“All the performances are good, though Mark Le Brocq has a particularly fine time playing a child-eating lion as a cat-suited rock god.”

The Guardian

Reviews

OPERA

Tristan und Isolde Grange Park Opera

Mark Le Brocq made an excellent Sailor in Act I and later gave a strong portrayal of Tristan’s erstwhile friend, the treacherous Melot.” The Article

Mark Le Brocq is menacingly memorable” The Times

“…and Mark Le Brocq creepily distasteful (in character, not voice) as Melot, the supporting cast has no weakness” Observer

Götterdämmerung Grimeborn Festival

Mark Le Brocq, adding lyricism to power for the maturing man” The Stage

“She was joined by Mark Le Brocq as Siegfried, Le Brocq was more lyrical and nuanced and made better use of his words” Seen and Heard

“No Siegfried, however foolish, can do both these works a few hours apart, so it was Mark Le Brocq who sailed into the Gibichung plot, singing with sweet tone and sufficient heft, qualities rarely combined in the role” Bachtrack

Excursions of Mr Broucek  Grange Park Opera

“Mark Le Brocq, in one of many roles, excels as a jailed writer with a strong similarity to Vaclav Havel” The Times

“Quadrupling up, Mark Le Brocq excels as painter Mazal and in other guises – fearlessly and ardently cresting Janáček’s tenor peaks.”  The Stage

“A deluxe British cast, shed light on Janáček’s grueling vocal lines and included Mark Le Brocq” The Guardian

“Grange Park has done well with its tenors, especially Mark Le Brocq in four ridiculously high roles” Financial Times

“The rest of the cast reads like a roll-call of the British operatic establishment, with Mark Le Brocq, Andrew Shore, Clive Bayley, Anne-Marie Owens and Adrian Thompson all revelling in their multiple roles”. Bachtrack

“Grange Park Opera focuses very much on engaging the best singers for their parts, and here the stage was full of them. Mark Le Brocq excelled in several roles, his remarkably flexible tenor ringing out gloriously in diverse characterizations, most notably as the would-be romantic lover Mazal” Music OMH

Mark Le Brocq, in a tenor part liberally sprinkled with top Cs, is heroic as Mazal” Culture Whisper

 

Figaro gets a divorce Magdeburg Opera

“unter den Gästen brillierten die Männer: Der Major Mark Le Brocq tänzelte als höher Strahletenor so unfassbar fies und glanzvoll widerwärtig durch seine Partie dass man gar nicht anders konnte als ihn großartig zu finden. Ein dunkler Abkömmling aus der Opernwelt Benjamin Britten” Volksstimme

“among the guests the men shone: The Major, Mark Le Brocq, dazzled as a high gleaming tenor, so unbelievably vicious and brilliantly disgusting throughout his role that one could not but find him wonderful. A dark descendant of Benjamin Britten’s operatic world”

“Der Tenor Mark Le Brocq macht ihn zum komödiantischen Zentrum der Oper” MDR Kultur

“Tenor Mark Le Brocq makes him the comedic centre of the opera”

 

Nixon in China  Scottish Opera

“Mark Le Brocq’s ailing,oily Mao is a compelling Sphynx”   The Times

“The singing and acting was superb right across the board…Mark Le Brocq in splendid voice” Bachtrack

“The central quartet shine….Mark Le Brocq’s Mao is one of his best roles to date, making a strong dramatic impact” Sunday Times

“As Mao, Mark le Brocq masterfully conveyed a sense both of charisma and folly” Observer

 

War and Peace   WNO

“The most satisfying figure, in part because his frequent presence gives us a chance to know him, in part because Mark Le Brocq portrayed him outstandingly, is that of Pierre Bezukhov, rich, socially awkward; a man without purpose yet idealistic, sensitive and questing”  The Observer

Mark Le Brocq found musical depth in the shyly heroic Pierre” Opera

“Pierre’s pivotal journey is depicted with a psychological fervour that commands the drama and gives the excellent Mark Le Brocq a role to savour. The imposing tenor gives a terrific performance” What’s onstage

