“Australian singers also hold their own, particularly Warwick Fyfe who has become a go-to for Wagner in this country. Suitably stiff and vocally declamatory as the Herald, he displays a sumptuous baritone that is only getting better with age.” Patricia Maunder, Limelight. 16/05/2022
“Although the Herald does not have an emotional arc into which Warwick Fyfe can sink his acting teeth, Fyfe nonetheless brings a characteristically glorious vocal tone to the role, singing forth with compelling authority (as perfectly befits the role) and wonderfully smooth tone.” Simon Parris, Man in Chair . 15/05/2022
“From the outset, the singing was outstanding. Warwick Fyfe’s declamatory style and strong, gathered tone were well-suited to his role of Herald. His call for a knight to defend Elsa against the charge of fratricide was given even more impact by the trumpets placed at the front side of the dress circle. It was stirring stuff and part of fine work by the expanded brass section throughout the evening.”Heather Leviston, Classic Melbourne . 16/05/2022
“From the first sung notes, it was clear we had an excellent herald in Warwick Fyfe, his stentorian delivery of announcements so forceful that it was plausible Lohengrin might have heard him in far-off Montsalvat.” David Larkin, Bachtrack. 16/05/2022
“Stentorian baritone Warwick Fyfe – following up on several magnificent trumpet fanfares from the theatre heights – singing with great earnestness as the Herald. Has an operatic herald ever been assigned such imposing musical power?” Paul Selar, Australian Arts Review. 16/05/2022
“Fyfe reminds audiences that he’s an indispensable presence on our opera stages, making the forgettable role of the Herald seem far more central and compelling than it has any right to be.” Tim Byrne, Time Out . 18/05/2022
“Fyfe, our Herald – fresh from his magnificent Wotan in Melbourne Opera’s recent Die Walküre – was every bit as good as when he sang the same role in Melbourne twenty years ago.” Peter Rose, Australian Book Review. 16/05/2022
“The ever-reliable Warwick Fyfe was a stentorian herald.” Barney Zwartz, The Age. 15/05/2022
“Also particularly impressive is the baritone Warwick Fyfe, who plays the herald.” Alex First, The Blurb. 15/05/2022
"Warwick Fyfe was an outstanding , compelling, and tireless Wotan. Big of voice and commanding of gesture, he was never blustery, indeed, one was always aware of Wotan's vulnerabilities, just below his grand surface" Michael Shmith, Opera. April 2022.
"And, on top of that, transfiguring everything, Warwick Fyfe is a distinguished Wotan who is not only secure of voice but creates a powerful and moving sense of the conflicts that ravage the Lord of Valhalla.”
“The highlight of the evening however is Warwick Fyfe. He brought Alberich to flaming life in the Opera Australia Ring and he is a better Wotan than the Melbourne Opera has any right to dream of. He has a surging authority which is inseparable from his capacity to convey tension and self-division, so that his ‘Leb wohl’ is full of a subtle minimalist movement as the mist of flames surrounds the hushed body of his beloved daughter.” Peter Craven, Spectator Australia. 19/02/2022
"Warwick Fyfe, long an acclaimed Alberich, was equally compelling as the dwar's nemesis. Fyfe,
a strong voiced , magnificent Wotan, adroitly played a god at the end of his tether, but whose own human frailties are just below the surface of his grandeur." Michael Shmith, Australian Book Review, 11/02/2022
“A breakout star of Opera Australia's 2013 Melbourne Ring Cycle, Warwick Fyfe graduates from the graspiNg Alberich to the mighty Wotan. Stymied by borde restrictions last year, Fyfe's appearance in Die Walkure is the jewel in the (very shiny) crown of this highly capable all-Australian cast. Winning the audience with a cheeky wink, so to speak, from Wotan's one good eye, Fyfe swiftly goes on to establish the patriarchal god's authority and wrath, along with his deep affection for his dear daughter, Brünnhilde. Fyfe commands attention as he sings with wonderfully sumptuous tone and compelling dynamics and expression.” Simon Paris, Man in chair . 10/02/2022
“After missing his chance to play Wotan in Das Rheingold due to quarantine complications, baritone Warwick Fyfe finally steps into those big boots. He has often shown his charming comic talents before, but here he conveys the frustration and sorrow of a mighty figure whose mastery is waning. Even in Wotan's lengthy Act Il exposition of the Das Rheingold backstory, Fyfe demands the audience's attention with his voice's power, rich tone and nuance, and assurance as an actor.His performance is particularly moving in the final scene, when Wotan reluctantly punishes and parts from his daughter.” Patricia Maunder, Limelight Magazine. 10/02/2022 .
