“Opera has never been so sexy — at least not in Auckland. The cast of La Bohème are young, gorgeous, and sing with such achingly sweet voices that you can’t help but be drawn into their Bohemian world of passion, poverty and humour. The heart-throb is Texan tenor Jesus Garcia, who plays the passionate Rodolfo. This is his fourth La Bohème — he famously played Rodolfo in Baz Luhrmann’s Broadway production — and while his familiarity with the role is obvious, his performance is fresh and sincere. Luhrmann encouraged Garcia to take acting just as seriously as singing, and it shows. He creates a Rodolfo that the audience believes in; there is no melodrama or exaggeration, just a sincere portrayal of a young man in love. And then there’s that voice. Full of emotion, it soars above the orchestra, seemingly reaching breaking point, but all the time in perfect control. At the soft close of “che gelida manina”, just when he seemed to have exhausted his palette of colours, he found yet another. The audience erupted in the only spontaneous applause of the evening.” - Metro, New Zealand 2008
“Jesus Garcia’s Rodolfo looks like a smouldering romantic lover and his voice smouldered as well, bringing a warmth which flared in his encounters with Mimi..” -The National Business Review
“And this is, at heart, a singing and acting production. Jesus Garcia, as Rodolfo, is superb. His singing is world class, he looks the part, and can act. Garcia, in his mix of conflicting emotions, is entirely believable.”
-The Dominion Post
“Jesus Garcia, who plays the hero Rodolfo is something of a star and his George Clooneyesque good looks were noted by those of a feminine persuasion.”
-Scoop Independent News