Reviews

Heerrufer, Lohengrin | San Francisco Opera

“The King’s Herald was sung by Thomas Lehman. Fitted with a mechanical prosthetic leg, he brought huge presence to this career building role. Mr. Lehman is of fine, heroic voice, that enabled him to create a personage who accepted force and violence at any cost.”
– Opera Today

“Baritone Thomas Lehman rounded out the main cast and gave a very impressive performance with his authoritative stance and booming voice in his SF debut as the King’s Herald, despite being dressed in shoulder cast and leg brace.”
– Parterre Box

“The King’s Herald, sung well by baritone Thomas Lehman, is a physically and emotionally damaged veteran with a visible head wound and braces on one arm and one leg.”
– San Francisco Classical Voice

“Illinois baritone Thomas Lehman, a member of the Ensemble of the Deutsche Opera Berlin, was impressive in his San Francisco Opera debut in the opera’s sixth principal role, the Herald. If the role is expository rather than plot-moving, it is of sufficient length to show that Lehman’s voice has the power and expressiveness for core dramatic baritone roles, which is confirmed by his performance history. I look forward to seeing him perform in larger roles.”
– Opera Warhorses

” The Herald, sung by Thomas Lehman, did an admirable job joining the story parts together as well as singing with suavity. He was Wagner’s narrator, with a wounded and patched up leg.”
– OperaWire

Baritone, Carmina Burana | Saint Louis Symphony

“Baritone Thomas Lehman sang with a perfect mix of vocal power and theatrical acumen in his several solos, from the comic intoxication of the Abbot of Cockaigne in “Ego sum abbas” to the powerful mix of passion and despair in “Estuans interius.””
– KDHX (Saint Louis Classical Radio)

Title Role, Nixon in China | Deutsche Oper Berlin

“As Nixon, Thomas Lehman played his role with a manic presence well suited to the staging, but in the ‘News’ aria of the first scene he revealed great vocal authority, a notable warmth of tone and a facility with Adams’ occasionally unconventional vocal lines.”
– MundoClasssical

“Thomas Lehman is a virile straight-forward singing Nixon. ”
– Concerti.net

“Thomas Lehman as Nixon . . . is resonant in every respect”
– Klassik Begeistert

“The baritone Thomas Lehman savours Richard Nixon’s confused hysteria to the fullest and presents a veritable, rhythm-based catchy tune with his aria News has a kind of mystery in the first act.”
– Van Magazin

Yeletsky, Pique Dame | Deutsche Oper Berlin

“Thomas Lehman as the languishing, sonorous Prince Yeletzkij…”
– Bach Track

“The voice of house baritone Thomas Lehman sounds balsamic as Yeletzkij, who is allowed to sing the most beautiful aria of the evening.”
– Der Opern Freund

“The American baritone Thomas Lehman sings a correct Prince Yeletsky completely in line and with exemplary legato”
– Online Merker

“Thomas Lehman’s Yeletsky was finely sung indeed.”
– Seen and Heard International

Wolfram, Tannhäuser | Edinburgh International Festival

“Thomas Lehman brought focused, honeyed beauty to the role of Wolfram.”
– The Times

“Thomas Lehman as Elisabeth’s admirer Wolfram, with his richly textured baritone voice, was outstanding . . .”
– The Scotsman

“Their Pilgrim’s Chorus was a highlight, as was Lehman’s account of Wolfram’s Song to the Evening Star . . .”
– The Herald

“As Wolfram, the US baritone Thomas Lehman . . . brought an understated emotional sincerity to the role with a light but rich timbre, effortlessly filling the Usher Hall.”
– The Guardian

“I was most taken with the warm baritone of the American, Thomas Lehman. . . a really lovely voice, warm and velvety, and he is clearly a good actor as, even in a concert performance, he created a sympathetic character on stage”
– Edinburgh Music Review

Guy de Montfort, Les vêpres siciliennes | Deutsche Oper Berlin

“Top vocal honors went to American baritone Thomas Lehman, an increasingly valuable house singer, as the villainous French governor of Sicily, Guy de Montfort. Lehman, who appeared earlier this season as Günter in the new Herheim Ring and in Rued Langgaard’s freakout Antikrist summoned firm, muscular tones to project Montfort’s authority and ruthlessness. Later on, he settled into an urgent and lyrical register to capture the tyrant’s distress at being estranged from his son, who has been raised to oppose him, and his yearning for reconciliation. “
– Opera News, April 2022

