Bárbara Barradas - The voice as a reflection of the soul

By Joana Patacas, on April 16, 2024*

Soprano Bárbara Barradas , an artist whose sheer talent has been consistently praised, possesses a full-bodied, vibrant voice and a magnetizing stage presence.

His accumulated experience has allowed him to master vocal technique and incorporate an intense communication capacity and an artistic sensitivity that goes beyond performance.

With a career that transcends simple notes on a score, he guides us through a journey of artistic and personal growth, from his first childhood memories, through his training at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama and his return to Portugal, sharing the challenges he overcame, with determination and determination.

Recognized for her versatility and exceptional vocal technique, Bárbara Barradas has the unique ability to touch the hearts of not only the public, but also the critics:

" She is an exceptional artist, a natural singer (...) with a round and beautiful voice, an exceptional stage presence, and a messa di voce that, after Caballé, would be difficult to find. " - Ingo Kolonerics, director of Opera im Berg Festival in Salzburg )

He was part of the Flanders OperaStudio and the Wales Academy of Voice & Dramatic Arts . He participated in Masterclasses with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Enza Ferrari, Mara Zampiere, Ann Murray, Graham Johnson, Dennis O'Neill, Sarah Walker, Nelly Miricioui, Tom Krause (ENOA), among others. She was distinguished by the award of scholarships, such as that from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, and several awards in more than ten national and international competitions.

“I want to heal and touch people through my voice (…). My goal is to diffuse the crystalline essence that resides at the heart of opera, that is, that pure and luminous quality of the lyrical voice.” - Bárbara Barradas, 2024

In this interview with Bárbara Barradas , we reveal the inspiring journey of an artist who found the vehicle for her most authentic expression in her voice, exploring not only her legacy in operatic singing and her desire to democratize opera, but also her innovative vision of art as a vehicle for personal development.

How did it all start, in other words, when did you discover your passion for singing?

Bárbara: For as long as I can remember, music has always been a part of me. When I was still little, I remember waking up very early, around seven in the morning to watch Disney films and starting to sing with such joy that my parents would ask me to shut up. I always felt very connected to music. He played a lot on radio and television programs.

These games already showed a natural inclination towards performance.

Barbara: Exactly. And not only for performance, but also for communication and art in general. Dancing was another constant passion in my life. I started learning ballet at the age of five, but at 12 I had to take a break because music demanded more of me and I couldn't balance the two activities. At 18, I resumed ballet classes, determined to perfect my pointe technique. I managed to complete the course and do 8th grade between the ages of 18 and 21, but I didn't continue, because I later went to study singing in London.

Can you share with us a little about your journey?

Bárbara : Since I was little, I had a passion for Onda Choc, a group of teenagers who did covers. At birthday parties, I was the one who made everyone dance. I already had a leadership profile, but that confidence eroded over time, partly because of pressure from society and the bullying I suffered at school, especially when I started appearing on television.

And how did this exposure on television begin?

Bárbara : It all started when I was eight years old, during a holiday in the Algarve with my family. We went to visit my mother's cousin, whose children were in Ana Faria's choir – Jovens Cantores de Lisboa. She heard me sing and, after the holidays, contacted my mother to try out for the choir. I went, became a soloist, and within a month I was recording songs. This was the great gateway to the world of entertainment. I started going to television shows every week. I participated in the “Os Principales” competition and started singing pop music. I also participated in national competitions with originals. Between the ages of 8 and 16 I followed this pop music journey.

And how did these experiences contribute to the beginning of your musical training?

Bárbara: When I started recording songs, Ana Faria advised my parents to enroll me at the Conservatory, as my voice was already lyrical. At this point, I already had some maturity and was a very perfectionist. He recorded everything the first time, which was very rare for a child, and gave indications of when I thought I was out of tune, even though I didn't understand anything about music. Although I sang pop music, a lyrical vibrato was already recognizable in my voice, even at a young age (8 years old). Even though it is rare for them to accept children, I managed to get into the Conservatory. Although the more austere environment was a shock. I wanted to learn to play the harp and sing, but at my age it wasn't possible to take singing lessons – only from the age of 16. I auditioned and ended up starting on the piano, but I always continued to sing in parallel.

So at the same time you were having a career in pop music ?

