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Soraya Mafi - Soprano
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A Midsummer Night's Dream
Tytania

English National Opera

“Soraya Mafi polishes her growing reputation with glintingly radiant singing as Tytania.”
Richard Morrison, The Times, 05 March 2018

“Soraya Mafi continues to ride the upward trajectory of her career with a diamanatine Titania, scattering coloratura like stardust.”
Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph, 02 March 2018

"...it was Soraya Mafi as Tytania whose class was off the scale. The last soprano I heard in this role was the great Sandrine Piau, yet Mafi was every bit her equal. And her comic instinct was irresistible."
Mark Valencia, WhatsonStage, 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 programme, 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


"The centre of this moonlit stage is occupied by Soraya Mafi, who sparkles with delightful ease as Tytania."
Richard Fairman, The Financial Times, 05 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 Björn Róbertsson (Theseus).”
Barry Millington, Evening Standard, 02 March 2019  

“There’s a lovely gleam to the sound of Soraya Mafi’s spirited Tytania.”
David Benedict, The Arts Desk, 02 March 2018​

Soraya Mafi as Tytania had got the measure of the venue and projected the role's coloratura with personality and ease. She made a delightful Tytania, not as bitchy as some, and brought real charm to Britten's roulades and an underlying sense of humour in the scenes with Joshua Bloom's bottom. Given her fine performance has Handel's Cleopatra in  Giulio Cesare
 for English Touring Opera, Mafi is clearly a talent to watch in this repertoire.
Robert Hugill, Opera Today, 02 March 2018


"Soraya Mafi’s diamantine coloratura sparkled as Tytania – she sounds completely secure up in the soprano stratosphere."
Mark Pullinger, Bachtrack, 02 March 2018

"As Tytania, soprano Soraya Mafi is not only queen of the fairies but queen of the show: this is a ravishing performance, gloriously sung and delectably acted. Mafi is one to follow, at every opportunity. She is scheduled to appear with Grange Park Opera, and there are sure to be further ENO appearances. Hurrah."
Claudia Pritchard, Culture Whisper, 02 March 2018


"Christopher Ainslie’s Oberon stands out, as does Soraya Mafi’s Tytania." 
David Mellor, The Daily Mail, 10 March 2018

"Soraya Mafi was a stunning Tytania, glittery and fierce when required."
John Beckett, Schmopera, 02 March 2018



The Pirates of Penzance
Mabel

English National Opera

“…the rest of the cast in fact, was outshone by Soraya Mafi’s simply awe-inspiring Mabel.​"
Colin Clarke, Seen and Heard

“Soraya Mafi outstanding, in both voice and comic acting, as Mabel”
William Hartston, Express

“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”
George Hall, The Guardian

“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.”
Robert Hugill, Opera Today

“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.”
Colin Clarke, Seen and Heard

“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.”
Mark Shenton, The Stage

“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…”
Olivia Bell, Bachtrack

“…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.”
Sam Smith, MusicOMH

​ “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​
​

Janacek: Jenufa
Karolka

English National Opera

“…Soraya Mafi’s spirited Karolka.”
Mark Berry, Seen and Heard 

“Soraya Mafi, in her first go at the part, flounced and minced effectively.”
Russ McDonald, Opera, September 2016


Mozart: The Goose of Cairo
London Mozart Players


The music for the captive Celidora and Lavinia (rapturously sung by Fflur Wynn and Soraya Mafi)....
Alexandra Coghlan, Opera, June 2016




​Season 14/15
British-based talent continues to bubble up – this year has seen outstanding performances from neophytes such as Soraya Mafi
'Opera in 2015: fighting low blows with high notes'
Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph, 15 December 2015




Sondheim: Sweeney Todd
Johanna

Welsh National Opera


...Soraya Mafi a sweet, deliquescent Johanna...
Stephen Walsh, The Arts Desk, 09 October 2015

Only Soraya Mafi’s sweet-voiced Johanna and Jamie Muscato’s resolutely decent Anthony suggest a few shreds of goodness left in Sondheim’s “great black pit” of London.
Richard Morrison, The Times, 12 October 2015

Soraya Mafi is an affecting Johanna.

Mark Valencia, What's on Stage, 10 October 2015


Soraya Mafi [sang] delightfully as Johanna.
Lucy Jeffrey, Scene and Heard, 12 October 2015

...the youthful parts are brilliantly taken by George Ure (Tobias), Soraya Mafi (Johanna) and Jamie Muscato (Anthony).
Hugh Canning, The Sunday Times, 18 October 2015


The lilting duets of the young lovers Anthony and Johanna - sung beautifully by Jamie Muscato and Soraya Mafi - is another highlight.
Eryl Crump, Welsh Daily Post, 30 October 2015

