“… Andrea Arena stole Opera Delaware’s Traviata in the role of Flora …”

OPERA NEWS  2003

“La Traviata”

Opera Delaware

“The most enjoyable vocalism came from the promising and attractive mezzo Andrea Arena … her Despina-

like Rosalia proved a good vehicle for her sparkling personality, well-projected diction and pleasant timbre.”

OPERA NEWS 2004

“L’Equivoco Stravagante”

Bronx Opera Company

“Mezzo Andrea Arena was a dynamic Santuzza in "Cavalleria," abandoned by Turiddu and reckless in her

jealous rage. Hers is a large voice …  she projected Santuzza's uncontrolled fury paired with devastating

remorse with an unerring eye for gesture and an impeccable ear for just the right tonal coloration to deliver

the precise emotion.”

THE CHESTNUT HILL 2008

“Cavalleria Rusticana”

Delaware Valley Opera Company

“But the opera belonged to Andrea Arena. As Baba, Arena dominated the stage with her full figure, her slow,

deliberate movements and her strong, dark mezzo soprano.  The moaning sounds she made during the

séance, eerily lighted by Fran Keller, were hair-raising.  In her chilling second-act aria, “Afraid, Am I Afraid,”

Arena depicted Baba’s mental breakdown with a crazed look in her eyes and creative use of her hands.”

INTELLIGENCER JOURNAL 2009

“The Medium"

Opera Lancaster

Andrea Arena was a believable Margaret, a stereotypical proper woman of the 1950s, serious except during 

her asides addressed directly to the audience. Her chocolate-coated mezzo-soprano applied itself beautifully 

to her Broadway-style solos, and her emotional final number, "Fable," was a show-stopper, literally and

figuratively.

INTELLIGENCER JOURNAL 2009

“Light in the Piazza”

Opera Lancaster

“Andrea Arena's interestingly-timbered mezzo "flips over" into a soprano top; a relaxed, natural comic

onstage, she delivered Orlofsky's ultra-tricky signature song with unusual accuracy.”

OPERA NEWS 2009

“Die Fledermaus”

Opera Delaware

 “Two women play O'Keeffe, and they are both excellent. We first meet O'Keeffe at 84, setting up to paint on

her beloved Pedernal Mountain in New Mexico. John Whiting's set and Nels Martin's lighting give a strong

sense of the openness and mood of New Mexico. Andrea Arena gives a powerful performance as the prickly

artist who is fighting the loss of her eyesight and doubts about how she lived her life. Arena has a strong

resemblance to the iconic O'Keeffe, but it's when she sings that you get the shivers. She's got a gorgeous

alto voice that settles in your soul. Bair gives her the most luscious music to sing. "Hello Sky" is a good

opening number because it draws us into O'Keeffe's vision and the warm, inviting melodies that will continue

through the show. But the showstopper is "The Chestnut Tree," where the old O'Keeffe declares that it was

love that made her lose her way. It's a heartbreaking song that rightly got a cry of bravos at the preview I

saw Wednesday evening."

INTELLIGENCER JOURNAL 2010

"Georgia O'Keeffe: A Woman On Paper" (World Premiere)

Opera Lancaster

“This musical is a powerful and tasteful telling of Georgia O’Keeffe’s very personal and very public journey.  The

way the writers brought things to life is a beautiful parallel to how O’Keeffe brought things to life through her

paintings.  The story is beautifully and intelligently told, the music is gorgeous and heartfelt, the theatrics

immensely colorful, all of which leaves me wanting to see this show again.  The show-stopping song “The

Chestnut Tree” moved me to tears and is easily a stand-alone song.  More, more!!!”                        

LINDA METZ, CULLOWHEE, NC 2010  

"Georgia O'Keeffe: A Woman On Paper" (World Premiere)

Opera Lancaster

"Here is Andrea Arena in Wilmington's Bootless Stagework's production of DISENCHANTED as the

show-stopping, sizzling Rapunzel. Her versatility as an actress and singer is limitless and stunning.

A composer's dream!"

ALISA BAIR (Composer of Hello Sky), LANCASTER, PA 2019

"Disenchanted: A Disney Princess Spoof-tacular!

Bootless Stageworks

"I am not easily impressed. Call it a defect of reason, a lack of easily-swayed compassion, or a stubborn virtue,

but, few things measure up to their expectations. Far fewer exceed them.

I went to a performance this past weekend which exceeded my expectations.

But this was not a three-person stage performance, for all of the actors brought their own vibrant charges and

distinct personalities. Rapunzel (Andrea Arena) was all Teutonic reserve combined with effortless humor. It is very

easy to pervert such a performance, but Arena hit every nerve in the Marlene Dietrich/Lili von Shtupp dynamic,

complete with beetle-sized hairy mole and a unibrow that would have left Frido Kahlo blushing. Even with such

blighted accoutrements, it did little to disguise her stunning facial features, which made her performance all the

more humorous and enjoyable."

KEVIN FRANCIS, WILMINGTON, DE 2019

"Disenchanted: A Disney Princess Spoof-tacular!

Bootless Stageworks