"I have never experienced such a high level of musicianship at Drottningholmsteater's orchestra before. What a tempo and what a swing, but also intimacy when certain arias require it. The latter is especially true of Giustino's 'Ho nel petto un cor sì forte', in which he sings about his courage, accompanied by a psaltery (a stringed instrument akin to a zither) played on stage by Margit Übellacker."
(Opera, 8 aug 2022 on the production of Vivaldi's opera Il Giustino at Drottningholm)
“the direction too often forces attention away from the almost constantly elegantly sung arias. Extras scramble in the background, sweep the stage floor, pull up scenery or move chairs, while the soloist sings of his despair or desire for revenge.There are exceptions, such as when Giustino, in "Ho nel petto un cor sì forte", sings of his courage, accompanied only by a psaltery played on stage by Margit Überllacker. The kind of intimacy that characterises many of Vivaldi's arias is there.”
(Aftonbladet, august 9, 2022 on the production of Vivaldi's opera Il Giustino at Drottningholm)
“…Margit Übellacker’s unusual psaltery (a zither-type stringed instrument) places a heavenly-sounding halo around Giustino’s heroic aria.”
(Sweden Posts on the production of Vivaldi's opera Il Giustino at Drottningholm, August 7, 2022)
"...and Margit Übellacker laces angelic songs from the psaltery with virtuoso grace."
(Verena Fischer-Zernin, Hamburger Abendblatt 14.4.2022, on a concert with L’Arpeggiata in the Elbphilharmonie)
"Christina Pluhar has been surprising audiences for 20 years with new interpretations of early music and a very special, characteristic sound. This is created by the interplay of historical string instruments, finely applied percussion and, above all, sparklingly played psaltery and trumpet-bright cornetto.”
(Klassik begeistert, Dr. Andreas Ströbl, 15.4.2022)
“…particularly the psaltery, exquisitely played by Margit Übellacker, which accompanies Giustino’s beautiful monologue at the close of the second act.”
(Tim Ashley, Gramophone, reveiw of Antonio Vivaldi's opera Il Giustino recorded by Accademia Bizantina under the direction of Ottavio Dantone)
"The works for the eponymous instrument of this album ... are interpreted with a variety of tone and touch which do honour to Margit Übellacker."
(Christoph Steyne, Crescendo Magazine, October 31, 2021)
"The virtuoso on the Salterio, Margit Übellacker, who studied at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, breathed life back into this forgotten era and into the sound space of the gallery of the Marienkirche in Staig. She played this instrument with feeling and stylistic confidence and proved all the variety of sounds that can be produced on it. ... An extraordinary pleasure at the end of the Ulm Music Summer 2021."
(Andrea Fadani, Südwestpresse 26.7.2021)
"A highlight was the aria of the tenor Martin Vanberg in the role of verita, who stretched the eagle's wings over the Jesus child to the very light sounds of the psaltery by Margit Uebellacker."
(Simon Bordier, Basel, December 2016)
" ... many moments of real musical sensitivity. Margit Übellacker's deft touch on the psaltery (an ancient form of dulcimer) was a delight."
(Ivan Hewett, London, Telegraph, Wigmore Hall Review, Oct. 2013)
"Virtuos swirls the soloist with her hammers over the strings, charms with richly graduated dynamics and correspondingly differentiated design power ..."
(Göttingen Tageblatt, may 2013)
"...Margit Ubellacker, leading exponent of the psaltery..."
(Harriet Cunningham, Sydney Morning Herald, 13.9.2010)
"Margit Übellacker let the hammers sway so skilfully over the strings of the fortepiano’s forerunner that she achieved unexpected emotional depth – not least through the suggestion of polyphony."
(Ute van der Sanden, Mitteldeutsche Zeitung Halle, 29.9.2007)
"The precision with which Margit Übellacker lets her hammers dance across the strings is fascinating and the way she exploits the dynamic possibilities of her instrument is an extraordinary experience. ... And in combination with the chest organ it is something really special."
(Martina Holbein, Schwarzwälder Bote, 13.8.2007)
"Übellacker is a true virtuoso“
(Early Music Review, June 2006)