Cristina Radu

Cristina Radu (born January 7, 1979) is a Romanian musician.

Studies
Cristina Radu began early her musical training, taken classes of violin and piano and singing in the Romanian Radio Children’s Choir where she had several musical experiences in the scope of Concerts and Vocal-Symphonic performances at the Romanian Radio Concert Hall in Bucharest, and also in international musical tours – in Belgium, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Finland and the USA.

She studied voice under Maria Slătinaru-Nistor, graduating the National Music University in Bucharest in 2003. She also participated in several Master Classes with prestigious singers like Ileana Cotrubaş (2004, 2007, 2008), Virginia Zeani (2003), Felicity Lott (2003), Ionel Pantea (2007), and Denice Graves (2003).

Musical competitions
Soprano Cristina Radu is the winner of several national and international competitions: First Prize in the International Competition „Joseph Schmidt”, Romania (2007), Premier prix de Finaliste in “Verviers International Singing Competition” – Belgium (2005), Great Award in the National Competition “Mihail Jora”, Romania (2001), Second Prize and the Special prize of the Jury at the National Competition „Martian Negrea”, Romania (2002), The Prize of the Union of Romanian Composers and Musicologist at „The National Competition of Romanian Song”, Romania (2003), The Prize of the Foundation “Fratii bucovineni Sarghie”, The National University of Bucharest, Romania (2003).

Professional experience
Cristina Radu made her professional debut in 2003 as Donna Elvira in Mozart's Don Giovanni at The National Opera House from Bucharest, Romania. In Romania literara, the musicologist Valentina Sandu-Dediu wrote after this performance: „Cristina Radu seems to be an ideal Donna Elvira. Her vocal qualities together with her intelligence guide her to versatility in every musical score she performs. Her success as a mozartian dramatic soprano is only to certify a brilliant career debut.”

From 2003 Cristina Radu is engaged in Brasov Opera Company where she developed her artistic personality and she undertook tours of performances on European stages (in Great Britain, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Spain) with great success. After a performance with Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, Henry Ford wrote in Herefordshire: ”But it is over the characters of Clorinda in Cenerentola and Norina in Pasquale that the magician’s wand has passed, for both are played by Cristina Radu. When, in the near future, La Radu is being fought over by La Scala, the Met and Covent Garden, we happy few in Malvern will be able to say: Ah, but we saw and heard her first.”

She also participate in concerts with The New Europe Symphony Orchestra – conducted by Silvio Wyler; The Romanian Radio Chamber Orchestra – conducted by Vlad Conta; The Contemporary Music Ensemble „Profil” conducted by Tiberiu Soare; The „Philarmonia Orchestra” conducted by Nicolae Iliescu and “Camerata Valahica” conducted by Mikis Mihailidis.

Cristina Radu is performing recitals with the cellists Alexandru Morosanu, Laura Buruiana; the baritone Andras Chiriliuc and the pianists Alexandru Petrovici, Eugen Dumitrescu, Corina Răducanu, Tatiana Moroşanu in the Concert halls in Bucharest (The Romanian Atheneum, The Radio Concert Hall, The National Opera, The Cotroceni Palace, The Cantacuzino Palace, St.Iosif Cathedral) and in Braşov, Sinaia, Galaţi, Iaşi, Suceava, Râmnicu Vâlcea, Târgovişte.

She also participated in Radio broadcasts and TV shows (TVR Cultural – 2003, 2005, 2008; TVR1 – 2005; TVRM – 2003, 2005; TVS & RTT Brasov – 2005, 2007, 2008).

Repertory
Her lyrical repertory comprises operas of Mozart (“Don Giovanni”, “Le Nozze di Figaro”, “Cosi fan tutte”), Bizet (“Les Pecheurs des perles”, “Carmen”), Offenbach (“Les Contes d’Hoffmann”), Bellini ("Norma"), Puccini (“La Boheme”), Leoncavallo ("I Pagliacci") etc. In 2007 Cristina Radu performed in the first audition of the Spanish opera „La Casa de Bernarda Alba” of Miguel Ortega (with the role of Angustias).

Songs from French repertoire (G.Faure, C.Debussy, H.Duparc, M.Ravel, F.Poulenc, E.Chausson), German repertoire (F.Schubert, R.Schumann, J.Brahms, R.Strauss, R.Wagner, H.Wolf, G.Mahler), Russian repertoire (S.Rachmaninov, P.I.Tchaikovsky, M.Glinka, M.Mussorgski), Spanish repertoire (De Falla, Turina, Obradors) and Romanian repertoire (G.Enescu, M.Jora, D.Gheciu, I.Perlea, D.Popovici, N.Bretan, F.Donceanu, C.P.Basacopol).

Recordings
2005: „Romanian Contemporary Music” – Compact Disc recorded with “Philarmonia Orchestra” from Bucharest, conducted by Nicolae Iliescu. The works recorded: the cantatas „Iarba pământului” of Dan Buciu and „In Memoriam Fundoianu” of Doru Popovici.

2002-2003: Songs by Grieg, Faure, Rachmaninov, Jora and Gheciu recorded with the pianist Alexandru Petrovici – for the Romanian Radio.