"The performer who was fully in the role from the first moment he arrived on stage was Australian bass Warwick Fyfe in the role of Amonasro the Ethiopian king. Spectacular singing and fiercely in-the-moment acting, he really stood out from the rest of the cast." Sydney Arts Guide, 24/06/2021. Annabelle Drumm.
“Warwick Fyfe as Amonasro penetrated this stateliness with an urgent, and earnest energy that was instantly compelling, and clearly invigorating for his fellow performers. Fierce and nervy, he was a thrilling presence on stage. Acting teachers often talk about a necessary quality of ‘danger’ in great actors, which Fyfe could lead a class or two on. “ Opera Review, 29/06/2021. Oliver Wakelin .
"Though in a smaller supporting role, Fyfe nevertheless conveyed the most musico-theatrical dynamism and energy in his portrayal of the father’s warlike vengeance." Sydney Morning Herald, 24/06/2021. Peter McCallum
" Led by Wariwck Fyfe in brilliant form as Bottom the weaver, they are accompanied by Armfield's own black labrador, Lock, ina scene stealing performance as the aptly named Dog" Limelight, 27/02/2021. Hanson J. Antmann.
"The two most complete performances to my mind were those of Warwick Fyfe as Bottom, and Sally-Anne Russell as Hermia. Fyfe’s Bottom realised the complexities of the character of Bottom, especially as Pyramus in the mini-opera and as the man who dreams he is an ass having Titania for a lover, in such a commanding way that he seemed to be the main character in the whole opera. I was put in mind of Verdi’s Falstaff. He used his gorgeous baritone with extraordinary variety. "
Adelaide Reviews © Australian Stage Online
“The rustics were led by Opera Australia stalwart baritone Warwick Fyfe, totally unrecognisable and displaying an unsuspected talent for knockabout comedy. His Bottom was a marvel of comic timing, while singing with resonant beauty mixed with hilarious hee-hawing.” Bachtrack, 28/2/21 . Sandra Bowdler .
“Standouts here and throughout were Warwick Fyfe’s Bottom and Pelham Andrews’s Snug.” Australian Business Review , 2/03/21 . Michael Morley .
“Pyramus and Thisbe’ is one of the stand-out moments of the night. Hurley’s Flute as Thisbe is a riot and Fyfe’s Bottom is a highlight, the ultimate buffoon.” Stage Whispers, 1/03/2021 . Barry Hill
“Act one receives a hearty boost with the arrival of dastardly villain Pizarro, brought vividly to life by renowned baritone Warwick Fyfe. Bringing verve and voluminous vocals to the stage, Fyfe gives a highly memorable performance” simonparrismaninchair.com 6/2/20
“As the maniacal Pizarro, Warwick Fyfe’s booming baritone comes walloping out into the Athenaeum auditorium. Fyfe also has the greatest success with spoken German dialogue.” Bridget Davis, Sydney Morning Herald. 6/2/2020
“Warwick Fyfe is chilling as corrupt prison governor Pizarro, while the chorus are glorious”
Paul Selar, Herald Sun . 7/2/2020
“Warwick Fyfe was a commanding vocal presence as the prison governor Pizarro. His incarnation of the dastardly villain, already strongly marked in Beethoven’s music, became almost parodic with a physical performance that embodied the twisted evil of this malefactor, acknowledged by the friendly booing mixed with applause that greeted Fyfe’s curtain call.”
Elizabeth Kertesz, Australian Book Review, Arts . 9/2/2020
“Making his debut as Wotan, Warwick Fyfe..his warm yet commanding voice...who grew from strength to strength as Wotan. Increasingly commanding as the evening deepened, his wrath at the end of Act II was of cosmic proportions...