Bárbara : Yes, because at the age of ten, I joined Onda Choc, fulfilling one of my childhood dreams. In fact, this experience reinforced my belief in empowerment and manifesting my desires. My childhood game was to be an artist and sing in Onda Choc, as if, somehow, I was already living that dream in reality. This experience reaffirmed the idea that we can bring to the present the feeling of something we intensely desire, as if it were already happening. And I was bullied at school. They ran away from me because I was “the one on television”. It was very tough. For that reason, I built a shell to protect myself – “you won’t cry because you are strong”. But I always had the support of my parents, especially my mother who took me from one place to another and was always with me in all these activities. The experiences I experienced during my childhood and adolescence, along with the emotional challenges I faced in adult life, were the fundamental elements that inspired the creation of my project “Empodera-te na Voz”, now also available as a Podcast. These experiences gave rise to my exclusive and personalized method, registered as “BByourvoicemethod”.

But is that later?

Bárbara : Yes, it is a recent project, which is related to issues around personal development, which have always been very present in my life.

Before we talk about the “Empodera-te na Voz” project, would you like to know when lyrical singing really came into your life?

Bárbara : It was at the age of 19, precisely when I was about to release a pop music album. At that time, I felt the need to take singing lessons and learn vocal technique, so, in my last year of the piano course, I asked to have singing as a second instrument. In parallel, already in my Design and Communication degree at the Faculty of Fine Arts, I confirmed what I had felt, as soon as I started taking vocal technique classes: that Singing was the path of my life.

And did you record that first album?

Bárbara : No. I ended up calling the producer and telling him that the album wasn't going to come out. It was the first visceral decision I made. I had started studying singing with professor José Carlos Xavier, who played a fundamental role in my artistic development. It was at this time that I won the Newcomer Prize at the Luísa Todi National Singing Competition and the Gulbenkian scholarship.

So, lyrical singing is starting to gain space in your life?

Bárbara: Yes, even when I was still at college there was an inner voice that told me “I don't want to be here”, and I only felt good when I arrived at the Conservatory. There was even a time when my mother would give me a lift and I would pretend I was going to college, but I wouldn't even go to classes, and would walk from there to the Conservatory. Halfway through the 2nd year, I ended up dropping out of the course. I was 19 or 20 years old, when I did my first astral chart, the person who did the reading, faced with my dilemma of interrupting my studies to become a singer, said to me: “Put your dream in your chest, whatever it may be, and He is the one who will guide you.” And so it was.

Was it at this point that you decided to go and study singing in London?

Bárbara : I took exams for Guildhall and was placed on a scholarship, which meant I had my tuition fees paid. It was the first time I left Portugal alone and with a great responsibility. It was a turbulent experience! I missed the first flight, I spoke very bad English, but the audition went well and I got the scholarship. Two months later I packed my bags and moved to Stratford. The place was far from the school, but I shared a house with other girls who were also at school – one of them was even my classmate. I had never lived alone and at first it was a shock, but then I adapted.

Was your time at Guildhall decisive for your career?

Bárbara: It was decisive, without a doubt. It brought me a lot of good and bad things. I realized that I was just one of three hundred or so singers, which forced me to learn to deal with frustration and discover that I was a very resilient person. But it also allowed me to grow, and during that period I expanded, both personally and professionally. During those nine years I grew on a technical level, but also on an internal level. I did my masters at the Guildhall [Bmus and Mmus in Singing] and then I was in Ghent and Cardiff doing the Flanders OperaStudio, now IOA and Wiav with Dennis O'Neill and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. I was also in Glyndebourne, Holland Park and other summer festival choirs, which were my first paid singing jobs. I also worked in cafes, waiting tables and singing at the Bel Canto, which all of us who were in London did. That's how I started.

Did you plan to pursue your career abroad?

Bárbara: I think I always thought about returning to Portugal, which I did when I was 31. The time I spent in London and the experiences I went through helped me realize that when we are not emotionally balanced, no matter how much technique we have, our voice doesn't work, our body doesn't work. Still, all this learning made me the person and singer I am today. It was essential to return and seize this opportunity to truly experience my freedom and start over from scratch. I returned to my parents' house and lived a kind of late adolescence, but with more awareness, in the sense that I wanted to be free in a life situation where I had fewer responsibilities. The years between 2017 and 2019 were very raw.

Tell us more about this period.

