Miles Mykkanen

Together, Lewek and Miles Mykkanen, as the dauntless Belmonte, delivered the sort of world-class Mozart vocalism Chicago has not heard in a great while. Indeed, the youthful Finnish-American artist sounded like the very model of a modern Mozart tenor. Belmonte demands sweetness and focus of timbre, elegance of line and phrasing, and perfect vocal placement. Mykkanen had it all. To cite just one example, the seldom-heard aria “Ich baue ganz” fairly glowed with beauty of tone, strength of technique and impeccable musicality. Lyric Opera, are you listening?
Chicago Classical Review, John von Rhein

One of the distinguishing features of Strauss’s score is the vocal duet between a lyric and a heroic tenor and this was there the performance shone. Miles Mykkanen was near-ideal as the gentle shepherd Leukippos…his supple phrasing, lively diction and golden timbre banished all criticism.
Opera, Theodore Deacon

Romantic hero Tamino (bouncy Finnish tenor Miles Mykkanen) was sung with poignant lyricism and a vibrant tone.
San Francisco Classical Voice, Harlow Robinson

On Friday at Wortham Theater Center, tenor Miles Mykkanen unleashed clarion tones as the most intense of Silent Night‘s main characters: Nikolaus Sprink, an opera star conscripted into the German army. After killing a man in battle, Sprink agonizes about the literal blood on his hands; his condemnation of Germany’s motivations for war agitates him further. As Sprink’s anger grew more and more heated, Mykkanen’s intensity made Sprink’s denunciations unstintingly fierce. But Mykkanen summoned gentler shadings in the scenes with Sprink’s paramour, the opera diva Anna Sørensen (and the sole female presence in the opera).
Texas Classical Review, Steven Brown

As a divine living among mortals, Daphne repulses the advances Leukippos (tenor Miles Mykkanen), a shepherd and childhood playmate. Mykkanen, whose expressive face and lyric sound brought to mind the great Fritz Wunderlich, proved a perfect partner in their duet, another knockout. The Wunderlich connection for me: The late tenor appears as Leukippos on the 1964 Karl Böhm recording, so it was a thrill to hear a performance of similar stature and quality presented at McCaw Hall.
Post Alley Seattle, James C. Whitson

…Miles Mykkanen as Leukippos, another of Strauss’ rare high-tenor creations. Mykkanen shaped the role’s lyrical writing with ardor, allowing flashes of Dionysian frenzy to break through the music’s pastoral surface.
Bachtrack, Thomas May

The pick of the cast is Miles Mykkanen, whose flexible tenor lends lyricism and strength to Sam. He’s heartbreaking in his scenes opposite his lover, and with Joe’s pregnant wife, Rosa..
Die Deutsche Bühne, Miguel Schneider

Miles Mykkanen (Števa) has considerable experience in Slavic repertoire….and his vivid, smoothly vocalized performance approached the ideal.
Opera, David Shengold

A further significant cast change was the role of the groom, Tuomas, in San Francisco taken by Michigan tenor Miles Mykkanen. Of beautiful, clear voice and vibrant presence he was the exuberant lover at his wedding, the insecure son arguing with his father, and finally the conflicted accomplice to the shooter who cowardly fled the scene of the shooting. In the end he was ruined, but freed from the innocence he had feigned.
Opera Today, Michael Milenski

The Steersman is always one to watch, and Miles Mykkanen was one of the sweetest and most clarion-voiced I’ve heard in some time, with effortless ascents and a creamy top. This was a reminder that this music is completely steeped in bel canto traditions.
Opera Wire, Benjamin Poore

Finnish-American tenor Miles Mykkanen, with a blossoming international career, sang “Comfort ye” with operatic drama and charisma. On the line, “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness,” he almost shrieked “wilderness” — a wonderfully raw and utterly theatrical delivery. Later in his lone aria — the tenor gets just one in this abbreviated version — Mykkanen’s rapid runs were beautifully controlled, his high notes clear and almost boyishly charming.
ArtsAtl.com, Piere Ruhe

As Albert, tenor Miles Mykkanen displayed a lovely lyric voice with an appealing honeyed sweetness in the timbre, which he employed with intelligence and humor.
Opera News, Mark Thomas Ketterson

Tenor Miles Mykkanen produced a larger than life portrait of the Nutrice and Arnalta, hamming up the comedy for all it was worth, for which he showed a definite talent. The fact he is playing female roles, and at one point disguises himself as as man allowed for plenty of deliberate confusion over gender, and the seduction scene with Valletto was very amusing. He has naturally loud voice and would have no problem singing in large venues. For the Théâtre du Jeu de Paume, however, he was too loud, occasionally drowning out the orchestra. Apart from this fact, he sang well, characterizing his voice very skillfully. He was also parted as Familgliare 1.
Opera Wire, Alan Neilson

Les rôles que concocte Miles Mykkanen (Arnalta, la Nourrice, Famigliare I) font du chanteur et de ses personnages, bouffes avant l’heure, la clé de voûte du drame. Ses rôles, tous travestis, font appel à la mâle et robuste assurance de son émission, à l’ambre rocaille de son timbre, ainsi qu’à la diversité virtuose de ses registres d’expression.
Olyrix, Florence Lethurgez

Miles Mykkanen’s brilliantly projected tenor vivified the role of Brighella.
Opera News, Fred Cohn

Wadsworth chooses to elevate the figure of the Simpleton—a character who as scripted appears in one scene in the opera—to be Godunov’s virtual co-protagonist here, displacing the Russian people in that role. Spinning like a top and scattering balletic anguish, the Simpleton appears continually, siphoning focus. The fine American tenor Miles Mykkanen gave it his all and sang very beautifully.
Opera News, David Shengold

It was very easy to lose oneself in Miles Mykkanen’s voice: even at his loudest he sang with a ravishing yet tender tone, as if caressing each note with his voice. Lensky’s aria from Eugene Onegin was the perfect choice for Mykkanen, showcasing his sugar-plum pianissimo and soaring head voice.

His performance of “Je crois entendre encore” from Les Pêcheurs de Perles was the musical highlight of the program, Mykkanen bringing out a velvety glow even in Bizet’s more declamatory phrases. The tenor’s smoothness and control (especially evident in his finely-spun high register) gave a sense of time-stopping weightlessness to Bizet’s sweeping musical gestures.
Parterre.com, Callum John Blackmore

Miles Mykkanen was a knockout as Lensky. The Russian language brought out a squillante quality in his tenor, thrilling to hear in the confines of the Willson Theater. The lyric intensity of his singing made each moment count, and the duel-scene aria was a stretch of sheer vocal gold.
Opera News, Fred Cohn

Tenor Miles Mykkanen stood out for his ardent, irascible performance as Nikolaus Sprink, the German soldier voicing his disillusion with the overlords who make war happen.
Minnesota Star Tribune, Terry Blain

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