“Thomas Lehman draws the greatest range of characters as the evil but vulnerable Montfort, one of those struggling father figures of Verdi like Rigoletto and Giorgio Germont, who are politically on the wrong side, but humanly touching. With his beautiful, voluminous baritone, he also intelligently knows how to document psychological shock.”
– Oper! Magazin

“Thomas Lehman began the evening with the power of a governor of Sicily, and then, with the help of his magnificently supple baritone voice and expressive characterization, gave Montfort increasingly human traits. He let all the pain of unrequited fatherly love be felt in his third act solo . . .”
Das Opernglas, May 2022

“The new production failed in a remarkable and wonderful way at the premiere. During the final applause, Guy de Montfort finds himself to be the most applauded by the audience. The murderer, the colonialist, the tyrant? Py must have tried hard to expose his shadyness , but he can’t compete with Verdi’s music and the lyrically versatile baritone of Thomas Lehman. The singer knows how to give the governor stature and at the same time portray him as a desperate, loving father.”
– Berliner Morgenpost

“The dazzling baritone of the American Thomas Lehman as Guy de Montfort confidently masters the whole range of character development from the conquering occupier to the doubting and loving father. Through the successful sensitive development of vocal nuances, Verdi’s later compositional highlights in the character of King Philip can be more than predicted.”
– Opera Online

Although the staging costumed Guy de Montfort in the black suit and long coat of an unrepentant villain, Thomas Lehman’s nuanced performance remained attuned to the complexities and ambiguities of the character; his energetic first act duet with Henri was a promising start, but he reached even greater heights in his solo scene at the beginning of the third act, a tumultuous piece of soul-searching that arrived at a remarkably tender conclusion. By the end of the fourth act, in which he allows Henri to spare the life of his comrades, one could almost believe that paternal feeling had overcome his tendency towards despotism.”
– MundoClassico

“The two gentlemen with the low registers – Roberto Tagliavini (as Procida) and Thomas Lehman (as Montfort) – I allow myself to describe as the vocal double attraction of the almost four tough hours of the premiere evening; Yes, the two were then quite rightly showered with applause.”
– Kultura Extra

“The second star of the evening is Thomas Lehman, who, following his years of maturity in the ensemble of the Deutsche Oper, is now doing great things in the specialist roles of the heroic baritone. After a variety of nuance in singing and a very believable characterization between the evil viceroy and a desperate father, he earns great applause. It’s also nice that his French is the best to understand!”
– Opernfan.de

In the role of the father Guy de Montfort, baritone Thomas Lehman exhibited virility, dramatic poise and distinctive nuance . . . ”
– Scherzo

“The two are even trumped by the pithy vehemence with which Thomas Lehman embodies Guy Montfort and the vocally gloomy fanaticism . . .”
– NMZ

“The large highpoint . . . are the singers. As Guy de Montfort, Thomas Lehman portrays a wide arc from the unscrupulous oppressor to the peacemaker who trembles for the love of his son. He remains vocally strong even when he has to crouch under the table in his underwear.”
– Der Tagesspiegel

“Thomas Lehman may have wanted to convince initially though vocal power, but he increasingly and perfectly convinced in his aria not only with a heroic baritone, but also with fine nuances.”
– Der Opern Freund

“Chicago-born baritone Thomas Lehman as the villain Montfort was in just as good shape as his Parma-born colleague Roberto Tagliavini: velvety, black, sparkling voices that left nothing to be desired.”
– Bayerischer Rundfunk

Gunther, Götterdämmerung  | Deutsche Oper Berlin

“Thomas Lehman also succeeds as Gunther, who has his really big moments in the second act, and with his effortlessness in the higher register, he makes it clear that this is a prominent role that basically becomes an indispensable figure on the chessboard of the classic drama constellation. A mature high baritone that is recommended for even bigger tasks. “