Bárbara: My career really took off when I returned to Portugal and was no longer linked to a school or foundation. I feel like it was only from then on that I took control of my life. I started to be more recognized in our country and to be called for more shows. At the same time, I continued to be invited to participate in several OperaStudio and Masterclasses, essentially sponsored by Gulbenkian – ENOA. In 2019, I also auditioned in New York, Vienna and Germany. From these experiences I had some agents interested in my work, and there were even future prospects. However, due to Covid-19, it did not materialize.

And what roles did you enjoy playing most? How did you prepare?

Bárbara : I highlight the role of Lucia, in “Lucia di Lammermoor”, by Donizetti, as the most memorable in my career, at the beginning of my career. I had the opportunity to sing it in Salzburg, Amsterdam and cover it in London, at the Holland Park festival. Maria, in Filipe La Feria’s “West Side Story”, was equally remarkable, for other reasons, namely because of the school I obtained from being on stage, where I developed my nature as an actress and deepened my métier in the area of acting. This was a 12-month experience that ended up giving me equivalency to the 4th year at Guildhall. After that, I only had to take the final Singing exam. The work I did with Susan Waters at the Guildhall gave me a good foundation, but the person who really explored my voice was Lúcia Lemos, with whom I prepared my first major opera role, Gilda, from Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto, at 23 years, for the Óbidos Opera Festival. It was a great school. It was a great school. Lúcia is a person with a body awareness well above average and with great emotional and cognitive development in terms of human relationships. There was a great connection between us and I learned a lot in her classes.

A little while ago you spoke about the pandemic. How did you deal with that period?

Bárbara: I started investing in myself and my personal development. I underwent psychotherapy and coaching, and deepened my knowledge in this area through extensive reading and reflection. I started giving private singing lessons online. I also created the “2 in 1 Singing Masterclass” with mezzo-soprano Cátia Moreso, which was well attended and a success. Together with the pianist Vasco Dantas and the actress and director Sónia Aragão, we formed “Art Allurement”, a cultural association, which brings together singing [Bárbara and Cátia Moreso], the piano [Vasco Dantas], staging and dramatic art [Sónia Aragão, who is also a dancer] and personal development. After confinement we started organizing face-to-face courses and concerts as a trio, because the objective was also to show our work and boost our careers.

And what impact did these experiences have on you?

Bárbara : They were very important because they allowed me to empower myself in my own creative abilities. I understood that, much more than playing a character or a score, my voice is at the service of something bigger than me. I realized that I have the ability to manage my own resources and I got to know in depth not only my reasons, fears and blocks, but also my beliefs, which has allowed me to overcome obstacles more quickly and easily. I also started giving private lessons and, as a vocal coach, and today I apply an integrated approach through my own BByourvoicemethod métier. I realized that people look for me precisely for this reason. I embrace this most holistic part of myself before the world, without fear of judgement.

Is it in this context that your project “Empodera-te na Voz” emerges?

Bárbara: This project came about naturally. It started to take shape a little before I played the role of Corinna in the opera “Il Viaggio a Reims”, by Gioachino Rossini, at the end of 2022. I always had the courage to be on stage, but I was very afraid of rejection. When I played this role I was integrating into myself how much I was transforming about pain. This allowed me to be on stage without feeling like I was actually experiencing the character's pain, which I also saw as my own. I learned to give new meaning to pain, that is, to go to the place of pain, look at it, recognize it and embrace it. This means that I now have the ability to look at my past and realize that this old pain is no longer part of my present, in which I can choose to feel differently in a similar situation. It has been a journey of self-knowledge that has allowed me to understand why I felt insecure, why I was nervous and why I expected external validation. I started to put all the pieces together and developed the project “Empodera-te na Voz”, which values the essence of the human being through the voice, which I consider to be a reflection of the soul. And, of course, I take all these teachings to my classes.

Is this project still active?

Bárbara: Currently, it is present on Telegram and Podcast. It is an open space where I share reflections and varied content, including Voice Activations, which are more holistic and spiritual practices, focused on healing and transformation through sound frequency, through the voice.

Do you want to explore lyrical singing and empowerment through the voice as two complementary paths?

Bárbara: Yes, there are two inseparable paths. In fact, the new website I am developing is called “Barbara Barradas Soprano”. I do not intend to abandon this designation, as it is an intrinsic part of who I am. It was precisely through my journey as a soprano that I got to where I am, and it is this experience that I want to share. This double path does not reflect indecision, but rather a clarity of direction. I want to dedicate myself intensely to singing, but also help other people discover their own voice.

She defines herself, therefore, as an operatic singer.

