Amahl und die nächtlichen Besucher, Landesbühnen Sachsen, 2024

"The young audience was thrilled at the performance...In Julia Mintzer's production, little Amahl can walk right from the start. It even seems almost effortless. But Amahl always needs his crutches within reach for safety. Amahl is therefore still dependent on them...Virginie Blei is Amahl II. In real life, she has suffered the experience of not being able to walk in her own body, but has also overcome it with a lot of inner and outer strength...This creates one, if not two, new levels to the story...Judging by the audience's calls for an encore in Radebeul and the applause... it is a huge success at the Landesbühnen Sachsen....The piece and the performance therefore offer several ideas that go further and far deeper than the harmony-obsessed euphoria of Advent. From this perspective too, the production is a complete success."

—Neue Musikzeitung, 2024

"...the production at the Saxony State Theater in Radebeul is convincing with small gestures and a feeling of hope...Julia Mintzer's production relies heavily on small gestures: the way Antje Kahn, as her mother, bends down to Amahl and sings as if he were far away may remind some parents of situations on the playground. Even the three kings, who don't have all that much to say, develop a surprising amount of character... Director Mintzer has brought a dance double onto the stage for Amahl: in a short performance before the actual play, Virginie Blei tells us that she once had problems walking herself. It is a nice idea to bring this form of authentic disability experience onto the stage...This is certainly also well received by the audience...It is a wonderful first contact for young audiences with musical theater that prefers to end with a nice feeling rather than a moral." 

—Die Deutsche Buhne. 2024

Der Vampyr, The Arcola Theatre, Grimeborn Festival, Gothic Opera, 2024

... it's hard to believe how entertaining it was, arteries, entrails, and all...what this fresh young company has done...is to rip it open and extract the fun while keeping the corpse of Marschner's score quivering yet alive...it was properly gothic but also Brechtian...by the curtain call, the stage was awash with blood and body parts and all was well with the world.

-Opera Magazine, 2024

….the bulk-buy fake blood was just one memorable element of this performance by Gothic Opera, opening this year’s Grimeborn festival… finding a way to make Marschner’s opera speak in 2024, is no mean feat… undeniably enjoyable.

-The Guardian, 2024

“I’m just having too much fun!” declares Giuseppe Pellingra’s Lord Ruthven, the title character in Heinrich Marschner’s Der Vampyr. He’s not alone. In Julia Mintzer’s 2019 production for Gothic Opera, given a buff and a polish to open the Grimeborn festival in Dalston, the cast are clearly having a ball. And so is the audience. Can we take vampires and Gothic horror seriously in opera today? Mintzer doesn’t and sends up the genre in a fang-tastic, feminist retelling packed with chuckles, outrageous cape-twirling and a gory denouement…Emancipation arrives and the women have the last laugh when, at her wedding to Ruthven, Malwina rebels against her father and kills him – not so much “fuck the patriarchy!” as ripping its bowels out and gorging on the entrails. No really, she does...An irreverent take on Marschner and an evening dripping with bloody good fun. ****

-BachTrack, 2024

Excellent ★★★★

A hilarious and deeply uncomfortable take on a classic that brilliantly blends comedy, horror, and feminist critique. In this wickedly entertaining revival of Heinrich August Marschner‘s Der Vampyr, Gothic Opera serves up a deliciously dark cocktail of humour, horror, and social commentary. Director Julia Mintzer and conductor Kelly Lovelady have crafted a production that is both a loving homage to classic vampire tales and a sharp critique of patriarchal power structures…The production’s greatest strength lies in its ability to balance campy humour with genuine discomfort. As the audience chuckles at the over-the-top vampire antics, they’re simultaneously confronted with uncomfortably realistic portrayals of patriarchy’s traumatising effects. This juxtaposition creates a new and innovative perspective on vampirism, exploring, analysing and ultimately flipping the usual predator-prey dynamic into a dark tale of liberation….In reimagining Der Vampyr, Gothic Opera has created a show that is simultaneously a celebration of gothic horror tropes and a nuanced exploration of consent, power dynamics, and liberation. It’s a difficult balance to strike, but this production manages it with aplomb. For anyone looking for an evening of thought-provoking entertainment that doesn’t skimp on the laughs (or the fake blood), this show is not to be missed.

-Everything Theatre, 2024

Director Julia Mintzer injects loads of energy and fun into what was originally a blood-soaked melodrama. With nothing but a coffin, a very large teddy bear, and a generous supply of (fake) blood and guts, she keeps the action surging from one absurd set piece to the next…–it was impossible not to be swept along by the sheer bravado of the whole thing and the fun the performers were having.

-Plays to See, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐ A completely different type of opera…The Opera is reimagined through a modern lens, and delves into powerful themes such as consent, agency, and the destructiveness of toxic masculinity … .and before any one in the cheap seats groans (feminism, eurgh!) It’s actually really rather clever and very, very funny. The entire cast are having fun and delivering lines which made me, who was honestly having rather a rotten week, belly laugh…yes, belly laugh at the opera. It was bloody fantastic…I will certainly be seeing other performances from this company, as Der Vampyr was a devilish delight.

