IN THE PRESS
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Soprano Soraya Mafi’s Morgana – gorgeously sung, and brilliantly acted (and danced) – is a spitfire incarnation.
★★★★★ Michael Church - The i - July 8th 2022.
Then there is the brilliant, pertly winning Morgana of Soraya Mafi, who has the show-stopping aria “Tornami a vagheggiar”.The hit of the summer opera season so far.
★★★★★ Nicholas Kenyon - The Telegraph - July 3rd 2022
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“Equally skillful was Soraya Mafi’s portrayal of Figaro’s soulmate, Susanna. Last seen playing the child Flora (also directed by Kazaras) in Britten’s The Turn of the Screw, Mafi displayed her maturity and onstage star power, playing Susanna as grown up, sophisticated, and ready to take on any challenge that comes her way. Her rendering of Act 4’s Deh Vieni, sung with great beauty and tenderness, was a highlight of the evening, and much appreciated by the audience.”
Erica Miner, Broadway World, 8th May 2022
“Soraya Mafi gave a multifaceted account of Susanna, adjusting like a chameleon to those around her; her singing conveyed humour, warmth and passion.”
Thomas May, Bachtrack, 8th May 2022
“Among uniformly solid performances, the vocal highlight, recipient of Saturday’s warmest ovation, was “Deh vieni non tardar,” Susanna’s Act IV seranade; Mafi and loffe stretched the closing phrases seductively and poignantly, as if reluctant to let the moment go.”
Gavin Borchert, The Seattle Times, 9th May 2022
“Mafi was an equally winsome Susanna and did much to maintain the buoyant tone of the evening. Mafi evinced a convincing spontaneity while running here, there, and everywhere, always a step ahead with her shifting tactics, confident even when occasionally exasperated. She managed to be pert without being cloying, balancing broad comic action with a grounded naturalness.”
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“Best are Soraya Mafi’s world-weary chambermaid Despina (her accents as dizzying as her disguises), all sardonic sparkle and cynicism, and [Neal] Davies’ scheming rogue of an Alfonso.”
Alexandra Coghlan, INews, 15 March 2022
“Bass-baritone Neal Davies is wonderfully entertaining in this not always attractive role, larging it in a mustard Zoot, and much aided by soprano Soraya Mafi as multi-talented Despina, laughter bubbling through her nimble voice. Here Despina is a chambermaid at the Skyline Motel, and Mafi does a marvellous turn as a line-dancing sheriff presiding over an on-the-spot wedding.”
Claudia Pritchard, Culture Whisper, 15 March 2022
“…the most memorable moment…came when Despina, played with impressive and infectious humour throughout by Soraya Mafi, performed a cowboy dance with the two dwarfs while singing a Mozart aria.”
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“[There] are top-notch performances, notably from Roderick Williams as a superannuated hippy Marcello and Soraya Mafi as Musetta, particularly when she sheds her blonde wig and sings with wonderful tenderness in the final scene.”
Richard Morrison, The Times, 21 September 2020
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“The cast was the strongest I have seen for some time at the WNO. Soraya Mafi was an ebullient Susanna whose exquisite honeyed timbre (notably fine in the higher registers) was matched by her exceptional acting. The phrase “star quality” is scattered about too liberally, but Mafi really does deserve that label.”
Alice Hughes, Bachtrack, 19 February 2020
“Soraya Mafi’s crystal clear soprano enchants us all.”
Michael Kellian, Theatre in Wales, February 2020
“But it’s wit that triumphs, with Soraya Mafi’s outstanding Susanna…”
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“Soraya Mafi is effortlessly optimistic as Yum-Yum, allowing the voice to soar in The Sun, Whose Rays.”
Edward Bhesania, The Stage, 5 November 2019
“Soraya Mafi was very appealing as the sassy – if rather fickle and somewhat vain – schoolgirl Yum-Yum who Nanki-Poo is in love with. Her Act II aria ‘The sun whose rays are all ablaze’ was exquisite even though it seems to belong to another work entirely. The couple’s mock-romantic duet in the first act (‘Were you not to Ko-Ko plighted’) – when Nanki-Poo and Yum-Yum think about flirting even though it is against the law – was an absolute delight.”
