INTERVIEWS

From Mozart to Wagner: The Many Lives of Birger Radde
I believe it’s crucial to give new composers and creators the chance to write operas for modern audiences. It’s never too late for opera to reinvent itself.

German baritone Birger Radde is rapidly making his mark on the international opera scene with his compelling performances and rich, expressive voice. From his acclaimed portrayal of Don Giovanni to upcoming roles in Wagner’s monumental works, Radde brings depth and authenticity to every stage. Trained in Europe and the US, and praised by critics and audiences alike, he shares with us insights into his artistic journey, his approach to iconic roles, and what drives his passion for opera today.

Alice Lechner
Veena Akama-Makia
I think getting to know an artist and seeing yourself reflected on stage makes people take more interest in what they are watching.

With a voice described as “burnished metal” and praised for its clarity and warmth, Veena Akama-Makia is quickly becoming a standout name in the world of opera. The Cameroonian-Ugandan-American mezzo-soprano is currently captivating audiences as a Jette Parker Artist at the Royal Opera House, where her 2024–25 season includes roles in La Traviata, Carmen, and Il Trovatore. From major debuts to world premieres, Akama-Makia brings depth, elegance, and emotional resonance to every performance. In this interview, she reflects on her artistic path, her recent triumphs, and the drive behind her meteoric rise.

Alice Lechner
The Voice Beyond the Stage: an exclusive interview with Millia Dibner
One thing I always remind my singers is that self-care isn’t indulgent—it is survival.

In this candid conversation, Millia—a seasoned opera agent, mentor, and advocate—shares her insights on the unique challenges female singers face when navigating health issues, illness, and recovery after childbirth in the demanding opera world. From the pressures of returning to the stage too soon, to the critical importance of self-care and professional support, Millia explores how the industry can better support women while offering practical advice for sustaining a long and fulfilling career.

Alice Lechner
From Mozart to Wagner: The Many Lives of Birger Radde
I believe it’s crucial to give new composers and creators the chance to write operas for modern audiences. It’s never too late for opera to reinvent itself.

German baritone Birger Radde is rapidly making his mark on the international opera scene with his compelling performances and rich, expressive voice. From his acclaimed portrayal of Don Giovanni to upcoming roles in Wagner’s monumental works, Radde brings depth and authenticity to every stage. Trained in Europe and the US, and praised by critics and audiences alike, he shares with us insights into his artistic journey, his approach to iconic roles, and what drives his passion for opera today.

Alice Lechner
Veena Akama-Makia
I think getting to know an artist and seeing yourself reflected on stage makes people take more interest in what they are watching.
Alice Lechner
The Voice Beyond the Stage: an exclusive interview with Millia Dibner
One thing I always remind my singers is that self-care isn’t indulgent—it is survival.
Alice Lechner
Jack Swanson: The Man Behind Almaviva - Exploring Roles, Life, and the Opera World
I decided that an artist can’t cater to every audience. When you try, it becomes inauthentic.
Alice Lechenr
Paweł Horodyski
Even after a long day I still find something new in the music – a detail I hadn’t noticed, a phrase that suddenly hits differently.
Alice Lechner
Sándor Károlyi
Nothing can move us like the human voice, and it is the voice that all instrumentalists ultimately aspire to imitate.
Alice Lechner
Interview_Page_Filter
A Voice for the Ages: Freddie De Tommaso on Passion, Legacy, and Living Full
When I made the switch from baritone to tenor, the hardest part wasn’t just learning new repertoire or adjusting my mindset—it was retraining the muscle memory.
Bianca L. Nica
The Grace and Grit of Inna Demenkova
Competitions taught me that it’s not only about achieving success, but also about enjoying the process, learning at every stage, and continuing to grow as an artist.
Alice Lechner
Marko Mimica: The Power and Depth Behind the Bass-Baritone Voice
I believe that’s one of the most beautiful aspects of being a singer: the ability to play with the colors of our own voice and soul.
April 2025
Alice Lechner
Behind the Voice: Ruzan Mantashyan's Path to Opera Stardom
I become so involved in the role that it becomes a part of me—or even becomes me.
April 2025
Alice Lechner
Yurii Strakhov
As a young singer, I must say that it is very important to be a kind of 'filter' for the information and advice you receive from others.
Alice Lechner
Navigating Health Setbacks and Careers Challenges for Female Singers: An interview with Capucine Chiaudani
I reinvented myself by focusing on solutions, not on the limitations.
Alice Lechner

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Alice Lechner

Alice Lechner comes from a music-loving family. Her first encounter with the opera universe was at the tender age of six. The grandeur of the stage productions and costumes, the backstage chatter, and last, but definitely not least, the music left her in awe, beginning with Mozart’s Don Giovanni. The overall feeling that opera awakens in anyone who gets a glimpse into this part of artistic eternity, that each and every day passes the test of time, was what drew her to stay and be a part of this world. The Opera House of Brașov became her second home, and the people who worked there were her second family.

