bio
Mezzo-soprano Lilia Istratii was born in the Republic of Moldova in 1994 and is currently a soloist at the Romanian Opera of Craiova. She has also been a soloist at the National Opera and Ballet Theatre in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova.
In 2024, Lilia made her debut as Carmen at the Theatro Municipal de São Paulo to great public and critical acclaim in a grand production directed by Jorge Takla under the musical direction of Roberto Minczuk.
In 2023, she debuted at the National Opera of Bucharest, Romania, as Maddalena, the same year she received the 'Maria Bieșu' Excellence Award as Voice of the Year, granted by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Musicians of Moldova.
In 2019, Lilia debuted at the Wielki Theatre - Polish National Opera in Warsaw as Olga in Tchaikovsky's 'Eugene Onegin'.
Her repertoire includes, among others, Carmen by Bizet, Polina (The Queen of Spades) by Tchaikovsky, Lyubasha (The Tsar's Bride) by Korsakov, Suzuki (Madama Butterfly) by Puccini, Maddalena (Rigoletto) and Fenena (Nabucco) by Verdi, Lola (Cavalleria Rusticana) by Mascagni, Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus) by Johann Strauss , as well as solo parts of Stabat Mater by Rossini, Dixit Dominus by Vivaldi, Messa de Buenos Aires by Palmieri, Verdi's Requiem, and many works by Beethoven, Bach and Mozart.
Recent performances include Maddalena (Rigoletto) at the National Opera of Iasi Romania, La Frugola (Il Tabarro) at the Varna Summer International Music Festival, the Verdi's Requiem with the Luxembourg Philharmonie and symphonic concerts at the International Festival Vinopera, Musica Ricercata Festival and a collaboration with FRANCECONCERT performing concerts in Belgium, Netherland and France.
Lilia's future engagements include Sextus (La Clemenza di Tito) in Bucharest, Rosete (Manon) in Turin (Italy), Mahler #3 in Albuquerque (United States) and Campinas (Brazil), Bruckner Mass #3 and Verdi's Requiem with Luxembourg Philharmonic etc.
Lilia was a finalist at the 4th Eva Marton International Singing Competition 2021, and at the Opera Crown International Singing Competition 2018 in Tbilisi, Georgia.
She studied at the Academy of Music, Theatre and Fine Arts in Chisinau, Moldova, between 2013 and 2019, graduating with a bachelor and a master’s degree, specialized in bel canto.
reviews
"On Saturday (4/5), the performance of singer Lilia Istratii from Moldova surprised with her spontaneity, physical beauty, and colorful vocal expression. She has a timbre of rare beauty and successfully sang and portrayed both the Habanera and all her other famous passages in the opera."
Carmen, São Paulo Municipal Theater 2024
Marco Antonio Seta, operaeballet
"Istratii lacks neither temperament nor "physique du rôle," demonstrating robust and homogeneous vocal quality across all registers, without ever losing intensity or commitment throughout the three-hour performance."
Carmen, São Paulo Municipal Theater 2024
Irineu Franco Perpétuo
"Liliana Istratii sang Olga with impeccable textual awareness and an easy, sunny mezzo."
Treatr Wielki - Polish National Opera Warsaw
operatraveller.com 2019