Jim Pritchard, Seen and Heard, 4 November 2019
“His Juliet is Yum-Yum (Soraya Mafi, delicious)…”
John O’Brien, London Theatre 1, 10 November 2019
“As bride-to-be Yum-Yum, soprano Soraya Mafi is as delightful as ever…”
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“It is up to the Gilda of Soraya Mafi to shoulder the weight of this production… When she is on stage, her tiny post-adolescent figure and adorably open face fix our attention utterly, and when she sings we rise with her. I have never heard a more perfectly phrased “Caro nome,” but her every note and moment are equally simple, moving and right.”
Robert Downey, Opera Today, 19 August 2019
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“the main pleasure comes from the singers of the title roles: Soraya Mafi, beautifully silvery of voice as Gretel”
Richard Fairman, Financial Times, 26 June 2019
“The children, played by Soraya Mafi and the Australian mezzo Caitlin Hulcup, sound terrific as the mischievous pair, and sing exquisitely.”
George Smart, Town&Country, 8 July 2019
“Caitlin Hulcup and Soraya Mafi were quite simply the most visually plausible Hansel and Gretel I have ever seen, boisterous anarchic children of the sort that always land in trouble and wangle their way out of it. Their singing was perfection - Hulcup all boyish bravado, Mafi mercurial and sparkling.”
Ruper Christiansen, The Telegraph, 24 June 2019
“Soraya Mafi’s Gretel was lustrous and sweet, rising to soaring lyrical heights in the virtuosic passages of Act 3.”
Benjamin Poore, Bachtrack, 24 June 2019
“With her silvery, flexible soprano, Mafi steers Gretel just short of soubrette delight, and Hulcup’s lovely mezzo expresses any amount of adolescent diffidence, courage and affection. Hulcup is a head taller than Mafi, which puts the finishing touch to their credibility as brother and sister, and throughout they are immensely affecting and strongly directed.”
Peter Reed, Classical Source, 23 June 2019
“Soraya Mafi and Caitlin Holcup made a delightful pairing as Gretel and Hansel, for all the picturesque charm of the characters’ depiction there was a fundamental seriousness to their performance which emphasised the music’s quality. Mafi was a poised Gretel, shaping the lovely melodies carefully and expressively, and she was matched by Hulcup’s wonderfully boyish Hansel (one of the best ‘boys’ I have seen in this opera for a long time), with the two voices blending and contrasting. They kept the action moving so that the scenes between them in the first two acts, which can sometimes drag somewhat, flew by.”
Robert Hugill, Opera Today, 27 June 2019
“Soraya Mafi is also a fine Gretel”
Barry Millington, The Evening Standard, 25 June 2019
“Musically we’re on stronger ground, with Caitlin Hulcup’s Hansel and Soraya Mafi’s Gretel both lyrically and dramatically secure.”
George Hall, The Stage, 24 June 2019
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“A familiar name came in the shape of Soraya Mafi, who has previously impressed at ENO in Pirates as Mabel (I referred to Mafi’s ‘simply awe-inspiring Mabel’ in February 2017: review) and Magic Flute (a ‘sweet and deliciously voiced’ Papagena in February 2016: review) and she was no less impressive here as the stompy teenager Cintia (the Goddess better known as Diana/Artemis — the name ‘Cintia’ is derived from Mount Cynthus on the Greek island of Delos). Oozing the energy of the youth of her character, this felt like a real step up for Mafi’s career. Her voice, too, was in tremendous shape.”
