“It Is unbelievable that the Swedish soprano Malin Byström was performing the role of the Countess for the very first time.

Not only she was perfect vocally and in style, but her incarnation of the widow was fresh, moving, and sophisticated. She has a dark sonorous voice with a velvety quality. Her German diction is perfect, and her interpretation of her final scene was brilliant. She can be heard perfectly over the orchestra when the sound is densest, but at the same time, she can color her voice to reflect her doubts or sweetness.

Her complicity with all the other characters was also notable. She was constantly interacting and immersed in the world and those. Perhaps the most gripping moments came when she had to witness the confrontation between the past and future incarnations of herself.

She was the absolute triumphant of the evening.” – Mauricio Villa, OperaWire.

“In the Swedish soprano Malin Bystrom as Salome we come as near perfection as we ever will: a petulant, imperious teenager becoming drugged with lust as her dream becomes reality. Her voice rides easily over the hundred-piece orchestra, and the porcelain purity of her tone contrasts ever more starkly with her blood-boltered presence. Wonderful” – Michael Church, The independent.

“In her ROH role debut, Malin Byström was masterful. Making bold use of her voice’s many colours – exhaling and snarling as much as singing – she was almost under-powered at times, only to let rip with astonishing force in her long final monologue” – Flora Willson, The Guardian.

“Byström’s Salome was utterly convincing and entirely rewarding…Byström threw herself with marked intensity into the great scene with Jochanaan and built to a terrific climax during her confrontation with Herodes, culminating in a vocally overwhelming, dramatically terrifying final scene that brought the house down” – Paul Korenhof, Opera News.

“Malin byström makes a dream debut in the title role with an outstanding stage presence. Her voice has a bristling middle register and a glamorous and exotic upper register. Power, drama, elegance and sensuality – her Tosca contains everything, including world class high notes in the third act” – Yehya Alazem, Capriccio.

“Her performance was a great success, her voice proving to be well suited to verismo, and her interpretation exciting and captivating. Her unusual voice defies strict Fach definitions: it has definite lyric qualities (she’s not a drammatico), but the colour is deep and full of nuances. The size of her soprano borders on the heroic, and her dramatic abilities suit post-romantic roles. Byström’s remarkable performance was supported by her natural charisma and impressive stage presence, enhanced by the beautiful costumes (Herbert Murauer). She exuded star quality” – Laura Servidei, Bachtrack.

“Malin Byström bows in San Francisco as an almost ideal Jenůfa, communicating her loving and vulnerable nature in a slender, elegant soprano with surprising reserves of power” –  Allan Ulrich, Financial Times.

“Swedish soprano Malin Byström, making her SF Opera debut in the title role, created a huge impression from the very first moments, both by her uniquely-colored voice and by her charismatic ability to draw all eyes to her long, lean physical presence. She sang the technically demanding, musically soaring role of Jenůfa superbly, whether lying flat on her back or writhing in pain or bent under internal angst” – Donna Stoering, Bachtrack.

“Malin Byström portrayed a tender, loving Jenufa, devastated by the death of her baby and crushed by her sin. Her voice featured a beautiful, unusual timbre, and she delivered with strength and confidence. Her Jenufa was convincing; she inhabited the character fully and managed to convey her personality. Byström showed great charisma, becoming the centre of attention whenever she was on stage” – Laura Servidei, Bachtrack.

“Malin Byström sang her very first Desdemona and did so with creamy tone and marvellous legato in the Renata Tebaldi mould – I can give no higher praise. When she sang the Willow song followed by the most angelic pianissimo Ave Maria time stood still” – Göran Forsling, Seen and Heard International.

“Malin Byström was a dark-hued, hyper-authoritative Hélène, with an electrifying command of the role’s extravagant ornamentation and a bristling lower register” – Flora Willson, The Guardian.

“Malin Byström returned to Stockholm as the Feldmarschallin, confirming her status as one of the greatest operatic singers today. Her natural elegance was perfectly suited to the confident aristocrat; the rich colour palette of her voice managed to convey all the different emotions and moods of the complex character” – Laura Servidei, Bachtrack.

“A fine and attractive actress, Byström captured Arabella’s mix of flirtatiousness and deep moral seriousness right off the bat. Her voice sounded liquid, with a fine sheen and an apt sense of emotional glow; phrasing was admirably legato, never swoony” David Shengold, Opera News.