Maribel Ortega shines as Lady Macbeth at Teatro Villamarta
January 30th, 2025
Jerez-born soprano Maribel Ortega has garnered glowing reviews for her portrayal of Lady Macbeth in the production of Macbeth, which premiered on January 24 at Teatro Villamarta.
Notably, El Diario de Jerez highlighted her performance with the following remarks: "Maribel Ortega, as Lady Macbeth, saw her 15 years of collaboration with Teatro Villamarta rewarded with a fantastic performance. Her vocal power in the upper register, soaring above the chorus and orchestra, left the Jerez audience in awe. She also excelled in the lower passages, delivering them with force and great confidence. Lady Macbeth is an incredibly demanding role, as she must constantly serve as Macbeth's counterpoint—no hesitation, only conviction that evil is the way. Vocally, she navigated the Verdian score's challenges with mastery, effortlessly handling coloratura while simultaneously embodying a sinister and tormented character. Brava!”
Meanwhile, La Voz del Sur delved into the soprano’s vocal and dramatic qualities: "Her familiarity with the work of the Busseto maestro was evident in this new interpretation of Lady Macbeth: in her respect for dynamics, her meticulous and incisive phrasing, her squillo, and the eloquent darkening of her voice in line with the composer's intentions [...] The evolution of the protagonist was perfectly delineated in these three crucial moments, justifying why the Jerez-born soprano was one of the evening’s most applauded performers."
Finally, Beckmesser, in line with other media outlets, praised Ortega’s vocal and artistic suitability for the role: "Maribel Ortega’s voice fits the character of Lady Macbeth perfectly—steely, penetrating, with a slightly sharp timbre and metallic high notes [...] In the ensemble sections, she effortlessly crowned over the other singers and choir. She portrayed a wicked, calculating, and manipulative Lady Macbeth, merciless toward her husband and everyone else, with a razor-sharp phrasing."