30 October 2021; Giuseppe Verdi, Premiere “Aida”, [debut as Amneris] GNT Weimar, Germany
“The real sensation was Margarita Gritskova in the role of Amneris. The timbre of her voice combines dark depth and tall heights merging into vocal power bursting out. She became the very dot above “i” in “Aida”, which will not only be vigorously discussed by the public, but also became for her a sensual and delightful theatrical event!”Joachim Lange, Südthüringen.de, 31.10.2021
“All of them were outshined by Margarita Gritskova, whose mezzo-soprano turned out to be truly stunning. In the role of Amneris, she returned to the stage of the German National Theater in Weimar, in which the singer performed since 2010, but from which she was literally immediately lured away to Vienna. The thirty-three year old singer amazes as the force of the elements, impressing the audience with the dramatic power and rich timbre of her mezzo-soprano, for which there seem to be no boundaries. Even if there were no pyramids on the stage, “Aida”, staged at the German National Theater in Weimar, would be discussed without them.”
Bettina Volksdorf, MDR Kultur.de, 31.10.2021
“And yet, the star of this unforgettable premiere was Margarita Gritskova. The voluminous, dynamic and mystically shaded mezzo-soprano of the former singer of the Weimar Theater allures, cooes and cries, embodying Amneris, who is capable of throwing even the Viennese opera audience to her feet, performing in front of them in her new art homeland.”
Wolfgang Hirsch, Thüringer Allgemeine, 31.10.2021
“When you watch this “Aida”, you can’t help but ask yourself why it is not named Amneris. The part of mezzo-soprano performed by Margarita Gritskova, who embodies the role of Amneris, cannot but arouse admiration. She captivates the audience with the deep timbre of her voice and the ease of performance of the great Italian opera, combined with an elemental power that even the highest registers are unable to subdue. Bravo!!! Alas, the singer’s decision to move from the German National Theater to the Vienna State Opera is quite understandable. Nevertheless, this premiere gave the Weimar audience the opportunity to enjoy the grandeur of the Vienna State Opera.
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We enjoyed a wonderful opera evening, of which Margarita Gritskova was undoubtedly the highlight. It seems to me necessary that such singers as Margarita Gritskova should be the center of the audience’s attention, because they deserve it. I am sure that such performers are extremely important for attracting the audience, because it is for the love of them that listeners come to the opera.”
Olaf Schnürpel, online merker, 31.10.2021
“Like a chameleon, Amneris remains extremely attractive down to the emotional twilight of the gods and looks great both in the role of a business woman and in the style of ethno-fashion. On stage, she is able to explode like a spoiled child, her attempt to harass her beloved Radames ends in failure. In this role, the former member of the troupe, Margarita Gritskova, captivated the audience with her incredibly charismatic mezzo-soprano, outstanding for rich chest registers and imperious pitch.”
Roland H. Dippel, German Theater Criticism, reviews 31.10.2021
“In this opera production, Margarita Gritskova, who embodied the truly deeply dramatic image of Amneris on stage, surpassed all the other participants. In this role, the Russian singer, performing on the stage of the Vienna Opera, returned to her former theater.”
Roberto Becker, Opern*News, 1.11.2021