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Photo by Nuna Ulises
NEXT UP:
February: French Ministry of Culture’s Odysée artist-in-residency program, with Theotokos, hosted by William Christie and Les Arts Florissants
March: Soloist in New York Premiere of Doug Balliett’s St. Mark Passion
March: Soloist in Messiah with Hudson Baroque
April: Soloist in Bach’s St. John Passion with Clarion
April/May: House and role debut as Sesto in Giulio Cesare with Ruckus at Hudson Hall, directed by R.B. Schlather
Recent engagements:
29 May, 1, 3 & 6 June 2022
Unholy Wars (world premiere)
Spoleto Festival USA
Dock Street Theatre, Charleston, SC
An original multidisciplinary production stitching together music of the Italian Baroque centering around the Crusades, conceived and performed by Karim Sulayman
Karim Sulayman, tenor
Raha Mirzadegan, soprano
John Taylor Ward, bass-baritone
Coral Dolphin, dancer
Kevin Newbury, stage direction
Julie Andrijeski, music direction
Ebony Williams, choreography
Kevork Mourad, visual design
David C. Woolard, costume design
Jennifer Fok, lighting design
with original interstitial music composed by Mary Kouyoumdjian
7 February 2023
THEOTOKOS
Charpentier: Leçons de ténèbres
St. Mary’s Studio, Manhattan, NY
Raha Mirzadegan, soprano
Elisse Albian, soprano
Tsutomu William Copeland, violin
Doug Balliett, viola da gamba
Elliot Figg, harpsichord
23, 27, 30 September, & 1 October 2023
Unholy Wars
Opera Philadelphia Premiere
Part of Festival O23
26-30 October 2023
DRIFT: An Opera in Three Acts
New Opera Workshop @ Opera America
DRIFT is a story of motherhood, migration and climate change, exploring the forces that drive families from their homes into the uncertain refuge of new lands. Braiding an intimate narrative between Esmeralda and her childhood friend, James, DRIFT opens in a glacial landscape scarred by ecological disaster. Swinging between the domestic and the surreal, the second act returns to the terminal green of the characters’ youths as they navigate in a toxic-laden panorama of swamplands and power plants. An intersectional portrait of identity, DRIFT necessitates a radically new examination of motherlands, geography and memory.
Original story and libretto by J. Mae Barizo, and music by Alyssa Weinberg. Currently under development, supported by Opera America’s Discovery Grant program and made possible by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation. DRIFT is actively looking for additional support and welcomes interest from co-commissioners and presenters.
12 November 2023
Soloist with Theotokos and special guest William Christie of Les Arts Florissants
19 November 2023
Les chevelures voice-piano recital
Raha Mirzadegan, soprano
Sarah Young, piano
Stone Ridge, New York
7 December 2023
Cantatas: Yesterday and Today
Music of Telemann and Balliett
Presented by Five Buroughs Music Festival
THEOTOKOS
St. Mary’s Grand Street, NYC
RAHA MIRZADEGAN, soprano
LEIKEN, tenor
WILL COPELAND, violin
CLAY ZELLER-TOWNSON, bassoon
KELSEY BURNHAM, flute
DOUG BALLIETT, viola da gamba
ELLIOT FIGG, harpsichord
Theotokos performs old and new sacred music, linking the liturgical traditions of the Baroque with contemporary compositional voices.
31 December 2023
Gawain and the Green Knight
A Medieval New Year’s Legend
by Doug Balliett
Raha reprises the role of Guinevere
New York City
Performed by Elisse Albian, Jesse Blumberg, Taylor Ward, Jonathan Woody, Karim Sulayman, Elisa Sutherland, Raha Mirzadegan, members of ACRONYM, Ruckus, AMOC, and more.
Gawain and the Green Knight: a Christmas story, a horror story, a romance, a paean to nature. All set at King Arthur’s court which huddles in its luxury on the borders of unforgiving wilderness and forces unknown. Gawain has agreed to have his head chopped off in a year’s time. But why? And can he live up to his promise, or his legendary perfection?
1-4 January 2024
Gawain and the Green Knight studio recording
Oktaven Studios
18 February 2024
Les chevelures voice-piano recital
Raha Mirzadegan, soprano
Sarah Young, piano
Stone Ridge, New York
Mark your calendars for 4 o’clock on February 18th, for an hour-long concert featuring works by Fauré, Debussy, Ravel, Britten, Purcell, and Vaughan Williams, followed by a reception with delicious food offerings.
Raha Mirzadegan and Sarah Young return to Stone Ridge, New York for their second recital as the voice-piano duo Les Chevelures. The two began their friendship and musical collaboration while undergraduate students at the University of Maryland, College Park. They are thrilled to be back to share this music with the wonderful community at CTK, Stone Ridge.
28 March 2024
Marenzio: Salve Regina
Theotokos, Midtown Concerts
Elisse Albian ~ soprano
Raha Mirzadegan ~ soprano
Elisa Sutherland ~ alto
leiken ~ tenor
Emery Kerekes ~ bass
Doug Balliett ~ viol & director
Elliot Figg ~ organ
1 May 2024
J.S. BACH: MASS IN B MINOR
Clarion
12 June 2024
OCKEGHEM MARATHON AT THE MET CLOISTERS
Over a period of five hours, the different instrumental and vocal consorts from The Clarion Choir and The Clarion Orchestra will explore the works of Johannes Ockeghem in various parts of the Cloisters, including the Romanesque Hall, Cuxa Cloister, Langon Chapel, and Saint Guilhem Cloister. Ockeghem was one of the most influential early Renaissance composers and an important proponent of the Franco-Flemish School. After looking at his earlier and middle period works with smaller ensembles throughout the day, the Clarion singers and players will come together for a final concert of his later works from 7-8pm in the glorious Fuentidueña Chapel.