About
Blaise Rantoanina is an opera singer specializing in the Mozart, bel canto and French repertoire. Possessing a light lyric tenor voice (tenore di grazia), he is distinguished by his bright timbre, refined vocal elegance and strong stage presence.
He discovered classical music in Madagascar through his church choir, where he was deeply moved by Mozart’s Coronation Mass, a defining moment that sparked his vocation. Due to the lack of formal musical training institutions in his home country, he moved to France to pursue his studies. He trained at the Conservatoire Francis Poulenc and later at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, where he earned a Master’s degree in vocal performance.
Named ADAMI Classical Revelation in 2016, he further established himself by winning both the Audience Prize and the Mady Mesplé Prize at the Voix d’Afrique Competition in 2023.
From 2018 to 2021, he was a soloist at the Theater Trier (Germany), where he gained extensive stage experience performing key roles such as Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni) and Count Almaviva (Il barbiere di Siviglia).
He is now regularly invited to perform on major opera stages in France and internationally, including the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées (Paris), Opéra d’Avignon, Opéra de Limoges, Opéra de Toulon, and the Elgin & Winter Garden Theatre in Toronto.
His repertoire includes major light lyric tenor roles such as Nemorino (L’elisir d’amore), Ferrando (Così fan tutte), Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), Belmonte (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), Count Almaviva (Il barbiere di Siviglia) and Paris (La Belle Hélène).
He has collaborated with leading figures in the opera world, including stage directors Jean-Louis Grinda, Marshall Pynkoski and Jean-Claude Berutti, as well as conductors Karina Canellakis, Hervé Niquet and Patrick Davin.
His performances have been praised by critics:
- “an agile and expressive tenor” (Les Mamelles de Tirésias, ClassiqueNews)
- “a bright, well-projected and resonant voice” (Falstaff, Olyrix)
- “a plaintive, strange and haunting vocal quality” (Boris Godounov, Première Loge)
- “a voice that captivates […] among the most appreciated moments” (Forum Opéra)
Recognized for his musicality, stylistic refinement and expressive depth, Blaise Rantoanina is pursuing an international career of growing prominence on the opera stage.