Vocally, it was beyond reproach..with Fyfe pouring out phrase after glowing phrase, each expressing hurt, anger and abject anguish..." Derek Lim, Flying Inkpot. 5/01/2020
"The much anticipated Wotan of Warwick Fyfe did not disappoint. Clean, powerful and yet nuanced, his Wotan will only improve over time. Whilst he inhabited Alberich in the Melbourne Rings from his first appearance, I feel that he will grow into this role and become even better over time. I sincerely hope that he is able to build on this performance. The result will be one of the greatest Wotans of our age" . Ross Whitelaw, Wagner Quarterly. 29. March 2020.
"Australian opera stalwart Warwick Fyfe relishes in the role of Doctor Bartolo, his diction and vocal ease impressive. If anything, the Elisabeth Murdoch Hall is too small for his Wagner-sized voice." Bridget Davies, Sydney Morning Herald. 13/12/2019
"Warwick Fyfe is luxury casting indeed as Doctor Bartolo. Almost too good a singer for the supporting role, Fyfe adds a tiny bit of his legendary Alberich to the doctor’s self-serving greed, rounding out the character beyond a simple buffoon. The shaving scene between Fyfe and Carbó is one of the comic highlights of the night." Simon Parris, Man in chair. 13/12/2019
“The stand-out performance came from Warwick Fyfe, re-visiting the baritone role of The Major created by Michael Lewis in 2004. Fyfe mesmerised the audience with his big, blustering voice and stage presence. There
were few moments of repose here, particularly in his two gripping arias. In the first act, he commanded – literally! – the stage for nigh on 20 minutes. His second act aria, even more demented and compelling this time, was as powerful as anything
I have seen on stage in Australia.....The other seven members of the cast seemed charged by the electricity emanating from Fyfe.”
https://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/reviews/madeline-lee-state-opera-south-australia/
“Warwick Fyfe turned in a performance of epic proportions as the Major. Excellent too were Nicholas Cannon, Eddie Muliaumaseali’i, Pelham Andrews, Robert Macfarlane and Thomas Millhouse. “ Graham Strahle, The Australian 6/10/2019
“Warwick Fyfe makes a very welcome local appearance as the amusingly frazzled Barone di Trombonok, a figure who takes on the key role as the bishop in the recreation of Gérard’s painting.”
https://simonparrismaninchair.com/2019/05/25/opera-australia-il-viaggio-a-reims-review-melbourne-2019/
“Standouts
among the 14 principals include baritone Warwick Fyfe, who gave a marvellous comic turn as the Barone di Trombonok, and tenor Juan de Dois Mateos (Cavalier Belfiore) and sopranos Ruth Iniesta (Corinna) and Emma Pearson (Contessa di Folleville), who each sang
with great beauty and virtuosity.”
http://theconversation.com/a-night-at-the-opera-art-comes-alive-in-a-modern-twist-on-rossinis-il-viaggio-a-reims-117807
“Warwick Fyfe as the Baron Trombonok was sensational, his glorious baritone alongside his astonishingly comic stage persona were a winning combination.”