Colin Clarke, Seen and Heard, 20 February 2019
“Constrained to the uniform register of the bashful lover, Soraya Mafi offers to Diane the emotion and clarity of her high register” [Translation]
Michel Thomé, ResMusica, 22 March 2019
”Whereas Diane delights by the luminous voice of Soraya Mafi” [Translation]Laurent Bury, Forum Opera, 12 February 2019
“Soraya Mafi offers in this role a fine and gentle voice with delicate vibrato. Her vocal line is driven with precision and fluidity.” [Translation]
Damien Dutilleul, Olyrix, 16 April 2019
“And the radiant Cintia by Soraya Mafi: undoubtedly the most touching character of the whole cast, between sound and splendour and unadorned dramaturgy.” [Translation]
Dennie Morrier, Diapason Magazine, 05 March 2019
“The twelve singers play with malice this serious parady of Hellenic-Latin mytholody which is reminiscent of that of Whlhalla, more radiantly. Like Soraya Mafi who plays a juvenile and seductive Diane.” [Translation]
Bruno Serrou, La Croix, 16 February 2019
“As Diane, Soraya Mafi manages to illuminiate the plaintive song” [Translation]
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“Surrey’s Grange Park Opera has its Theatre in the Woods, so it was surely only a matter of time before it would give us the sylvan Hansel and Gretel. A star attraction of the Humperdinck opera coming in June is the Lancashire-born soprano Soraya Mafi, who plays Gretel. A Harewood artist at ENO, she stole the show as a sparkling Cleopatra for English Touring Opera in 2017. You can also hear her in recital at the Wigmore Hall in London on June 2, partnered by the rising mezzo Catriona Morison.”
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“At the end of the first half of the programme were three arias sung by Soraya Mafi. Their disparate nature enabled Mafi to reveal great variety in the way in which she performed them, but all were characterised by total commitment and a voice that remained precise and focused even as it reached quite expansive and passionate heights. ‘Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben’ from his uncompleted Zaide of around 1779 was suitably dreamy, while ‘Aer tranquillo e dì sereni’ from Il rè pastore of 1775 had an appropriate sense of the joie de vivre. Nehmt meinen Dank, K383 of 1782 was composed for Aloysia Weber for a special benefit concert, which meant that she received the box office takings. As a result, since this aria explicitly thanks those in attendance for their support and generosity, Mafi really had the chance to communicate with her audience.”
“Elegance was of the essence in her singing and in the excerpt taken from the unfinished Zaide her voice was balanced ideally with the orchestra; rather than stress the drama underlying the words she shaped the themes as if her voice were a further instrument. K383 was sung with grace and sympathy - a peaceful interlude. The words are banal but the way in which Mozart sets them is beautiful. Turning from German texts to Italian, the more theatrical-sounding selection from Il rè pastore suitably rounded-off the progression and it was refreshing to hear the theatrical high-lying phrases achieved with sonorous calmness, while avoiding over-dramatisation.”
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“Soraya Mafi, and ENO Harewood Alumna made the most of Nannetta’s long-held top notes in her duet with Fenton (Oliver Johnston) and soared effortlessly across the orchestra as the Fairy Queen.”
Amanda Holloway, Opera, August 2018
“…the serene beauty of Mafi’s lovely aria as queen of the fairies.”
Michael Church, The Independent
“…a nicely sparkling Nannetta from Soraya Mafi…”
Richard Fairman, Financial Times
“…Soraya Mafi’s entrancing Nannetta…”
“The young lovers Nannetta and Fenton both shone as performed by Soraya Mafi and Oliver Johnston…”
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“…Soraya Mafi’s sparkling Tytania…”
Erica Jeal, Opera, May 2018
“Soraya Mafi polishes her growing reputation with glintingly radiant singing as Tytania.”
Richard Morrison, The Times, 05 March 2018
“Soprano Soraya Mafi, one of five young ENO Harewood Artists in the cast, is bewitching as Tytania.”
Clare Colvin, Express, 11 March 2018
“With several ENO Harewood artists in the cast, Soraya Mafi’s regal Tytania stood out.”
Fiona Maddocks, The Guardian, 11 March 2018
“Soraya Mafi continues to ride trajectory of her career with a diamanatine Titania, scattering coloratura like stardust.”
Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph, 02 March 2018
“Outstanding in quality [is] Soraya Mafi’s entrancing Tytania.”
George Hall, The Stage, 02 March 2018
“Five of the roles are taken by members of the company’s young Harewood artists program, of whom Soraya Mafi’s bright Tytania and David Webb’s well-focused Lysander stand out.”
Martin Kettle, The Guardian, 02 March 2018
“Soraya Mafi’s vivid Tytania has the right imperiousness, and her wooing of Joshua Bloom’s splendidly-sung Bottom is wickedly suggestive.”
