Critical acclaim for Maureen's recent performances with The Metropolitan Opera, San Diego Opera, & Virginia Opera:
"She belongs at the Met; her Gretel danced confidently and sang increasingly well, especially in the upper register, up to the optional D.”
--Gay City News
“Operatic soprano Maureen McKay makes an expressive and natural Rose Maurrant. Her diction and rich middle register are the best of the cast, blooming over the swells of the orchestra during “What Good Would the Moon Be.” Her wistful reprise against a lamppost after a fight with her father is breathtaking.”
--WHRO
"In the 24 hours encompassed by the action, the key character is Rose (Maureen McKay), a young woman from the troubled Murrant family. McKay convincingly portrays Rose’s rapid and profound character arc as she expresses youthful dreams, considers the possibility of love with the boy next door, suffers sudden tragedy, and determines to follow her own path toward an uncertain future. Portraying change of this magnitude is a welcome challenge for any actor, and McKay meets the challenge. Her music, especially “What Good Would the Moon Be” and “Remember that I Care,” is sung with beauty and clarity."
--D.C. Metro
"Soprano Maureen McKay moves easily between musical theater and opera in a convincing portrayal of Rose Maurrant; she seems a natural for musical theater."
--OperaGene
"Maureen McKay played a captivating Rose Maurrant with her sparkly soprano flowing through arias and duets with ease."
--Washington Classical Review
“Having witnessed soprano Maureen McKay’s luminescent Nanetta in last season’s SDO Falstaff, it was even more pleasurable to hear the full capabilities of her lyric coloratura in the role of Fredric’s heartthrob, Mabel. Though the difficulties of this character’s vocal pyrotechnics are often underestimated. McKay dazzled with her vocal beauty and dashed off the fioratura in true Beverly Sills fashion.”
--LA Opus
“But the stellar soloists made the evening, starting with Maureen McKay’s Mabel. Her buoyant lyric soprano generously filled Sullivan’s gentle ballad melodies, but when called to soar into the brilliant coloratura stratosphere, she did so with amazing power and apparent ease that did not compromise the beauty of her line one iota.”
--SanDiegoStory
“Frederic falls for the beautiful young Mabel (golden-voiced soprano Maureen McKay)…As his most assertive and amorous daughter, McKay displays a stunning coloratura, with luscious vocal leaps, and trills that thrill.”
--Times of San Diego
"As Frederick’s love interest, Mabel, Maureen McKay—terrific in both dramatic range and comedic effect—produces pitch-perfect trills."
--Stage and Cinema
“McKay displayed a lovely lyric voice and she skillfully executed the parodistic moments of coloratura which lampoon moments in Donizetti’s operas or in other works that were popular at the time.”
--Opera West
“Having attained percolated prominence from the earlier Falstaff, returning Maureen McKay pleasingly renditions as the swooning Mabel; however, her strength lies inside moments of softer musical equations. Thus, we have a most tender, melodic moment during the amorous repose, “Oh, here is love, here is truth” in concert with Mr. Whitney’s Frederic.”
--ConcertoNet
““He’s.. (Frederic) the perfect match for the effervescent Maureen McKay, the coloratura soprano who plays his lady love, Mabel.”
--SanDiegoUnionTribune