Victoria Karkacheva's Charlotte, on the other hand, embodied this same élan.  Endowed with a majestic, wide-ranging vocal range, the Russian mezzo portrayed Charlotte as strong and impetuous 

Beautiful timbre, with full centers and well timed treble rise

Karkacheva’s Soul Full of Light...Charlotte is the reflection of Werther’s gaze. Her voice mirrors this recognition based on the purity of its source. In other words, mezzo-soprano Victoria Karkacheva as Charlotte was at the mercy of where Benjamin Bernheim as Werther was leading her. And this is a beautiful thing. Not once did Karkacheva doubt Bernheim’s tenderness or timid torment, instead her voice brought forth the very life force he summoned through the mysterious veil that is music’s powerful elixir. Karkacheva relished in “Il faut nous séparer” with Bernheim as he confessed his love for her. Although her announcement at the end proved fate otherwise, there was a sincerity to Karkacheva’s voice that made her more transparent and relatable. Her promise to marry Albert did not deter her from feeling her heart’s natural awakening to Werther’s confession. And this could very much be felt, planting a seed of hope in any listener no matter how many times they’ve seen this opera and know its brutal ending. All in all, chemistry was in the air! Karkacheva’s mezzo provided necessary roots to carry Bernheim’s tenor full of light into La Scala’s hall. The pair were in sync every note of the way especially during “Mais vous ne savez rien.” Charlotte’s arias “Hélas oui mes enfants” and “O Charlotte ange du devoir” ushered in waves of brilliance as her mezzo blossomed. Her palette of vocal colors were profoundly polished and garnered no resistance to their joy in delivery. Everything Karkacheva sang rang true and honest in the loving presence of Bernheim. These open arms made this production feel surprisingly new and timeless. A breath of fresh air filled the lungs of Massenet’s score as it pulsated anew

Having two mezzos singing the same role offers, as if being in an odd competition, is an unfortunate juxtaposition. Both Ève-Maud Hubeaux and Victoria Karkacheva delivered excellent performances, although the latter possesses a warmer and more versatile voice and her Hungarian diction was also better

Victoria Karkacheva's Olga was very convincing, both for her stage presence and for the instrument she displayed, with a very attractive dark colour