Marta Ribera: "My greatest regret is never being able to work from home."

BarcelonaMarta Ribera (Girona, 1971) has portrayed iconic female characters in musical theatre alongside directors such as Nigel West, Antonio Banderas, and Ricard Reguant. Much of her professional career has been based in Madrid, but the actress has long desired to return to work in Catalonia, where she has lived for several years. Now she will do so with Glorious!, a comedy directed by Paco Mir about the story of Florence Foster Jenkins (1868-1944), a woman who, despite not being able to sing, filled theaters in New York. Ribera portrays her alongside Ramon Gener and Santi Millán, in a show that premieres on November 13 at the Teatre Poliorama in Barcelona.

How did you prepare to play this woman who can't sing well?

— I had just finished Gypsywhich has nothing to do with the vocal range or the way I'll be singing now. I finished on May 22nd, spent the whole summer resting my voice, and then started taking singing lessons again, but only to work on my head voice, to get back in vocal shape. When it comes to choosing songs, the best thing is not to overthink it. I try to let myself go and really listen to the character.

How did you connect with Florence?

— From the humanity of an ordinary woman, trying to give it great depth and not overly technical interpretation. Florence was a great fighter, a woman who faced life despite all its problems to dedicate herself to what truly made her happy. More than seeking success, she sought fulfillment. We connect quite a bit on that level, because I've never considered being famous or achieving anything. She approaches everything with innocence, with the joy that work brings her. And for me, what makes me happy are those two and a half or three hours that the performance lasts. Everything related to this profession creates a lot of anxiety for me. Often, there's more reality on stage than in everything that goes on behind the scenes.

It's a job that requires a lot of discipline. How do you manage?

— Discipline is essential in all aspects of life. In musical theater, there are those who don't appreciate it and those who truly understand what it means to have one or two performances every day, singing, dancing, and acting. We are elite athletes. The demands are extremely high. We must take care of our voices and be mentally prepared.

You've spent a large part of your professional career in Madrid. Was there a moment when you decided to leave?

— Actually, no. I went to Madrid because I had a tour of West Side StoryI was there for eight months, and then the opportunity arose to audition for GreaseThey hired me, and then I got a job in Jekyll & HydeIt all fell into place. I've danced and sung since I was little, but I didn't want to dedicate myself to musical theater. I studied at the Girona hospitality school; my family didn't want me to go into theater. But one day my brother came home with a newspaper clipping announcing the opening of the Memory school, run by Ricard Reguant and Àngels Gonyalons. He paid my tuition, and I enrolled.

Since then, you've worked on some of Spain's biggest musicals. Do you feel sufficiently recognized?

— I'm from Girona, and my biggest regret is never being able to work from home. I'm always on tour, and it's exhausting. I've been doing musical theatre for over 30 years, a genre that demands all three disciplines at the highest level. It's not valued enough, even within the profession itself. Right now, Glorious! It's a comedy, but I still have to take care of my voice for singing. My fellow cast members don't. It's mentally exhausting. I'm longing to do a play, or a series, where I don't have to sing. I deserve it, just as I and all my colleagues who work in musical theater deserve to be recognized as actors as well. I don't consider myself a singer; I consider myself a performer.

Emotionally, is the hardest part of this job being away from family?

— Being away from home and family, yes. I spent twenty years working in Madrid. I spent many Christmases alone because there was only one flight from Madrid to Barcelona. I felt very lonely, especially being so young. I missed out on a lot of family life that's never coming back. Now I've been in Málaga for two years straight with my daughter, 1,200 kilometers away. I did Chicago Six months after giving birth to my daughter and having thyroid surgery. Mentally, it's very tough. Everyone thinks I'm triumphant, but what is triumph? Appearing on TV with Antonio Banderas? Doing a musical and pretending to be the happiest person in the world? Then maybe you go home and start crying because you're alone, tired, because you miss everything.

Are you disappointed with the profession?

— I'm a very innocent person, and that's what has caused me the most problems in life. I've played very important female roles in musical theater, and I don't know if that's a blessing or a curse. Many people think I've been handed everything. In the show, there's a moment when Florence says, "When I hear applause, I should think that for every idiot who laughs, there are a thousand music lovers longing to hug me." I hate to say it, but sometimes it can really hurt.

Perhaps you didn't decide to move to Madrid, but a few years ago you did decide to return to Catalonia and settle in Girona. What made you come back?

— My family is very Catalan, and they used to criticize me for always being in Madrid. I told them I wanted to come back to Catalonia, but they didn't trust me. They wouldn't hire me for anything. I go where I can find work, but I'm more Catalan and from Girona than anyone. Everyone in Madrid knows that. I got divorced and felt very lonely in Madrid, working with my daughter, and I had to go on tour… I couldn't live without my family. After Covid, I finally settled in Girona. I've knocked on many doors to work in Catalonia, I've sent my CV here and there, but I haven't gotten any replies. I came on tour with Buddy And then Toni Albadalejo [producer of Anexa] trusted me to The partyBut nobody knows me here, let's be realistic. I'm a worker who's been walking the halls of Spanish theaters for over 30 years, but I don't fill a theater and I'm not a household name. I'm not on TV and I'm not famous.