“John Daszak proves well suited to the role of Aschenbach, his interpretation founded on musical command, excellent diction and wide-ranging tonal colouring; he articulates his monologues with perception in an interpretation that seems to show the character perhaps slowly dying from the outset.”

“John Daszak was brilliant as Alviano. Stripped, wounded and abused in Act 3, his character stood helplessly on the same round and rotating platform where he had posed earlier as Carlotta’s model. Now underserving victim, he had lost all face, been ostracised, spat upon, refused by his only love. I’d venture that few singers could meet such physical demands and still sing as brilliantly as this Alviano did.”

“Alviano is not an art figure that is characterised by life’s fixed constancies. Daszak understood that like no other! Blazing flames alternate with streamlined piano passages. Cleverly, Daszak’s imposing tenor voice fights through the musical jungle of Schreker. Just standing still on a forest meadow, now he seems to be fighting through bleak desert landscapes. Suddenly a storm is rising! Red fireballs whirl up the sand and race toward the listeners at frightening speed. Then the typical musical tranquility of Schreker returns. And Daszak? He sings as if nothing had happened, as if he had sung nothing other than Alviano in his life. Hats off, Sir, we bow down!”

“John Daszak [was] sadistic and concise as the Captain”

“Daszak’s tireless, concentrated central performance [as Alviano] was matched by a fearless Carlotta from Catherine Naglestad.”

“the British tenor John Daszak was outstanding in the title role. On stage throughout the two-and-a-half-hour opera, he communicated his torment with aplomb and drew top marks with Spanish pronunciation.”

“Pier Francesco Orsini is on stage from the beginning of the opera to the end. [Sung by] the British tenor John Daszak, who [was] a luxury…His performance was always convincing and his Spanish was perfect.”

“John Daszak was astoundingly sure as Aron, always highlighting the role’s lyricism.”

“John Daszak plays Katerina’s lover Sergei with the perfect dose of leering, cynical swagger.”

“Among the most outstanding performers on the night was John Daszak as Loge…[who] conveyed a relaxed cynicism appropriate to this character.”

“John Daszak (Aron) revelled in being able to sing without restraint, thus providing a rich contrast [to Moses’ sprechgesang]”

“The tenor John Daszak acts and sings with a literally magical presence. He immediately pulls the audience in”

“John Daszak stepped into the premiere in place of the ailing original Aron and provided a terrific interpretation, the ideal crazy ​‘man of God’.”