“Cincinnati Opera’s production of “Rigoletto,” which opened Cincinnati Opera’s Summer Festival on June 12 in Music Hall, was a triumph. A dream cast of exquisite singers, elegant stage direction and Giuseppe Verdi’s magnificent score added up to a stunning production that riveted from beginning to end… The staging was consistently effective… the audience gasped out loud.”
The Merola Grand Finale “had a fine balance among pathos, comedy and tragedy… Elio Bucky directed with suave panache, giving each singer the opportunity to shine dramatically as well as vocally.”
“Kudos were also due to Elio Bucky… who tackled the unenviable task of staging 20 distinct selections and did it with deft aplomb.”
— Joshua Kosman
“Elio Bucky, the stage director among this year’s Merolini, helped a long scene from Don Pasquale find its feet with plenty of nimble comic business.”
“The Merola Opera Program’s A Grand Night for Singing — An American Songfest was nothing short of a lovefest highlighting the exceptional talents of these blossoming stars of tomorrow’s global opera and concert stages… it was evident that part of the evening’s success was due to the fine-tuned stage direction of Merola Scholar Elio Bucky.”