“The singers tore it up. The major project “Ring” at the Deutsche Oper . . . is largely well cast for example with Thomas Lehman as Gunther, Clay Hilley as Siegfried and Nina Stemme as Brünnhilde.”
– Opernglas Magazin, Nov. 2021

“With his sonorous baritone and with the best diction of the evening, Thomas Lehman delighted as an exquisite Gunther.”
– Der Opern Freund

“King Gunther is given a surprisingly in-depth portrayal by the American baritone Thomas Lehman, who is able to not only convey hesitation with his voice but also doubt.”
– Berliner Morgenpost

“Thomas Lehman succeeds in giving the overwhelmed, weak King Gunther moments of slippery despair.”
– Der Tagesspiegel

“Hagen’s Gibichungen sibling (was)  sung . . .   outstandingly by Thomas Lehman (Gunther). Lehman was visually and in movement strongly reminiscent of a recently unsuccessful candidate for Chancellor . . . “
– Klassik Begeistert

“The American Thomas Lehman shone in the role of Gunther, not only through his fine baritone voice, but also his extraordinary acting skills.”
– Freitag

“As Gunther, the American baritone Thomas Lehman does a well-rounded, convincing performance.”
– NMZ

“Other smaller roles were also well cast: while the staging presented Gunther as meekly subservient to Hagen, Thomas Lehman had enough authority to convey the complexity of his shame and grief in the second and third acts.”
– Mundo Classico

“Thomas Lehman is a great singing Gunther who, by coincidence, is a parody of Armin Laschet.”
– MOZ

“The Gibichungen siblings, portrayed by Aile Asszonyi and Thomas Lehman, always appeared with the perfect degree of exaggeration, without drifting too far into clichés.”
– BachTrack

“In addition to Hilley and Stemme, it was Thomas Lehman (Gunther) and Okka von der Damrau (Waltraute) who delighted the audience with their singing … Lehman, like Hilley, has an outstanding talent as an actor and was able to confidently switch between comedic and tragic styles . The singers in all these roles have a clear text pronunciation… ”
– Opera Point

“This Gunther, for example, is excellent, as Thomas Lehman gives a ‘hammy’ characterization, but without denouncing his figure. On the contrary, in the end, Lehman will even defend the dignity of the soft shell of his wretched Gunther.”
– Van Magazin

Baritone, Carmina Burana | Edinburgh International Festival

“Mr Lehman, in perhaps the most difficult baritone solo part in all oratorios, was fantastic, covering the range from sweet lover, through lecherous drunken abbot, to persuasive wooer, with aplomb. He possesses just the right voice for this role, which moves from tender lover to full-blooded dramatic baritone.”
– Edinburgh Music Review 

“Baritone Thomas Lehman, so warm and tender in the Spring, gave an entertaining performance as the wayward Abbot, heading into the falsetto in Dies, nox et omnia.”
– Bachtrack

“What a trio of soloists: the mischievous spark between soprano Meechot Marrero and baritone Thomas Lehman, Sunnyboy Dladla’s brilliantly agonising roasted swan, their theatrical interactions matched by gloriously charismatic vocal performances.”
– The Scotsman

Luzifer, Antikrist | Deutsche Oper Berlin

“Am wenigsten mit der orchestralen Lautstärke zu kämpfen hatte an diesem Abend sicher Thomas Lehman, der sich, wagnererprobt, als Luzifer leicht Gehör verschaffte und einmal mehr dank seiner Technisch vorzu ich benenschen höhen Baritonestimme imponierte.”
– OpernGlas Magazin, März 2022

“Excellent singing by Thomas Lehman in a full, deep voice . . .”

– RecMusica

“Lucifer was embodied by Thomas Lehman with a penetrating baritone.”

