In March 2025, John Holiday triumphed as Akhenaten in a new production by Barrie Kosky at the Komische Oper Berlin. See the highlights below:
In the title role, American countertenor John Holiday’s performance is marked by extraordinary agility and a resonant timbre that captures Akhnaten’s reformist impulses and spirituality, as well as the character’s androgyny... He sings a robust and glistening “Hymn to the Sun,”... with striking clarity and eloquence.
-Opera Wire
Simply phenomenal, the extremely charismatic John Holiday breathes music and glamour... a voluminous, powerful tenor voice in vibrant colors.
-Merker
Holiday dominates the space with just a few notes… His calm presence and natural elegance make the self-absorbed Pharaoh appear as a sympathetic figure in the end.
-Taggespiel
John Holiday... made the role come alive
-Bachtrack
The brilliant John Holiday… every inch a king.
-BZ Die Stimme Berlins
John Holiday brings a superlative Akhenaten to the stage, his vocal clarity and tireless presence make him the focal point of the stage.
-Berliner Zeitung