” There is a definite attempt to keep Pierre at the centre of the narrative arc so it helps that he is incarnated in the night’s most outstanding performance by Mark Le Brocq” Classical Source

“Pierre Bezhukov, wonderfully portrayed by tenor Mark Le Brocq” The Guardian

“Pierre’s tirade at Anatole is as rivetingly staged and sung as it is composed…Le Brocq is outstanding” Arts desk

 

Anthropocene   Scottish Opera

“His rich tenor voice cuts venomously through the icy orchestral washes of the opera’s electrifying start.” The Scotsman

Mark Le Brocq, as the expedition leader and sponsor Harry King, cuts a maniacal figure, ruthlessly egocentric as expressed through MacRae’s hi-octane tenor writing.”  Classical music magazine

 

Das Rheingold   Longborough

“Among the cast, Mark Le Brocq’s foppish, sardonic Loge and Mark Stone’s vocally authoritative Alberich stand out, managing to create stage personalities to match the strength of their musical ones” The Guardian

” The standouts are Mark Le Brocq, vocally and visually on top form as a dandyish Loge”  The Stage

“Negus’s cast mostly copes admirably with the challenge. The unquestionable star of the show is Mark Le Brocq’s Loge, a kind of fin de siècle Mephistopheles, with frock coat and cane, pirouetting round the stage in a way that openly ridicules the stolid, bewildered, humourless bourgeoisie of mount Valhalla, and even runs rings (non-golden) round the crafty tenants of Nibelheim. He also sings – the most lyrical music in the opera – with elegance and eloquence.”   Artsdesk

“…several outstanding performances. Chief amongst these was Mark Le Brocq’s dodgy dealer Loge, whose crimson frockcoat and twirling cane brought a whiff of a Victorian music hall MC. His ease of movement and vocal projection were outstanding, his perfectly caught ambivalence tailor-made for this role.”   Operatoday

 

House of the Dead  Welsh National Opera

” But every singer here pushes themselves to the utmost in portrayals of great force, notably  Mark Le Brocq’s Luka Kuzmich.”  The Guardian

” Stand-out performances among the principals came from Luka (Mark Le Brocq) and the Commandant (Robert Hayward). In the first scene, Le Brocq sang the tale of Luka’s prior flogging with immense intensity, his big, rounded voice and strong acting taking complete control of the stage.” Bachtrack

” Outstanding among a consistently fine ensemble…. especially the self-accusing murderers, Mark Le Brocq’s Luka Kuzmich….”  Financial Times

” Le Brocq’s tenor was a formidable force against the abrupt and angular instrumental lines.”               Opera today

 

Khovanschina   Welsh National Opera

” Mark Le Brocq is excellent as the weaselly Golitsyn”  The Times

” ….a terrific opera row between three of Mussorgsky’s main characters….praising the sustained intensity of the performance of these three singers” Arts Desk

 

Dr Faustus  Semperoper   Dresden

“ Großartig die sängerischen Leistungen des Ensembles, allen voran der Amerikaner Lester Lynch als Faust und der Engländer Mark Le Brocq als äußerst agiler Mephisto, der das Geschehen wie Loge in Wagners »Ring« vorantreibt.”

Musik in dresden

“ The singing performance of the ensemble is magnificent, especially the American Lester Lynch as Faust, and the Englishman Mark Le Brocq as an extremely agile Mephisto, who drives the event like Loge in Wagner’s “Ring”.”

 

Mark Le Brocq ist ein eloquenter Mephistopheles mit eher baritonalem timbre die tenoralen höhen erreicht er aber ohne probleme.”

Operapoint

Mark Le Brocq is an eloquent Mephistopheles with rather baritonal timbre who neverthless reaches the tenorial heights without any trouble.”

 

“Ebenso glänzend waren die Auftritte von Mark Le Brocq als überaus lebendig agierende Mephisto….sein äußerst wandlungsfähiger und durchschlagskräftiger Charaktertenor schien wie für diese Partie geschaffen”

Opernfreund

“Equally dazzling were Mark Le Brocq’s scenes as an exceedingly lively Mephistopheles….his extremely versatile and powerful tenor seemed to have been created for this part.”

