Simax Classics is extremely happy to present the long awaited debut solo release of Marita Sølberg. The artist behind this phenomenal expressive soprano voice seeks beauty, love and drama in her own life. She also brings this attitude uncompromisingly into her music making, enabling her to display both the beauty and lust, the darkness and frailty of the characters she portraits.
Marita Sølberg
A guest with many opera houses around the world, Marita Sølberg was a member of the soloist ensemble at Stuttgart Opera until she became one of the Principal Artists of the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet in 2008. Many of her most critically acclaimed roles are gathered on this release, such as the Contessa in The Marriage of Figaro, which was hailed in an exceptional manner by the biggest national newspaper VG: “Marita Sølberg as the Contessa Almaviva is absolutely fantastic, her voice has such a wealth of nuance and fervency that she could make a stone moved. It remains an exceptional experience to hear a singer of her calibre.”
Female fates
Tragic female fates is of course a favourite subject of opera librettos, and Sølberg makes a variety of them come to life here – whether in popular roles like Mimi in La Bohéme, Rusalka the water nymph in Dvořák’s opera, Desdemona in Verdi’s Otello … or in the less performed operas Rancesca da Rimini (Rachmaninov) and Die Liebe der Danae (R. Strauss).
John Fiore and The Norwegian Opera Orchestra
The Norwegian Opera Orchestra contains 101 full time musicians, contributing to around 160 opera and ballet performances a season. Conductor John Fiore was music director for the Norwegian Opera & Ballet from 2009-2016, and is one of the leading opera conductors in Europe. Together they form a strong foundation for the beautiful voice of Sølberg, bringing forth the strong interpretations on this release.
