Wednesday 30th April, 8pm
One of Ireland’s leading mezzo-sopranos Raphaela obtained a record-breaking First Class Honours Bachelor’s Degree from the TUD Conservatory of Music and Drama , receiving the Michael McNamara Gold Medal for Performance and the TUD Gold Medal for Academic Excellence. Raphaela then went on to obtain a Master’s in Music with Distinction from the International Opera Academy, Belgium, graduating top of her class.
Her operatic career has seen her perform across the UK and Europe where her roles have included; Bradamante in Alcina, Ottavia in L’incoronazione di Poppea, Marcellina in The Marriage of Figaro, Geneviève in Pelléas et Mélisande, Idamante in Idomeneo, Glasha and Varvara in Kát’a Kabanová, Buttercup in HMS Pinafore, Euridice in L’anima del Filosofo, Olga in Eugene Onegin and Mrs Lovett in Sweeney Todd.
At home her performances have included; the title role in Carmen, Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro, Orfeo in Orfeo ed Euridice, Tessa in The Gondoliers, Bianca in The Rape of Lucretia, Penelope in The Return of Ulysses, Dritte Dame in The Magic Flute, Corrado in Griselda and the role of Hansel in Hansel and Gretel which subsequently won the Irish Times Theatre Award for Best Opera.
A regular in oratorio and concert, Raphaela has performed with all the major Irish Choral Societies and the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Irish Baroque Orchestra and the Irish Chamber Orchestra across Ireland in venues such as the National Concert Hall, the Gaiety Theatre, the Olympia Theatre, Cork Opera House, Cork City Hall, the Helix, University Concert Hall and the National Opera House.
Internationally she has given concerts at the Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Ghent Opera House, Belgium, Buxton Opera House, the Estoril Congress Center, Portugal, La Grange, France, The McEwan Hall, Edinburgh and the Castellammare SuperCinema Theatre, Italy.
A multi-award winner, Raphaela received The Award for Excellence at the Estoril OperaPlus Festival, Portugal, The Award for Artistic Merit Naples, Italy, The Thomas Moore Bursary at the NCH, Dublin, The Dramatic Cup, Vincent O’Brien, Dermot Troy, Mezzo Solo and the Oliver O’Brien Bursary at the RDS Feis Ceoil, Dublin.
As a recording artist, Raphaela has worked on critically acclaimed albums such as; The Thomas Moore Complete Song Collection; My Gentle Harp y el Complete Songs and Airs of John F. Larchet with Champs Hill Records UK.