SÜDWEST PRESSE
From Verdi to Radetzky, always in top form
Theatre Ulm At the premiere of the New Year’s Concert, there were standing ovations for the Ulm Philharmonic Orchestra
under Felix Bender and the soloist.
Diversity was the trump card. And especially Maryna Zubko, who has been with the soloist ensemble for
seven years and is currently highly acclaimed as Mimí in Puccini’s ‘La Bohème’. The German-Ukrainian
soprano in a raspberry-coloured gown is an all-round talent. Her rich, lyrical voice easily outshone the
orchestra’s forte in ‘Dich, teure Halle’ from Wagner’s ‘Tannhäuser’. Versatile and with the most beautiful
pianissimo, her monologue as Adriana, ‘Io son l’umile ancella’ from Francesco Cilea’s rare opera, was
impressive. She completely captivated hearts with the charming ‘Jewellery Aria’ from Gounod’s opera
‘Faust’, with colouratura brilliance up to the high C. Bravo calls.
The second part was devoted to light entertainment, heralded by Johann Strauss’s ‘Waldmeisterouvertüre’
with its hunting horn theme and the waltz from Tchaikovsky’s ‘Sleeping Beauty’ ballet. In between, Maryna
Zubko, in a blue ball gown with a plunging neckline, sang about ‘love, heaven on earth’ in Lehár’s ‘Paganini’
operetta. In a flirtatious mood, the soprano flirted with the conductor, concertmaster Tamás Füzesi and the
audience in Gerhard Winkler’s Casanova song.
In Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Phantom of the Opera’, Benjamin Künzel surprised audiences in the baritone role
of Raoul in ‘Think of Me’ alongside the soprano. During his brief review of the year, Künzel thanked outgoing
artistic director Kay Metzger to special applause. After the hot ride After the hot ride through Saint-Saëns’ ‘Bacchanale’
from the opera ‘Samson et Dalila’ and huge cheers, two encores made everyone completely happy. Maryna Zubko,
who is leaving Ulm at her own request at the end of the season to work as a freelance singer, touched the audience
with Puccini’s hit ‘O mio babbino caro’.
EISLINGER ZEITUNG & NUSSBAUM.DE
Concert in Eislingen
One singer who took the hearts of Eislingen concertgoers by storm is Maryna Zubko. The German-Ukrainian
soprano not only shone on one occasion, but showcased her entire repertoire of skills.
With her powerful voice, she even drowns out the orchestra’s forte. She already demonstrated her calibre in
Richard Wagner’s ‘Tannhäuser’and she can also sing soft notes with a gentle piano and pianissimo, with a melting
voice, she effortlessly masters the coloratura up to the high C, captivating her audience with her commanding stage presence.
The orchestra and soloist are a well-rehearsed team; Maryna Zubko has been part of the soloist ensemble for seven years.
At the end of the season, she will leave the Theatre Ulm to pursue new paths as a freelance singer.
At least at the current concert opening of the year, the Eislingen guests were still able to enjoy the absolute listening pleasure
of the interplay between musicians and top-class soloist.
AUGSBURGER ALLGEMEINE
New Year’s Concert full of emotion and energy
Soprano Maryna Zubko will be leaving Ulm in the summer. At the New Year’s Concert, she and the
Ulm Philharmonic Orchestra will treat the audience to an evening of the highest calibre.
What do Richard Wagner and Andrew Lloyd Webber have in common? Both rhymed – Wagner in ‘Tannhäuser’
and Webber in ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ – the concepts of “space” and ‘dream’, albeit in very different musical
styles. The enormous range presented by soloist Maryna Zubko as the star guest of the New Year’s Concert ranged
from Wagner’s romantic opera ‘Tannhäuser’ to musicals: a lively and emotional evening of the highest calibre.
Under the baton of GMD Felix Bender and charmingly and cheerfully presented by future opera director Benjamin
Künzel, the Ulm Philharmonic Orchestra and Maryna Zubko showed themselves at their very best. The selection of
works focused on more serious compositions in the first part and significantly lighter fare in the second, but both
before and after the interval, it was perfectly tailored to the high abilities of the soloist, who is leaving Ulm in
the summer.
After the opening with the overture from Giuseppe Verdi’s rarely performed opera “La Forza del destino‘, Maryna Zubko,
dressed in a purple and gold silk gown, greeted ’You, dear hall, I greet you again‘ – which was also meant for the
audience. The first cries of ’Bravo!” could already be heard in the Grand Theatre after this opening. The soloist put
all her energy and vocal power, as well as subtle differentiation and emotion, into the opera excerpts in the first part.
As traumatic as Benjamin Künzel’s school and adolescent experiences with Goethe’s ‘Faust’ must have been, according
to his vivid description, the programme took up this theme twice, to the delight of the audience, and in different ways.
First instrumentally with Hector Berlioz’s “La damnation de Faust”, and Maryna Zubko shone vocally and dramatically
with the jewel aria of the enamoured Marguerite from Charles Gounod’s opera ‘Faust’.
A murmur rippled through the sold-out hall as Maryna Zubko took to the stage in a blue, low-cut evening gown with
a slit, adorned with sparkling jewellery on loan from Ulm goldsmith Alfonso Anzivino. This second part is all about
love, with Franz Lehár’s ‘Liebe, du Himmel auf Erden’ (Love, you heaven on earth) and the “Casanova” song by
‘Caprifischer’ composer Gerhard Winkler, in which Maryna sings about the power of love. The second part is all
about love, with Franz Lehár’s ‘Liebe, du Himmel auf Erden’ (Love, you heaven on earth) and the ‘Casanova’ song by
‘Caprifischer’ composer Gerhard Winkler, in which Maryna Zubko coaxed Felix Bender and conductor Tamas Füzesi
around her little finger with all her seductive charms. And with Christine Daae’s ‘Phantom of the Opera’ song ‘Think
of me’, accompanied instrumentally by, among other things, a waltz from Tchaikovsky’s ballet ‘Sleeping Beauty’
and the ‘Bacchanale’ from Camille Saint-Saëns’ opera ‘Samson and Delilah’.
