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Biography
Press
Schedule
Photos
Videos
Repertoire
Contact Me

Ola Rafalo

Mezzo-Soprano

Biography

Biography


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.

Press

El Amor Brujo. De Falla

Published by The L.A. Times, Oct 25, 2013
Mezzo-soprano Ola Rafalo brought a fine dusky quality to the vocal numbers in the Falla's ballet.
— Mark Swed

'Nabucco' from Lyric Opera Baltimore

Published by The Baltimore Sun, May 10, 2014
Velvety-toned mezzo-soprano Ola Rafalo revealed promise as Fenena, Nabucco’s daughter.
— Tim Smith

Fenena. Nabucco. Verdi

Published by Voix des artes
From her first entrance, Ms. Rafało grasped every musical and histrionic opportunity given to Fenena, allying her firm, plush tones to acting of girlish subtlety. In the trio with Abigaille and Ismaele in Act One, ‘Io t'amava! il regno, il cuore,’ she sang splendidly, phrasing ‘Ah! già t'invoco,… read more
— Joseph Newsome, October 18, 2014

Interview with mezzo-soprano Ola Rafalo in the role of Fenena

Published by Opera Lively
...If one is born with a dramatic instrument and it is developed correctly technically, then a role like that is nothing to fear. For someone like me, repertoire that is too light can be more dangerous...
— Luiz Gazzola, September 8, 2014

Fenena. Nabucco. Verdi

Published by Opera Lively
As a matter of fact she produced the best singing of the evening, in spite of her role being smaller. Ola has a very powerful mezzo-soprano instrument and she uses it with good technique, producing her notes with a great deal of precision. She has a very pleasant timbre an her passagio is smooth with… read more
— Luiz Gazzola, October 18, 2014

'Nabucco' at Lyric Opera Baltimore

Published by D.C. Metro Theater Arts
Mezzo-soprano, Rafalo delivers a truly emotional aria in “Oh dischiuso è il firmament!” a mournful yet hopeful outcry to God for her martyrdom. Despite it being her only aria, Rafalo’s balance of emotions within her vocal clarity is sensational and makes her character stand out despite being… read more
— Amanda Gunther, May 10, 2014

Essential Verdi concert

Published by The Washington Post, March 3, 2014
Ola Rafalo proved to be a mezzo to watch, with a strong "Stride la Vampa". Kennedy Center debut Essential Verdi Concert with the Washington Chorus
— Anne Midgette

The Washington Chorus: ‘The Essential Verdi’ at The Kennedy Center

Published by DC Metro Theatre Arts, March 5, 2014
A thrilling performance of Azucena’s fiery “Stride la vampa” by mezzo-soprano Ola Rafalo, whose imperious manner and dark, sultry chest voice, exploding in a ravishingly focused high G, captured the character’s passionate fury.
— Leslie Weisman

The Tragedy of Carmen, Syracuse Opera

Published by Opera Today, October 13, 2013
There is much to love in the singing here, and Ola Rafalo — singing her first-ever role of Carmen — deserves the lion’s (or should I say tigress’s) share of the credit. Rafalo’s dark and richly hued mezzo soprano during the sultry Habanera established her character immediately as a seductress… read more
— David Abrams

Carmen

Published by The Post Standard, Syracuse, October 14, 2013
In the Habanera Rafalo's execution is both subtle and powerfully seductive drawing Jose and the audience into her tale. The story continues to unfold with "Pres des remparts de Seville" : showcasing Rafalo's ability to at one moment be vulnerable and soft and the next a wild temptress. read more
— Abel Searor

Syracuse Opera’s "Carmen"

Published by Green Room Reviews, October 16, 2013
The torturously tempting portrayal of female lead Carmen (Ola Rafalo) overpowered the theater from the first moment light hits her impeccable beauty. She is a gypsy with serpentine belly dancing that comments on women’s manipulative power over men through sexuality. read more
— Nickreichert9

