AlexandrosStavrakakis

Press

• The Love of Three Oranges

  Semperoper Dresden

  Dec 2024 - Jan 2025

  • 'Alexandros Stavrakakis also demonstrated beautiful vocal material and flawless leadership as the Magician Tschelio.'

    • Klasika Plus
    • 06 January 2025

  • Als Zauberer Tschelio beschwor Alexandros Stavrakakis den Teufel Farfarello (Tilmann Rönnebeck) in einer langen Szene mit wahrhaft bezaubernder, großer, schöner Stimme. Da musste selbst der Teufel schwach werden." [Translated] "As the magician Tschelio, Alexandros Stavrakakis summoned the devil Farfarello (Tilmann Rönnebeck) in a long scene with a truly enchanting, big, beautiful voice. Even the devil had to give in.'

    • Online Merker
    • 03 January 2025

  • Alexandros Stavrakakis ist ein Zauberer, der märchenhaften Grusel auf die Bühne bringt." [Translated] "Alexandros Stavrakakis is a magician who brings fairytale horror to the stage.'

    • Elb Margarita
    • 16 December 2024

  • Ihren Gegenspieler, den guten, im Dienste des Königs stehenden Zauberer Tschelio, sang mit klar definiertem Bass Alexandros Stavrakakis. Besonders eindrucksvoll boten beide ein darstellerisch und vokal packendes Duell, das an Mozarts Zauberflöte erinnerte." [Translated] "Her opponent, the good sorcerer Tschelio, who serves the king , was sung by Alexandros Stavrakakis with a clearly defined bass . Both offered a particularly impressive duel in terms of acting and vocals, reminiscent of Mozart's Magic Flute.

    • Ioco
    • 12 December 2024

• Aida

  Festival de Lanaudière

  Aug 2024

  • L’autoritaire Stavrakakis semble né pour chanter Ramfis." "The authoritative Stavrakakis seems born to sing Ramfis.

    • Le Devoir
    • 05 August 2024

  • Parmi les trois voix graves masculines, c’est la basse grecque Alexandros Stavrakakis (en Ramfis) qui laisse le meilleur souvenir avec sa voix somptueuse évoquant de manière troublante celle de Nicolaï Ghiaurov." "Of the three male low voices, it is the Greek bass Alexandros Stavrakakis (as Ramfis) who leaves the best memory with his sumptuous voice disturbingly evoking that of Nicolai Ghiaurov.

    • La Presse
    • 04 August 2024

• Don Carlo

  Semperoper Dresden

  May 2024 - Jun 2024

  • Greek bass Alexandros Stavrakakis took the role of King Philip II who had married princess Elisabeth. Well suited to the role, Stavrakakis was in splendid form displaying his rich, low voice that was clear and carried its weight so well. The king ruled over a large empire yet felt betrayed by his wife Elisabeth, together with his brother and the ominous power of the Inquisition. Deeply troubled and angry Stavrakakis portrayed the king to often chilling effect. Sticking in my mind was the point when the overwrought King Philip II fell to his knees, a broken man.

    • Seen and Heard
    • 21 May 2024

  • Nei panni di Filippo II Alexandros Stavrakakis potrebbe essere definito primus inter pares : la natura gli ha fatto il dono di una voce di basso eccezionale, senza esagerazione alcuna, voluminosa, profonda, virile, dal timbro prezioso che vagamente potrebbe ricordare quella del bulgaro Boris Christoff. La giovane età del cantante non ostacola un'interpretazione di sorprendente maturità; davanti ai nostri occhi appare un vero re dal quale dipendono i destini del mondo, un uomo dalla psiche complicata, un tiranno, un Nerone sì, ma dall’animo non privo di nobiltà. Il canto di Stavrakakis colpisce già nel duetto con Rodrigo, ma nella celebre aria “Ella giammai m’amò” arriva un prezioso momento di catarsi per tutti presenti in sala. La voce riempie la sala della Semperoper, nella prima parte del brano si sentono note di dolore che non possono lasciare indifferente chi le ascolta, nella seconda l'abbandono alla melodia assume una forza espressiva grandiosa. Un effetto profondo fanno un paio di frasi musicali suonate da Stavrakakis al violoncello, dettaglio che rende più umano il personaggio di Filippo II." [Translated] "In the role of Philip II, Alexandros Stavrakakis could be defined as primus inter pares: nature has given him the gift of an exceptional bass voice, without any exaggeration, voluminous, deep, virile, with a precious timbre that could vaguely recall that of the Bulgarian Boris Christoff . The singer's young age does not hinder an interpretation of surprising maturity; Before our eyes appears a true king on whom the destinies of the world depend, a man with a complicated psyche, a tyrant, a Nero yes, but with a soul not devoid of nobility. Stavrakakis' singing is already striking in the duet with Rodrigo, but in the famous aria "Ella giammai m'amò" comes a precious moment of catharsis for everyone present in the room. The voice fills the hall of the Semperoper, in the first part of the piece we hear notes of pain that cannot leave those who listen to them indifferent, in the second the abandonment to the melody takes on a grandiose expressive force. A couple of musical phrases played by Stavrakakis on the cello have a profound effect, a detail that makes the character of Philip II more human.