Michael Church, The Independent, 02 March 2018
“Five members of ENO’S Harewood Artists Programme took part, including Soraya Mafi (excellent as Tytania), with fine performances also from Eleanor Dennis (Helena), Matthew Durkan (Demetrius), David Webb (Lysander) and Andri Bjöen Róbertsson (Thesus).”
Barry Millington, Evening Standard, 02 March 2019
“There’s a lovely gleam to the sound of Soraya Mafi’s spirited Tytania.”
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"A Cleopatra to die for"
Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph
“A Cleopatra to die for – Without a doubt, however, the show’s star is Soraya Mafi, whose beguiling Cleopatra melts hearts in “Giusto ciel” and “Piangero la sorte mia” before dazzling us with “Da tempeste il legno infranto”. Her voice is diamantine in projection, perfectly in tune, easy with the coloratura and happy to frolic high above the stave. When Mafi is singing, we get lift off.”
Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph, 06 October 2017
"The star turn is Soraya Mafi as the Egyptian queen, Handel’s “immortal sex kitten”, as Winton Dean put it. She sings all eight of her sublime and witty arias with an immaculate, instrumental clarity, bravura and emotional expressiveness...she is a budding Handelian of the highest calibre and a captivating performer."
Hugh Canning, The Sunday Times, 15 October 2017
“Mafi, her tone silvery yet sensuous, is a comparably outstanding Cleopatra; Se Pietà is particularly exquisite – one of the advantages of the overlapping material is that we get to hear her sing it twice.”
Tim Ashley, The Guardian, 09 October 2017
“Soraya Mafi as sparkling, opportunistic Cleopatra, affecting in her arias”
Neil Fisher, The Times, 06 October 2017
“Soraya Mafi’s Cleopatra charts Handel’s delicate but ornate lines with skill”
George Hall, The Stage, 05 October 2017
“Soraya Mafi’s quick-witted, piquant Cleopatra — revealing unexpected depths in both ‘Se pietà’ and ‘Piangerò’ — and Catherine Carby’s Cornelia, stoic and quietly ferocious, to Kitty Whately’s traumatised Sesto. If Christopher Ainslie’s Cesare (efficiently, if a little mono-chromatically sung) remains a cipher, it only serves to tip the opera’s sensitive power dynamic further in favour of this irresistible Cleopatra.”
Alexandra Coghlan, The Spectator, 14 October 2017
“Soraya Mafi’s Cleopatra is one of dainty, coquettish charm, rather than flashy, blazing virtuosity, and there is almost a fragile delicacy in the roulades of her and Ainslie’s ornamentations for their concluding duet, which is moving to hear.”
Curtis Roger, Classicalsource, 07 October 2017
“…the standout performance comes from Soraya Mafi as Cleopatra. Displaying a sweet and strong soprano, she effortlessly meets of all the part’s considerable vocal demands, and radiates real presence and allure.”
Sam Smith, MusicOHM, 07 October 2017
“Soraya Mafi, dazzling as Cleopatra, was heartbreakingly beautiful in “Piangerò la sorte mia”, while her duet with Christopher Ainslie’s Caesar, “Caro! – Bella! – Più amabile beltà” is mesmerising…I could, to be fair, have listened to Mafi’s devastating “Se pietà” another hundred times without complaint”
Olivia Bell, Bachtrack, 09 October 2017
“English Touring Opera has assembled an outstanding cast for this prestige production, dominated by a performance from Soraya Mafi as Cleopatra that verges on the divine…Astounding highlights (among too many to mention) included Mafi’s third-act showpieces “Piangerò” and “Da tempeste”
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“…the rest of the cast in fact, was outshone by Soraya Mafi’s simply awe-inspiring Mabel."
“Soraya Mafi outstanding, in both voice and comic acting, as Mabel”
“Soraya Mafi is an adorable little minx of a Mabel, singing with diamantine accuracy and clarity – old-timers will be impressed if I say that her scintillating “Poor wand’ring one” was in the Valerie Masterson class.”
Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph
“Mabel’s flights of coloratura fancy are elegantly delivered by Soraya Mafi”
“David Webb’s puppy-dog Frederic and Soraya Mafi’s irresistible Mabel hold the show together with their starry-eyed romance. They sing like love’s young dream.”
