​Raffaella Lo Castro
​

​

From South Africa to the United States

​

Born and raised in South Africa, Italian-American mezzo-soprano Raffaella Lo Castro moved to the United States to pursue her music career following a fortuitous meeting with the late soprano Kathleen Cassello, whom she had the opportunity to sing for while Cassello was touring South Africa as one of the Three Sopranos.

Surrounded by musical influences from an early age — her father was a violinist in Milan — Raffaella discovered her own love of singing as a child. She later received a music grant from the Natal Playhouse Foundation in South Africa to continue her studies in the United States.

 

Concert & Oratorio

​

Raffaella’s professional concert engagements include appearances as a soloist with the Johannesburg Festival Orchestra in Mendelssohn’s Elijah and in concert with the Natal Philharmonic Orchestra. She has given solo recitals throughout Natal Province in South Africa and appeared in recital in Singapore and Hiroshima, Japan. In the United States, her solo appearances have included performances in Washington, D.C., New York City and throughout the greater Philadelphia region.

​

Recent highlights include her solo debut in Verdi’s Requiem with the Westminster Presbyterian Festival Orchestra and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia with VoxAmaDeus. She has also performed and recorded Mendelssohn’s Elijah at Washington National Cathedral with the Wayne Oratorio Society.

​

Raffaella returned to the Wayne Oratorio Society as alto soloist in Mozart’s Requiem and John Knowles Paine’s Mass in D and will join the ensemble again in fall 2026 for Suppé’s Requiem and Handel’s Messiah.

She has also performed on Andrea Bocelli’s world tour, including an appearance at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In 2026, Raffaella joined the Philadelphia Symphonic Choir, resident choir of The Philadelphia Orchestra, and will perform in Wagner’s Lohengrin during the 2026–27 season.​

 

Opera & Stage

​

On the operatic stage, Raffaella made her debut in the title role of Carmen with Delaware Valley Opera Company and has also performed the title role in Mascagni’s Zanetto with Capitol Opera Harrisburg. Her role highlights include Madame de Croissy in Dialogues of the Carmelites, Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica, and the Duchess in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Gondoliers.

​

Raffaella originated the role of Madame Germaine de Staël in the 2022 world premiere of Girondines with Wilmington Concert Opera and appears on the original cast recording, released in 2023.

She made her OperaDelaware mainstage debut in Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking and covered the role of Jade Boucher. She subsequently returned to the company for productions of Turandot and Andrea Chénier.

 

Additional engagements have included performances with Opera Philadelphia, The Orchestra Society of Philadelphia, members of the Delaware Symphony Orchestra and the vocal ensemble of Pennsylvania Ballet.

​

Raffaella was also a member of The Philadelphia Singers, formerly the resident chorus of The Philadelphia Orchestra. As part of a select group of singers from the ensemble, she participated in the world-premiere recording of Randall Thompson’s Requiem, released by Naxos Records.

​

Training & Artistic Development

​

Raffaella has had the privilege of working with distinguished teachers and coaches in the United States and South Africa. Her first voice teacher, at the age of nine, was British recording artist Eve Boswell. From an early age, Raffaella was exposed to high-caliber musical training and performance opportunities while pursuing her love of both singing and acting.

​

Beyond the Concert Stage

​

Beyond the concert stage, Raffaella brings her performance experience to the screen as an on-air talent and commercial model, appearing on live television for a national shopping network and in branded lifestyle campaigns. Her work across stage and camera reflects a versatile career built on storytelling, presence and connecting with audiences.

 

Education & Professional Life

​

In addition to her independent music studies, Raffaella completed undergraduate studies in Vocal Performance at the University of Natal in South Africa. Since immigrating to the United States, she has earned an M.B.A. in Organizational Management from Eastern University in St. Davids, Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Marketing Management from Goldey-Beacom College in Wilmington, Delaware.

​

Raffaella is the founder and principal consultant of Accent Strategies LLC, a communications and professional development consultancy.

​She is a member of the American Guild of Musical Artists and OPERA America.