https://www.concertonet.com/scripts/review.php?ID_review=13905
" Warwick Fyfe's Beckmesser was simply extraordinary and galvanising. As with his incomparable Alberich in The Ring, Fyfe brought the same combination of quirkiness and menace to Nuremberg's artful Staatschreiber. His performance remained - just - on the right side of charicature, and was properly sung, not bellowed or distorted" Michael Smith, Australian Book Review, Arts. 14/11/2018
"Acclaimed baritone Warwick Fyfe has the role of his career in vexatious misanthrope Sixtus Beckmesser.... Along with well-judged moments of buffoonery, the comedy is all the more effective for Fyfe's completely serious focus, and his singing, particularly when Sixtus is actually performing, is nothing short of glorious" Simon Parris: Man in Chair. 14/11/2018
" As embittered Sixtus Beckmesser, Warwick Fyfe continued his masterclass in the grotesque, employing the repulsive mannerisms he perfect in his portrayal of Alberich in Opera Australia's Ring Cycle" Eamonn Kelly, Australian Review. 15/11/2018
"Beckmesser was played as an impotently malevolent schemer by show-stealing Warwick Fyfe, whose comedic gestures and crisp patter-singing made his scenes unforgettable" David Larkin, Bachtrack. 19/11/2018
"As her hopeless suitor Beckmesser, Warwick Fyfe's voice was in rock solid voice and on top comic form, never overplaying his hand in his portrayal of this scheming, unimaginative pedant. If it's not already obvious, the baritone is a boon to the company, scoring a huge round of applause at curtain." Justine Nguyen, Limelight. 14/11/2018
"Warwick Fyfe nails Beckmesser's sleaze and spite, vocally soaring with almost impossible ease over the 100-odd piece orchestra" Bridget Davies, Sydney Morning Herald. 14/11/2018
"Warwick Fyfe's outstanding musical and dramatic characterisation of Beckmesser alone makes a ticket worthwhile" Peter Tregear, The Conversation . 14/11/2018
"The comic seasoning would have been stale without Warwick Fyfe's sensational turn as the sneering object of ridicule, Beckmesser" Paul Selar, Herald Sun. 14/11/2018
"At his side, the impressive trusty expertise of baritone Warwick Fyfe complimented Furlanetto brilliantly as the comically endearing Sancho. You get the sense that Sancho's music is the more stirring and Fyfe gave it immense idiosyncratic weight the further the piteousness of Don Quichotte's dying end neared." Paul Selar, Herald Sun. 7/05/2018
"As Sancho Panza, who administers worldly practicality to Don Quichotte's fantastical schemes, Warwick Fyfe brought no less distinctiveness. Though the "fat man" of the unlikely pair, he sang with leaner focus, smoothness and aptly characterised musicality, his practical protestations capturing a combination of caring warmth and distraught exasperation." Pete McCallum, Sydney Morning Herald. 21/03/2018
"Warwick Fyfe is marvellous as the Don’s right-hand man Sancho, providing vocal strength, surety a comic performance that sits just the right side of hammy, shifting when required into earnest and impassioned advocacy for his master; he plays off Furlanetto with obvious relish." Limelight. Angus Macpherson. 19/03/2018
"Of course, the Don is nothing without his Sancho Panza, here sung by Warwick Fyfe in one of the finest of his many performances for Opera Australia. From Alberich to Sancho seems a vast chasm, but Fyfe's versatility is on full display. Fully in control of the many textual felicities of the French language, he brings a warm and incisive vocal tone to this musically and dramatically rewarding character. It is a buffo role, but also has several moments of warm lyricism in which Fyfe reveals the full beauty of his voice." Michael Halliwell, Australian Book Review. 19/03/2018.
"Warwick Fyfe's Klingsor was a dramatic and powerful interpretation." Christopher Menz, ABR arts, 11/08/2017
"Warwick Fyfe as the evil sorcerer Klingsor was simply sensational. He thundered the text, expressing the seething rage underlying Klingsor's malevolence. His articulation of Wagner's text was exemplary. Having recently excelled as Alberich in Opera Australia's Ring Cycle, Fyfe has shown himself to be one of the finest Wagnerian singers Australia has produced." Deen Hamaker, Soundslike Sydney , 9/08/2017
"This was just one outstanding example of how fine acting is still possible in a concert performance; the most sustained and visible was Warwick Fyfe's elaborate facial expressions and gestures as the wicked magician Klingsor, recalling his similar success as Alberich in the Melbourne Ring." Jason Catlett, Timeout. 11/08/2017
"That image is taken further in the figure of the self-castrated Klingsor, to whose impotent malevolence Warwick Fyfe brought terrifying ferocity, a keen-edged incisive voice, madly wandering eye and brilliant character portrayal." Peter Mc Callum, Sydney Morning Herald, 10/08/2017
"Singing with an easy power through the whole range, his baleful lower register cuts through the heaviest orchestral texture, his top notes pinging with authority. His carefully finessed stagecraft creates a highly watchable mix of vengeance and vainglory, while his understanding and engagement with Wagner's lyrics ensures a richly textured character. " Clive Paget, Limelight Magazine 22/11/2016
"Following an acclaimed breakout performance in the 2013 season, Australian baritone Warwick Fyfe returns to the role of Alberich. In the intervening three years, Fyfe has lost weight but still portrays the low self-confidence of opportunistic devil Alberich and his voice is as rich and powerful as ever. A clear crowd favourite on opening night, Fyfe cements his position as one of our foremost singing actors. The scorching combination of Johnson, Conrad and Fyfe is at the heart of the success of this staging of Das Rheingold." Simon Paris: Man in Chair. Music Theatre, Opera and Ballet Reviews, News and Views.
