The Scarlet Letter
This chorus, which serves, as both the opera’s antagonist and its soul, is magnificent, and its preparation is the swan song for John Baril, Opera Colorado’s longtime chorus master. Baril, whose contribution has always been one of the steadiest, most reliable, and excellent aspects of company productions, has resigned the position to pursue other opportunities.
— Kelly Dean Hansen Boulder Daily Camera May, 2016
The Pearl Fishers
The Toledo Symphony, lead by John Baril in his conducting debut with the Toledo Opera, played with mesmerizing sensitivity, creating a perfectly-balanced soundscape of aural beauty. Special mention should be made of harpist Nancy Lendrim’s solo work gracefully underpinning a number of arias.
— Wayne F. Anthony The Toledo Blade October, 2017
The Ballad of Baby Doe
Conductor John Baril’s secure, energetic baton work had precision and rhythmic drive.
— Opera News August, 1997
The Ballad of Baby Doe
Opera Theater of Pittsburgh’s production of The Ballad of Baby Doe, directed by Michael Ehrman and conducted by John Baril is one of [Pittsburgh’s] ten best classical music performances of 1998.
— Pittsburgh Post-Gazette December, 1998
Susannah
…the orchestra performs valiantly under the baton of John Baril.
— Pittsburgh Post-Gazette March, 1998
Street Scene
It takes a stage director with the mind and heart of Michael Ehrman and a conductor with the intelligence and insight of John Baril to bring this off.
— Daily Camera July, 1999
Street Scene
Kudos also to John Baril and solid pit orchestra, …giving the jazzy-bluesy Broadway sound of Weill an energetic interpretation.
— Rocky Mountain News July, 1999
Street Scene
Conductor John Baril obviously has taken into account Weill’s classical and pop sides, give space to the former and pizzazz to the latter. If you see only one production in Central this summer, this is the one!
— Denver Post July, 1999
Street Scene
There is a feeling that when the orchestra gets there and the conductor is there that the show is out of [the director’s] control. The tempi don’t change with Baril as conductor…[you] don’t have to worry about a tired conductor that causes the whole thing to slow down.
— Out Front Colorado July, 1999
Street Scene
Conductor John Baril…kept a tight rein on the fascinating score, and his musicians reveled in the variety of color, rhythm and texture demanded of them.
— Colorado Independent July, 1999