“Ola Rafało proved to be a mezzo to watch, with a strong Stride la Vampa” said Anne Midgette, for the Washington Post, when Ola was featured as Azucena and Amneris, in scenes at Kennedy Center. She then performed Fenena in Nabucco (Baltimore Lyric Opera, Opera Carolina), “Rafało produced the best singing of the evening, in spite of her role being smaller. "– L. Gazzola of Opera Lively. Naturally continuing in the Verdi repertory, Ola performed Azucena in Il Trovatore with Opera Forza, and Maddalena in Rigoletto with Gulfshore Opera. She was featured in various Verdi galas including: Gulfshore Opera, Opera Tampa, Springfield Symphony, and Teatro Curci. She continues to establish her unique artistry on the world's stages in a diverse repertoire of roles suited to her dramatic mezzosoprano voice.

   Ola started her career as a mezzo in the title role of La Tragedie de Carmen (2013) with Syracuse Opera, making a big splash in “Opera Today” and leading to subsequent performances of the Bizet version with: New Jersey Verismo Opera, Gulfshore Opera, the Lyric Orchestra, and in highlights with the Pacific Symphony. Ola debuted the role of Charlotte in Werther with Martha Cardona Opera, at the Kaufman Center, with natural ease. She also sang highlights from Samson et Dalilah in various venues. She performed the Mother in Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors, with Orlando Opera. Ola received an award from UNESCO for her performance as Alkmene in the Olympic Torch, (a modern Greek opera by P. Karousos). Ola sang Fricka in Die Walküre, and Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, with the Lyric Orchestra. Other Concert highlights include Carnegie Hall as the Alto soloist in Vivaldi’s Gloria, as well as De Falla’s El Amor Brujo with the Pacific Symphony. She was honored to perform the alto role in the American premier of Poniatowski’s Mass, with the Paderewski Symphony, an important work of Polish history. Ola also performed Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana with Opera Angelo in New York City, and debuted with Chicago Opera theatre as the Old Gypsy in Aleko. She was accepted to perform a recital for the upcoming Dame Myrna Hess Memorial concert series in Chicago, and performed a recital for the Wagner Society of America. This season she made her debut with Opera Festival of Chicago, singing La Frugola in Il Tabarro, and the Dante 700 project.

Rafało carries dual passports for the U.S. and Poland, and speaks fluent English, Italian, and Polish. Making her also a natural interpreter of slavic repertoire, in roles such as Olga in Eugene Onegin, Konchakovna in Prince Igor, Pollina in Queen of Spades, and Jadwiga in Straszny Dwor.

Ola was honored to receive the Maria Callas Prize in 2019, at the 2nd annual Giulio Fregosi Concorso di Lirica in Voghera, as well as the Kitakiushu prize, and the Premio di Teatro Bibiena. She is the 2nd prize winner of the 2017 Altamura-Caruso competition. In 2015 she won Fourth Prize and the Audience choice award from the Young Patronesses of Opera Competition. She has been awarded the Giulietta Simionato career grant 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. 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 a proud member of the Lakeside Artists Guild, a mostly string ensemble which was formed in response to orchestral layoffs in the Chicago area at this team. The guild performs chamber music concerts throughout the midwest region, and online. More information can be found on their website www.Lakesideartistsguild.com

Upcoming she will perform Erbarme Dich from Bach's St.Matthew Passion.

In 2020 Ola was scheduled to make several important debuts, that have since been postponed. Post lock-down engagements that will happen at some point in the near future include: debut with the Israel Philharmonic as Emilia in Verdi’s Otello under Maestro Gianandrea Noseda, (Telaviv), Mamma Lucia in Cavalleria Rusticana at the Teatro Voghera Italy, for the Ultapadum Festival, followed by a concert at the Maria Callas Festival in Sirmione, concerts in Belgium in, with Mythos Opera festival, concert at Teatro Bibiena di Mantova, and her debut with the Chicago Opera Festival singing la Frugola in Il Tabarro. Also upcoming, Ola will sing the Beethoven 9^th Symphony with the Evanston Symphony in Illinois. she will create the role of Diskana in a new opera "Second Sight", by Jessie Downs, with Nickel City Opera and the Sotto Voce ensemble in Buffalo, NY. Also this summer, Ola will perform the title role of Carmen with the string ensemble: the Lakeside Artists Guild. She will also debut the role of Brangaene in Tristan und Isolde with the Eugene Symphony. Soon after she will be traveling to Izumo, Japan to sing the role of Santuzza in the world premier of the newly discovered manuscript of an unabridged version of Mascagni's masterpiece: Cavalleria Rusticana.

Ola has a thriving vocal studio, and is passionate about teaching the next generation of singers in all genres.

She also directs the introduction to classical singing at the Lakeside Artists Academy.

REPERTOIRE

OPERA PERFORMANCES

La Frugola, Il Tabarro, Chicago Opera Festival

Azucena, Il Trovatore, Opera Forza

Amneris scenes, Aida, Washington Chorus, Kennedy Center

Eboli scenes, Don Carlo, Gulfshore Opera

Maddalena, Rigoletto, Gulfshore Opera

Fenena, Nabucco, Baltimore Lyric, Opera Carolina

Fricka, Die Walkure, The Lyric Orchestra

Charlotte, Werther, Martha Cardona Opera

Dalilah scenes, Samson et Dalila

Santuzza, Cavalleria Rusticana, Opera Angelo

Carmen, Carmen

Syracuse Opera

New Jersey Verismo

Gulfshore Opera

Pacific Symphony (highlights)

Mother, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Opera Orlando

Old Gyspy Woman, Aleko, Chicago Opera Theatre

Wagner: Tristan und Isolde, Brangane (upcoming)

CONCERT PERFORMANCES

Rachmaninov Songs 

Verdi Requiem, Gulfshore Opera

Vivaldi Gloria, Carnegie Hall

deFalla el Amor Brujo, Pacific Symphony

Poniatowski Mass, Paderewski Symphony

Berlioz D'amour L'ardente Flamme, Springfield Symphony

Bach St. Matthew Passion, Lakeside Artists Guild

Repertoire prepared:

Verdi: Ballo in Maschera, Ulrica, La Forza del Destino, Preziosilla

Wagner: Tannhauser, Venus, Gotterdamerung, Waltraute, Siegfried, Erda

Cilea: Adriana Lecouvreur, Principessa

Ponchielli: Gioconda, Laura         

Berlioz: Les Troyens: Didon,Cassandra

Tchaikovsky: Onegin,Olga, Pikova Dama, Polina, Orleanskaya Deva, Ioanna

Mussorgsky: Boris Godunov, Marina, Khovanshchina; Marfa

Rimsky-Korsakov: Tsar's Bride, Lyubasha

Moniuszko: Straszny Dwor, Jadwiga

Dvorak: Rusalka, Jezibaba, Foreign Princess

Concert repertoire prepared:

Mahler :Symphony 2, Symphony 3, Das Lied von der Erde, Des Knaben Wunderhorn

Prokofiev : Alexander Nevsky

Durufle: Requiem

Elgar :Sea Pictures

Berlioz: La mort du Cleopatre, Le nuits d’été 

For Opera, Concert, and Acting inquiries please contact Kathy Olsen at:

Encompass Arts | New York City | Contact Information

For voice lesson inquiries please contact:

[email protected]