From an Opera News review by Joanne Sydney Lessner:

"...the blind, all-consuming ardor of tenor Benjamin Werley’s Don Jose was never in doubt. Werley wielded a gleaming, flexible tenor and had the confidence to let his performance build and deepen. The contrast between his fresh-faced, clean-cut stoicism in Act I and his vulnerable, ragged desperation in the harrowing conclusion was extreme. The couple’s relationship sprang into relief after Werley’s beautifully judged “La fleur que tu m’avais jetée."

""Werley and the lovely soprano Sarah Cooper were so perfectly matched in every way that it was impossible not to root for their union—another unusual aspect of this production. Cooper’s meltingly beautiful soprano shimmered to perfection in “Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante,” and she and Werley shared genuine warmth and affection in their Act I duet."

"Zaikuan Song’s well-anchored bass and commanding presence held the stage as Zuniga, and he and Werley proved refreshingly credible swordsmen."