– BachTrack

“Thomas Lehman with a brilliant Wotan-Technique as Lucifer . . .”
– Klassik.com

“Thomas Lehman presents a penetrating Lucifer.”
– Concerti

“In addition to Irene Roberts, the soprano Flurina Stucki dominates the stage vocally as the great whore. Thomas Lehman’s baritone as Lucifer also sings the role flawlessly.”
– Hundert 11

“Lucifer, the powerful baritone Thomas Lehman, wears a painted suit in the style of an Oskar Schlemmer figurine and appears jovial.”
– Frankfurter Rundschau

Conte Almaviva, Le nozze di Figaro | Theater Basel

“Thomas Lehman as Count Almaviva sings his demanding role with a gorgeous baritone and wins over the audience especially in the 3rd act with a beautifully sung aria.”
– Opern Magazin

“Thomas Lehman dominates both the stage and the part of the Count of which he offers a superb incarnation.”
– ResMusica

“Kristina Stanek’s wonderfully warm and softly flowing Cherubino (what a” Voi che wallpaper “) and the martial Count (Thomas Lehman) with his inexhaustible musical arsenal stand out from the already excellent soloist ensemble with plenty of nuances. “
– Das Openglas/Badische Zeitung

“Quite different was Thomas Lehman, who sang with Count with great agility and with virile strength, which he used cleverly and carefully.”
– Tagblatt

“The American guest singer Thomas Lehman is seen as a vindictive, foolish Count Almaviva. He leads his voice as powerfully as the sledgehammer in his hand.”
– BaZ 

“With his wonderfully flowing, soft baritone, Thomas Lehman is a winning Count Almaviva with a complex personality.”
– NMZ

Hindley Earnshaw, Wurthering Heights | Opéra national de Lorraine

“The second, much darker, is none other than Hindley, brother of Cathy, hated and jealous of Heathcliff from childhood, a perfectly frightening and vocally very accomplished incarnation of Thomas Lehman.”
– Concert Classic

“Thomas Lehman is impeccable arrogance and pride, a scathing voice with ideal overtones of violence and dark tone.”
– ResMusica

“. . . impeccably dominated by the intense Cathy of Layla Claire in the face of the dark ardor of John Chest (Heathcliff) and the primary brutality that Thomas Lehman confers on Hindley, the direction of Jacques Lacombe and the beautiful sound of the orchestra.”
– Avant-Scène Opéra

“In the Duel of deep voices at the top was Thomas Lehman’s Hindley, a darker tone, but an equally powerful artist in the expression of his torments which are alternately hateful and upsetting.”
– Diapason Magazine

“Finally, we note the superlative supporting roles, especially the welcome treacherous blackness of Thomas Lehman (Hindley Earnshaw) or the noble song of Alexander Sprague (Edgar Linton).”
– Classique News

“The portraits of the supporting roles” were also quite successful… By Thomas Lehman, a Hindley Earnshaw all-round villain and family ruin… “
– Giornale della Musica

Lieblingsstücke Live | Deutsche Oper Berlin

“Baritone Thomas Lehman (sang) the great monologue of Ford, which he presented with impressive vocal power and sensitive acting.”
– Der Opern Freund

Renato, Un ballo in Maschera | Deutsche Oper Berlin

“Thomas Lehman sang with a virile, distinctive baritone and also convinced with highly commited acting.”
– Der OpernFreund

“Thomas Lehman was Count Anckarström, Amelia’s husband. His baritone was perhaps a bit generic, but he really came through during his big aria “Eri tu”, managing to convey all the desperation of the loving, betrayed husband. At the end of the opera, when he realised that Amelia and the king were innocent, and he had murdered his best friend and beloved monarch for nothing, Lehman managed, in the middle of the concertato, to make his despair shine through the ensemble.”
– BachTrack

In the classic love triangle of this opera, Thomas Lehman sang the betrayed husband with a velvety, but highly expressive baritone.”
– Der OpernFreund

Lescaut, Manon Lescaut | Edinburgh International Festival

“First-rate support came from Thomas Lehman as Manon’s devious brother, alongside some nicely characterful cameos, notably that of Ya-Chung Huang as the perky lamplighter who sets the plot rolling.”
– The Telegraph

“There were impeccable, idiomatic characterisations from ThomasLehman’s opportunistic brother…”
– The Arts Desk

“(Sondra Radvanovsky) had very fine support from Jorge de Leon as Des Grieux, Thomas Lehman as Lescaut and Carlos Chausson as Geronte in what was a truly international cast.”
– The Herald

“Thomas Lehman had both colour and character as Lescaut.”
– Seen and Heard International

“(Radvanovsky) had good support from Thomas Lehman’s likeable Lescaut — together they made a right pair of chancers —. . .”
– The Times 

