Ambur Braid : To desire is to die
21/2/2025
Richard Strauss’s Salome is the role which identified Ambur Braid as one of opera’s latest contenders. We explore what it means to bring such extraordinary characters to the stage in all their glory
Q. You’re an artist who is drawn to some of the repertory’s most complex, dark, and layered female characters, from where do you draw your inspiration when creating these roles?
I’m drawn to roles that allow me to explore the contradictions and depth of human nature — characters who are strong yet vulnerable, passionate yet self-destructive. My inspiration comes from many places: literature, history, art, and, of course, my own experiences. I love delving into the psychology of a character, understanding what drives them, what wounds they carry, and how they navigate their world. Often, the score reveals as much about a character’s inner life as the text does so you just need to listen while onstage.
It’s also just really, really fun being bad.
Q: Your affinity with the German dramatic repertoire seems to have become the focus of your career in the last few seasons — how has that been?
It’s been an incredibly fulfilling journey. The German dramatic repertoire demands so much — vocally, emotionally, and intellectually — but that’s exactly what draws me to it. These roles are rich with complexity, and the music gives you everything you need to inhabit them fully. It’s also been a fascinating evolution for me as an artist; I feel like I’m constantly discovering new layers in my voice and my interpretation. The stamina required is immense, but there’s something exhilarating about surrendering to the scale and intensity of this music. I’ve also been fortunate to work with conductors and directors who understand how to bring out the nuance in these roles, which makes the challenge all the more rewarding.
” Like her recent interpretations of the Dyer’s Wife in Die Frau Ohne Schatten at the Opéra de Lyon and Salome at the Frankfurt Opera, she impresses as soon as she arrives on stage with her incandescent presence and whatever her appearance (wise or light-hearted girl), you can feel the fire that smoulders under the ice”
Cult News, June 2024
“ Ambur Braid is one of the most expressive singer actresses far and wide, her soprano is also highly expressive, and she never loses her finesse”
Frankfurter Rundschau, June 2024
” Her dramatic presence is marked by a certain joy at experimentation and a healthy curiosity towards portraying unconventional women, similar to Ausrine Stundyte”
Leidmotief, January 2024
Q: Who’s your favourite dramatic German role and why?
It’s hard to choose just one! Die Färberin has always fascinated me — on the surface, she’s a straightforward, frustrated wife, but underneath, she’s grappling with much deeper questions of identity, power, and desire. Her struggle with fertility and the life she’s ended up in feels so modern, and her transformation over the course of Die Frau ohne Schatten is incredibly moving.
Then there’s Salome — she’s raw, impulsive, and completely consumed by her obsession with Jochanaan. There’s something disturbingly relatable about her all-or-nothing passion. I think we’ve all felt that kind of reckless infatuation at some point, especially in our youth, when emotions feel all-consuming and catastrophic. What makes her terrifying is that she never questions it — she follows her desire to its inevitable, brutal end. It’s that honesty that makes her so thrilling to play.
Q. Which roles are in your sights for the future?
There are a few roles I feel are on the horizon, ones that my voice and artistry are naturally evolving toward. Elektra is certainly one — her raw power and relentless drive fascinate me, and the sheer force of the music is something I’d love to take on. Kundry in Parsifal also intrigues me; she’s such an enigmatic figure, torn between immense suffering and moments of near-transcendence. And, of course, Isolde — her music is some of the most intoxicating ever written, and the emotional depth of that journey is something I’d love to explore when the time is right.
Beyond the German repertoire, there are a few French and Slavic roles I have my eye on as well — characters with that same psychological complexity and dramatic weight.
