Le Nozze di Figaro
Royal Opera House of London
"The most interesting was the Countess of Irini Tsirakidis. This young Greek/German soprano with the Callas-like profile made a good impression at the Royal Opera's gala concert in the autumn. Heavier roles are likely to be her natural ground, but her Mozart here was full of strength and expressive colour, that is that is when it was under control.
There is a flash of Greek tamperament in the dark eyes that would have made this Countess more than a match for her mild husband!"
"Financial Times 1998"
Les Contes d'Hoffmann
Royal Opera House of London
"The best of the three (Angela Georgiou & Desiree Rancatore) however is Irini Tsirakidis's Gulietta, a feral sexual animal with a voice that is depravity incarnate."
"The Guardian 2000"
La Clemenza di Tito
Teatro Municipal , Santiago- Chille
"Sin embargo, debemos mencionar las magnificas cualidades vocales de la soprano Irini Tsirakidis, que logro dar al dificil rol de Vitellia la preponderancia apropiada, a pesar de cierta falta de control de sus medios en el registro agudo extremo. Culmino su representacion con una notable interpretacion de su aria "Non piu di fiori" en la que su voz se explayo en forma espectacular."
"La Segunda 2000"
Don Giovanni
Madison Opera,
"Irini Tsirakidis, of Greek heritage, singing for the first time in America, brought an opulent voice that projected well, with just a hint of strain at the top in her most demanding aria, "In quali eccessi o numi". She also brought dignity to a role that can invite caricature".
"Wisconsin State Journal 2001"
Lucrezia Borgia
Minessota Opera House
"Here's a name to remember: Irini Tsirakidis.
This young Greek dramatic soprano has been earning rave notices, mostly in Europe, and it should be only a matter of time -a short time- before she begins to conquer American opera houses as well. She certainly conquered at the Ordway Center on Saturday night, singing the demanding title role in a new Minessota Opera production of Donizetti's "Lucrezia Borgia".
Tall, slim, glamorous and a perfect fit for Gail Bakkom's opulent 1920s style dresses, Tsirakidis is the kind of person you'd want cast as the murderous Duchess of Ferrara, even if you didn't know she could sing and act. But the role is also a spectacular showpiece for a dramatic coloratura. Montserrat Caballe, Beverly Shills and Joan Sutherland enjoyed varying degrees of success in the part in recent decades, and it's possible that Tsirakidis, who knows how to light up a stage, tops them all.
For one thing, she has the agility in the upper register and the richer, darker, lower tones that are this role's chief hurdles, qualities seldom found in one voice- and seldom asked in one part.
Tsirakidis not only hit all the notes, but she also skillfully colored Felice Romani's text, infusing the vocal line with subtle nuances.
And she certainly rose to the role's histrionic challenges, displaying by turns - mother love, fear, hatred, triumph and finally, on realizing she has murdered her own son, grief. There were subtle touches here too: the pride in her manner as she warns the duke that he is only her fourth husband and could be dispensed with, or the eerie delight in her voice when she announces that all her son's friends are about to die. "
"Star Tribune 2004"
Cavalleria Rusticana
Tulsa Opera
"Tsirakidis's voice is powerfull and expressive, but her sound is not conventionally pretty. It is however, unmistakably real, colored more by raw emotion than pristine technique, and therefore perfect for the role."
"Tulsa World 2005"