"Joyce Castle's Waltraute on Friday truly stirred...Solid presences were...Ms. Castle's (Fricka.)"

Fricka, The Ring (Seattle Opera)

"Bar none, it was the finest Waltraute I have ever seen with any company."

Waltraute, The Ring (Seattle Opera)

"Joyce Castle, perhaps our best character mezzo in any opera house, as Tabor's rigid wife..."

Augusta Tabor, The Ballad of Baby Doe (Long Beach Opera)

"Joyce Castle is particularly powerful as Horace's first wife,"

Augusta, The Ballad of Baby Doe (New York City Opera)

"But the dramatic and vocal performance par excellence was the mezzo soprano Joyce Castle in the role of Madame de Croissy: it was simply perfect and the scene of her death -the final scene of Act 1-absolutely moving; the best thing I could wish for in opera."

Old Prioress, Dialogues of the Carmelites (Glimmerglass Opera)

"Ideal is hardly adequate to describe Joyce Castle...Castle sings the queen as if the role had been written for her, she is every inch the queen. And she is as majestic when overtaken in the final scene without wig and make-up as when cloaked in the regalia of her office."

Queen Elizabeth, Gloriana (Central City Opera)

"Joyce Castle was commanding in the title role.

Claire Zachanassian, The Visit of the Old Lady (New York City Opera)

"especially the imposing mezzo-soprano Joyce Castle in the title role of Claire Zachanassian whose voice cuts brilliantly."

Claire Zachanassian, The Visit of the Old Lady (New York City Opera)

"Heading the generally fine City Opera cast were Joyce Castle as the venomous Claire..."

Claire Zachanassian, The Visit of the Old Lady (New York City Opera)

"The role of Claire was initially created by the legendary Christa Ludwig. At City Opera, Joyce Castle takes charge. 'She's one of the greatest actresses I have ever worked with' says (Stage Director JoAnne) Akalaitis."

Claire Zachanassian, The Visit of the Old Lady (New York City Opera)

"(Joyce Castle is) one of the greatest actresses I have ever worked with."

Claire Zachanassian, The Visit of the Old Lady (New York City Opera)

"(Joyce Castle) added great vocal and character strength to the role of the mother. Her lullaby to her grandchild and her anguish when she discovers the child's death is at once heart-wrenching and magnificent."

Mother Sorel, The Consul (Berkshire Opera and Newport Classics)

"...it is because of Newport's Joyce Castle, whose firmly drawn and well-sung characterization is perhaps the most firmly limned portrayal on that set, capturing perfectly the sense of world-weariness so central to the character."

Mother Sorel, The Consul (Berkshire Opera and Newport Classics)

Mezzo Joyce Castle delivers so convincing a dramatic and vocal performance of the old woman that the audience joined the onstage crowd in cheering for her.

Greta's Mother/The Old Lady, Central Park (Glimmerglass Opera)

"..the supporting roles are very strong. At the top of this list is mezzo-soprano Joyce Castle as Jezibaba." "Castle's dramatic (and comic) moments earn her appreciative laughter during the action, and also gave her an enthusiastic crescendo in the applause at the opening night curtain. Her performance transcends that of merely a well-sung role."

Jezibaba, Rusalka (Seattle Opera)

"In Joyce Castle, Seattle has a first-class Fricka"

The Ring (Seattle Opera)

"Joyce Castle gave a fresh, powerful, sympathetic depiction of Augusta, Horace's martinet first wife."

Augusta Tabor, The Ballad of Baby Doe (Indianapolis Opera)

"Joyce Castle has her finest hour and very nearly steals the show"

Augusta, The Ballad of Baby Doe (New York City Opera)

"Joyce Castle marvelously commands the stage in her early scenes as a venerable abbess....played to perfection by Castle, the reverend mother's unshakable faith burns with an intensity - and at one point, sheer Aristotelian terror - that lingers long after the three-hour work reaches its powerful conclusion."

Old Prioress, Dialogues of the Carmelites (Central City Opera)

"...Castle rules the show. Her voice is authoritative with a dark edge to it that makes Elizabeth the commanding presence on stage that she is."

Queen Elizabeth, Gloriana (Central City Opera)

"A beautifully mercurial performer who can navigate wide emotional swings with a slight glance or gesture...Throughout, Castle maintains an iron grip on her character, glides through most of the tricky vocal score with finesse and harnesses Act Three's high drama with admirable artistry: when Elizabeth assumes the mantle of power for the final time, Castle appears to experience a soulful sea change that's betrayed only by the flicker of an eye..."

Queen Elizabeth, Gloriana (Central City Opera)