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The Dutch baritone, Raoul Steffani, studied at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna and with Margreet Honig at the conservatories of Amsterdam and Tilburg, where he graduated summa cum laude. He took master classes with Thomas Hampson, Christa Ludwig, Dame Felicity Lott and Elly Ameling, among others. From 2016 to 2018, he was a member of the Dutch National Opera Academy, where he sang the role of Guglielmo in W.A. Mozart’s Così fan tutte. In addition to his vocal studies, Raoul studied Swedish language and culture at the University of Amsterdam. In October 2023, he was winner of the Nederlandse Muziekprijs, the highest award that can be given to a musician by the Dutch State. He received the prize from the State Secretary for Culture Gunay Uslu during a concert with ASKO|Schönberg in the Muziekgebouw aan het IJ. He previously won the GrachtenfestivalPrijs 2018, among other prizes and was a member of Equilibrium, Barbara Hannigan’s young artists’ programme.
In summer 2023, Raoul Steffani sang the role of Johann in Massenet’s Werther at the Bregenzer Festspiele and made his debut at London’s Wigmore Hall in George Frideric Handel’s Chandos Anthems with ensemble Arcangelo led by Jonathan Cohen (June 2023). This season, he will sing John Adams’ The Wound Dresser at the opening of the Musica Sacra Festival in Maastricht with Philharmonie Zuidnederland, L.v. Beethoven's Symphony No 9 with Phion (September 2024), Christmas concerts with the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, W.A. Mozart arias with the Residentie Orkest Den Haag conducted by Richard Egarr and Jesus in J.S. Bach's Johannes-Passion BWV 245 with the HR-Sinfonieorchester / Franfurt Radio Symphont led by Alain Altinoglu (March 2024), among other projects. He makes his recital debut at the Schubertiade Wieden in the Ehrbar-Saal in Vienna and sings Die schöne Müllerin with pianist Severin von Eckardstein. In May and June 2024, he sang the roles of Germano and Gaudenzio in Opera Zuid’s new double bill production of Rossini’s La Scala di Seta and Il Signor Bruschino on tour in the Netherlands.
Recently, Raoul Steffani sang the role of Ramiro in Ravel’s L’heure espagnole at the Opéra National de Lyon, after which he was invited to sing Ned Keene in Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes in Friesland and Ramiro at the Opéra de Toulon. In 2022, he made his debut at Dutch National Opera in a new creation Operetta Land.
Other recent highlights include J.S. Bach's Johannes-Passion BWV 245 (Jesus) with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment led by Mark Padmore in Brussels, Paris, London, Girona and Amsterdam, Gustav Mahler's Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen with Ensemble Domestica, Frank Martin’s Ode à la musique with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Marcus Creed, several J.S. Bach's Matthäus-Passion BWV 244 concerts with Phion (Jesus) conducted by Reinhard Goebel (April 2023) and with Philharmonie Zuidnederland (aria’s) conducted by Duncan Ward and Johannes Brahms' Ein deutsches Requiem with the Residentie Orkest Den Haag conducted by Anja Bihlmaier (April 2021).
As a soloist, he has previously worked with conductors such as Sir Mark Elder, Benjamin Goodson, Antony Hermus, Vladimir Jurowski, Sigiswald Kuijken, Lawrence Renes, Ed Spanjaard, Otto Tausk, Jos van Veldhoven and David Zinman.
Since the beginning of his career, Raoul Steffani has had a great passion for the Lieder repertoire. He has given recitals at Oxford Lieder Festival, International Lied Festival Zeist, Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam and the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg. He has recorded two solo albums for Challenge Classics with pianist Gerold Huber: Love’s Spring (2021) featuring songs and duets by, Robert Schumann and Clara Schumann with mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená. About his debut album "Deep in a dream", featuring early works by Robert Schumann, Grieg, Sibelius and Alban Berg, the international press wrote: “This is all first-rate, refined singing with lucid diction, elegant technique, and a palpable affinity for what he is singing. (American Record Guide, 2018) In October 2022, Alpha Records released the album Sehnsucht, with Barbara Hannigan, Camerata RCO and Raoul Steffani, featuring his performance of Alban Berg's Vier Gesänge Op. 2 in a new orchestration. |
