Ola Rafało, a Polish-American mezzo has been called a "Vocal Powerhouse",

and "a Budding next Cossotto", by critics. “Ola Rafało proved to be a mezzo

to watch, with a strong Stride la Vampa” said Anne Midgette, for the

Washington Post, of The Washington Chorus’ Essential Verdi concert

2014, at the Kennedy Center. There, Rafało was featured in scenes as

Azucena, and Amneris. “A Mezzo with great promise”, Tim Smith,

Baltimore Sun (Nabucco, Opera Baltimore 2014). 

During the 2013-14 season, Ola debuted the title role in

La Tragedie de Carmen with Syracuse Opera, to great acclaim.

Opera Times said that she “established her character immediately

as a seductress par excellence, and her pitch in the devious

Seguidilla was incredibly accurate — with no sign of seams when

navigating through vocal registers during the spacious octave leaps

that permeate this demanding aria.” Ola triumphed at Carnegie Hall

as the Alto soloist in Vivaldi’s Gloria. She was featured in De Falla’s

El Amor Brujo with the Pacific Symphony, which she sang with a

“fine dusky quality”-L.A. Times. Ola also sang in the Essential Verdi

Gala at the Kennedy Center, and in a “Pop-opera concert” with

Opera Tampa. Rafało closed the season with her debut at Baltimore

Lyric Opera as Fenena in Nabucco.

In the 2014-2015 season, Ola reprised the role of Fenena (Nabucco)

with Opera Carolina, again to great acclaim. “Rafało produced the

best singing of the evening, in spite of her role being smaller. Ola

has a very powerful instrument and uses it with good technique,

producing her notes with a great deal of precision. She has a very

pleasant timbre an her passaggio is smooth with perfect pitch control.

She started up already warm and didn’t miss a beat or a note. "

– Luiz Gazzola of Opera Lively. Ola returned to the Pacific

Symphony to sing the title role highlights from Carmen in concert.

She was featured in another Verdi Gala, singing selections from

Il Trovatore, and the Verdi Requiem with Gulfshore opera,

under Maestro Paul Nadler. 

In 2015-2016, Ola sang the title role in Bizet’s Carmen with

New Jersey Verismo Opera, debuted the role of Azucena in

Il Trovatore with Opera Forza, and the role of Charlotte in Werther

with Martha Cardona Opera, at the Kaufman Center. Ola returned

to Gulfshore Opera for the Legends of Opera Gala featuring

Samuel Ramey. She also was featured in concert with the

Springfield Symphony, singing highlights from Samson et Dalila,  

and concerts with Manhattan Lyric Opera. This spring Ola made

her debut performance in Italy, singing in a concert at

Teatro Curci di Barletta, with Maestro Roberto Corliano. 

Ola recieved an award from UNESCO for her performance

in the role of Alkmene in the Olympic Torch ,

(a modern Greek opera by P. Karousos).

In 2016-2017, Miss Rafalo was featured in a Verdi gala

at the Altamura Center for the performing arts, followed

by a "world peace" concert tour of Poland. Miss Rafalo

debuted the role of the Mother in Menotti’s

Amahl and the Night Visitors, (Orlando Opera), and sang

many concerts including with the Summit Symphony (arias),

and the Paderewski Symphony (Karnaval Concert).

She joined international superstar bass: Andrea Silvestrelli

for a very successful duo recital at FermiLab auditorium in Chicago.

This current season of 2017-2018 Miss Rafalo won the

Second Prize of the Altamura-Caruso Competition, which

will take her to Osimo Italy for a performance at the Teatro

Nuova Fenice in August. This season Ola performed with a

new opera company in Orlando: Opera del Sol, in a unique

production combining theatre, opera, dance, circus, and

other elements entitled Opera Wars. She also joined the

Paderewski Symphony once again to perform the American

premiere of the Poniatowski Mass, an important work of

Polish history and music. Ola will return to Gulfshore Opera

this season to perform the role of Maddalena in Rigoletto,

and to be featured in concerts.

Ms. Rafało, as a child of Polish immigrants to the U.S., is

fluent in Polish, English and Italian. She carries dual passports

for the U.S. and Poland, making her a natural interpreter of

the slavic repertoire, in roles such as Olga in Eugene Onegin,

Konchakovna in Prince Igor, Pollina in Queen of Spades,

Ioanna in Orleanskaya Deva, and Jadwiga inStraszny Dwor.

Other roles in her diverse repertoire include Adalgisa in Norma,

and Giovanna Seymour in Anna Bolena.

Other career highlights include: Ola's performance as Fricka

in Die Walküre, Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, and the title

role of Carmen with the Lyric Orchestra. Miss Rafało was an

apprentice artist at Sarasota Opera, where she received the

Leo M.Rogers award, as well as a young artist at Opera Tampa,

and Palm Beach Opera. Ola is the 2nd prize winner of the 2017

Altamura-Caruso competition. In 2015 Ola was awarded the

Fourth Prize and the Audience choice award from the Young

Patronesses of Opera Competition. She has also been awarded

a career grant in the name of Giulietta Simionato from the

Inter-city Arts foundation. In 2009, she was awarded the audience

prize at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions,

Southeast chapter. In 2008, she was awarded Grand Prize

of the Elgin Opera competition and First Prize of the

Sherrill Milnes Opera Idol competition.