Jamie Muscato as Anthony and Soraya Mafi as Johanna are so bright-voiced a pair of young lovers...that they swiftly pull you in and under.
Richard Bratby, Birmingham Mail, 20 November

stand outs among the cast...Soraya Mafi, whose crystalline, pitch-perfect vocals and exquisite diction shone throughout, not least of all when projecting “Green Finch and Linnet Bird” through the auditorium after her microphone failed.
Kyle Pedley, Amusings, 22 November


Soraya Mafi's Johanna and George Ure's Tobias both had flair
Rian Evans, Opera, December 2015


Recital with Ian Tindale
Buxton Opera Festival


Buxton Festival find of the year? Soprano Soraya Mafi, without a doubt. She was the second prize winner in the 2015 Kathleen Ferrier Awards, at which pianist Ian Tindale took the Accompanists' Prize. Together they gave one of the most captivating song recitals I've ever had the good luck to attend (St John's Church, Buxton, UK, 11 July 2015). They showed an idiomatic command of an eclectic repertoire that began with Mozart. In 'Aer tranquiillo e di sereni' from Il Re Pastore Mafi's effortless-sounding precision in runs complemented her telling changes of mood. Following Ian Tindale's persuasive scene-settingfor 'Deh vieni, non tardar', Susanna's famously teasing love-song to Figaro, Mafi was fully in command of every expressive nuance, projecting the knife edge of emotional ambivalence underneath. Someone sign her up to sing the role on stage, immediately.
From there they moved on to Richard Strauss, capturing the youthful exuberance of 'Schlagende Herzen', the expressive warmth of 'Du meines Herzens Krönelein', and the gentle intimacy of 'Morgen'. In Poulenc's Two Poems of Louis Aragon the forlorn melancholy of 'C' was sharply counterpointed against the edgy high spirits of 'Fêtes Galantes'. Then it was on to a refreshingly inventive English song selection. In Walton's Three Poems of Edith Sitwell, Mafi's supple phrasing in 'Daphne', and her effortless octave leap on the word 'enchanting' in 'Through Gilded Trellises' were evidence of her impressive technique, and the jazz-inspired fun and games of 'Old Sir Faulk' were helped along by Tindale's crisp dance-band substitute. Charming accounts of Sullivan's 'Orpheus with his lute' and Parry's 'My heart is like a singing bird' framed a real rarity, Julius Harrison's 'Philomel', a delightful setting of the lyric 'You spotted snakes', from A Midsummernight's Dream. Gershwin comes naturally to them, as well. 'Someone to watch over me' was engagingly wistful, and 'By Strauss' all ebullient charm, with Mafi allowing her Lancashireaccent to come through, to winning effect. From there Tindale contrived a neat segue into a sparkling account of the vocal version of Johann Strauss 2nd's Frühlingstimmen.
For an encore they played their trump card — 'It's my Wedding', from Jonathan Dove's 'musical tale' The Enchanted Pig, a hilarious four-minute tantrum for a bride whose wedding isn't measuring up to her exacting standards. Mafi and Tindale gave it the full drama-queentreatment. The whole recital was a brilliant study in versatility, and a master-class in establishing an easy rapport with an audience, from singer and pianist alike.
Mike Wheeler, Music and Vision magazine, 23 July 2015 

Handel: Arianna in Creta
Arianna

London Handel Festival
"...she is all crystalline tone and spine-tingling high notes."
Tim Ashley, The Guardian

"...I'd certainly want to hear Soraya Mafi again. The skirt she wore as Arianna seemed more San Francisco than Ancient Greece, but her emotional conviction and sturdy soprano still forged a convincing character, trapped in one of those moral tizzies and misunderstands so typical of opera seria."
Geoff Brown, The Times

"...with a clear, bright soprano was Soraya Mafi, a highly versatile young soprano who was recently awarded the Maggie Teyte Award and Miriam Licette Scholarship...Miss Mafi proved to be the most technically proficient of all the singers on display. My instincts suggest that you could put any sort of score in front of this young singer and she would tackle it with the same level of commitment and poise she brought to the role of Arianna. It was really exciting that for a few seconds she stepped off the stage and sang with full voice virtually next to my seat. By contrast it was her ability to float a line sotto voce that was probably the most impressive aspect of her performance. I have no doubt we shall see a lot more of her on the operatic stage in future."
Miranda Jackson, Opera Britannia,

"Soraya Mafi was a beguiling Arianna, mistaking Teseo’s intentions in
risking his life to save Carilda from the Minotaur before Minos decrees that  Arianna herself must be sacrificed in her place. As such, Mafi brought the passion of a lover as well as the desperation and fury of one who thinks herself betrayed, skilfully juxtaposing these in her aria ‘Sdegno, amore fanno’ at the end of Act One."

