“Baritone Michael Todd Simpson, in a role normally sung by a tenor, gives the single most satisfying performance as the romantic but untrustworthy Gaylord Ravenal. His voice is firm and full, with neither too much vibrato nor any reductive Broadway-style belt. More importantly he seems to inhabit the character in both a realistic and slightly enlarged sense. In “Make Believe,” his first duet with Magnolia (Heidi Stober), he gives the show a sudden, expansive stillness. Time stops and the skies seem to open up. It happens again in “You Are Love” and even “Why Do I Love You?”, the sweet small duet he sings with Magnolia and their young daughter (Carmen Steele).”

Show Boat - San Francisco Opera

San Francisco - Classical Voice

“Michael Todd Simpson, the magnetic Gaylord Ravenal, strode on-stage and immediately captivated his audience as well as the impressionable Magnolia Hawks. With movie-star good looks, and a resonantly full baritone that maintained legato along its whole range, Simpson put an operatic voice to powerful use in a non-opera role.”

Show Boat - Washington National Opera

Opera News

“…even before he began to sing, the baritone established himself as a charismatic presence: tall, fair of complexion, with expressive eyes and handsome cheekbones, Mr. Simpson put me in mind of the Royal Ballet’s Edward Watson – and believe me, I can’t pay a higher compliment than that. Yet all that would have been for nought had Mr. Simpson not had the vocal goods to back up his physical appeal. But …he does! This is a warm, clear, easily-produced voice – a voice wonderfully present in the big House. Mr. Simpson seemed utterly at home, both in the persona and in the music; one would have thought he’d sung this piece dozens of times since every word and note in his nuanced performance radiated assurance and grace. All afternoon, the Simpson voice was a veritable font of baritonal beauty, and while comparisons are not always meaningful, I can only say that listening to Mr. Simpson gave me the same deep pleasure I have often drawn from the singing of Sanford Sylvan and Thomas Hampson. Deservedly hailed with bravos at his solo bow, Mr. Simpson proved so much more than a stand-in: he’s a distinctive artist, and one I hope to hear again – soon and often.”

L’amour de loin - Metropolitan Opera

Oberon’s Grove