Mark Valencia, What’s on Stage
“Soraya Mafi was a brilliant, feisty Mabel, combining pertness and winning charm with a brightly accurate coloratura. The way she stepped out of the chorus for her first entry was both visually and vocally dazzling, leading into a lovely confident account of ‘Poor wandering one’ complete with sparkling vocal decorations.”
“Soraya Mafi’s almost nymphomaniac Mabel is a brilliant foil – and she dazzled in Sullivan’s dig at the coloratura arias of Italian opera in ‘Poor wandering one’, as well as evoking a perfect juxtaposition of pathos and stiff-upper-lip resolve in ‘Ah leave me not to pine’.”
Alexander Campbell, Classical Source
“…the rest of the cast in fact, was outshone by Soraya Mafi’s simply awe-inspiring Mabel. Her “Poor wand’ring one,” with its vocal pyrotechnics, was simply a show-stopper; she had lyricism, too, and power. One waits with anticipation as to her return in further roles at this house.”
“Soraya Mafi brings a shimmering coloratura soprano to Mabel, and is ideally partnered by the dashing David Webb who has an effortless vocal lyricism as Frederic, the man she falls in love with.”
“Soraya Mafi’s Mabel, the female love interest, lifts the spirits. Dispensing the parodic coloratura with elegance and wit, she allows us to believe that G&S embody the best of Rossini and Donizetti.”
Nick Kimberley, Evening Standard
“Soraya Mafi is outstanding as coquettish love interest Mabel. She has a sweet but powerful soprano, which surprises with its sudden appearance, and displays impeccable timing and beautiful diction.”
Aliya Al-Hassan, Broadway World
“…stellar performances gave the evening little peaks of triumph. Soraya Mafi, returning to the production but stepping up a sister, is ravishing as Mabel. Her scintillating parodic coloratura “Poor Wand’ring one” was just the right amount of sexy…”
“…the standout performance in Act I comes from Soraya Mafi as Mabel (she played Edith in 2015). Her soprano is positively radiant as she tosses out coloratura with ease, and her gestures and movements are just as precise as her vocal output.”
“Soraya Mafi…her lyric soprano is gorgeous: she tugs at the heartstrings with Poor Wandering One and lease the lovely duet Ah, Leave Me Not To Pine with genuine pathos.”
Tully Potter, Daily Mail, 17 February 2017
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“…the many cameo roles in the large cast were all strong and characterful: among them Soraya Mafi”
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“The highlight for me was Soraya Mafi’s Despina, who acted her socks off and delivered some excellent signing with a voice and stage presence that constantly charmed. A silvery clarity at the top of her voice and perky sense of line made the voice easy to listen to… The regular glint of fun in her eyes and her boisterous bustling about stage brought Despina to life.”
Dominic Lowe, Bachtrack
“Soraya Mafi brought maturity to the part of Despina, but the requisite, infectious sense of fun and freedom, as she spurred on her mistresses in their amorous adventures.”
Curtis Rogers, Classical Source
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“Soraya Mafi’s spirited Karolka.”
“Soraya Mafi, in her first go at the part, flounced and minced effectively.”
Russ McDonald, Opera, September 2016
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“Soraya Mafi looked and sounded winning as Papagena.”
Russ McDonald, Opera
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“Soraya Mafi as sweet, deliquescent Joanna”
“Soraya Mafi [sung] delightfully as Johanna.”
“Soraya Mafi is an affecting Johanna.”
Mark Valencia, What’s on Stage
“The lilting duets of the young lovers Anthony and Johanna - sung beautifully by Jamie Muscato and Soraya Mafi - is another highlight.”
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“Soraya Mafi, a 26-year-old Mancunian from the RCM, has already made her mark - she has small roles in ENO’s forthcoming ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ and ‘The Magic Flute’. Her charm and exuberance shone through Johann Strauss’s ‘Frühlingstummen’, giving notice of an Adele and Zerbinetta to come. I loved her beautifully modulated reading of Liszt’s ecstatic ‘Oh! quand je dors’ and apprecited her pure enunciation in Julius Harrison’s ‘Philomel’.”
Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph
