PREMIERE: G.ROSSINI "SIGISMONDO" [SIGISMONDO]

"The performance of the opera "Sigismund" in Wildbad with a soloist of the Vienna State Opera Margarita Gritskova in the lead role became triumphant. The Polish king, whose old death sentence to his wife, has almost blew his mind performed by her sounds gentle and compassionate."
Münsterland Zeitung

«Mit 23 hatte Rossini bereits 13 Opern komponiert, wobei seine Geliebte/Muse Marietta Marcolini, eine der bekanntesten Mezzo-Sängerinnen ihrer Zeit, Rossini zu der Schaffung seiner 2 Meisterwerke inspirierte. Nicht alle seine Opern hatten Erfolg beim Publikum, aber der findige Komponist gebrauchte später Teile davon wieder, obwohl der Unterschied keinem auffiel. So sind im «Sigismondo» Melodien aus dem «Barbier von Sevilla» nicht zu überhören, insbesondere ein gut bekanntes Crescendo aus Don Basilios «Verleumdung». «Sigismundo» war Rossinis letzte für Venedig komponierte Oper, eine auf Marcolinis Rolle als Polnischer König zugeschnittene Opera seria. Die Travestierolle übernahm Margarita Gritskova, deren Stimme, laut wie ein Sturm in einem gewaltigen Umfang und mit einer solchen Macht und Innigkeit erklang, dass man sich als Zuhörer durchaus eine Vorstellung von Marietta Marcolini machen konnte».
Janos Gardoni, the Whole Note

"Margarita Gritskova, who is a regular guest at the festival in Wildbad for two years now, played the king, who impressed everyone with his charm. In the first act there is a moment, when a loud explosion of emotions is followed by pianissimo surprising tenderness, which, despite its restraint, penetrates into the farthest corner of the hall filled with visitors."
Pforzheimer Zeitung

"Margarita Gritskova with incredible drama played the role of the mentally broken King. The range of emotional coloring of the soloist of the Vienna State Opera expressive coloratura mezzo-soprano extends from scary-dark bouts of madness to tender declarations of love."
Die Deutsche Bühne

"As a Mecca of bel canto, Wildbad prepares and draws the real masters. At all gigs the viewers were surprised with an amazing and sometimes phenomenal execution, such as stunning expressive Margarita Gritskova as the king Sigismund."
Frankfurter Rundschau

“Margarita Gritskova with great expressiveness performed on the stage the protagonist - broken, insecure and persecuted by the spirit of his dead wife, and the audience remembered her powerful and soulful mezzo-soprano. During the recitatives she emphasizes the height of the fall of the hero by the soft structure of pronounced fragments of recitative sentences."
Nikolaus Schmidt, Press Readler

"In the voice figuration flashed Margarita Gritskova with her phenomenal mezzo-soprano in the lead role."
Schwäbische.de

"The organizers of the festival once again managed to gather in Bad Wildbad the singers who meet the vocal requirements as high as possible. First of all, we should mention Margarita Gritskova whose contralto voice reveals a wide range. To let the listener feel the brunt of the Sigismund madness,she easily moves from the lowest depths to the dramatic heights. By the performance of Cavatina: ’Non Seguirmi...Ormai T’invola’, Gritskova with all her usual vocal and performing skills, managed to convey the inner disjoint state of the King. Another culmination point of the play was her great final aria "Alma rea! Il più infelice", in which Sigismund understands that he unjustly condemned his wife. Gritskova has had a chance to convey the drama of remorse overwhelmed the King."
Thomas Molke, Online Musik Magazin

"King Sigismund presented on stage by Margarita Gritskova, a member of the State Opera troupe, and which the viewers will be able to see again since August 16 as Cherubino in Mozart’s opera" The Marriage of Figaro" in Salzburg, of course was the culmination of a musical performance. Once again we were able to verify how wide the voice range of young Russian singer is and, above all, how meaningful is the depth of her voice. She knows how to win the listener’s with the flexibility of her voice, which she can restrain at the right moment and subdue him with the purest coloraturas. Jochen Shёnleber, which has been working already for 25 years in the German Mecca of Rossini fans, knowingly focused on Gritskova character, showing to the audience the king’s pangs of conscience, first of all stripped him of self-confidence, and then turned into a human wreck."
Oliver Schneider, Wiener Zeitung, 31.07

"Frenzy probably promotes singing. The role of the king, who wanted to kill his wife, slandered by wretch, but managed to escape and return to the Lord by the intricate opera ways, sang by the young Russian singer Margarita Gritskova that showed to the public all the splendor of her voice. She and her mezzo-soprano, affecting by passion on the high notes, and sounding like a bell in its depths, plays led roles of the Vienna State Opera troupe today."
Badische Zeitung

"Margarita Gritskova, the soloist of the Vienna State Opera, already two years ago, managed to make a sensation in "Adelaide of Burgundy", and this time she was very convincing as the suffering from a disorder of perception King Sigismund, being able to brilliantly play his tessitura, which is inherent in many of the most controversial accents and enrich it with virtuosic shades. Her voice, sounding with great smoothness, captivated the audience with their explosive, upper case, in which there was no undue abruptness and acceleration, as well as the sonority of tone that perfectly combined with soprano of M. Aleida."
Udo Klebes, Online Merker

"The Schönleber directorial work is limited by the fact that he focuses the audience attention on the interaction of the characters. Soloists are free in how they sing and play. King Sigismund presented by the diamond of the Vienna State Opera Margarita Gritskova with her deep voice."
Südwest Presse

"The audience was happy to see and hear Margarita Gritskova performing at the Vienna State Opera once again. As a travesty she was able to demonstrate her flawless in all registers mezzo-soprano, endearing by the power of high tones."
opernschnipsel.de

"In Wildbad, Margarita Gritskova sang the difficult pants-role of Sigismondo. The Russian-born Ms. Gritskova is the possessor of a deep, flexible and technically secure mezzo soprano voice. She was very good, and also acted Sigismondo’s madness convincingly."
Operapronto, Charles Lernigan