 

Mark Le Brocq als sein diabolischer Alter Ego Mephistopheles war ihm stimmlich ebenbürtig in seiner mitunter verteufelt hoch angelegten Partie. Witz Charme und Verlockung meisterte Le Brocq mit seiner Spieltenor bra vourös.”

Opernglas

Mark Le Brocq, as his devilish Alter Ego Mephistopheles, was his vocal equal in this often diabolically high-lying part. Wit, charm and allure were mastered by Le Brocq’s brilliant tenor.”

 

“ the dramatic skill and vocal tirelessness of Mark Le Brocq’s excellent performance in the role……  Le Brocq and Lynch led a fine cast….”

Opera

 

The Merchant of Venice  Welsh National Opera

“Bassanio – tenor Mark Le Brocq in great form”  Artsdesk

Mark Le Brocq a sweet tenor Bassanio”  The Daily Telegraph

Mark Le Brocq brought an attractively lyrical voice to the role of Bassanio”  Seen and Heard International

“outsung by Mark Le Brocq’s strong Bassanio”  The Guardian

“Its elegance was equalled by Mark Le Brocq whose high-lying lines conveyed all of Bassanio’s levity and heedlessness”  Opera Today

Mark Le Brocq did wonders with the high-wire tenor writing of the role of Bassanio”  Planet Hugill

 

Die Walküre  Opera North

“The principal singers gave their all. Mark Le Brocq (Siegmund) and Lee Bisset (Siegelinde) transmitted white-hot passion both in their incestuous love for each other and in their defiance of the gods”  Nottingham Post

 

Christmas Carol   Welsh National Opera

Le Brocq’s vocal acrobatics – jumping between narration, high, low and falsetto – and the constantly changing hats and nightcap were sustained remarkably throughout. Words were super-clear and mini-cameos beautifully characterised: Bob Crotchet Cockney-perfect, Fezziwig touching, Tiny Tim reduced to a finger puppet”  The Guardian

” Credited simply as Narrator, Le Brocq deserved to have had all the roles he portrayed listed individually: he characterised each one – over 20 in all – with much care. Words were crystal-clear, he realised an extraordinary diversity of accents and voices, male, female, young and old, in a rich variety of colours. Apart from anything else it was a feat of endurance” Opera

 

Biedermann and the Arsonists  Independent Opera

“An indefatigable Mark Le Brocq led a sterling cast as the bigoted businessman Biedermann”  The Guardian

” Mark Le Brocq perfectly captures the ineffectual Biedermann and, remarkably, never tires in vocal writing which continues to ascend as the character loses his grip on reality”  The Stage

” Mark Le Brocq was superb as Biedermann”  Opera Today

Mark Le Brocq tirelessly portrayed the exasperated, utterly compromised Biedermann with generous heldentenor heft in the high-lying music”  Classical Source

 

The Flying Dutchman  Opera North

” Mark Le Brocq brings ringing top notes to the steersman ” The Daily Telegraph

Mark Le Brocq as the Steersman, fresh and youthful of timbre, was delightful in his Act 1 Sailor’s song” Opera Britannia

Mark Le Brocq’s Steersman….sincerely and stylishly sung ” The Times

 

Moses und Aron  Welsh National Opera

“Aron was taken on the first night by an understudy, Mark Le Brocq, and quite brilliantly. It is not as though his lyric tenor utterances dilute his brother’s austere visionary message with a dose of Puccini – this is still tough music on the ear – but Le Brocq conveyed them with astounding assurance.” The Sunday Times

Mark Le Brocq jumped in at the last minute to save the day, singing heroically and brilliantly realising the character as a track-suited, greasy haired but wily and charismatic speaker.” The Spectator

“The suave, plausible Aron was Mark Le Brocq, whose performance had so much assurance and authority it was hard to believe that he is the understudy, and had only known he was appearing a few hours earlier.” The Guardian

Le Brocq’s assured and lyrical singing was a fine counterbalance to Tomlinson’s Moses”  Opera

“The man with the most unenviable task on the opening night was Mark Le Brocq stepping in at just a few hours’ notice for the indisposed Rainer Trost. He conveyed with ease Aron’s streetwise trainer-clad demeanour, projecting the elaborate arioso lines as if he had been doing so all his life.” Opera Now

