“Mezzo-soprano Raphaella Medina was completely convincing as the good-hearted Zerlina, singing with a pleasing touch in her own WOSL debut.”
— Mark Bertz, Ladue News
Lauded for her ability to “exquisitely set the scene” (Orlando Sentinel), Chilean-American mezzo-soprano Raphaella Medina continues to charm audiences with her “vibrant voice and ability to entrance” (The Villages Daily Sun).
This season, Medina returns to Opera Orlando, making her title role debut as Béatrice in a double bill of Berlioz’ Béatrice et Bénédict and Mascangi’s Cavalleria rusticana.
In the 2023/24 season, Medina her Winter Opera St. Louis debut as Zerlina in Don Giovanni, covered the role of the Collector in On Site Opera’s premiere of Song of the Nightingale, and reprised her role as Diana in Cruzar la Cara de la Luna with Danza Folklórica Quetzalcóatl and Opera Santa Barbara.
In the 2022/23 season, Medina made role debuts as La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi and Clarina in Rossini’s The Marriage Contract with Opera Orlando. Medina also made multiple debut appearances across Central Florida: as a soloist with the Villages Philharmonic Orchestra, performing “La vie en rose” in Orlando Ballet’s production of Moulin Rouge, and as a soloist in the world premiere of orchestrated selections from Alex Burtzos’ HE Who Gets Slapped with the UCF Symphony under the baton of Eric Jacobsen.
A versatile performer, Medina feels at home across a wide range of repertoire, demonstrated neatly in the 2021/22 season: Medina made her role and house debuts as Diana in the mariachi opera Cruzar la Cara de la Luna with Opera Santa Barbara; covered the role of Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd and sang the role of Elder 2 in Sky on Swings as part of Opera Saratoga’s summer festival; and stepped in as a last-minute replacement for Rosina in the final dress rehearsal of Il barbiere di Siviglia with Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera.
On the competition circuit, Medina was the Third Place winner in the 2022/23 Opera Tampa D’Angelo Competition. In past seasons, she was named a Bonnie Bell Encouragement Award winner in the James Toland Vocal Arts Competition, as well as a Winner of the San Francisco District and an Encouragement Award winner in the Western Region Finals of the Laffont Competition.
In addition to her work on the opera stage, Medina has been featured as a soloist in concert and recital repertoire with Florentine Opera, New Albany Symphony Orchestra, Paradise Symphony, and the Leipzig Hochschule für Musik und Theater. Medina also participated in both Joyce DiDonato’s and Marilyn Horne’s Carnegie Hall masterclass series.
Medina is a graduate of the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston and the College of Music at Florida State University.
Medina is managed by Encompass Arts, LLC.
UPDATED JANUARY 2025
Photo by Michael Cairns