Condensed adaptation of classic tragedy ‘Carmen’ brings heat, passion to stage

Published by The Daily Orange, Oct. 16, 2013
Rafalo’s voice has a richness all its own, with a tone that compels the listener to pay close attention to her. Her voice suits Carmen perfectly; it is full, sultry and quite abnormal in the most compelling way. And Rafalo certainly knows how to be sexy.
— Jessica Cabe

Pacific Symphony draws sketches of Spain

Published by Orange County Register, Oct. 25, 2013
El Amor Brujo. De Falla. St.Clair and the orchestra captured the dusky sonorities prettily and mezzo-soprano Ola Rafalo sang with a creamy sultriness on high and an apt huskiness down low. Lovely.
— Timothy Mangan

Charlotte, Massenet Werther, Merkin Hall NYC

Published by Vocedimeche.com
.. mezzo-soprano Ola Rafalo, in the role of Charlotte, cut right through the orchestra's sound with her distinctive and richly textured voice. The interesting texture and generous  vibrato  were very much to our liking. She was outstanding in her moving third act aria  "Va! Laisse couler… read more
— meche kroop

Verdi Gala Kennedy Center

Published by Washington life magazine
"mezzo-soprano Ola Rafalo, who offered a dark voluptuous mezzo that carried well into the hall. Volpe, and Rafalo in particular were vocal powerhouses"
— Patrick D. McCoy

"A budding baby Cossotto"

Published by Outpost
Ola Rafalo, a singer whose raw instrument is sure to warrant her a starry career, at times sounding like a budding baby Cossotto. Though her role is short, it contains some of the most graciously written passages to be found in the score, through which her dark, sultry sound rolled out through the auditorium… read more
— Daniel Vasque

Performance Schedule

Older
Wed Aug 29 8:00 PM

Ancona, Italy: Winners concert with Orchestra, (Altamura Caruso Competition)

The New Phoenix
get directions

Photos

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Videos

Geliebter komm from Wagner Tannhauser
Einsam wachend in der Nacht
Ola Rafalo, mezzo-soprano: Fenena in Verdi's Nabucco
Khovanschina, Marfa aria
Werther Letter scene, Ola Rafalo mezzosoprano 2016 Martha Cardona Opera
Massenet Werther: Final Duet
Mon coeur in rehearsal
O mio fernando, Ola Rafalo
Pierwsza brygada


OPERA REPERTOIRE



Verdi

Nabucco          Fenena

Il Trovatore         Azucena

Aida              Amneris

Don Carlo         Eboli

La Forza del Destino Preziosilla

Luisa Miller        La Duchessa


Wagner

Tristan und Isolde   Brangane

Tannhauser        Venus

Die Walkure        Fricka

Gotterdamerung    Waltraute


Saint-Saens

Samson et Dalila    Dalilah


Massenet

Werther            Charlotte


Cilea

Adriana Lecouvreur Principessa


Ponchielli

Gioconda          Laura


Mascagni

Cavalleria Rusticana Santuzza


Bizet

Carmen           Carmen


Berlioz

Les Troyens        Didon, Cassandra


Tchaikovsky

Onegin           Olga

Pikova Dama      Polina

Orleanskaya Deva  Ioanna


Mussorgsky

Boris Godunov     Marina

Khovanshchina     Marta


Rimsky-Korsakov

Tsar's Bride        Lyubasha


Moniuszko    

Straszny Dwor     Jadwiga


Dvorak

Rusalka          Jezibaba, Foreign Princess


Bellini

Norma           Adalgisa


Donizetti

Anna Bolena      Giovanna Seymour

La favorita        Leonora


Rossini  

Semiramide       Arsace


CONCERT REPERTOIRE


Mahler

Symphony 2

Symphony 3

Das Lied von der Erde

Des Knaben Wunderhorn


Prokofiev

Alexander Nevsky


Rachmaninov

Vespers

songs


Verdi

Requiem


Vivaldi  

Gloria

 

deFalla

el Amor Brujo


Durufle

Requiem


Elgar

Sea Pictures

 

Berlioz

La mort du Cleopatre 

Le nuits d’été 


Thank you for visiting my website! Like my professional page on Facebook to get updates on news and more! xoxo Ola

Contact me directly at [email protected]


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