Rame Lahaj

INTRODUCTION

Rame Lahaj is a tremendously talented and celebrated lyric tenor with an impressive international career. His recognizable voice all’ italiana has exceptional color and timbrical qualities. He has ’present’ passion in his singing and charismatic scenic presence.

He is considered one of the most prominent singers in his generation.

RECENT AND FUTURE ENGAGEMENTS

Most recent engagements in 2022, 2023 and 2024 and future highlights include among others:

• Alfredo Germont/La Traviata at Teatro Comunale di Bologna;
• Cavaradossi/Tosca at Seattle Opera, Opera National Lorraine de Nancy, the Latvian National Opera in Riga, and Opera Hong Kong;
• Corrado/Il Corsaro at Teatro Petruzzelli di Bari;
• Rodolfo/La Bohème and Edgardo/Lucia di Lammermoor at Wrocław Opera;
• Duca/Rigoletto at the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb;
• a tenor guest soloist in the Placido Domingo Galà Concert at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg;
• New Year’s Gala Concert at Teatro Verdi di Padova;
• “3 Tenors” Gala Concerts in Ankara and Istanbul (w. Marcelo Álvarez and Murat Karahan);
• “3 Tenors” Gala Concerts in Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir (w. Ramón Vargas and Murat Karahan);
• Puccini Galà Concerts in Kristiansand, Norway;
• a Gala concert w. the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra.

BIOGRAPHY

Rame Lahaj is an operatic tenor well-known for regularly performing in the most prestigious opera houses in the world. Among his notable roles are Alfredo (La Traviata), Duke of Mantua (Rigoletto), Rodolfo (La Bohème), Edgardo (Lucia di Lammermoor), and Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly).

Born in Istog, Kosovo, he grew up in a non-musical family of eight children. Being born and raised in a country ruled by a totalitarian regime for many years had a significant impact on Lahaj’s early life; he was only 15 years old when the Kosovo war broke out. Rame Lahaj is the first artist in Kosovo, both before and after the war, to perform in the most important scenes of the international arena in the world of opera, alongside big names like opera legend Placido Domingo, who also awarded him The World Opera Competition’s most prestigious and important prize, “Operalia” in 2016.

Lahaj spent the first decade of his worldwide career performing in the most famous theaters, including the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Paris National Opera, Bolshoi Theater Moscow, Arena di Verona, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Los Angeles Opera, Teatro Real-Madrid, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Staatsoper Berlin, Haus Für Mozart-Salzburg, Opera Australia Sydney, Royal Albert Hall, Semperoper Dresden, Opera Tel Aviv, Teatro Massimo di Palermo, Teatro Petruzzelli, La Monnaie de Munt, Staatsoper Hamburg, Polish National Opera, Hungarian State Opera, Oslo Opera House, Finnish National Opera, and others.

Highlights from Previous Seasons

Following the pandemic, Rame Lahaj began the 2020/21 season at Opera Australia Sydney as Alfredo in the Handa Opera On Sydney Harbour open-air production of La Traviata, broadcasted in many cinemas around the world. In 2021 he performed in the role of Rodolfo in La Bohème at the Royal Opera House in London, followed by Duca di Mantova/Rigoletto in Montpellier and a debut in the new role of Mario Cavaradossi in Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca at Teatro Petruzzelli di Bari, where he shared the stage together with Ailyn Pérez, Franco Vassallo, and others and Giampaolo Bisanti as a conductor.

Season 2019/2020‘s highlights include Alfredo in La Traviata at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and Nemorino/L’Elisir d’amore at Teatro Real de Madrid. By the end of 2020, Rame returned to the Bolshoi Theatre Moscow to reprise his roles in La Traviata and La Bohème.

Most notable engagements in 2018/19 include house debut as Pinkerton/Madama Butterfly at Gran Teatre de Liceu de Barcelona, Alfredo/La Traviata at Los Angeles Opera w. James Conlon, Alfredo/La Traviata and Rodolfo/La Bohème at Bolshoi Theatre, Alfredo/La Traviata at Staatsoper unter den Linden Berlin, Bruckner: Te Deum in C major (25’) at Borusan Istanbul Philharmonics as well as the Latvian National Opera’s 100th-anniversary celebration.

Highlights in 2017/18 include Alfredo/La Traviata with Placido Domingo at the Paris National Opera and at the Bolshoi in Moscow w. Sokhiev, where Rame Lahaj also performed Rodolfo/La Bohème, Duca/Rigoletto at the Finnish National Opera in Helsinki and with Kasper Holten in Malmoe, a Verdi Opera Night Concert in Arena di Verona as well as international concert tours, among others with Angela Gheorghiu in South Korea and in Mexico with Orquestra Filarmonica de Jalisco

Highlights in season 2016/17 include Edgardo/Lucia di Lammermoor at the Paris National Opera, the title role of Faust in Tel Aviv, Duca/Rigoletto with McVickar at Savonlinna Opera Festival as well as concerts in London and Mexico next to Placido Domingo.

In 2014/15 and 2015/16 the artist performed Duca di Mantova/Rigoletto at Haus für Mozart in Salzburg, Duca di Mantova/Rigoletto and Alfredo/La Traviata at Polish National Opera in Warsaw, Alfredo/La Traviata at Opera Australia in Sydney, Rodolfo/La Bohème at Teatro Verdi in Trieste, Pinkerton/Madama Butterfly at Puccini Festival Torre del Lago and at Opera Las Palmas. He also inaugurated the new ‘Amber’ Concert Hall in Latvia.

In 2014 Rame Lahaj made his house debuts as Duca di Mantova/Rigoletto at La Monnaie de Bruxelles, as Alfredo/La Traviata at the Hamburg State Opera and as Duca di Mantova/Rigoletto at Deutsche Oper Berlin.

In season 2013/2014 the artist was also at Semperoper Dresden as Duca di Mantova/Rigoletto, Alfredo/La Traviata and Rodolfo/La Bohème. Moreover, he performed Rodolfo/La Bohème at Royal Albert Hall in London.

In 2012 he performed Rodolfo/La Bohème in France at National Opéra de Montpellier. His Italian debut turned out to be a great success with the performance of Rigoletto in the role of Duca di Mantova at Teatro Massimo di Palermo.

A first major success was his debut at the Hungarian State Opera in Budapest in 2011 with the role of Macduff/Macbeth.

EDUCATION

Rame Lahaj graduated as an honor student from The Academy of Arts in Tirana.