Bárbara : Now, more than ever, I feel that my voice has found its ideal place. I am fully qualified and in a place that I now recognize as a vocal and personal peak. My entire journey has brought me here and now I truly believe in myself and that it is possible to reconcile different aspects when we remain faithful to our essence and authenticity. After all, the voice is our signature in the world, it announces who we are and represents our identity. When we present ourselves with serenity, confidence and self-love, recognizing and accepting the aspects in which we still need to evolve, we put perfectionism aside. This prevents the body from creating blockages, allowing the voice to flow differently. That's exactly what happened to me: now, my voice is ready to take on roles that I was always told I would be capable of playing, and that I, intuitively, always knew I could do, but always hesitated, doubting my ability and the my vocal power. My voice is much more polished and decidedly lyrical. I went beyond the coloratura soprano phase, for which I was always recognized, despite maintaining this vocal versatility and elasticity. The truth is that my voice demonstrates great flexibility and adaptability.

What are your next projects?

Bárbara : I will participate in the “Requiem for the victims of Fascism in Portugal by Lopes-Graça”, which will be presented at the CCB, and in the cantata commemorating the Centenary of the Birth of Joly Braga Santos. Next year I will also be on stage at the Teatro Nacional São Carlos as Susanna, in the opera “The Marriage of Figaro” by Mozart, and I will also be Marie in “A Filha do Regimento” by Donizetti, at the Óbidos Opera Festival.

And what other projects would you like to complete?

Bárbara : I want to create a crossover project, linking opera to different musical genres. The objective of this proposal is to make the world of lyrics accessible to everyone. Whatever the project, I always imagine myself as a soprano performing works that, despite appearing simple, carry a powerful message of empowerment through sound, with the purpose of transforming lives, just as mine was transformed. For example, the creation of my Voice Activation Codes is already a way of taking the world of lyricism further.

Do you want to democratize opera?

Barbara : That's exactly it. I want to bring the purity and clarity of the lyrical voice to everyone and show them that opera is accessible to everyone. It is important to demystify the idea that opera is a genre exclusive to an elitist niche. This crossover project has the potential to change perceptions and open up paths to the appreciation of classical music. My goal is to diffuse the crystalline essence that resides at the heart of opera, that pure and luminous quality of the lyrical voice. Although operatic narratives are highly dramatic, the true nature of the operatic voice is incredibly clear and pure when expressed authentically. It is this purity that I believe I am channeling and my goal is to share this crystalline vibration with everyone, elevating and enriching the listening experience beyond traditional operatic contexts.

Do you want people to know the true meaning of opera?

Bárbara : I want to, because I hear many people say that they don't like opera, but, after going to a show and experiencing opera in its essence, they completely change their opinion, amazed by what they discover. Currently, Portugal has an immense high-quality operatic talent, and what I really want is to demystify opera, showing that it is not a privilege for the few. Opera is not exclusive to the erudite public or to those with large financial resources; it is accessible to everyone and is within our reach, ready to be discovered and appreciated.

Finally, what advice would you give to a young woman who dreams of having a career in opera singing?

Bárbara : More than giving advice, I would encourage reflection with questions such as: “What is your true motivation for pursuing a career in operatic singing?”; “What goals do you have for your voice and how do you intend to achieve them through the study of operatic vocal technique?”; or “What makes you choose this path?” These questions are fundamental to understanding personal motivations, as an artist's journey must be motivated by passion and not just by the desire to achieve a certain status or recognition. It is crucial to understand what the soul seeks to achieve through singing: is it a search for validation or for an authentic form of expression? The voice can be a vehicle for this discovery and, who knows, fame could be a consequence, but the most important thing is to prioritize personal satisfaction and authentic expression over purely material goals. I, for example, had to confront myself with my truth: what really motivated me was the joy of being on stage, and not the search for fame in itself. Recognizing this was a crucial step in my artistic and personal development. Another important question is: “If you achieved what you believe to be your goal with your voice, would you feel fulfilled to the point of considering your mission accomplished?” If the answer is yes, you are on the right path; If not, it may be time to reevaluate. I believe more in the power of questions than ready-made answers.

* Joana Patacas - Communication and Content Consultancy

Want to know more? See below one of her memorable performances, in the role of Lucia in the opera "Lucia di Lammermoor" at the Oper im Berg Festival (2015):

You can find more information about Bárbara Barradas at:

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