” Mark Le Brocqwhose ease and fluent beauty in the opera’s most demanding role made it hard to credit that he was standing in as an understudy given just a few hours notice. Both Le Brocq and the house’s management are to be congratulated” TLS

Aron was not the advertised Rainer Trost, who was indisposed, but the sensational tenor Mark Le Brocq, who stood in at short notice on minimal rehearsal, but who gave a performance that was just as gripping as Tomlinson’s, with a vocal line that, by contrast with Moses’ stammering Sprechstimme, sounded almost like bel canto.” Bachtrack

“Hardly less impressive is Mark Le Brocq‘s smooth talking, shallow thinking Aron, taken over at the last minute from an indisposed Rainer Trost, but sung with an assurance that belies the extreme difficulty of music whose lyricism is constantly moulded to a fixed and somewhat angular sequencing of notes. Le Brocq, though understudying the role, had I gather never sung it with the orchestra or on stage. You could hardly have known. ” Artsdesk

“Aron is an immensely challenging role, both vocally and dramatically, and no small test of memory, but Le Brocq stepped up to the plate magnificently – nothing about his performance suggested a last-minute stand-in. Impressive.” musicalamerica.com

Mark Le Brocq‘s eloquent bel canto as Aron” The Independent

 

Fall of the House of Usher  Welsh National Opera

“..the crazed doctor, red hair on end like diabolical horns, Mark Le Brocq also excellent”  Artsdesk

“..the singing of Mark Le Brocq is excellent”  The Daily Telegraph

” Mark Le Brocq’s ghoulish Medecin, powerfully drawn” The Times

Mark Le Brocq was best of all in his declamation of the French text”  Seen and Heard International

 

Peter Grimes  Opera North

“Mark Le Brocq delivers a vocally and dramatically riveting performance”  Opera Britannia

 

Das Rheingold  Longborough Festival Opera

“Strong performances bring many characters in from the mist, especially so in the case of Mark Le Brocq’s playful but strongly sung Loge”   The Times

” Things liven up sharply with the entry of Mark Le Brocq’s vibrantly physical Loge in the second scene. Le Brocq, as well as being a fine lyrical singer, is another performer who understands the virtues of facial expression and quick, reactive gesture.” Artsdesk

 

Lulu  Welsh National Opera

“Equally memorable are…Mark Le Brocq’s cleverly sung, wittily acted Painter/Negro…” Artsdesk

“…with luxury support from Mark Le Brocq.”  Observer

 

The Makropulos Case  Opera North, Edinburgh Festival

“The clear, bright-tone of tenor Mark Le Brocq is deployed to good effect as Vitek, the head clerk. It’s a convincing characterisation and Le Brocq’s diction is excellent”  Opera Britannia

 

Yes Royal Opera House

“…a formidable tenor….” The Times

 

From the House of the Dead Opera North

“Mark Le Brocq marvelously dotty as the ear-pulled Shapkin” Opera

“All the narratives are powerfully delivered, without undue histrionics, notably by Robert Hayward (Shishkov) whose increasingly tormented account of murdering his possibly unfaithful wife dominates Act 3. Alan Oke (Skuratov) and Mark Le Brocq (Shapkin) also seize their moments.” Whatsonstage

 

King Priam English National Opera

“Mark Le Brocq, equally clear with his text, is tremendous as Paris…a wonderful lyric top to his voice ” Evening Standard

“Mark Le Brocq plays a Paris sensitively observed and very gratefully sung” Financial Times

“Mark Le Brocq a golden-toned Paris” The Stage

 

Cautionary Tales Opera North

“All the performances are good, though Mark Le Brocq has a particularly fine time playing a child-eating lion as a cat-suited rock god.” The Guardian

“…Mark Le Brocq’s glam-rock lion.  He’s terrific – a vision in blue shiny fabric and Heseltinian blonde wig, playing air guitar with Jim’s dismembered leg.” Artsdesk

 

Otello English National Opera

“Mark Le Brocq’s fine Cassio……diction was flawless” Opera

 

