Reviews
“Karen Fitz-Gibbon brought vocal strength and purity combined with an accomplished stage presence to her portrayal of Belinda. Her utterly convincing characterization of grief in the final death scene animated the performances of those around her to secure the tragic climax of the opera.”
Jennifer Gall, Canberra Times, 31 August 2010
“I loved Karen Fitz-Gibbon’s solo soprano voice, which soared with incredible clarity and beauty…”
Eric Pozza, Canberra Jazz Blog, canberrajazz.net, 5 April 2010
".....featuring Karen Fitz-Gibbon (a spectacular new soprano, who isn’t quite finished her degree).... Karen Fitz-Gibbon sang as if her voice came not from her small form, but from the whole auditorium at once. It was heavenly. (Then she blushed and giggled like a fifteen-year old at all the applause.)"
Louise Curtis, Author's Blog, 8 April 2010
“It was a joy to hear Karen Fitz-Gibbon step into the demanding role of Susanna and combine her dramatic abilities, her highly developed stage timing and her vocal excellence to reach a new level of confidence.”
Jennifer Gall, Canberra Times, 4 April 2011
"Canberra's own Karen Fitz-Gibbon shone as Susanna, with a cheeky stage presence matched by a crystal clear voice."
Ian McLean, Canberra City News, 7-13 April 2011
“The singing and acting was excellent throughout, though I make no bones about being home-town biased in praising the performance of Karen Fitz-Gibbon. She has just last year completed her Honours year at the Australian National University School of Music, and her Susanna was close to perfect. Hers is the central role in Bremner’s approach to Lorenzo Da Ponte’s libretto: Fitz-Gibbon’s timing and characterisation made the whole play work dramatically.”
Frank McKone, Canberra Critics Circle Blog, ccc-canberracriticscircle.blogspot.com, 30 March 2011
"Karen Fitz-Gibbon has beautifully crisp diction and a wonderfully warm and rounded tone, and had no problem filling the .... Thomas Edmonds Opera Studio. "
Kym Clayton, The Barefoot Review, www.thebarefootreview.com.au, 4 March 2012
"Karen Fitz-Gibbon is a brilliant singer and actress. Her preparation of my monodrama Black Water was thoughtful and meticulous; the emotional power, textured interpretation, radiant musicianship and technical expertise revealed in her performance created a haunting and eloquent theatrical event. Ms. Fitz-Gibbon doesn’t simply enter the world of the character she portrays; on stage, she breathes that character’s life while the beauty of her voice takes flight and soars to the delight and pleasure of anyone fortunate enough to be present."
Jeremy Beck, Composer, 23 March 2012
"The work was performed by pianist Julie Sargeant and soprano, Karen Fitz-Gibbon, reprising the performance that they presented, under the Co-Opera banner, during the recent Adelaide Fringe. This is a very powerful and moving work and Fitz-Gibbon invests it with all of the emotional range needed, from the fun of the party, the fear at the fast driving, the shock of the accident, and the hope for an imminent rescue. Fitz-Gibbon displays a phenomenal control of her voice and exceptional acting skills, with a most empathetic accompaniment from Sargeant."
Black Water - Barry Lenny, Arts Editor, Glam Adelaide, 28 April 2012
"Karen Fitz-Gibbon is Coridon...who tries to calm Polypheme, but without success. She brings a gentleness to the role that suits the role exactly."
Acis and Galatea - Barry Lenny, Arts Editor, Glam Adelaide, 28 April 2012
"Fitz-Gibbon appeared in black cocktail frock and pumps, long black hair piled up at the back, discreet pearl necklace and cluster earrings, looking just as a young political campaigner would have looked in the 60s. Her performance was riveting, by turns upbeat with excitement at being singled out by her political idol, vulnerable with expectation, alarmed by the speeding car, terrified in the water and finally exultant but desperate in a dying fantasy of rescue. Her singing also was exemplary, with good clear tone and excellent diction both sung and spoken. Her voice has a good range, with secure low notes and powerful high ones, and good intonation. Some passages called for great vocal control with slow crescendi followed by diminuendi....
Having come for the Handel, and finding that disappointing, it was good to come away with one very positive memory: a tour de force performance of an interesting new work by a more than promising young Australian soprano."
Sandra Bowdler, Opera Britannia, opera-britannia.com, 7 May 2012
"Einige Augen- und manche Ohrenfreuden bieten Karen Fitz-Gibbons schön timbrierte Susanna....... [Some of the many pleasures on offer for the eye and ear included Karen Fitz-Gibbon's beautifully-timbred Susanna....]"
Volker Milch, Wiesbadener Kurier (Wiesbaden, Germany), 21 May 2012
"Karen Fitz-Gibbon provided a fine complement for [Fiona] Campbell as a bright-voiced Belinda...."
Clive O'Connell, The Age, 8 January 2014
"Karen Fitz-Gibbon’s ‘No Word from Tom’ from Stravinsky’s ‘The Rake’s Progress’ revealed her to be a powerful storyteller and expert creator of character."
Paul Nolan, Sydney Arts Guide, 12 June 2014
"La soprano, il clou della serata, era Karen Fitz-Gibbon.......cantato con una voce divina dalla Fitz-Gibbon. [The soprano, the highlight of the evening, was Karen Fitz-Gibbon......sung with a divine voice by Fitz-Gibbon.]"
Yvette Alberti Devlin, "La Fiamma" 28 March 2016
"Karen Fitz-Gibbon as Belinda also sounds like a serious contender for an illustrious career, with a voice of attractive purity and accuracy."
Sandra Bowdler, Bachtrack, 8 October 2016
"The queen’s companion, Belinda, was so naturally and warmly played by Karen Fitz-Gibbon..... This afternoon’s performance was a highlight of my concert going this year!"
Gabrielle Scherrer, 5mbs, 9 October 2016
"In a program that turned out to be a fascinating history lesson as well as an afternoon of glorious singing.......Karen Fitzgibbon is an engaging performer with a winning smile and a beautiful soprano voice. Her choice of songs was a good showcase for her.....Of the songs by the patriarch of the family, Manuel Garcia, “Es corridor!” was delightfully sung with a humorous undertone and with “Je t’aimerai” and “L’Absence”, Fitzgibbon gave us a strong emotional and contrasting sense of the joy and sadness of love. “Parad!” had a haunting quality and was sweetly sung..... The high notes of “Il silfo” were sung thrillingly and apparently effortlessly by Fitzgibbon and she brought a chilling sadness to “La Visita della Morte”..."
Len Power, City News, 13 November 2016
"Karen Fitz-Gibbon’s Tatyana is a lesson in acting for all opera singers. She runs the gamut of emotions and masters the difficult art of stillness on stage. Her aria in Act 1 is a test for any soprano. She maintains the stamina required and, on the night I attended, earned a well-deserved ovation from the audience."
Barry Hill, Stage Whispers, 5 May 2017
"As Galatea, Karen Fitz-Gibbon was a constant pleasure to hear, secure vocal technique ensuring a production that was relaxed, even and flexible. Her ornamentation and high notes in her opening Air, “Hush, ye pretty warbling choir!” was outstanding, complementing the lively, tuneful recorders featured in this piece. A youthful timbre and uncommonly gleaming lustre to her upper register suited the role, as did her animated acting."
Heather Leviston, Classic Melbourne, 14 July 2022