“James Conlon, had the orchestra erupt as though a tornado of tremendous force had suddenly blown into the hall.” — Los Angeles Times

“Conlon enforced generally more broadly-paced tempos than he usually does in Verdi. He could, of course, ram home the mighty Act I storm with the red-blooded gusto that he summons forth in early Verdi, yet he used the slower pacing elsewhere to expose, savor and stretch out the details in Verdi’s more sophisticated late-period orchestrations. He made especially expressive, nuanced work of less-flashy passages like the quiet introduction to Act III and Desdemona’s prayer in Act IV. The Los Angeles Opera Orchestra played splendidly for Conlon and the cast, as they habitually do.” — Musical America

“Conductor James Conlon gave a rendition of Otello that was true to the composer’s intention rather than putting any kind of egocentric stamp on the proceedings. He was an attentive and commanding accompanist, never overpowering the singers, but also providing the sturm und drang in the orchestral and choral sections.” — Stage and Cinema