“Collin Shay betört als Counter-Tenor | Collin Shay enchants as a countertenor”
— Max Florian Kühlem, Nacht Kritik, 2024 - for The Faggots and their Friends Between Revolutions
“Venable’s score reveals flashes of Collin Shay’s gifted countertenor (not to mention their talent at a keyboard).”
— Joshua Barone, New York Times, 2023 - for The Faggots and their Friends Between Revolutions
“Collin Shay as a tour guide also made strong impressions.”
— Andrew Clements, The Guardian, 2020 - for The Angel Esmeralda
“...the countertenor of Collin Shay as the Tour Guide . . . also leave an impression.”
— Sam Smith, Music OMH, 2020 - for The Angel Esmeralda
“This is the first time I’ve heard this countertenor – who made a strong impression in the Royal Opera’s Mamzer Bastard at Hackney last year – and it’s clear what all the fuss is about. The quality of Shay’s voice is exceptional – even, firm and in his lower register substantial and very beautiful, and he slips into Oberon’s liminal and predatory ways with the utmost ease.”
— Peter Reed, Classical Source, 2019 - for Midsummer Night's Dream
“Collin Shay . . . established impressive vocal authority for the “captain of this fairy band”. . . He sang especially exquisitely of the “bank where the wild thyme blows””
— Roy Westbrook, Bachtrack, 2019 - for Midsummer Night's Dream
“Shay conveys Yoel’s growing bewilderment with touching veracity.”
— Tim Ashley, The Guardian, 2018 - for Mamzer / Bastard
“Collin Shay sustains an ethereal countertenor line as Yoel that provides haunting colour to the artful simplicity of Zisser’s vocal writing.”
— Charlotte Valori, bachtrack, 2017 - for L'Incoronazione di Poppea
“The voices of Ottavia and Ottone (Collin Shay) stood out in particular due to their timbre qualities.”
— Enza de Francisci, playstosee, 2017 - for L'Incoronazione di Poppea
“There’s also tender singing from Collin Shay worth praising. His countertenor voice as Ottone brings the opera to a pause with its dazzling textures, particularly when he sings to Poppea, which pulls on your heart strings.”
— Mary Nguyen, culturevulture, 2017 - for L'Incoronazione di Poppea