I just wanted to congratulate you on your performance of Il Conte in Le Nozze di Figaro, under Sir John Eliot Gardiner, with Hillevi Martinpelto, Bryn Terfel, Susan McCulloch,et al. The combination of you and Martinpelto was absolutely wonderful. You can really tell from the DVD and hear from the CD that you all had great fun during this Nozze. I really love your count, and hope to see it live on stage one day. Good luck with all your endeavors! Kathleen Vermeulen
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I have had the privilege of hearing you perform for San Diego Opera's production of Don Carlo. I must say, your acting is great, and your singing...well, flawless. I am one of the Super Guards in Don Carlo and I must say it's a great thrill to hear you perform from the wings. You are so perfect for the role. I sincerely hope you will return to San Diego in the very near future. Charles Kempf
Dear Charles, | ||||
It is obvious that Rodney Gilfry is an *amazing* artist but his fans over the world should also know that his talent is surpassed by his love for his family and community, his willingness to share his gift, and his passion for the arts and education. This past weekend, Rod and his lovely wife Tina hosted a three-day telethon, which was a fundraiser for the soon-to-be-built Victoria Gardens Library and Performing Arts Center. Of course Rod performed selections from his cabaret show (including two duets with Tina!), but he also spent over 6 hours being a host (Jerry Lewis has nothing on Rod here...), he donated 20 autographed copies of his forthcoming DVD as an incentive for making a pledge (sorry but these are already gone), and he even brought along Suzanna Guzman to do a program for children entitled "Don't Be Afraid, It's Only Opera!" which was not only fun and educational but inspiring as well. And if this weren't enough, as the nominal "producer" of the telethon, I can say that Rod was the easiest person you would ever want to work with. It never ceased to amaze me that an artist of Rod's stature would always be saying "Tell me what you need me to do next." And whether it was with a sound technician or a phone bank volunteer or a young, aspiring singer, Rod treated everyone with the utmost respect and sincerity, and willingly signed numerous posters and programs, posed for an number of photographs. In any case, thanks again Rod. Robert Karatsu, Rancho Cucamonga Public Library, California
The Telethon was a lot of fun, and I'm happy to say we raised well over our $150,000 goal! Congratulations to everyone involved on a very succesful event. It was an honor to work on such a worthwhile project with people of such dedication and vision. | ||||
Surely you hear every day, at least once, that you've got a great, delightful voice. They are right, it's my opinion , too. I bet everybody would (should) think so. I've got a question: I'm a young female vocalist (18 years old) and I have received some classes (e.g. with Ruth Ziesak or Thomas Thomaschke) sponsored by the State because I've won some competitions. Now I want to know, do you ever give such classes perhaps in Gemany? This year I'm going to begin my studies and I hope to get a scholarship for one year so I would be able to come to the USA and learn more. Thank you. Anett Fritsch, Saxonia, Germany
Dear Anett, | ||||
I think Marleen, from The Netherlands, is talking about the same recording that got me interested in your voice and performing skills: The Don Giovanni from the Holland Festival in 1994 - which was really great. I've been to your recitals in Ludwigsburg in '96 and Hannover in '98 and to Munich in 2001 for "Il Ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria." I really wish you could record your recital on CD. Your interpretation of "ich grolle nicht" and Dichterliebe is the best I've heard, and your "Don Quichotte ŕ Dulcinée" is also one I would like to hear more often. I understand that I have to keep track of new releases - up to now I collected everything you have recorded and I really like to have my collection complete. I think you have a very exciting year coming up with three debuts and, if possible, I will try to come to Zürich at the end of the year for Pelleas et Melisande. Marleen's posting made me wonder if you have more fans in the Netherlands - I would like to get in contact with them: I can be contacted by mail: ma-lu@file-hunter.com. Please keep singing and, if possible come to the Netherlands one day. Marty Lucas, The Netherlands
Dear Marty, | ||||
I simply love your voice and performances I thus far have been able to see. (especially the very renewing one in Don Giovanni, I videotaped it and often play it). My question is one you’ll hear often: will you once come to perform in Holland? I want to see you perform live if it’s the last thing I’ll do. I will visit your site often now that I’ve found it. Hope to find more details about new recordings etc. Take care and please keep singing the way you do. Bye and thanks for making many me very happy. Marleen Hendrik, Holland
Dear Marleen, | ||||
I loved your performance in John Gardiner's Le Nozze di Figaro DVD and CD. I've seen the DVD countless times but I still crack up when I see your face turn as Rosina tells Almaviva that Cherubino is in the dressing room (Act II, "Esci, omai, garzon malnato"). One of my pet peeves is the record and opera companies are not providing any meaningful "bonus" material on DVDs. I'd like to know your thoughts on Gardiner's approach to Mozart operas, for example. What I would give for a commentary track on the DVD (I'd love to hear you and Alison Hagley comment about the interaction during "Crudel! Perché finora farmi languir cosí ?")... or even personal anecdotes from the performance. Thanks for having the page. You're one of the few singers who actually care about communicating with the fans and keep the website info current. Thank you and take care of your voice. Jason Lee, Baltimore
Dear Jason, | ||||
I have sung with you a couple of times as a member of an opera chorus, and have always found your performances to be of excellent quality. One day I was listening to a CD of the Brahms Requiem you made with John Elliot Gardner a while back, and my wife asked who that wonderful baritone was. I promptly played the Streetcar Named Desire DVD I purchased not too long ago and she was very impressed with your performance as Stanley. As I venture into the beginnings of a directing career, I can only hope to attain the level of expertise necessary to work in the larger companies in the United States and abroad so that I could have the pleasure of working with you in that capacity. Keep up the wonderful performances. If only more top-caliber singers could also act as well as you do! Mike Chadwick I'm a small earning piano and cembalo builder, but a great lover of basses and baritones. For a long time I have tried to hear you sing live, but I'm not able to go to Zürich or even to Los Angeles... Perhaps you would be so kind as to arrange a concert in some cities in Nothern-Germany in the future??? Also I'm missing in your discography a CD with recitals. Thank you and take care of your voice. Marion Vettel, Göttingen, Germany
Dear Marion Vettel, Your homepage is fantastic because it is very clear and always current. But I have not found DVD's on your homepage. I have got DVD's of Cosí Fan Tutte under the baton of maestro Gardiner, Le Nozze di Figaro under Gardiner and maestro Harnoncourt, a Streetcar Named Desire under maestro Previn and Don Giovanni under the baton of Harnoncourt. But where is your most frequently performed role: Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia or an operetta: for instance Count Danilo in The Merry Widow on DVD? If it's possible, please write on your homepage all DVD's with the "rich, rolling baritone" Rodney Gilfry, which are available in Europe so that your homepage will be more informative! It would be a pleasure for me to find all your DVD's featured on www.Gilfry.com. In advance thanks very much. Ricarda, Saxony, Germany
Dear Ricarda, I was deeply touched by your performance as Don Giovanni on a dvd, and I became an enthusiastic fan of yours. You played the role just as the way I had been imagined what Don Giovanni should be like, and act like. It was fabulous! I am in love with that great opera and with your singing! And that's amazing you are going to sing Posa next year. I envy the lucky audiences-to-be of that performance already. There are your fans galore in Korea. I hope I can attend at your recital sometime here, in Seoul. Peace! Kang N-jin, Korea
I heard you several yrs. ago in LA Opera's La Cenerentola; you were doing Dandini ... enjoyed that production immensely. | Sincere congratulations on all your successes and best wishes for continued ones!! Nancy Bliss Estes and family, Orange County, California
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