“Vocally luminous.”

“There’s a challenge in trying to describe her voice. It’s the richness and the warmth and the depth just in the sound itself that’s so mesmerizing. But it’s not just the quality of the voice, it’s also her sensitivity and intention. It’s her use of text, the way she connects with language. And her very refined sophisticated understanding of how things are unfolding musically, so it’s this marvelous combination of heart, mind and vocal cords that’s just incomparable. There’s something special about what she does that only she can do."

“Jessica Rivera was outstanding. She has a voice of almost miraculous evenness and control, with the most attractive, elegant colour and flawless production through every note of her range. Combine this with sensitive, intelligent, urgently communicative musicality, and this is a singer I would happily listen to in any repertoire.”

“The vocal lines took on a hallucinatory power as sung by the silvery soprano Jessica Rivera.”

“Jessica Rivera created an intimacy unparalleled by anything else on the program. With great placement of each note, her beautiful tone resonated without being too powerful. She presented a maternal quality of reassurance in both sound and gentle gestures.”

"In a string of brilliant appearances with the San Francisco and, most recently, Berkeley Symphony orchestras, soprano Jessica Rivera has established herself as a singer of uncommon vocal luster and musical intelligence."

“Her soprano soared … A young singer who has worked closely with Upshaw, she now owns Górecki’s Third."

"Rivera sailed a slow, high, sustained melody over the orchestra like a reassuring beam of light in an ominous sky."

"Hers was a voice of ravishing fullness.”

"The vocal highlights of the evening came from soloist Jessica Rivera, who brought Malinche to life. A radiant presence on stage, Rivera’s soprano projected effortlessly and with tonal variety–from a sensitively sung 'Song of Malinche' to a howl in the Rex Tremendae. Rivera’s committed and imaginative performance was a large part of the success of this new work."

“Jessica Rivera pours out gleaming sound as Xirgu's student.”

“[John Adams] gives silvery singing to Ms. Rivera, who delivers on the gift.”

“Vocally, the evening's star was soprano Jessica Rivera, who sang Kumudha with a stunning blend of tonal warmth, emotional depth and precision.”

"Rivera's great asset is her combination of a plush, throaty timbre and the sort of laser-like technical precision that usually only comes with a thinner and more silvery sound ... Rivera's singing was crystalline and rounded throughout."

“Jessica Rivera struck an angelic presence to the eye and ear, her voice floating over the strings’ spare and mournful waves.”

"Rivera, who has become Spano’s 'go to' soprano, is a joy to watch, her beatific gaze reinforcing the gentle, unforced sound that projects so wonderfully across the hall."