The Metroplitan Opera - La traviata

Steven White was in the pit the night I attended. He, too, is an American, and he was making his Met debut. He conducted La traviata with knowledge, sensitivity, and security.

Jay Nordlinger, The New Criterion, May 2010

Steven White made his Met debut as conductor of La traviata, one of four men dividing that task this season. He sounded like a veteran, pacing the opera effectively during most scenes and deftly accommodating the soprano during her indulgences.

Steve Cohen, The Opera Critic, April 2010

Opera Roanoke – Wagner Highlights Concert

White consistently gets great results from the RSO, and Saturday night was no exception. The overture to “Die Meistersinger” was thrilling: full-bodied, noble, magnificent. The tremendous crescendo to the finish was breath taking and evoked immediate yells of approval.

Seth Williamson, The Roanoke Times

Nashville Opera – Tosca

Steven White smoothly conducts the stellar players from Nashville Symphony in Puccini's poetic score.

Evans Donnell, The Tennessean

Fort Worth Opera -- Lucia di Lammermoor 
 "Steven White's passionate pacing squeezed every drop of excitement and pathos from the score."              

                                                          Opera News, September 2008

Vancouver Opera – Lucia di Lammermoor
“Conductor Steven White elicited a warm, rich sound from the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, at times giving a performance of white-heat intensity, particularly in the sextet and final scene.”

                                                                 The Review, October 2000 

Michigan Opera Theatre – Die Entführung aus dem Serail
“Under the baton of conductor Steven White, the orchestra sounded appropriately light, lively and passionate.”

Baltimore Opera – L’Assedio di Corinto
Steven White conducted exceptionally well: Rossini created some wonderful music here, mostly dark but occasionally triumphant, and White paced it to perfection and let the singers carry the day, as they should in bel canto.

Steven White, who coaxed mostly smooth playing from the orchestra, conducted with a sure sense of melodic contour and rhythmic flexibility. He also prepared the edition of the score, borrowing a little from Maometto II, which was the precursor to The Siege of Corinth, and an aria for Futral from a much earlier Rossini opera. By and large, the result was a musically cohesive version of an opera that deserves to be better known - and to receive the benefit of more theatrical fire.

New York City Opera – La bohème
“The always-reliable City Opera orchestra played their hearts out in this score, which they do on a regular basis. I was very appreciative of conductor Steven White's decision to let this music breathe. It was the undercurrent that made Musetta's waltz (and its swelling reprise) so moving. Rather than treat this music like a cliche, Maestro White played it as if we were hearing it for the first time.”