Soloist in Last Night of the Proms

BBC Proms

“I cried the entire time opera star Jamie Barton was on stage. I have never seen a performer unite a crowd so immediately and powerfully. I fell instantly and completely in love with her with every fibre of my being. Unable to stand for Rule Britannia, I was brought to my feet by the rainbow flag she waved during the final verse. What an extraordinary act. In a second I went from feeling ashamed to proud.”
–Bridget Christie, The Guardian

“And there was the star guest, the American mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton, who told us on Twitter that she’s “proud to bring my own queer fat femme energy to the Last Night.” And boy, didn’t she just. She was seductive in the Habanera from Carmen, furious and then heart-broken in the great aria O don fatale from Verdi’s Don Carlos, and sassy and finger-snapping in Gershwin’s I got Rhythm. Later, when things had got properly silly and balloons were flying she reappeared in the bisexual pride colours of lavender, pink and blue to sing Rule Britannia. At the delirious climax she brandished not an imperial spear but the gay pride flag. Everyone went wild. It was proof that the Proms can be thoroughly woke, and yet still be its own triumphant self.”
–Ivan Hewett, The Telegraph

“What a gesture! Halfway through her blazing performance of Rule, Britannia!, the mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton produced a large gay pride rainbow flag, which she waved as vigorously as she sang. I’ve rarely heard a bigger cheer in the Albert Hall. It was Barton’s night. Her characterful Bizet, Saint-Saëns and Verdi arias were followed by a tender Over the Rainbow and a rambunctious I Got Rhythm, only slightly marred by a clap-along from audience members who clearly haven’t.”
–Richard Morrison, The Times

“We get the American mezzo Jamie Barton, proudly championing bigness and bisexuality with the aid of her regal presence and magnificent voice. She purveys mischief from Carmen, seductiveness from Samson and Delilah, tragedy and triumph from Verdi, before settling winsomely into “Over the Rainbow” and “I Got Rhythm”, her bare shoulders encrusted with jewellery as though she’s a creature from the deep. Each time she comes back, it’s in a different garb, and when the whole hall erupts in EU flag-waving for “Rule Britannia” she unfurls and waves her own – bearing the colours of the LGBT+ movement – and acknowledges the ecstatic applause with a big fat smile.”
–Michael Church, The Independent

“An occasion like the Last Night of the Proms demands a forceful character able to impose themselves on the rowdy goings-on. Step forward American mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton, her personality as vibrant as her voice. Her dresses (there were three all told) included an elaborate number incorporating pink, lavender and blue, the colours of the bisexual Pride flag: Barton, herself bisexual, proudly displayed the outfit during a rabble-rousing rendition of Rule, Britannia! Needless to say, the crowd loved it, and were equally enthusiastic about Barton’s earlier, more decorous appearances. In arias from Bizet’s Carmen, Saint-Saëns’ Samson and Delilah and Verdi’s Don Carlo, the musical phrasing was precise, the tone rich, the chest voice fierce but full of feeling. Later, mic’d up, she returned to sing Over the Rainbow and I Got Rhythm, striking the right balance between operatic rapture and Broadway friskiness. She is definitely a charmer.”
–Nick Kimberley, The Standard

“A big success was scored by this year’s star guest, American mezzo Jamie Barton. As well as singing Bizet and Saint-Saëns with a gloriously rich voice, and bringing tears to the eyes with “Over the Rainbow”, she waved her own flag for bisexuality – literally so at the end, when she picked up a huge Pride flag and went off holding it aloft. What was remarkable about all this was how joyous it felt.”
–Richard Fairman, Financial Times

