Alexandra has performed in major concert halls around the world including China, Germany (Alte Oper Frankfurt, Munich Philharmonie), Great Britain (Queen Elisabeth Hall, The Barbican,The Purcell Room, The Dukes Hall), Greece (Megaron Concert Hall,Olympic Stadium, Herodion Atticus, Roman Agora), Belgium (Palais des Beaux Arts),Holland (Concertgebouw), Japan (Bunka Kaikan), Vienna, Spain, Israel, Sweden, Cyprus, Turkey, Hungary, Italy, the USA, Malaysia, Chile, Brazil, The United Emirates, Mexico and Lebanon.
In January 2017 she received the Greek UNESCO prize for her contribution to the ARTS and in January 2020 she was awarded by the Association of Greek Actors for her International Artistic Achievements. An impressively wide repertoire is at Alexandra’s command. As a spirit wide open to every kind of good music, she lends her exquisite voice to most different styles. Her Greek roots have played a significant part in her career. The performance of Greek Contemporary composers form an essential part of her recital programs.
She has premiered works by internationally acclaimed composers like Mikis Theodorakis, Mimis Plessas, George Tsontakis, Jonnusuke Yamamoto, Demosthenes Stephanides, Francis James Brown, Dante Borsetto, Otto Freudenthal, Achim Burg and Harue Kunieda.
Her passion for Greek’s heritage of music and poetry is very dear to her heart. She belongs to the new generation of Greek singers that very successfully combines the western traditional classical singing with her Greek musical roots. No wonder she has been referred to as “Cultural Ambassador” for her country Greece.
Her recordings incl. the symphonic work “Raven” by Mikis Theodorakis with the State Academic Cappella of St. Petersburg, conducted by the composer, OPERA by Dante Borsetto, “Hommage à C. Cavafy” and “The Dream of Icarus” conducted by Richard Williams, “Das Wort alter Steine” and “Unstete Wege” by Achim Burg, “Blind Tears” by Demosthenes Stephanides, which won the TOMOS Contemporary Music Award in the USA. So far she has released three personal albums SONGBOOK 1/ On the wings of love, SONGBOOK 2 #discoveries and SONGBOOK 3/El Amor Es Vida.
“Each of her interpretations is a thorough penetration into the most hidden aspects of my work.”
“Θέλω να σταθώ σε μια Ελληνίδα του κόσμου, σε μια πιστή ιέρεια της μουσικής τη φίλη μου Αλεξάνδρα Γκράβας που είχα την τύχη να ακούσω για πρώτη φορά όταν ερμήνευσε με την σπάνιας έκφρασης και λυρικότητας φωνή της το συμφωνικό μου τραγούδι “RAVEN” και “Έρως και Θάνατος” σε περιοδεία μας στην Γερμανία υπό την δική μου μουσική διεύθυνση. Κάθε ερμηνεία της είναι και μια ενδελεχής διείσδυση στην πιο απόκρυφη πτυχή του έργου μου.”
Mikis Theodorakis
“I first met Alexandra Gravas when we did an event together at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, and I was greatly struck by the power and beauty of her singing. I believe that this power and beauty derives from her passionate love of the music that she sings. She is, of course, technically a marvellous singer, and she has enormous vitality and presence on the stage, but her greatest ability is that of singing straight from the heart so that her music resonates in the heart of the listener. She has a vast repertoire that spans everything from Schubert’s songs to Greek lullabies, and she sings all of it with a profound understanding that music is more than just constructed sound.
Alexandra knows that it is about communication, and so she dedicates herself to communicating with all of us, disdaining the barriers of language and culture that the world has unkindly strewn in our path, in the same way that a bird flies over tank traps and borders without even knowing that they are there.
When I listen to Alexandra, even when it is only at the dinner table, and she has just put her knife and fork down in order to demonstrate a little piece of a song, I have the feeling that music comes not from her, but through her from somewhere beyond. She is among those who have been picked out as one of life’s messengers.”