Since then, Alice has devoted her spare time to maximising her musical knowledge through instrumental studies, studying both piano and violin for a short time. In the following years, her number one passion stepped out of the limelight and graciously gave way to Law Studies.
Since 2018 she has been studying Law at “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University in Iași.

Her passion for opera, even if it is no longer her top professional priority in terms of career, it has most definitely become her priority during her free time. Wanting to experience the best of both worlds and extend her musical horizons, she regularly attends opera performances throughout Romania and abroad.
With OPERA Charm Magazine, Alice aims to nurture her creative side to help it flourish and bloom and to discover, alongside the magazine’s readers, the fascinatingly complex world of opera.

Currently, she is an LL.M. in Business Law at “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University in Iași.

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Oana Zamfir

Oana Zamfir is a second year MA student at the “George Enescu” National University of Arts, at the Department of Musicology.

She studied violin for 12 years at the “Stefan Luchian” High School of Art in Botosani, later focusing on the theoretical aspects of music. In 2019 she completed her bachelor studies in Musicology as a student of the National Academy of Music “Gheorghe Dima” in Cluj-Napoca. Her research during 2018-2019 brought to the forefront elements of the archaic ritual within works of composers who activated during the communist period, giving her the opportunity to start a research internship at the “Carl von Ossietzky” University in Germany. In this context, she recorded conversations with members of the Sophie Drinker Institute in Bremen, and had access to documents directly from the Myriam Marbé archive.

Since 2019 she has been a teacher of Music Education and Theoretical Music Studies, making full use of interactive methods in the musical training of students and working, at the same time, with the children’s choir founded in the first year of her activity.

Her interests include pursuing a degree in interior design in 2020.

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Alexandru Suciu

Alexandru Suciu inherited his passion for art growing up in a family of several generations of musicians. He began his musical studies at the “Augustin Bena” School of Music in Cluj, where he studied piano and guitar. Even though his main study direction was philological, his passion for music prevailed. He began his academical journey at the Faculty of Letters of the “Babeș-Bolyai” University, studying Comparative literature and English. He continued by studying Opera Singing at the “Gheorghe Dima” National Music Academy. He also graduated the Musical Education section, followed by Artistic Directing at the Musical Performing Arts department.

His multidisciplinary education opened the doors towards research, which is seen both through his participation in national and international conferences and symposia, such as the Salzburg Easter School PhD-forum, organized by the Salzburg Universität or the Silesian Meeting of Young Scholars, organized by the Institute of English at the University of Silesia, as well as the collaboration with Opera Charm Magazine.

During his student years, he won several prizes, including the Grand Prize at the “Paul Constantinescu” National Musical Interpretation Competition, the Romanian Composers and Musicologists’ Union Prize at the same competition, the First Prize and the Schubert Prize at the “Ada Ulubeanu” Competition.

He further developed his artistic skills by specializing in courses and masterclasses held by personalities such as Vittorio Terranova, Giuseppe Sabbatini, Marian Pop, Ines Salazar, Riccardo Zanellato, Paolo Bosisio, Valentina Farcaș and Manuel Lange in contexts such as the Internationale Sommerakademie für Operngesang Deutschlandsberg, Corso Internazionale di Canto Lirico I.M.C. Licata or the Europäische Akademie für Musik und darstellende Kunst Montepulciano. Besides his activity on-stage, he currently teaches Opera Singing Didactics, and Pedagogical Practice within the Department for Teacher Education and Training at the “Gheorghe Dima” National Music Academy.

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Cristina Fieraru

Cristina is a 24 year-old Romanian soprano & a student at the National University of Music Bucharest, where she pursues the MA program in Vocal Performance.

She made her debut in Pamina from “Die Zauberflöte” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at only 19 years old at the Bucharest National Opera House, as a member of the Ludovic Spiess Experimental Opera Studio. Over the years she made her debut in roles such as Contessa d’Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro), Mimì & Musetta (La Bohème), Alice Ford (Falstaff), Erste Dame (Die Zauberflöte) in her university’s opera productions.
Her passion and experience extends in the field of choral music, too.

She has been part of our dream team since the fall of 2021. For a good period of time she took care of OPERA Charm’s social media and took you on the monthly journey through the history of opera through our Legends rubric – and a few times through the Theaters around the World rubric.

Her little soul rubric – from 2021 to present – is definitely the Conductors of the Future, where, every month, she gives you the chance to meet a young star of the world of conducting and, of course, to find out what’s the most charming feature of opera in these artists’ views.

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BIANCA L. NICA

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