critical praise
Cheryl Frances-Hoad, The Glory Tree
"It was another soprano, Natalie Raybould, who stole the show at Saturday lunchtime, performing with the Kreisler Ensemble under Matilda Hofman. Everything Raybould touched turned to gold, from pianist Iain Farrington's bluesy settings of Maya Angelou to her vocal and choreographic candenza on Maxwell Davies's adaptation of Purcell. The centrepiece was an astonishing tour de force written for her by Cheryl Frances-Hoad and sung entirely in Old English. The Glory Tree had remarkable scoring, stratospheric singing and was performed with shamanic authority, her final scream reverberating through the cloisters. With Sally Beamish's Commedia and Maxwell Davies's early landscape piece, The Bairns of Brugh, this was a concert of the essence of St Magnus clearly safe in young hands."
Keith Bruce, The Herald
Jen, The Girl Who...
"Natalie Raybould gave an intense, stunning and emotionally draining performance."
Audience feedback, Tête à Tête 2007 Opera Festival
Soprano, Six-Pack
"...superbly convincing both as singer and actor...Raybould's was the most striking performance of the evening. She had lead roles in all six works, and showed a kaleidoscopic range of characterisations; from distressed care-worker to glamorous socialite and from sex-mad harpy to world-weary singleton."
Tom Service, Opera
"The performances are as near to faultless as you can get in live music-making...the voices are all promising...Raybould's the most flexible. Indeed Raybould is something of a catch; physically confident, an astute actress and full of charm."
Anna Picard, Independent on Sunday
"The real stars of the show are the performers, especially Raybould, who takes starring roles in every piece. Her transformations from socialite to psychic are brilliantly accomplished, and she gives each role a vivid dramatic and vocal characterisation."
The Guardian
"Soprano Natalie Raybould stands out as an impressive talent with an uncanny eye for dramatic detail."
Warwick Thompson, Metro
"Natalie Raybould...excellent...singing with brilliant clarity."
Online Review London
Girl, Hamelin
Natalie Raybould is superb as the girl left behind; a suitably inward, thoughtful performance with excellent diction."
Opera
"Natalie Raybould...gives a searing performance as The Girl..."
Simon Trezise, Opera Now
“[The Girl] is played convincingly by English soprano Natalie Raybould, who rises vocally to the big dramatic moments, whilst in the quieter passages she was extremely moving.”
Gus Smith, Irish Times
“Natalie Raybould is radiant…moving from innocence to authority…”
Pat O’Kelly, Irish Independent
Berio Sequenza
“Natalie Raybould, a soprano with real dramatic flair and dazzling technical virtuosity…”
Mark Hewitt, West Highland Free Press
Natalya, A Proposal
"Natalie Raybould...a soprano alert in timbre and eyes..."
Opera
Cleopatra, Giulio Cesare In Egitto
"Natalie Raybould conquered all as Cleopatra; vocal control, presence, acting - all superb."
Jeannine Alton, Oxford Mail