Louis de Bernières/Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
“Τhe unique color of your voice, your tremendous musical education as well as your perfect singing in German, English and your beautiful Greek…”
Mimis Plessas, Legendary Greek Composer
“Hicimos un viaje musical a través de Grecia a cargo de la mezzosoprano griega Alexandra Gravas, acompañada al piano por el polaco-mexicano Jósef Olechowski, que auténticamente nos llevó a sentir las brisas del Egeo y sus aromas, lo ardiente del su suelo helénico y, también, la belleza de sus flores y la rítmica delicadeza de su poesía emanada de Kavafis y Constantinidis, sin olvidar a Theodorakis, Hadjidakis y Mitropoulos…”
Mexico/ Magazine “Proceso”/Raul Diaz
“Alexandra Gravas, esta no solo probo su exquisite adecuación vocal para este repertorio – matización cuidada, richa paleta de colores, purezza de linea, fiato generoso, pianissimo infallibles-, sino que también su talent de comédienne, en el más noble sentido del término francés, y su habilidades poliglotas en griego, inglés, alemán y castellano.”
Santiago de Chile/ El Mercurio/Folch
“The concert began with the distinctive singing and amazing voice of Lady Alexandra Gravas and pianist Lucas Sakr, Alexandra sang a “Mouwashah”: “Lamma bada yatathanna” in Arabic, which won the admiration of the public and warm applauses.”
Lebanon/ ELLE Arabia
“… Η τέλεια ταύτιση λόγου καί μελωδίας που ερμηνεύονται με πάθος, εσωτερικότητα και απλότητα από μια πλούσια εκφραστική φωνή…”
Η Σημερινή Κύπρος
“Gravas was a marvel as the shuffling faithful Suzuki, with beautiful warmth in her solo sections and singing in duets and trios…”
Malaysia-The star/ Jason Cheah
“Alexandra Gravas was the shining star of the evening. Her clear and powerful voice did justice to the very dramatic arias.”
Germany-Frankfurter Rundschau/ Nicola Prietze
“(…) Die griechische Mezzosopranistin Alexandra Gravas begeisterte mit einem Ausflug in die klassische Moderne.(…)”
Wiesbadener Tagblatt
“(…), während Gravas die Kostproben aus dem Oratorium “to Axion Esti”(“Gepriesen Sei”) mit weichem Timbre und volumenreichem Schmelz anstimmte.”
Frankfurter Neue Presse Online (car)
“(…) Und es war eine Stimme von großer Schönheit zu hören: schlank im Klang, mit dunkel timbriertem Farbenreichtum, aufs Einfühlsamste am Klavier unterstützt. (…) diese Liebessehnsucht evozierte Gravas mit ihrer Stimme und einnehmender Präsenz klasse.(…) gelang der Mezzosopranistin im Stimmungswechsel zwischen Hoffnung und Tränen mit einer besonders reichen Klangpalette zu gestalten.”
Germany/ Schwetzinger Zeitung
“Throughout the selection of 16 songs for voice and piano and the tribute to Constantinidis in the first half, Alexandra Gravas kept the audience captivated, with a voice which, was thoroughly capable of a wide range of emotions and colours.”
London-Musical Opinion/Manus Carey
“Alexandra Gravas guarantees an idiomatic validity in her diction.(…) Her timbre is of a soft but also at the same time of huge volume with excellent presence in all registers.”
Magazin.Klassik.com, Eric Daumer
“Her rich voice is perfectly produced with a clarity of intonation and expression. Her vocal ability expresses the deep meaning and the perfect combination of words and melody.”
Rheinpfalz Zeitung/ Ursula Biffar
“Of a different kind is the 1970 composed opus „Raven“, which Theodorakis finished working on in 1993 (…). The dark coloured and expressive voice of Alexandra Gravas fits perfectly the mood of farewell, which the composer worshippes throughout the piece.”
Internet-FONO Forum, Martin Demmler
“Hers is a naturally soft and warm voice of unique quality and her interpretations are given with deep expression and at the same time with disarming simplicity.”
Germany-Stadtanzeiger/ Neustadt an der Weinstrasse
