Meet one of our Holiday Joy Soloist: Alexandra Razskazoff, Soprano

Minnesotan soprano Alexandra Razskazoff, acclaimed by the New York Times as a “richly faceted, slinky soprano,” whose voice is “...ample in size with an intriguing instrumental color,” (Opera News).

Alexandra appeared in November 2019 with Maryland Lyric Opera to sing in their gala, singing scenes from Faust, Fidelio, and Der Rosenkavalier at the Strathmore Center in North Bethesda, MD. Later in the month, Alexandra joined the Washington Opera Society to perform the role of Liza in Franz Lehár’s rarely performed operetta Das Land des Lächelns under the baton of Julien Benichou.

In the 2017-2018 season, Alexandra was seen as a Resident Artist at The Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) in Philadelphia, where she reprised the role of Wellgunde (Das Rheingold), and portrayed Echo (Ariadne auf Naxos) and Violetta (La Traviata). In 2016-17, Alexandra was a Resident Artist with the Minnesota Opera where she sang Wellgunde (Das Rheingold), Britomarte (Martín y Soler: L'Arbore di Diana), Miss Alden in William Bolcom and Mark Campbell’s world premiere of Dinner at Eight, and Musetta (La bohème), while covering Juliette (Romèo et Juliette). 

In spring of 2016, Alexandra sang Mendelssohn's "Elijah" with the Hudson Chorale under Ira Spaulding in Irvington, NY, and sang her first "Messiah" with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra in November, 2018 under Rossen Milanov.

 In Summer 2017, Alexandra participated in San Francisco Opera's prestigious Merola Opera Program, where she performed as the leading ladies in scenes from Donizetti’s Lucrezia Borgia and Leoncavallo’s I Pagliacci. Alexandra also covered the title role in Sāvitri, Gustav Holst’s rarely-performed one-act.  She was seen as an Apprentice with the Santa Fe Opera, where she covered Katie in Jennifer Higdon’s world premiere of Cold Mountain in 2015, and returned in 2016 to cover Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni). Alexandra spent summer 2013 at Music Academy of the West, where she performed Erste Dame (Die Zauberflöte) and selections from Mahler’s "Des Knaben Wunderhorn" with the Academy Festival Orchestra. 

 In September 2020, Alexandra took First Prize in the Giovanni Consiglio 2020 International Competition. In early 2019, Alexandra took First Place in the DC Chapter of National Society of Arts and Letters Dorothy Lincoln-Smith Vocal Competition, after which she went on to win Second Place in the National Round of the same competition. Alexandra continued to take First Place in Opera at Florham’s Violetta DuPont Vocal Competition.
In 2017, Alexandra received First Prize in AVA’s Giargiari Bel Canto Vocal Competition, and 2nd Place in the Mario Lanza Competition in Philadelphia.  In 2014, Alexandra took Second Place in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and received Third Place in Houston Grand Opera's Eleanor McCollum Competition in 2016.
       
In 2015, Alexandra performed the New York premiere of James Primosch’s ‘From a Book of Hours’ with the New Juilliard Ensemble under Maestro Joel Sachs. Alexandra’s portrayal was well-received by the New York Times, who mentioned “...Ms. Razskazoff appears to have the makings of a great recitalist. (full review here)”
       
Credits include a reprise of Erste Dame (Die Zauberflöte) and La Contessa (Le nozze di Figaro) at The Juilliard School, where she earned her M.M. in vocal performance under Robert C. White Jr.  With the Juilliard Lab Orchestra, Alexandra presented workshop selections from operas including Don Giovanni (Donna Elvira) led by Alan Gilbert and La bohème (Mimì) led by Fabio Luisi.  She also performed on an all-Franz Liszt recital with pianist Brian Zeger at Juilliard's SongFest at Alice Tully Hall. 

At the Peabody Conservatory, where she received her B.M. in vocal performance under Dr. Stanley Cornett, she sang Blanche de la Force (Dialogues des Carmélites), Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), Abigail Williams (The Crucible), and L’Écureuil (L’enfant et les sortilèges). 
 
Alexandra was honored to receive the Marc von May Voice Scholarship at Peabody Conservatory, and the Toulmin Foundation Scholarship and the Novick Career Advancement Grant while at Juilliard.