"Among the singers, the palm has to go to Warwick Fyfe, who was simply mesmerising as Alberich. Stripping to his underwear for his failed attempt to seduce the Rhinemaidens, he was by turns peevish, pathetic and terrifying; and still more effective in Scene 3 as the tyrannical overlord of the Nibelungs, insecure enough to be tricked by Loge. Fyfe's stentorian delivery of Alberich's despairing "O Schmerz" and still more the famous curse in Scene 4 showed him to be an echt-Wagnerian." David Larkin Bachtrack 23/11/2016
"Most of all, it was Warwick Fyfe’s night as the nerdy and gnarly Alberich, renouncer of love and absconder of the treasure. In a reprise of his 2013 performance, Fyfe completed the music, commanded the stage and, with his intense and fulsome baritone, conveyed his character's stench with utter magnetism." Paul Selar, Herald Sun 23/11/2016
"Warwick Fyfe as the bitter dwarf Alberich, who steals the Rhinegold, again stole the show with a malevolent yet sympathetic portrayal, nobly sung." Barney Zwartz, The Age 22/11/2016
"Alberich (Fyfe) performed with energy and resonance throughout, delivering the outstanding performance of the production." David Barnaby, Performing Arts Hub.
"Warwick Fyfe returns as Alberich. He sings powerfully, and his performance is even more inspired than the one he gave, at short notice, in 2013. He is always acting, flinching, leering, and there are some neat touches, such as when, like a boy in a playground, he skips around the stage in delight during his scene with Wotan and Loge, there to steal the Tarnhelm. Fyfe owned the stage and deserved his loud ovation." Peter Rose, Australian Book Review . 23/11/2016
"Fyfe is magnificent as the loathsome Alberich; it's as if Shylock ate Gollum and keeps coughing him up mid-conversation. There's a pathetic internalised malignancy to him, but then he turns outward and becomes truly terrifying. He was a late addition to the role in 2013, to much acclaim, but he has by now become one of the leading international exemplars of this part. " Tim Byrne, Time Out . 25/11/2016.
As Alberich, Warwick Fyfe continues to build a fascinating portrait of a vengeful monomaniac consumed by bitterness and malice. The quicksilver mood changes and nervous tension are beautifully played, a painful sense of authority lost always hanging about his ears. Vocally he’s perfect in the role: words clear, text used, top notes ringing, bottom notes slicing through." Clive Paget, Limelight. 26/11/2016
"Warwick Fyfe sings and acts the role of Paolo Albiani as though peevish resentment were mother's milk to him. His voice combines focus and complexity, and, as a study in human failing, his self-cursing silhouette at the Act 1 curtain deserves capturing in oils." Peter McCallum, Sydney Morning Herald 27/07/2016
" the most impressive contributor was baritone Warwick Fyfe, who sang this music with a heightened vehemence, whether as the egocentric Abbot of Cockaigne, the rueful observer in 'Omnia sol temperat' , or handling that ode to lost love, 'Dies, nox et omnia' with its three-octave compass." Clive O'Connell, Sydney Morning Herald 24/04/2017
"Warwick Fyfe, a prizewinner for his Alberich in Melbourne, looked slimily cadaverous, (but) left us in no doubt of his firm baritone's robust good health." Yehuda Shapiro, Opera.