    • Ape Musicale
    • 18 May 2024

  • The most resplendent voice of the evening belonged to Alexandros Stavrakakis in the role of Filippo II. Having previously witnessed his talent at Théâtre des Champs Elysées in La Cenerentola, I was already familiar with his remarkable vocal prowess. Stavrakakis’s cavernous voice suited the character impeccably, and his rendition of the principal aria was nothing short of divine.

    • Opera Diary
    • 19 May 2024

• La Pulcinella

  Opera di Roma

  Feb 2024

  • C’è da dire che la rivelazione è il basso, Alexandros Stavrakakis, dotato di una voce piena, squillante, scura ma non opaca; inoltre, il greco mostra facilità di emissione e duttilità nelle fioriture, come dimostra in "Con queste paroline", dove dà un’autentica lezione di fraseggio. [Translated] It must be said that the revelation is the bass, Alexandros Stavrakakis, equipped with a full, ringing, dark but not opaque voice, furthermore, the Greek shows ease of emission and ductility in flourishes, as he demonstrates in "Con queste paroline", where he gives an authentic lesson of phrasing.

    • Ape Musicale
    • 27 February 2024

• La Cenerentola

  Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, PAris

  Oct 2023 - Oct 2023

  • "Le cas de la basse grecque Alexandros Stavrakakis semble relever du miracle – bien en situation dans cette mise en scène. Car il nous a littéralement bluffé. Son timbre est somptueux, mais surtout il fait preuve d’une émission d’une étonnante souplesse, offrant un son fluide, aérien, très moelleux, et y ajoute un grand raffinement de ton. La compassion dont fait preuve son personnage s’exprime par ce biais vocal, rendant particulièrement émouvant le récitatif « Si, tutto cangerà » avant son grand air. Celui-ci est peut-être le sommet de la matinée : la longueur de souffle, la pureté du phrasé, l’élan de la messa di voce, la hardiesse du chant di sbalzo, l’aisance des vocalises, tout concourt à sidérer le public, le temps d’un moment de grâce. S’il n’atteint pas les sommets que seul Samuel Ramey a fréquentés au siècle précédent dans ce rôle, il s’en approche. Et ses interventions au second acte sont également très touchantes, avec son vibratello serré, et sa tendresse quand il annonce que le destin va tout changer pour sa protégée." "The case of Greek bass Alessandros Stavrakakis seems to be a miracle – well placed in this production [...] he literally blew us away. His timbre is sumptuous, but above all he demonstrates an astonishingly flexible emission, offering a fluid, airy, very mellow sound, and adds a great refinement of tone. The compassion shown by his character is expressed through this vocal means, making the recitative “Si, tutto cangerà” before his big aria particularly moving. This is perhaps the peak of the morning: the length of breath, the purity of the phrasing, the momentum of the messa di voce , the boldness of the singing di sbalzo , the ease of the vocalizations, everything combines to astonish the public, for a moment of grace. If he does not reach the heights that only Samuel Ramey frequented in the previous century in this role, he comes close. And his interventions in the second act are also very touching, with his tight vibratello, and his tenderness when he announces that destiny will change everything for his protégé."

    • Cult News
    • 18 October 2023

  • Belle idée, aussi, de confier le rôle d’Alidoro au sonore Alexandros Stavrakakis, qui se régale de son rôle de maître de cérémonie avec un plaisir gourmand, imposant sa voix profonde et pénétrante à toute l’assistance. [Translated]: Great idea, too, to entrust the role of Alidoro to the sonorous Alexandros Stavrakakis, who enjoys his role as master of ceremonies with greedy pleasure, imposing his deep and penetrating voice on the entire audience.