Falke, Die Fledermaus| Deutsche Oper Berlin

“Meltworthy Kavalier Baritone Thomas Lehman sang Falke . . .”
– Concerti

“Thomas Lehman convinced as “The Bat” (Dr. Falke) with a cleanly produced baritone . . .”
– Oper Aktuell

Lescaut, Manon Lescaut | Deutsche Oper Berlin

“Baritone Thomas Lehman did nicely as Lescaut, with a homogenous voice throughout the entire range. He once again confirmed the positive impression he had made on previous occasions – it is a pity that this character does not have an aria in which to shine.”
– Seen and Heard International

Silvio, Pagliacci | Deutsche Oper Berlin

Erika Grimaldi and Thomas Lehman, despite the ludicrousness of the stage direction, provided the musical highlight of the evening with their passionate duet, “Silvio! A quest’ ora,” filling the cavernous theater with thrilling piano and pianissimo singing.”
Broadway World

Figaro, Il barbiere di Siviglia | Deutsche Oper Berlin

“Im jungen US-Amerikaner Thomas Lehman hat er jüngst einen umtriebige Vertreter gefunden, der die vor überraschenden Einfällen schier überbordende und die Sinne verwirrende Inszenierung von Katharina Thalbach auch in der 52. Aufführung seit der Premiere Ende November 2009 von Gioacchino Rossinis Opera buffa Il barbiere di Siviglia zu einem hinreißenden Bühnenspaß werden lässt. Zwischen Thespiskarren (in Form eines Wanderbühnencontainers) und Straßen-/Strandaktionen hin und her pendelnd, zeigt sich Thomas Lehman als ein überaus wandlungsfähiger, vor ansteckender Spiellust und gewitzter Gerissenheit nur so strotzender Strippenzieher. Zur erotischen Ausstrahlung gesellt sich ein hoher, beweglicher, intonationsreiner und sicher geführter Bariton, der das Parlando genauso überzeugend beherrscht wie die ariose Attitüde, den Blick- und Singkontakt zu den Partnern.”
– Opern Magazin, March 2016

Nevers, Les Huguenots | Deutsche Oper Berlin

“Thomas Lehman sings the sympathetic and empathic Nevers with an easy-going, sonorous baritone.”
– Online Merker

“New in comparison to the premiere was Thomas Lehman with sympathetic acting and a pleasing, sonorous baritone.”
– Der Opern Freund

Silvio, Pagliacci | Teatro São Carlos

“O Silvio do barítono Thomas Lehman foi talvez o melhor em palco. A voz tinha um timbre bonito e ouvia-se bem, sem gritar. Também esteve bem em cena.”
– Fanáticos da Ópera

“Thomas Lehman, como Silvio, pareceu-me o mais envolvido e vocalmente mais adequado ao papel. Nenhum dos cantores foi insatisfatório mas, à excepção do último, também nenhum pareceu estar ao nível da encenação.”
– Opera Lisboa

Belcore, L’elisir d’amore | Deutsche Oper Berlin

“Thomas Lehman was suitably strutting and handsome-sounding as Belcore.”
– Fatal Conclusions

“Dem Belcore von Thomas Lehman hatte man einen italienisch aussehenden stummen Statisten als Begleitung an die Seite gestellt, aber akustisch konnte der Stipendiat des Förderkreises durchaus mit einer effektvoll vorgetragenen Auftrittsarie überzeugen. Als er und die Seinen zur Hochzeit auch noch in Galauniform erscheinen durften, war auch optisch alles perfekt.”
Der Opern Freund

Valentin, Faust | Deutsche Oper Berlin

“Thomas Lehman, ein temperamentvoller Valentin mit wohllautendem Bariton, gefällt in dieser Rolle. Wenn er sterbend seine Schwester verflucht, müssten sensible Zuhörer/Innen zusammenzucken.”
Der Neue Merker 

“Thomas Lehman scores as pithy-laddish Valentin.”
– Livekritik.de

Press

Profile Piece, My Favorite Place

Deutsche Oper Berlin
February 2022

Artist Profile

Berliner Morgenpost
Published 23 February 2017
Written by Kai Luehrs-Kaiser

Interview

Pocono Record
Published 16 May 2015
Written by Stacy M. Brown