Rafael Helbig-Kostka - tenor: CV

Photo: 2023 - Enno Hesse

Young Lyric Tenor Rafael Helbig-Kostka, praised by the press for this „beautiful timbre", his "flexible and smooth voice, which he uses with ease and effordless", his "perfect coloratura", his „multiple vocal and acting expressiveness“, as well as for his „exuberant stage temperament“ and his "comic talent", and characterized as „subtle bundle of energy to his fingertips", was awarded in 2021 for his interpretation of MALE CHORUS in Britten's „The Rape of Lucretia“ at Landestheater Linz with the Austrian award <Golden Schikaneder> in the category <Best male newcomer singer> .

"... Rafael Helbig-Kostka impressed

with elegant phrasing,

a beautiful soft tenor

and a perfect, nearly, Ritish-clear diction Although only a observer

and commentator,

he was nevertheless able ,

with emotional depth and touching empathy with the acting characters

also serve the audience

as emotional stability point in the play..."

(IOCO)

Since the 2023/24 season, Mr Helbig-Kostka is a member of the Nationaltheater Mannheim, where he will appear in the Mozart-parts of FERRANDO in "Cosi fan tutte" under the baton of Jānis Lipinš and in stage direction of Tatiana Gürbaca, and of DON OTTAVIO in "Don Giovanni" staged by Alexander Mørk-Eidem; as PANG in Puccini’s „Turandot“ under Roberto Rizzi Brignoli, SCARAMUCCIO in R. Strauss "Ariadne auf Naxos", in stage direction of Yona Kim, JESTER and BOJAR in Mussorgsky's "Boris Godunov", staged by Lorenzo Fioroni and as ALFRED in Johann Strauß‘ famous operetta „Die Fledermaus" (The Bat).

In addition, he will return as WALTHER von der VOGELWEIDE to the Staatstheater Meiningen, where he was a member of the ensemble until 2022/23, performing a highly acclaimed CONTE ALMAVIVA in Rossini's „Il Barbiere di Siviglia“ in stage direction of Brigitte Fassbaender; and also TAMINO in Mozart's „Die Zauberflöte“; STEUERMANN in Wagner's „Der Fliegende Holländer“; VICTORIN in Korngold's „Die Tote Stadt“,; 4. JUDE in R. Strauss‘ „Salome“ in stage direction of Verena Stoiber; TENOR in a staged „Messiah“, CARAMELLO in Strauß` operetta “Eine Nacht in Venedig“, as well as AURELIUS in the opera-re-discovery „Santa Chiara“ by Duke Ernst II. von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha in stage direction of Hendrik Müller.

The tenor had the pleasure to work with conductora und stage directors such as Philippe Bach, Jochen Biganzoli, Jonathan Brandani, KS Brigitte Fassbaender, Achim Freyer, Ansgar Haag , Andrea Marchiol, Kay Metzger, Kurt Horres, Hendrik Müller, Johannes Pölzgutter, Hermann Schneider, Harish Shankar, Andreas von Studnitz, Verena Stoiber Leslie Suganandarajah and Thomas Weber-Schallauer.

German born Rafael Helbig-Kostka, was raised in Nord-California, where he received already singing-lessons in early childhood as a boy's-soprano.

He studied at the California State University Stanislaus (Bachelor's degree) and the New England Conservatory in Boston (Master's degree), and completed his education at the International Vocal Arts Institute in Virginia, the Lyric Opera Studio in Weimar (Germany) and the Operastudio of Theater Linz (Austria), where he,

"...shone with splendid and radiant tenor..." (onlinemerker)

as GRAF BOLESLAV, the male main part in Joseph Beer's "Die Polnische Hochzeit", and also embodied PEDRILLO in Mozart's „Die Entführung aus dem Serail“, PAOLINO in Cimarosa's "Il Matrimonio Segreto", BRAHMANE SCHRIDAMAN in Peggy Glanville-Hicks „The Transposed Heads“ , 1. SCHÄFER in Michael Obst's world-premiere „Unter dem Gletscher“, TENOR in Peter Androsch's world-premiere "Die Schule oder das Alphabet der Welt", as well as the roles of SARDANAPALO in Liszt's re-discovered opera of the same title and SIMON in the German / Austrian premiere of the piece by Gerhard Stäbler

During his study period, Rafael apeared in Boston as REKTOR in Janáček's „The cumming little vixen“, PYLADES in Gluck' „Iphigénie en Tauride“, RINUCCIO in Puccini's „Gianni Schicchi“ and in the Mozart-parts of TAMINO in „The Magic Flute“ and FERRANDO in „Cosí fan tutte“.

And at Californian Townsend Opera Company (now Modesto Opera), he was REMEMNDADO in Bizet's „Carmen“ and GIUSEPPE in Verdi's „La Traviata“.

As <Featured Artist> at Pittsburgh Festival Opera, he sang the ITALIAN TENOR in Richard Strauss‘ „Capriccio“ (understudy FLAMAND) and DON BASILIO in Mozart's „Le Nozze di Figaro“.

and as member of the <Gerdine Young Artist Program> at Opera Theatre of Saint Loius, he understudied the parts of TITO in Mozart's „La Clemenza di Tito“, of BERTHOLD/FLOGGER/TITORELLI in the North-American premiere of Philip Glass' „The Trial“ and of BRIGHELLA in R. Strauss' "Ariadne auf Naxos".

Competition successes included the 3rd prize at the operetta-competition at Anton Bruckner Universität Linz, as well as reaching the FINALS of the Palm Spings Opera Guild Vocal Competition and the New England Region for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.