Described by the «Times» as “a baroque star”, and an untiring promoter and reference artist of baroque culture, countertenor Raffaele Pe’s repertoire ranges from Recitar cantando to the contemporary operas specifically written for his voice.
In 2019 he was awarded the Abbiati Prize by Italian Music Critics for Best Album with his Giulio Cesare. A Baroque Hero. The CD, elected one of the best 2018 recordings by “Times” and “Die Welt”, presents arias dedicated to Julius Caesar that are either world premieres or modern times premieres.
Raffaele Pe collaborates with top level conductors and stage directors like Jordi Savall, John Eliot Gardiner, William Christie, René Jacobs, Giovanni Antonini, Graham Vick, Claus Guth, Pierluigi Pizzi, and Damiano Michieletto.
In 2015 he created the musical and artistic collective La Lira di Orfeo with which he has made five recordings and created the “Orfeo Week” festival in his hometown Lodi.
Considered one of the most refined interpreters of Handel, he has performed iconic roles from most of his operas, like Giulio Cesare, Rinaldo, Orlando, Serse, Nero, Arbace, Aci, Disinganno, and has been invited by some of the most important theatres and institutions, like the Teatro alla Scala, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Berlin Staatsoper, Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Teatro La Fenice di Venezia, Theater an der Wien, Teatro Real in Madrid, Opéra National du Rhin, The Grange Festival and Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires.
He has also dedicated himself to the music of Monteverdi, Cavalli, and of some less known composers from the late seventeenth century. Of these operas he has often been the protagonist in modern days world premieres. Some of these include Cavalli’s Hipermestra at the Glyndebourne Opera Festival, Melani’s Empio Punito and Marazzoli’s Amore Malato at the Teatro Verdi in Pisa, as well as Cavalli’s Veremonda at the Spoleto Festival US.
He has always combined an intense theatre activity with concert performances in some of the most important halls and international symphonic institutions, like the Philharmonie in Berlin, Musikverein in Vienna, Philharmonie de Paris, Palau de la Musica in Barcelona, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome and the Wigmore Hall in London.
Lebanese pianist, composer, and visual artist Zad Moultaka has composed the opera Hémon specifically for Raffaele Pe’s vocal traits. The new creation – based on Sophocles’ Antigone – premiered at the Opéra du Rhin in Strasburg last March with Raffaele Pe performing in the baritone range first, then in the soprano one.