Des Moines Metro Opera, 2021
“One of the most captivating parts of the night came in Christian Sander's performance as Timothy Laughlin. I was excited to see him take on another role as I thoroughly enjoyed his performance as Toby in this season's SWEENEY TODD. With this role, he left his heart on the stage, not only making this an amazing performance, but one I will not soon forget.”
-DC Felton, BroadwayWorld
“As his counterpart in love and distress, Christian Sanders is a formidable liaison. Coming right off a matinee performance of Sweeney Todd, the tireless Mr. Sanders made the role of Timothy Laughlin his own, deploying his steady lyric tenor with assurance, and unwavering understanding of the complexities of his character’s sometimes naïve ambitions.
Mr. Sanders is also trim, attractive and physically uninhibited. His laudable vocalizing was complemented by some pretty steamy love making. I don’t know the orientation of either of the leading players, but their physical connection was so impassioned and so intense that at one (um) climactic moment, a female viewer let out a war hoop usually reserved for extra points scored in soccer game overtime play.”
-James Sohre, Opera Today
“Tenor Christian Sanders sang the role of Timothy with an innocent vulnerability and vocal clarity. Sanders’ voice cut through the orchestra despite the venue’s acoustic issues, connecting to the audience on a visceral level. Timothy, like Hawkins, is a man of contradictions. He is experiencing romantic love for the first time in his life, and despite his religious upbringing, he embraces the relationship with naïve enthusiasm. Timothy is a bit of a timid little lamb at the beginning of the opera, and his vocal lines often reflect that. Sanders’ voice captured this sense of vulnerability with deceptive ease, and the fresh-faced tenor gave the most compelling dramatic performance of the evening, a feat that is all the more impressive considering this was his first time singing the role. Timothy’s aria in the church after his first night in Hawk’s arms was a tender expression of first love’s rush, and Sanders perfectly captured the beauty and tragedy of this moment. Both Sanders and Lattanzi managed to create believable portrayals of these contradictory characters, and their ability to perform quick changes onstage was impressive to say the least. Their chemistry together onstage was dynamic, and I hope that both men will continue to perform these roles in future productions”
-Meghan Klinkenborg, Schmopera