes he'll die soon. Women don't often get arias this strong, and it's so evil"

Grania Litwin, Victoria Times-Colonist, April 19, 2008