Press Acclaim

As La Contessa di Folleville in Il Viaggio A Reims:

"All superlatives apply to soprano Donna Zapola as the fashion-crazed widow Folleville."

OPERA - Harold Blumenfeld

"Donna Zapola's ravishing presence and vocal promise made her a beguiling Folleville."

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR - Thor Eckert

"She recovers in an incredibly long aria - cities have been destroyed in less time - which soprano Donna Zapola turned into a hilariously funny epic.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

"There were strong contributions from the soprano Donna Zapola, possessed of an opulent and clear sound, and a stage presence big enough for her to act the prima donna."

ST. LOUIS TIMES

As the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro:

"Donna Maria Zapola sang the Countess' arias with style and beauty."

OPERA NEWS

As Constanza in The Abduction from the Seraglio:

"Donna Maria Zapola was an outstanding Constanza, negotiating the heights and breakneck runs of her music fearlessly and shiningly."
THE VILLAGE VOICE - Leighton Kerner

As Mrs. Henley in Sorry, Wrong Number:

"Only the central character of the doomed Mrs. Henley absolutely must be of operatic quality. In this production, Donna Zapola was that one big operatic voice. She utterly held the stage, singing the lengthy role of the bedridden invalid while lying down or propped in bed by pillows." That was a "tour de force….Her voice was strong in all registers….Most importantly, she was able to capture the increasing tension and fear in the story with unforced, quite natural acting."
CLASSICAL NEW JERSEY - Paul Somers

As Violetta in La Traviata:

"In the aria 'Ah, fors'è lui,' she opted for a slower tempo to savor every phrase within her vocal power. One quickly detected the Mozart singer in her. Her legato line had the fresh ring of spring and the projection never wavered down to the concluding 'Sempre libera' where she earned her first round of bravos. Singing 'Addio del passato', Zapola revealed the extent to which she could color her voice in relation to another emotional situation. She mustered as much pathos but in my mind I was seeing a perfect Countess in Marriage of Figaro."

THE DAILY GLOBE (Manila)

"The rendition by Donna Maria Zapola, portraying the role of Violetta, was absolutely superb. Her histrionic capability was more than evident, matching her vocal excellence at every turn."

THE PHILIPPINE STAR

"Donna Maria Zapola, the imported Violetta, is simply fabulous. She is not only a singer with a large soprano of great agility, she is an actress of the first order. I can attribute the seemingly unceasing inspiredness to the stunning ability of Donna Maria. I insist that she is a far better singer and actress than the much-touted Eva Marton was when she came to the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 1980 to sing in the San Francisco Opera Tosca with Placido Domingo.
THE MANILA CHRONICLE - Roland S. Tinio

"La Zapola's voice rang with a resonance that was considerably expressive, especially in the middle and higher registers."
THE MANILA BULLETIN

"Donna Zapola was equal to the demanding soprano range of Violetta, notably in 'Ah, fors'è lui' from Act I and in the later heart-rending 'Dite alla giovine'."
THE NEWS AND OBSERVER (Raleigh, NC)

"Donna Zapola made a wonderful and convincing Violetta, capturing nicely the transition from carefree courtesan to a woman tormented by love and wracked with illness. Zapola had no trouble tossing off the Verdi. She has a big, but nimble soprano that was able to easily negotiate the heights and hairpin turns in her 'Sempre libera', yet still sound intimate and delicate for her deathbed scene."

THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL

As Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte:

"Soprano Donna Maria Zapola, in her first appearance here, showed musicianship and presence, as well as a voice that is agile, complete and attractive. She faced the terrors of Fiordiligi's music unflinchingly, sang the wide intervals with one voice rather than two or three, and found much of her characterization in the music itself."
THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

As Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, continued:

"Making a triumphant festival debut as Fiordiligi is Donna Maria Zapola, a luscious soprano, both vocally and visually. We are dealing here with an instrument of potential importance....La Zapola's voice sounds big and moves with agility. The top is brilliant, the line is seamless. She sings with intelligence and taste. And she commands the range to accommodate 'Come Scoglio' and all the other minefields strewn with explosive technical challenges.
THE NEWARK STAR-LEDGER

"Donna Maria Zapola is particularly strong as Fiordiligi, singing some of the more difficult solo arias, as 'Like the Island'."
THE TRENTONIAN

As Micaela in Carmen:

"Donna Maria Zapola, as Micaela, provides the perfect counterpart for Carmen, her higher register soared, thrilling the audience."
CAIRO TODAY

As Musetta in La Bohème:

"Donna Zapola's Musetta had lots of pizazz. Her big soprano voice handled 'Musetta's Waltz' impressively."

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

"The voice that pleased me the most was that of soprano Donna Zapola. She set a high standard that the evening sustained."
HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN

As Liù in Turandot:

"Soprano Donna Zapola reveals a magnificent vocal talent as Liù, the young woman so in love with Calaf she takes her life to save his. Zapola's crystalline tones denote fine technique and seemingly effortless vocal expression."
THE TAMPA TRIBUNE

As the Sweetheart in Leonardo Balada's Hangman, Hangman!:

"The loveliest vocalism came from Donna Zapola as the Sweetheart, her velvety soprano rendering the 'Irish Song' with such beauty of sound that the hardest of heart could not have resisted her appeal for Johnny's life."

OPERA NEWS - Robert Croan

As Agnese in Beatrice di Tenda:

"Zapola, as Agnese, had a warm and sometimes gentle voice, which she employed to help with the characterization, and quite successfully."
THE NEWARK HOME NEWS

IN CONCERT

Mozart's Requiem:

"Donna Zapola's sumptuous, glistening soprano was a particular pleasure to hear."

THE ITHACA JOURNAL

Royal Concert:

"With a full round voice even in her very low register, Zapola shows no strain in giving out her high and pure notes and has sure intonation in bridging wide intervals. Her eloquence and lovely mid-register were in evidence in 'Signore Ascolta' from Puccini's Turandot."
THE NATION (Bangkok)

"There were strong contributions from the soprano Donna Zapola, possessed of an opulent and clear sound, and a stage presence big enough for her to act the prima donna."