“"L'amour est un oiseau rebelle" from Carmen was the highlight of the first act. Barton performed with such attitude and sass; her facial expressions were a joy to watch, and that alone made the big screens over the arena worthwhile. The response was rapturous, and Barton was absolutely exultant. Deservedly so! Her voice is energetic and strong. She moves seamlessly between registers, most noticeable in "I Got Rhythm", where it was great to see her enjoying the jazzy style change. The music seems to flow through her whole body. Barton showed great stamina in the run-up to the interval, having started with the powerful piece from Carmen, moving on to Samson and Delilah, Don Carlos and Aida. It was during her numbers that the Prommers started getting really involved, bobbing in time to the music, as they're known for. Barton waved a Pride flag during "Land of Hope and Glory", which seemed fitting for the LGBT+ Rights activist. "Over the Rainbow" featured as a Pride Anthem, with several rainbow banners popping up, reflected in the lit-up backdrop on stage. It was a great moment to celebrate the mezzo-soprano's impact and brilliant to see her so central at this point, celebrating her as a person. Her international acclaim is so well-deserved, and she is making the most of the platform her exceptional talent has earned her.”
–Charlotte Downes, Broadway World

The special guest of the evening was the extraordinary American mezzo Jamie Barton. She is the owner of a marvellous voice with a hint of darkness in the lower range, clear, powerful, warm high notes and an inherent dramatic quality. To top it, Barton is also an expressive actress and delivered one of the best, seductive Habaneras I have ever heard. Her performance of Bizet’s famous aria ‘L’amour est un oiseau rebelle’ (Habanera) from his opera Carmen has seldom been topped. The audience’s thunderous applause and shouts of bravo seemed to almost surprise Barton. She appeared genuinely touched and overwhelmed at the welcome, staring in awe at the impressive packed Royal Albert Hall. After that, she had us all at her feet. Carmen was followed by another femme fatale, namely Delilah with the beautiful and passionate aria ‘Mon Coeur s’ouvre à ta voix’ from the opera Samson and Delilah by Saint-Saëns. Again Barton did not disappoint. Her rendition was as superb as it was beautiful, ardent, tender and with a darker edge that made her singing breath-taking. Needless to say the audience were on their feet again. Then, followed the celebrated bravura aria for Princess Eboli, ‘O don fatale’, from Verdi’s Don Carlo. Jamie Barton was simply spectacular. I dare say it has hardly ever been sung better. Jamie Barton returned to the stage to sing ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ from Arlen’s music to The Wizard of Oz. What can I say? Her singing was brilliant and she was as comfortable with the microphone as she was without it during the opera arias in the first half. Her rendition was moving and of great beauty. I dare say (at the risk of offending her fans) that not even the young, wide-eyed Judy Garland sang it better than Barton in this instance. She followed it with a sassy, vivid interpretation of Gershwin’s fabulous and irresistibly ‘danceable’ ‘I Got Rhythm’ from Girl Crazy. Jamie Barton returned once again to sing Arne’s ‘Rule Britannia!’ and I must admit that it was one of the few times when I truly enjoyed it, as Barton just couldn’t help it and sang it extremely well. She probably doesn’t even know how to sing poorly!”
–Margarida Mota-Bull, Seen and Heard International

“The evening was then raised to another level with the introduction of the evening’s soloist, mezzo-soprano and Cardiff Singer of the World 2013 Jamie Barton. In performing ‘L’amour est un oiseau rebelle’ from Carmen, ‘Mon couer s’ouvre a ta voix’ from Samson et Dalila and ‘O don fatale’ from Don Carlos, she revealed different sides to her voice, and yet everything was underscored by her immaculate technique and total engagement with what she was singing. Her sound was immensely well shaped, and her big notes, including those that sat lower in the register, were of a phenomenal standard as they felt overwhelmingly powerful, and yet never raucous or hyperbolic. With the aria being phrased to perfection, she was suitably seductive in the ‘Habanera’, showed great sensitivity in ‘Mon couer s’ouvre a ta voix’, while after ‘O don fatale’ she raised her head to the skies as she took in the rapturous applause. These days a Last Night soloist sings several arias in the first half, takes on some lighter fare towards the start of the second and then contributes to the traditional Last Night celebrations by singing ‘Rule, Britannia!’. Given the disparate demands that this places on any singer, many do not prove uniformly strong across all three of these distinct areas. Barton, however, certainly did, while also embracing the occasion in every sense. She waved a rainbow flag during the final chorus of ‘Rule, Britannia!’ and also joyously pointed out one that had been gently swaying in the arena during her performance of Harold Arlen’s ‘Over the Rainbow’.”
–Sam Smith, musicOMH