 Curtis Rogers, Classical Source
Picture
Soraya as Arianna in Arianna In Creta, London Handel Festival. Photo: Chris Christodolou

Ravel: L'enfant et les Sortileges
Le Feu/Le Rossignol

RCMIOS

"Especially striking among the vocal performances...Soraya Mafi's pinpoint tracery (and real trill) as Le Feu/Le Rossignol"
Yehuda Shapiro, Opera Magazine February 2014
Picture
Soraya Mafi (right) as Soeur Constance in Dialogues des Carmelites, Grange Park Opera. Photograph Robert Workman
Giulio Cesare
Cleopatra

English Touring Opera

"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”
Mark Valencia, What’s on Stage, 09 October 2017


Suor Angelica
Suor Genoveva

Opera North

“…the many cameo roles in the large cast were all strong and characterful: among them Soraya Mafi”
The Guardian, Fiona Maddocks 


Così fan tutte
Despina

West Green House Opera

“The highlight for me was Soraya Mafi’s Despina, who acted her socks off and delivered some excellent singing with a voice and stage presence that constantly charmed. A silver 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


​Mozart: The Magic Flute
Papagena

English National Opera

Soraya Mafi looked and sounded winning as Papagena.
Russ McDonald, Opera, April 2016


Gilbert and Sullivan: The Pirates of Penzance
Edith
English National Opera


Soraya Mafi is enchanting as [Mabel's] kid sister Edith.
Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph, 10 May 2015

Soraya Mafi [makes a] promising house debut as Edith.
Sam Smith, Music OHM, 11 May 2015

Making her ENO debut, soprano Soraya Mafi (second prize winner in the recent 2015 Kathleen Ferrier competition) was a lively Edith.
Claire Seymour, Opera Today, 11 May 2015



Finals of Kathleen Ferrier Competition 2015
Wigmore Hall

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 'Frühlingstimmen', giving notice of an Adele and Zerbinetta to come. I loved her beautifully modulated reading of Liszt’s ecstatic 'Oh! quand je dors' and appreciated her pure enunciation in Julius Harrison’s 'Philomel'... I would have given Mafi first prize.
Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph, 25 April 2015


Mozart: Il Re Pastore
Aminta
Théâtre du Chatelet

'L'amerò, sarò costante'...brought the best singing of the evening from Soraya Mafi, whose perfectly schooled soprano provided a smooth, delicate line.
Stephen J. Mudge, Opera News, April 2015

"En Aminta, créé à l’époque par un castrat, Soraya Mafi...délivre au second acte un « L’amero, saro costante » (avec violon solo) de toute beauté et très longuement applaudi."
Il Tenero Momento, 22 January 2015 

"Le plateau vocal est dominé sans conteste par son trio féminin, très à l’aise. C’est surtout l’Aminta de Soraya Mafi qui ravit à chaque apparition autour de la souplesse des transitions, la subtilité de la diction, l’intelligence du phrasé. Petite voix, elle est vivement applaudie à l’issue de la présentation." Florent Coudeyrat, Concerto Net, January 2015 

"...la musicalité de Soraya Mafi... "
Christian Merlin, Le Figaro, 23 January 2015 

"Le talent de Soraya Mafi n’est cependant pas en cause. Elle est tout à fait crédible en jeune berger amoureux. Au second acte le fameux air 'L’amerò sarò costante' chanté avec délicatesse et d’infinies nuances dans un silence quasi religieux, lui vaut un succès personnel bien mérité."
Christian Peter, Forum Opéra, 22 January 2015 

"Soraya Mafi au timbre gracieux...charme et une sorte d’innocence." Caroline Alexander, Web Théâtre, January 2015 

Les jeunes voix de Rainer Trost, Soraya Mafi et Raquel Camarinha, dominent leur sujet et son traitement, coloratures comprises,
avec une projection aisée.
Pierre-René Serna, Concert Classic, January 2015



Picture

Poulenc: Carmelites 
Constance

Grange Park Opera

"Soraya Mafi (still a student at the RCM) made an enchanting Constance – the one beacon of light in the encroaching darkness."
Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph.

"...neither compelled as much attention as the lovely bright chirpings of Soraya Mafi, a total joy as the sprightly Sister Constance."
Geoff Brown, The Times

"...while Soraya Mafi, singing with beautiful clarity as the cheerful young peasant Sister Constance."
Mark Ronan, Theatre Review

"...young Soraya Mafi lights up the stage and pricks up the ears with her radiant Constance - she's still at college, but her star potential is obvious."
Hugh Canning, The Sunday Times

"Stealing the show, however, was the Sœur Constance of Soraya Mafi, possessor of a bright, engaging soprano. Constance is the youngest member of the order, pure and innocent, but with a bubbly personality which she has difficulty suppressing. It’s no surprise that Poulenc admitted to falling in love with the character as he composed his opera. Young Mafi is clearly one to watch."

Mark Pullinger, Opera Britannia

"Most notable of all was the Soeur Constance of Lancashire-born Soraya Mafi, whose pristine light soprano and engaging staging personality suggest a young singer of real promise."
George Hall, Opera Magazine August 2013