-The Live Review, 2024

Sizzling gothic opera with a feminist slant’ ★★★★

... a sexy and gory feminist retelling...the two hours, twenty minutes (with interval) slips by so easily. 

-London Pub Theatres Magazine, 2024

…an engrossing mix of dark humor, horror, and social commentary…Director Julia Mintzer and conductor Kelly Lovelady breathe new life into Heinrich Marschner’s 1828 opera with a spirited, feminist bent that speaks to modern audiences… an out-and-out re-imagining that speaks directly to now…a short, unforgettable journey into a world where the line between good and evil is contested but humorously blurred.

-A Young(ish) Perspective

A brave revival of the important German Romantic opera, reinvented as a Vampire romp, performed with a gusto…this was a good evening.

-Planet Hugill, 2024

This year’s Grimeborn Festival gets off to a splendid start with this revival of Gothic Opera’s production of Marschner’s Der Vampyr…Gothic Opera kicks toxic masculinity in the balls, but with a twinkle in its eye

-Mark Aspen Reviews, 2024

L’elisir d’amore, Catholic University of America, 2024

“The Elixir of Love” is one of the funnier operas you will see among the classic opera repertoires. The presentation of it...only adds to that humor...Under the direction of Julia Mintzer, all are sure to enjoy this wonderful production.

-Maryland Theatre Guide, 2024

The Threepenny Opera, OVO Theatre, 2023

It’s an exciting production that keeps its eye on the politics and, although amusing, it never sidetracks to any knockabout slapstick comedy…There is so much to enjoy about this production, you might be tempted to pop back to catch it a second time.

-British Theatre Guide, September, 2023

 the production is phenomenal. The ensemble cast of thirteen actor-musos doesn’t have a single weak link and the attention to detail in each performance is notable...The staging and design are equally impressive, having the story take place in a whimsical construction site, costumes are fun, well-utilised and clever.

-The Reviews Hub, September, 2023

As a merry cast of high-vis clad musicians stomp onto a mannequin strewn stage, it’s clear this is going to be interesting... Remaining starkly relevant today, this satirical piece on society, with catchy music, and a strong fun cast will have your eyes popping, your brain whirring, and your toes tapping.
-West End Best Friend, September, 2023

OVO’s spectacular production ... was both thought provoking and highly entertaining."
-St Albans Times, September, 2023

"a production that is absolutely stunning ... it is both thought-provoking and a joy."
-The Herts Advisor, September, 2023

The directorial team of Adam Nichols, Julia Mintzer  and Lada Valešcová must be congratulated for managing intensely rich content to achieve such a cohesive, well-oiled production...It was full blooded theatre – every performer gave their all, and the result was a high quality, and stimulating evening of entertainment...Ovo’s fine production of ‘The Threepenny Opera’ exudes energy and artistry.  If you are open to going off-piste and experiencing something with more guts than the usual crowd pleasing fodder, and also supporting the admirable depth of performing talent around Britain, I would throughly commend this marvellous production.

-Fairy Powered Productions, September, 2023

Le nozze di Figaro, Hamsptead Garden Opera, 2021

★★★★☆ Hampstead Garden Opera’s new production at Jacksons Lane takes full advantage of the work’s many charms, thanks to a talented young cast in fine form musically and dramatically, well-directed by Julia Mintzer.

-The Stage, November 2021

Le nozze di Figaro fizzes gloriously in this production from Hampstead Garden Opera. The production is a miracle... space is superbly, imaginatively used... Hides and reveals were slick as can be, especially impressive on the first night... A metaphor for our times, perhaps, as well as proof positive of the eternal durability of Mozart’s masterpiece. A great evening.

-Seen and Heard International, November 2021

...thoughtful, surprising, and in the best sense provocative. Had I been asked during the interval where it was heading, I should never have guessed. There was a welcome dose of matters that lie beyond individual rationality—the socio-political and what I think we can call the Freudian.... this was far from conventional.

-Boulezian, November 2021

-This intriguing new version by Julia Mintzer for the admirable Hampstead Garden Opera certainly works the Mozartian magic – but it also adds some new insights.

-Plays to See, November 2021

Bluebeard’s Castle, Gothic Opera, 2021

[An] imaginative revisionist staging…It is a hugely ambitious show in both technical and imaginative terms, with many distinctive and illuminating features…There were plenty of terrifying, atmospheric moments – the Patient wrapped in plastic, trapped in some kind of embryonic primordial envelope was skin-crawling…This is an inventive and challenging production of a too-little performed work, full of contemporary questions, and to boot one that refreshes and reimagines something essential about it.

-Opera Wire, July 2021

…it was grippingly and … poetically achieved.

-Opera Magazine, July 2021

...A radical reinterpretation of Bartok's opera with a striking contemporary dance element and imaginative animations... it was a terrific achievement.

-Planet Hugill, July 2021

I was gripped from the minute the show began.… very arresting ...It’s a visual and musical feast worthy of the term gothic which I’d recommend unreservedly.