"Fyfe makes a fine nemesis, with a wild top to the voice that lends real and growing menace to the Coppelius/Miracle/Dappertutto trio of villains, playing off Adam Tunnicliffe's lovely open tenor (Spalanzani, Pitichinaccio) and Louise Mott's knowing Nicklausse/Muse." Alexandra Coghlan, Spectator.
"Warwick Fyfe as Hoffmann's multi-faceted nemesis: an Australian bass-baritone making his British debut, Fyfe wields a powerful voice..... darkly impressive....He is a terrific actor, and it's no surprise to learn from the programme that he is a past winner of the Robert Helpmann Award. Rupert Christiansen , Telegraph 12/10 /15
"the sinister nemesis that erodes his mind is effectively Murnau's Nosferatu, chillingly embodied by Warwick Fyfe.Fyfe impresses.....Tim Ashley, Guardian 12/10/15
Fyfe's Alberich was the real star of the Ring, in an unexaggerated, deft and mercurial performance, sung in a strong and supple baritone. His Curse was all the more mendacious for it's deliberate understatement. .....Fyfe's Alberich was outstanding, and not only in Rheingold, but also in his other, briefer appearances in Siegfried and Goetterdaemmerung. Other houses should seek him out." Michael Shmith. Opera, February 2014.
"Der berzeugendstengerdarsteller dieses "Ring" Warwick Fyfe, ein charismatischer Alberich". Stephan Moesch. Opernwelt, Seite 44, Jan 2014
"the most astonishing discovery here was the Alberich of Warwick Fyfe...his Alberich was that of a master: the most sympathetic, anguished, and deeply moving I can recall. And the voice is strong and flexible, with perfect intonation" James L. Paulk. Classical Voice North America: Journal of the Music Critics Association of North America, 14/12/13.
"Warwick Fyfe, as the villainous dwarf Alberich. Fyfe, stepping into the shoes of John Wegner at the last minute, proves he is not only a world beating baritone; but an actor of considerable skill." Simon Plant.Herald Sun, 20/11/13
"Where to stop? Jacqueline Dark's Fricka, Daniel Sumeg's Fasolt, Andrew Moran's Donner; the cast is uniformly very strong. But, let's face it, it is Warwick Fyfe's show. Shambling on as the anoraked fat boy from school, hopelessly in lust with the showgirls who prick-tease him then mercilessly mock him, he grows in vocal stature as the scene progresses until we are in no doubt that this nerd's revenge will be terrifying and vast. The loopy, all-powerful, psychopathic lord of the Nibelungs that he gives us in scene 3 and its chilling, down-but-far-from-out flipside in scene 4 are among the great characterisations of the Australian operatic stage and the powerful, multi-coloured, if at times wild voice is a dominating force in the production." Alan John.Limelight Magazine 19/ 11/13.
"Fyfe's hunch-backed jester is a controlled study in sociopathic behaviour, partially ameliorated by his ingenuous, albeit stlfling, love for his daughter Gilda. It has a detached coldness about it that is mesmerising to watch unfold over two-and-a-half hours. The interpretation is a courageous choice, which pays off in Rigoletto's soliloquy Pari siamo in the second scene of Act One. Fyfe's performance is consummate and chillingly mesmerising. And then it gets better."
"Baritone Warwick Fyfe knows this role of Rigoletto well having performed it many times both locally and abroad. His is a brooding character of vindictive tongue-lashings and vitriol. He weaves among the crowd looking for weaknesses and exploiting them for his own advantage. His attachment to the Duke is purely monetary; this Rigoletto is loyal to no one other than his daughter." Kevin Purcell, Limelight Magazine.
"As we saw in his realisation of the role of Alberich during the Melbourne Ring Cycle, Mr Fyfe's vocal range is as exemplary and commanding as his acting. He has a hugely impressive repertoire of dramatic capabilities .......Warwick Fyfe's performance in the title role produced many <strong>moments of great beauty and touching emotion. His denunciation of the courtiers in Act Two was a powerful moment in the drama and his reduction to tears and pleading in this same scene produced elements of intense passion. The audience acclaim at the end of the performance was evidence enough of a spectacular night of singing." Greg Pritchard, ConcertoNet.com- The Classical Music Network.