Ola Rafalo, DRAMATIC MEZZOSOPRANO

Ola Rafalo, dramatic mezzosoprano, has been called a “Vocal Powerhouse”, and “the next Cossotto”. She has earned critical acclaim in a variety of roles and venues with her “voluptuous”, “deep contralto sound” and mesmerizing acting. Ola has performed Azucena in Il Trovatore, Maddalena in Rigoletto, Fenena in Nabucco, as Amneris in Aida, and Ulrica in Un Ballo in Maschera. Her most celebrated role is Carmen, which she has sung with Syracuse Opera, the Lyric Orchestra, Gulfshore Opera, New Jersey Verismo Opera, and highlights with the Pacific Symphony. Other roles performed include Charlotte in Werther, Fricka in Die Walkure, and Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana. She has been featured at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Opera Tampa, Springfield Symphony, Orlando Opera, Baltimore Lyric, Opera Carolina, Teatro Curci di Barletta, Paderewski Symphony, and Chicago Opera Theater. Ola received an award from UNESCO for her performance as Alkmene in the Olympic Torch.

Postponed appearances from 2020 include her debut with the Israel Philharmonic as Emilia in Verdi’s Otello under Maestro Gianandrea Noseda, followed by the role of Mamma Lucia in Cavalleria Rusticana at Teatro Voghera, and concerts in Sirmione Italy for the Maria Callas Festival, as the winner of the Maria Callas prize at the Giulio Fregosi competition, as well as concerts in Belgium for Mythos Opera. Next year she will sing her first Brangaene in Tristan und Isolde with the Eugene Symphony Orchestra, debut at the Teatro di Bibiena in Mantova, and she will sing Beethoven 9th Symphony with the Evanston Symphony. Also upcoming, Ola will sing the role of Santuzza in Japan, in the world premiere of a newly discovered unabridged version of Mascagni’s masterpiece, Cavalleria Rusticana.