Theodora
Raftis, a colouratura soprano from Cyprus, is the winner of the third
prize at the prestigious Cesti International Singing Competition, as well
as having qualified among the winners of competitions such as: Otto
Edelmann International Singing Competition in 2019 and the József Simándy
International Singing Competition in 2016.
Still a student in Vienna at the University of Music and Performing Arts,
Theodora made her debuts at the Musikverein, Wiener Konzerthaus,
Philharmonie de Paris, Cuvilliés Theatre (Munich), Müpa (Budapest),
Palacio de Bellas Artes (Mexico City) and Shanghai Symphony Hall. In the
coming seasons, he will make his debuts in such major musical institutions
as: Megaron Concert Hall (Athens), Teatro Colón (Buenos Aires) and
Segerstrom Centre (Costa Mesa); her engagements also include tours in
China, USA, Mexico and Argentina, and in Europe she has participated in
the Innsbruck Festival, Leipzig Bachfest, Budapest Spring Festival of
Baroque Music in London.
Theodora has performed alongside important artists such as: Andreas
Scholl and will soon be conducted by Jordi Savall. Her repertoire includes:
Atamira (L'impio punito), Cino (Il teuzzone), Ermione (Oreste), Ilia
(Idomeneo), Blondchen (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Susanna (Le Nozze di
Figaro), Mademoiselle Silberklang (Der Schauspieldirektor), Tonina (Prima la
musica e poi le parole), Despina (Così fan tutte), Servilia (La Clemenza di
Tito), Olympia (Les Contes d'Hoffmann), Greta Fiorentino (Street Scene) and
Blanche de la Force (Dialogues des Carmélites), Zerbinetta (Ariadne auf
Naxos).
Also active in the concert field, she has performed Bach's Magnificat
(BWV243), Passion according to Matthew, Mass in B minor (BWV232) and several
cantatas as well as Handel's Messiah and Theodora (HWV68); Exsultate,
jubilate (K165/158a), Mozart's Coronation Mass (K317) and Requiem (K626),
Haydn's The Seasons, Mass no. 2 by Schubert (D167), Fauré's Requiem, Orff's
Carmina Burana, Britten's Les Illuminations.
Recent engagements include: Bach's Magnificat and Weihnachtsoratorium at the
Musikverein in Vienna; Bach's Cantatas at the Müpa in Budapest with Balázs
Máté; Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice (Eurydice) in Cagliari with George Petrou;
Mozart's Exsultate, jubilate in Milan and Turin for the Festival Mito
Settembre Musica, with Jos van Veldhoven.Upcoming engagements include: Bononcini's Astarto (Sidonia)
in Innsbruck with Stefano Montanari; Il matrimonio segreto (Carolina) in
Potsdam with Attilio Cremonesi; the Messa in B minor and a programme of
Bach cantatas in Vienna at the Wiener Akademie and Martin Haselböck.
Thanks to the
versatility of her voice, Theodora has had forays into musicals performing
The Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story, Mary Poppins, A Little Night
Music, Sweeney Todd, Whistle Down the Wind, Tell Me on a Sunday, and many
others. Theodora is currently specialising under the guidance of Claudia
Visca, and has attended masterclasses and working sessions with Natalie
Dessay, Teodor Currentzis, Éva Marton, Júlia Hamari, Michael Schade, Sumi
Jo, Barbara Bonney and Felicity Lott.
May 2024