    • Classique News

  • Alexandros Stavrakakis élargit un peu la voix pour chanter Alidoro et […] il passe sans forcer d’un son dolce, via un crescendo longuement affirmé, jusqu’à un sommet plénipotentiaire. Ses vocalises sont nettement articulées, ses grands phrasés restent justes. [Translated]: Alexandros Stavrakakis broadens his voice a little to sing Alidoro […] and he passes without forcing a dolce sound, via a long asserted crescendo, to a plenipotentiary summit. His vocalizations are clearly articulated, his large phrasings remain accurate.

    • Olyrix

  • Alexandros Stavrakakis se coule, carrure et voix de stentor, dans le rôle d’Alidoro qui lui va comme un gant face à Thomas Hengelbrock qui dans la fosse dirige souriant son orchestre et ses choeurs. [Translated] Alexandros Stavrakakis flows, with stentorian build and voice, in the role of Alidoro which fits him like a glove opposite Thomas Hengelbrock who in the pit smilingly directs his orchestra and choirs.

    • Artistik Rezo

  • Belle et riche basse, l’Alidoro d’Alexandros Stavrakakis se distingue également, autant par son autorité vocale que scénique. [Translated] Beautiful and rich bass, Alexandros Stavrakakis ‘ Alidoro also stands out, both for his vocal and stage authority.

    • Diapason

  • Alexandros Stavrakakis, voix et présence de stentor, mixe les rôles d’ange-gardien, de vagabond et de facétieux Cupidon. Il parvient, au moyen d’un changement de décor assez spectaculaire, à transformer une serveuse de cafeteria martyrisée par son patron (drôle et violent Peter Kálmán) en femme du monde prenant ses aises incognito dans l’univers bling-bling d’un salon de réception. [Translated] Alexandros Stavrakakis, stentorian voice and presence, mixes the roles of guardian angel, wanderer and mischievous Cupid . He manages, through a rather spectacular change of scenery, to transform a cafeteria waitress martyred by her boss (funny and violent Peter Kálmán) into a woman of the world taking her ease incognito in the bling-bling world of a salon reception

    • Scene Web

  • Et par Alexandros Stavrakakis, Alidoro à la voix de basse à la fois immense et douce, qui étonne dans un pareil contexte vocal. [Translated] And from Alexandros Stavrakakis, an Alidoro with a bass voice that is both immense and soft, which is surprising in such a vocal context.

    • Web Theatre

  • Seul l’Alidoro d’Alexandros Stavrakakis – “ange investi d’une mission” selon Michieletto – parviendra à ce niveau de maîtrise, notamment dans son époustouflant “Là del ciel nell’arcano profondo”. [Translated] Only the Alidoro of Alexandros Stavrakakis – “an angel invested with a mission” according to Michieletto – will achieve this level of mastery, notably in his breathtaking “Là del ciel nell’arcano profundo”.

    • Bachtrack

• Shostakovich Works Unveiled

  Naxos Recording with Nicolas Stavy

  Jan 2023

  • That said, it is well performed, although the star of the performance is not Stavy but bass Alexandros Stavrakakis. I stumbled across some of his live performances on YouTube a few months ago - he won the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2019. Recently, he debuted at the Met in the small but crucial role of the Monk in Verdi's Don Carlo, attracting further well-deserved attention. Stavrakakis, who sounds like a young Nicolai Ghiaurov, has an outstandingly rich, sonorous, and colorful voice, and considerable presence, both on disc and on stage. Hearing him is the best reason for exploring this Shostakovich l4th. We'll be hearing lots more from him in the very near future, I wager.

    • Fanfare Archive (July/ August 2023)
    • 31 August 2023

  • Greek-born bass Alexandros Stavrakakis cautiously intones Lorca’s opening lines in “De profundis,” in a hushed anticipation of the contrasting episodes to come. Stavrakakis’ sensitively muted interpretation that concludes the movement in a chilling deathly hush is remarkable. (Symphony no.14, VII - "At the Sante Jail")

    • DSCH Journal
    • 10 January 2023

• Don Carlo

  Metropolitan Opera

  Nov 2023

  • One of the standouts of the evening was Alexandros Stavrakakis in his Met debut as the Monk or Carlos quinto. “Carlo il sommo imperatore” was sung with a booming bass that was rich in sound and even balanced in his highs and in his lower voice. His final entrance “Il duolo della terra” was frightening.

    • Operawire
    • 05 November 2022

  • In the four-act version, the first voice heard is that of the ghostly Monk, who returns at the opera’s end: Booming bass Alexandros Stavrakakis made an impressive company debut in this short but crucial part, sounding an apter candidate for Phillip than Groissböck.

    • Classical Voice America
    • 17 November 2022