-Jonathan Kemp for Queer Guru, July 2021

Savitri, Hampstead Garden Opera, 2020 (First full opera staged in London since the pandemic began)

★★★★☆ …the show generated energy from sensitive direction that traded in closeness and distance, deploying chorus members well. [Savitri, Hampstead Garden Opera, August 2020]

-The Times, August 2020

★★★★☆ London opera emerges stylishly from lockdown with Hampstead Garden Opera’s timely production of Holst’s chamber piece… a hopeful denouement for hazardous and perplexing times. [Savitri, Hampstead Garden Opera, August 2020]

-The Stage, August 2020

HGO’s director, Julia Mintzer, used the galleried patio at the back of the house for her simple but effective staging —As I had only heard Savitri before in concert — with Palmer and Connolly as the protagonist — I was happy to see it so sensitively staged. [Savitri, Hampstead Garden Opera, August 2020]

-The Sunday Times, August 2020]

…dignified and rewarding... [Savitri, Hampstead Garden Opera, August 2020]

-Opera Magazine, August 2020

Julia Mintzer is to be congratulated for the  vision in producing this piece. The concept was powerful and the performances matched it. [Savitri, Hampstead Garden Opera, August 2020]

-National Operatic and Dramatic Association, August 2020

In Julia Mintzer’s thoughtful, elegant staging, we were able to make connections, yet never pushed unduly. [Savitri, Hampstead Garden Opera, August 2020]

-Seen and Heard International, August 2020

Hampstead Garden Opera works a little miracle with Holst's mystical music-drama…
— The Arts Desk, August 2020

Director Julia Mintzer makes a virtue of the difficult times that surround HGO’s production of this 30 minute opera….a beautiful and hugely memorable evening. [Savitri, Hampstead Garden Opera, August 2020]

-Ham & High, August 2020

Der Vampyr, Gothic Opera, 2019 (Off West End Nomination, Best Opera)

Gothic Opera's debut production was an irreverent and feminist retelling of Marschner's neglected classic...

-Planet Hugill, July 2021

Director Julia Mintzer took admirable steps to impart agency to Ruthwen’s ‘victims’, ultimately shifting autonomy in decision-making to the women...The women’s destiny is their own. The production was visually engaging and made creative use of the church’s architectural features and spaces.  [Der Vampyr, Gothic Opera]

-Opera Now, November 2019

On Behalf of a Madman, Grand Harmonie, 2018

The company succeeded brilliantly in transforming an armory into a Volksoper...Schikaneder would have left last night's show with a broad smile, and DaPonte would have approved of skewering authority.  [On Behalf of a Madman, Grand Harmonie]  

-The Boston Musical Intelligencer,  April 2018

Quick-witted...the performance's excellent musicianship and many amusing moments were at the service of a relevant evening of commentary.  [On Behalf of a Madman, Grand Harmonie]  

-The Arts Fuse,  April 2018

La Bohème, MassOpera, 2017

Mintzer's direction was engaging overall and often original...a highly energetic, fascinating production. [La Femme Bohème, Metrowest Opera]

 -The Theater Times, May 2017

Featuring strong musicianship all around, and compelling stagecraft as well, Metrowest's production...is definitely an opera for everyone to see. [La Femme Bohème, Metrowest Opera]  

-The Boston Musical Intelligencer, May 2017

Fidelio, Grand Harmonie, 2016

...cleverly devised by Julia Mintzer, the stage director who used a music stand here and a table there to conjure up a mis-en-scene that- I hesitate to say it, but I will,- was more convincing than the faux Nazi sets the Met used in their last gloomy production. [Fidelio, Grand Harmonie/Princeton University]

-Opera-L, January, 2016

...many lovely touches helped the audience follow the account...The audience also clearly appeared pleased with the opportunity to hear this richly colorful account of a major work by the Greatest German master of that century.  [Schütz' Weihnachsthistorie, The Weckmann Project/Musica Nuova]

-The Boston Musical Intelligencer, December, 2015

La Cenerentola, Bel Cantanti Opera, 2011

Julia Mintzer's inventive stage direction keeps the joy of the work bubbling…This production is just the sort of thing that keeps opera alive and relevant - yet still respects, and doesn't try to change, what opera is and is all about.  [La Cenerentola, Bel Cantanti Opera]

-brightestyoungthings.com, October, 2011

Dido and Aeneas, Hubbard Hall Opera Theatre

 There were some striking ideas in the staging-- the Messenger being wounded, for example; the kind of death-march that Dido took as she left the stage…This was a disciplined, rigorous event, and the house was pleased. [Dido and Aeneas, Hubbard Hall Opera Theater]

-The Berkshire Review, August 2011

 ...[soprano Karen] Jesse eloquently sang Dido's famous final lament before she removed her jewels and walked into the unknown. Having the sorceress don those jewels and gather her minions about her was like a knife in the heart -- a wonderfully dark gesture. [Dido and Aeneas, Hubbard Hall Opera Theater]

- The Daily Gazette (Schenectady), August 2011