The Return of Ulysses Chicago Opera Theatre

“Tenor Mark Le Brocq was an imposing Ulisse” Wall Street Journal

“As Penelope and Ulisse, Marie Lenormand and Mark Le Brocq respectively illustrate all the necessary longing and pent-up passion built into librettist Giacomo Badoaro’s contemplative text about love, fate and fortune.” Windy City Times

“Certain performers in particular stood out. Mark Le Brocq as Ulysses and Marie Lenormand as Penelope not only sang beautifully but showed the appropriate mix of intimacy and bewilderment in the culminating reunion scene.” Chicago Theatre Reviews

“The eloquent tenor Le Brocq made every painful step of Ulysses’ homecoming memorable.” Chicago Tribune

 

The Magic Flute (Tamino) English National Opera

“….his tone was bright, his performance committed and his words well projected” Opera

 

Mitridate Buxton Festival

“Mark Le Brocq is outstanding in the warlord title role.” Citylife

 

Salome English National Opera

“Mark Le Brocq’s obsessive Narraboth is unusually imposing” Opera

 

The Magic Flute Opera Holland Park

“…but it’s Mark Le Brocq’s Monostatos that repeatedly steals the show…” The Financial Times

 

Rusalka Opera North

“The lighter elements are stylishly handled: the excellent Mark Le Brocq and the convincingly boyish Catherine Hopper make much of the comic interludes for Huntsman and Kitchen Boy.” Whatsonstage

 

Il Re Pastore Classical Opera Company

“Tenor Mark Le Brocq (Agenore) was the only singer to do full justice to Mozart. He is clearly accomplished and also very expressive. The other four singers were not quite in Le Brocq’s class.” Musicomh.com

“The most mature performance came from the experienced Mark Le Brocq as the nobleman Agenore; his track record showed in his sensitive phrasing, concern for the (Italian) words and reassuring demeanour.” The Financial Times

“Agenore, her betrothed,elegantly sung by the tenor Mark Le Brocq.” The Times

 

Apollo and Hyacinthus Classical Opera Company

“…the stunning performances of Rebecca Bottone (Melia) and Marc Le Brocq (Oebalus)….. But Bottone and Le Brocq’s Act III father-daughter duet is the undoubted musical highlight.” Independent on Sunday

“Oebalus was brought to life by tenor Mark Le Brocq, whose powerful, stately stature and strength of voice created a believable King.” Musical Opinion

 

La Resurrezione Chicago Opera Theatre

“A bright-timbred Giovanni, the character here presented as the parish priest, sung by Mark Le Brocq.” Opera News

“Mark Le Brocq delivers the comforting homilies of John the Baptist with a sweet, never-forced lyric tenor” Chicago Tribune

“Tenor Mark Le Brocq was openhearted and appealing as the parish priest and St John. Riding herd on the rehearsal, trying to comfort the grieving parents, he was a man completely enmeshed in the lives around him. Le Brocq has a relaxed, warm tenor that was comfortable in Handel’s serene, lyrical melodies as well as the oratorio’s lavish, virtuoso decorations.” Chicago Sun-Times

 

A Better Place English National Opera

“Mark Le Brocq made every word tell as the Ghost” The Times

 

RECORDINGS

 

The Messiah

“The buoyant chorus, under Glover’s incisive direction, goes from strength to strength. Four vigorous soloists play their part, especially the tenor Mark Le Brocq…” Sunday Times

 

Vert-vert

“The best all round performance, vocally and stylistically speaking, comes from Mark Le Brocq as the gardener Binet, because he really plays with the words, doesn’t just sing but acts vocally….he lights up all the scenes he is in…” Operetta Research Centre Amsterdam

 

Valete in Pace

“Mark Le Brocq is a stunning soloist, tearing at our hearts with Lee Hall’s disquieting text.” International Record Review

 

Samson

“As Samson, Mark Le Brocq is admirable: a good, clear, even, true, masculine tenor, intelligently used.” Gramophone

“Marc Le Brocq is an outstanding Samson” Music Web International

 

Saul

“Marc Le Brocq displays a strong, true English tenor as Jonathan, particularly touching in his advocacy for David.” Opera News