'The opera by its structure belongs, as it must, to the soprano who sings Violetta and in this production Ms. Bard simply owns the role. She has the beauty and exquisite femininity to be believable as a widely adored, sought after courtesan (a fance name for a call girl or, more plainly, a high class prostitute), and she has a lyric soprano voice that is pure and powerful in a role that demands both coloratura agility and dramatic intensity. She was pure pleasure to hear."

"Rochelle Bard makes an immediate impressing in La Traviata." "When the current San Jose season was announced, Rochelle Bard's photo was prominently displayed at the company's website as a first-year member of OSJ's resident company. (In September, Bard appeared in Romeo et Juliette, but not in the cast reviewed by Metro.) Happily, our long-proposed introduction finds her in one of every soprano's signature roles, Violetta Valery in La Traviata. It was worth the wait, and a pleasure to see verdi's cliched masterpiece in a signified new production at the California Theatre.

'Opera San Jose's mission is to provide accomplished professional singers with state experience, and Bard appears to be a quick study. Not only did she give Violetta a believable characterization but she held audience attention at every turn. Her instincts made compelling work of state director Olivia Stapp's instructions. In the card scene of Act 2, her cameo at the opposite end of the state attracted a quiet contrapuntal sympathy.

'But it was her big vocal scenes where Bard drew Violetta's character most indenibly. That was obvious from the start, graced by the diva's subtly told reactions to events and characters around her and an expressive dynamic range that drew in her audience during quiet passages and asserted itself in the large outbursts. These qualities were displayed early on in the Libiamo brindisi; Ah, fors'e lui, and Sempre libera. In act 2, Bard brought the heroine's vulnerability to the fore, especially in the scene with Giogio Germont, who has come to demand that she end her affair with his son."

"Sparkling melodies, superbly blending voices make OSJ's La Traviata a winner." "Perfect moments come rarely in any medium and to make them happen in opera requires a coming together of the efforts of singers, conductor, orchestra and a dozen other factors. When they do happen, as occurred in the current Opera San Jose offering, it is sublime.

'On the Sunday, Feb. 11 performance, the title role was sung by Opera San Jose resident artist Rochelle Bard, whose powerful and creamy coloratura soprano voice seared the audience's consciousness. She was especially poignant in the 'parlando' segments and where she spoke the lines of a letter. In her death-bed scene, although marked by her past excesses, she was a transfixed women who knew she needed to die to be redeemed."

'But the evening's biggest sensation was when Bard delivered Juliette's fourth-act contemplation of Laurent's 'sleeping death' poison, "Amour ranime mon courage." In the face of Juliette's passion and fear, Bard's lyric instrument suddently grew to the size and ferocity of a spinto, even a dramatic soprano, as if Juliette has suddenly become Tosca! The change was astonishing, and another indication that a major new talent was landed in the South Bay Area."

'These two were the cornerstone of one of the strongest and most charming productions the company has staged during the past several seasons.

'As Juliette, Bard's singing was fully mellow and clear, conveying a real sweetness, along with Juliette's innocence and, in the end, despair. Her numerous love duets with Bengochea, sung in tought harmony amid lots of nibbling embraces, were touching, passionate successes."

'Once again, Opera San Jose has proved to be competitive with the best national opera companies; a number of new performers with stirring voices have been added to this season.

'At Saturday night's opening performance, newcomer Rochelle Bard was well up to the task. Bard has one of the fullest, richest and strongest sopranos I have heard in many a year."