Biography


Sarai Cole is an international soprano celebrated for her rich, powerful voice, drawing comparisons to opera legends such as Birgit Nilsson and Jessye Norman. As a Verdian and Wagnerian specialist, she has captivated audiences around the world with her heartfelt interpretations and commanding stage presence.
Most recently, Sarai performed as Elisabeth in a scene from "Tannhäuser" with the Boston Wagner Institute and portrayed Chrysothemis in "Elektra" with Dramatic Voices Berlin. She is currently covering the role of Sieglinde in "Die Walküre" with Regents Opera, further cementing her reputation as a sought-after dramatic soprano.
Her career is decorated with numerous awards and honors, including the Barry Alexander International Voice Competition (Carnegie Hall) and the Harlem Opera Theater Competition (Apollo Theater). Sarai is also the recipient of multiple grants from Wagner societies in the United States and Germany, as well as the Akademie der Künste.
Sarai’s operatic repertoire is both diverse and impressive, featuring roles such as Elisabeth (Tannhäuser), Abigaille (Nabucco), Leonora (Il Trovatore), and Aida (Aida). She has performed on renowned stages, including Carnegie Hall, the Berliner Philharmonie, Teatro Sodre in Uruguay, and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. In addition to her operatic achievements, Sarai recently completed her solo show featuring
a staged version of Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder. The production, which also incorporated poetry by women of color, explored themes of identity and belonging and was praised for its innovation and emotional resonance.
Music has been a central part of Sarai’s life since she began singing in a professional children’s choir at the age of eight. A graduate of LACHSA, she earned a BA in Acting from Rider University and an MM in Opera Performance from Temple University, where she performed roles like The First Lady (The Magic Flute), Suor Angelica (Suor Angelica), and Lady Billows (Albert Herring).
Currently based in Berlin, Sarai is an active performer at music festivals and concerts across Europe, and regularly sings for benefit concerts as well as charities, most recently a charity concert for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Offstage, she is known for her warmth, curiosity, and passion for making opera accessible to all. Whether performing on grand stages or in intimate venues, Sarai strives to connect with audiences through the universal language of music.
​
Roles Performed
Chrysoltemis - Strauss - Elektra
Stabat Mater - Pergolese - Auenkirche
​
Verdi's Requiem Soprano Soloist - Diplo Chor - Berliner Dom Concert
Cio-Cio-San - White Limozeen - Frühjarsfestival Staatsoper Stuttgart (an experimental opera featuring the arias and some scenes from Madame Butterfly)
Aida - Aida - International Verdi Society
Wardrobe - Beauty and the Beast - Newtown Theater
Georgette - Tabarro - Sunday Opera/Utah Festival Theater
Sarah - Ragtime - Music Mountain Theater
Freia/Woglinde - Das Rheingold - Lexington Symphony/Symphony NH
Waldvogel - Siegfried - Lexington Symphony/Symphony NH
Gutrune- Götterdämmerung - Lexington Symphony/Symphony NH
Suor Angelica - Suor Angelica - Chicago Summer Opera
Leonora - Il Trovatore - Center Stage Opera
Lady Billows - Albert Herring - Temple University Opera Theater
Tosca - Tosca in Concert - The Opera Project
Santuzza - Cavalleria Rusticana - Rep. Opera Theater of Washington D.C.
The First Lady - Die Zauberflöte - Temple University Opera Theater
Covered Roles
Sieglinde - Die Walküre - Wagner - Regents Opera 2025​
​
Brünnhilde - Siegfried - Wagner - Berlin Opera Gruppe 2022
​
Abigaille - Nabucco - Verdi - Oper im Berg Festival 2020
​
Serena - Porgy and Bess - Teatro Petruzzelli - 2017
Sieglinde - Die Walküre - Boston Wagner Society - 2016
Donna Elvira - Don Giovanni - Center Stage Opera - 2015
Rosalinde - Die Fledermaus - Poor Richard’s Opera - 2014