Press

“… the great Ricarda Merbeth… .”
Jean-Luc Martinez, La Dépêche

“The intense voice of German soprano Ricarda Merbeth, brief though her part may be, unfolds the venomous beauty of the Foreign Princess, with a rich, iridescent middle register, crowned by several exposed notes of superb brilliance.”
Emmanuel Andrieu, Scherzo

“The great Ricarda Merbeth has chosen to add a new role to her repertoire, that of the Foreign Princess. A commendable undertaking, as the role is as demanding as it is brief, and required her to familiarize herself with a language that until recently was completely unknown to her. Mission accomplished: Ricarda Merbeth meets all the director’s artistic and even choreographic demands, while here and there delivering the incisive high notes for which she is renowned.”
Thierry Verger, Forum Opera

“… Ricarda Merbeth takes on the Foreign Princess for the first time. The memory of her Toulouse Elektra, acclaimed for the power of her portrayal and the brilliance of her high notes, still lingers over this relatively short role. She inhabits it with her full timbre”
François Ory, Première Loge

“The German soprano Ricarda Merbeth, a mainstay in the great dramatic roles at this house, sings a terrifyingly dangerous Foreign Princess. The role is short, but its demands on the singer’s vocal range are punishing. With her rounded, powerfully projected voice, she makes short work of poor Rusalka, who at this point in the drama is mute!”
Robert Pénavayre, Classic Toulouse

“One can see what drew Wagnerian soprano Ricarda Merbeth to this short but intense role: with her dramatic soprano and its magnificently pronounced, distinctive vibrato, she gives her character a rarely explored dimension as a commanding woman.”
Hugues Rameau-Crays, Cult.news

“The mezzo-soprano Agnieska Rehlis and the soprano Ricarda Merbeth are each excellent in their roles, with no vocal shortcomings whatsoever: the former as Ježibaba, the “not-so-beloved” witch and evil incarnate; the latter as the Foreign Princess, as venomous as a viper and triumphant over her rival. In a magnificent theatrical scene, the Prince turns away from Rusalka. Until then, he has been torn between his love for the strange, mute Rusalka and the carnal temptation exerted by the deeply cunning Foreign Princess. A superb second act, with striking sets and lighting.”
Michel Grialou, Culture31

“Ricarda Merbeth, as the Foreign Princess, portrays a truly demonic creature. Her interpretation is very different from the more sensual portrayal offered by the late Béatrice Uria-Monzon in previous performances. Here, the character makes little attempt to seduce the audience: she is unsettling, disturbing, and almost fascinating in her cruelty.”
Kévin Carayon, Entre Folklore à Toulouse et Bel Canto

[Photo by Mirco Magliocca]