Acclaim

Ukrainian Olga Kulchynska makes a glorious debut in Salzburg in the role of Cleopatra, to which she brings the luminous radiance and iridescent colors of her warm soprano voice. Disguised as Lidia, one of Cleopatra's attendants, she is decked out in a long pink wig that would be more suited to a brothel, but she later appears au naturel and delivers a breathtaking “Piangerò la sorte mia.

Olga Kulchynska embodies Cleopatra with a voice full of seduction and cunning. Her soprano ranges from gentle, seductive tones to dramatic outbursts.

Olga Kulchynska made a dazzling Cleopatra, from her first entrance wearing a pink wig and tight leather trousers. Sulky and as much a poseur at first, as she jockeyed with her brother, she charmed Dumaux's Cesare and developed real depth of character. In Act Two, 'V'adoro pupille' allowed her to make Handel's magic really work. She had a light bright tone, superbly accurate too, yet she was fully equal to her two big serious numbers, 'Per pieta' and 'Piangero'. We entirely forgot Tcherniakov's revised dramaturgy and were captivated. Even her final aria, sung hardly in triumph but in delusion, was magic.

Olga Kulchynska grows in stature as the evening progresses; her Cleopatra has immense character, depth and passion.

But the one who captures our attention from the outset is Olga Kulchynska…the Ukrainian soprano manages to make even this interpretation believable. After her transformation into Lydia, the character gains depth, and Kulchynska's portrayal of the woman in love becomes an interpretive marvel, where every gesture, glance, and vocal nuance contributes to building an intense and convincing figure.

The orchestra bows to a very heartfelt lament in “Se pietà di me non senti” (If you feel no pity for me), to which Ukrainian star Olga Kulchynska lends a multifaceted dramatic intensity, making it the highlight of the entire performance. The softness and homogeneity of her voice also paint a beautiful picture in the third gem, “Piangerò la sorte mia” (I will weep for my fate), where the da capo seeks harmonically risky variations that confirm the soprano's willingness to play the card of this role without holding back.

Olga Kulchynska is as brilliant in her acting as she is in her singing, and that's saying something. Her final lament is poignant, her taunts against Tolomeo are biting (Non disperar, chi sa?)

Kulchynska approached Cleopatra with magnetic poise—a seductive strategist whose vocal agility matched thematic complexity. From coquettish entrance to the despairing tragedy of “Se pietà di me non senti,” her tone transitions from sharp silvery trills to emotional depth, reflecting a ruler turned hostage by love and politics.

Ukrainian Olga Kulchynska is a worthy partner: technically and stylistically flawless, she knows how to change registers, navigating from lighter tones to tragic ones (Piangerò la sorte mia).

D’une sensualité dont la lumière sait creuser des ombres dans la détresse éperdue de « Se pietà » et les larmes de « Piangerò », sa Cléopâtre vibre avec une intensité souvent bouleversante. (From a sensuality that does not let the light grow from the shadows in the light of "Se pietà" and the alarms of " Piangerò", Cléopâtre vibrates with an overwhelming intensity.)

The voice is magnificent, sunny, the vocalises are easy and brilliant.

La Cleopatra d’Olga Kulchynska tient rang égal, dont la ligne de chant voluptueuse et le timbre charnu font merveille dans le fameux Piangero la sorte mia. (Olga Kulchynska's Cleopatra hold her own, with her voluptuous singing line and the rich timbre work wonders in the famous Piangero la sorte mia.)

Olga Kulchynska als dessen Geliebte Cleopatra mit fantastischem Sopranglanz und perfekter Koloraturentechnik. Sie schaffte es, in dieser lustfeindlichen Umgebung so etwas wie Sexappeal zu verströmen – nicht nur aufgrund ihrer Manga-Perücke. (Olga Kulchynska, as his lover Cleopatra, delivered a fantastic soprano brilliance and perfect coloratura technique. She managed to exude a certain sex appeal in this hostile environment—and not just because of her manga wig.)

Olga Kulchynska was alternately high-spirited, bold and hugely sincere. Her Act 3 “Sull’aria” duet with the Countess was one of the evening’s many highlights, but her bright, airy, consistently clean soprano, was most impressive in her aria “Deh vieni, non tardar’, in which she teases the hidden Figaro by pretending to sing a love song to the Count.

Olga Kulchynska (Susanna) l’emporte sur sa maîtresse dans ce rôle marathon qu’elle soutient sans faille avec des accents malicieux et un phrasé irréprochable.

...la Princesse-Cygne d'Olga Kulchynska, ou de la pléiade de seconds rôles, tous impeccables.

a fast-rising artist [...] with plush yet focused tone, palpable warmth, and sensitivity.

Lauréate de plusieurs concours dont Operalia en 2016, la jeune Olga Kulchynska qui s’était fait remarquer dès 2015 à Zurich dans I Capuleti e i Montecchi aux côtés de Joyce DiDonato, effectue des débuts réussis à l’Opéra Bastille. Si l’aigu est encore un peu vert, la fraîcheur du timbre, le volume appréciable de la voix, l’aisance avec laquelle elle exécute les vocalises qui émaillent sa partie font d’elle une Rosine attachante aux moyens prometteurs.

Couronnée par un troisième prix au dernier concours Opéralia, Olga Kulchynska est une magnifique Juliette, jeune, touchante, et son physique fait d’elle une petite cousine d’Olga Peretyatko. Virtuose, la voix possède en outre une qualité immédiatement porteuse d’émotion, loin des rossignols mécaniques auxquels le rôle fut un temps confié.

Kulchynska was unburdened by all of the symbolism heaped on her and created a complex, compelling Giulietta. She has the technical prowess, including a decent trill, to bring Bellini’s delicate lines to life. And in the second act, where she sees a glimmer of hope of being united with Romeo, her voice bloomed with an unexpected warmth and intensity.

la jeune artiste est prometteuse : le timbre est beau, l’aigu facile et insolent.

Kulchynska conquistava già dall’iniziale “Oh quante volte, oh quante” per la purezza della linea di canto e l’omogeneità del bel timbro anche nella tessitura più acuta del ruolo.

La Juliette intense et fragile d’Olga Kulchynska cadre parfaitement avec l’héroïne imaginée par Christof Loy.

Голос ее мягкий, ни в коем случае не стеклорезно-колоратурный, а скорее лирический, достаточно яркий для сцены Большого, с неплохой школой и совсем еще не заболтанный, свежий и приятный. И пользуется певица им очень разумно, без перегрузки, но выразительно, как-то очень по-европейски.