“Most impressive of all may be the chorus, from Santa Fe’s first-class apprenticeship program. Prepared by Sheston, they produce thrilling, finely focused walls of sound.”(Flying Dutchman) —Dallas Morning News, 2023
“Conducting Santa Fe’s exemplary orchestra and chorus, the Baroque expert Harry Bicket, who is also the company’s music director, has the music sounding fresh and as vital as ever.” (Orfeo) Financial Times, 2023
“The real star of the production was the troupe of apprentice singers, who gave the finest interpretation of the opera’s choral scenes possible, well drilled by veteran chorus master Susanne Sheston.” (Flying Dutchman) The Classical Review, 2023
“The Santa Fe Opera Chorus, under the direction of Susanne Sheston, sang magnificently, with force, beautiful tone, and perfect unity, in this and all of the operas I saw.” (2023 festival season) San Francisco Classical Voice
“The Santa Fe ensemble, drawn from the company’s apprentice program, is, as ever, superb “ (The 13th Child) —New York Times, 2019
“The Santa Fe chorus, drawn from the company’s young artist program and directed by Susanne Sheston, is as always a wonder.” (Doctor Atomic) —New York Times, July 15, 2018
“[It’s} very much worth seeing — for [Clément and Hansen’s] expectation-challenging work, for the performances of Leonard and D’Eramo, and for Susanne Sheston’s excellent preparation of the apprentice chorus.” —Santa Fe New Mexican, July 2, 2022
“The chorus, drawn from the festival's extensive apprentice program, has long been superb, and, prepared by Susanne Sheston, so it was again.” (2022 festival season) —Dallas Morning News, August 4, 2022
"And as always, the Santa Fe Opera’s chorus, led since 2008 by Susanne Sheston, is superb as a changeable array of employees, journalists and Buddhist adherents." (The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs) --New York Times, July 23, 2017
“The singing in the male chorus numbers (prepared by Susanne Sheston), both full-bodied and nostalgic, was one of the highlights of the evening.” (La Fanciulla del West) —Washington Post, August 4, 2016
"The chorus was excellent, and Harry Bicket’s luminous conducting had a Gallic delicacy, especially in the magical, moonlit ending of the balcony scene." (Romeo et Juliette) --Wall Street Journal, August 9, 2016
"The entire corps of apprentices served as the top-notch chorus, prepared by Susanne Sheston." (Golden Cockerel) --Santa Fe New Mexican, July 16, 2017
"The excellent chorus got to wear elaborate robes and beards, among other fairy-tale costumes." (Golden Cockerel) --Wall Street Journal, August 9, 2017
"The small chorus, under Susanne Sheston, was outstanding." (The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs) --St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 21, 2017
“Under their new chorus-master, Susanne Sheston, the Santa Fe chorus sang stunningly. They extracted from their great set-pieces both the poetry of the common man and the collective courage that enables the sailors to fight with tenacity.” (Billy Budd) –Opera News, November 2008
“That opening scene was performed spectacularly well by the Opera’s chorus…All of these young artists aspire to become featured opera stars, but chorus master Susanne Sheston has fashioned them into a real choral ensemble.” (Romeo et Juliette) --Santa Fe New Mexican, July 17, 2016
“The singing in the male chorus numbers (prepared by Susanne Sheston), both full-bodied and nostalgic, was one of the highlights of the evening.” (Cold Mountain) –Washington Post, August 4, 2015
“Far better was the chorus, prepared by Susanne Sheston and drawn from the ranks of the company’s well-regarded apprentice program.” (Cold Mountain, Fille du Regiment) –New York Times, August 7, 2015
“[Conductor Stephen Lord] found details of orchestration and dynamics that made it abundantly clear why La Donna del Lago ranks among Rossini's most beautiful scores. The Santa Fe Apprentices formed a chorus, under Sheston's assiduous tutelage, that gave as rich an account of this masterpiece as could be heard anywhere.” –Opera News, November 2013
"Verdi’s well-roasted chestnut benefited from a very fine cast Tuesday night, and, as always, the chorus, prepared by Susanne Sheston, was superb." (Rigoletto) --Dallas News, August, 2015
“…the most impressive power came from the chorus. The men’s voices simmered with suppressed emotions; in the triumphant finale, these were released in a radiant, muscular sound." (Fidelio) –New York Times, August 3, 2014
“Never has the SFO orchestra sounded so splendidly symphonic. Nor has the chorus, courtesy of Susanne Sheston’s remarkable preparation. It’s the largest SFO has ever fielded: I registered 68 choristers in the huge, Franco Zeffirellian finale, singing like one immense incandescent voice.” (Fidelio) –Santa Fe Reporter, July 14, 2014
“[Conductor Scapucci] invested the substantial overture with surprisingly expansive Romanticism, followed by an opening chorus of Tyrolean peasants, trained by the estimable Susanne Sheston, whose broad melody quivered with anxieties, hopes and fears more familiar from grand opera.” –Opera News, November 2015
“Frédéric Chaslin’s well-paced conducting with Susanne Sheston’s small chorus provided stylish, idiomatic accounts of the not-so-gracefully aging score.” (Faust) –Huffington Post, August 11, 2011
“Susanne Sheston’s chorus provided the rich vocals of public celebration and mourning.” (Cold Mountain) San Francisco Classical Voice, August 4, 2015
“Notwithstanding an incisive performance by the orchestra and a stellar quartet of soloists, the star of Friday's concert was the Utah Symphony Chorus, which sang with astonishing clarity and remarkable conviction. (Kudos to chorus master Susanne Sheston for her excellent preparation.)” (Mozart Requiem) –Salt Lake Tribune, April 27, 2012
"Six superb soloists joined Fischer, the orchestra and the Utah Symphony Chorus (major props to chorus master Susanne Sheston for her impeccable preparation of the volunteer chorus)." (L’enfance du Christ) –Salt Lake Tribune, November 19, 2011
“Under the direction of guest conductor Andrew Litton, the orchestra and the Utah Symphony Chorus gave a resplendent performance.” (Dona nobis pacem, Vaughan Williams) --Deseret News, December 15, 2007
"The Utah Symphony Chorus gave its usual spot-on performance. It sang "In the Hall of the Mountain King" with dramatic flair, while bringing tenderness to the hymn "Blessed Morning." (Peer Gynt, Grieg) --Deseret News, February 23, 2008