Raoul Steffani

Dutch baritone Raoul Steffani has quickly established himself as one of the leading singers of his generation. He was awarded several prizes: the Dutch Classical Talent Audience Award (2018), the Grachtenfestival Prize (2016), the Elisabeth Evertsprijs (2016) and Prinses Christina Concours (2013), after which he was invited to make recital debuts at major concerts halls such as the Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Megaron Concert Hall in Athens, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Paris, Munich and Vienna.
He studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna and at the conservatories of Amsterdam and Tilburg, from which he graduated summa cum laude. He continues working with his longtime vocal coach Margreet Honig and is frequently taking masterclasses with Thomas Hampson, Christa Ludwig, Elly Ameling and Nelly Miriciou a.o. From 2016 till 2018 he was a member of the Dutch National Opera Academy, where he debuted the role of Gulgielmo (Così fan tutte).
Raoul Steffani is passionately fond of the song repertoire. As an active recitalist, he works regularly with the German song specialist Gerold Huber as well as with Lucas and Arthur Jussen. He performs regularly at concert halls in the Netherlands including the Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Muziekgebouw aan het IJ, Muziekgebouw Eindhoven, International Chamber Music Festival led by Janine Jansen in Utrecht. He is a returning guest and ambassador of the International Lied Festival Zeist. He often appears on Dutch national radio and television, as a guest soloist in programmes such as Podium Witteman, De Tiende van Tijl and Podium on Tour.
On the operatic stage, his performed roles include Eisenstein as well as Falke (Die Fledermaus), Papageno (Die Zauberföte), Guglielmo (Così fan tutte) and Aeneas (Dido and Aeneas). As an oratorio soloist, he sang a.o. the St Matthew Passion and St John Passion by J.S. Bach, W.A. Mozart’s Requiem, Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem, Oratorio de Noël by Saint-Säens, Messiah by Händel and Carmina Burana by Orff. He sang under the baton of a.o. Vladimir Jurowsky, David Zinman, Sir Mark Elder, Sigiswald Kuijken, Ed Spanjaard, Anthony Hermus and Enrico Delamboye. Among the orchestras he performed with, are the Royal Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra, Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, philharmonie zuidnederland and the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra.
Photo: Carlos Villarroel