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| Christiana Serafin de Ocampo Photo ©Dominic Dimagmaliw |
After watching Arthur Espiritu's return performance at MiraNila a month ago, I had the pleasure of being introduced to Christiana "Tinette" Serafin de Ocampo. I learned that she is an acclaimed spinto soprano based in Milan who is back in town for a series of homecoming concerts.
At the time when I met her, she has already wrapped up Ritorna Vincitor! Arias Unleashed and was gearing up for Curtains Up: Opera Meets Broadway later that month. I missed both but fortunately for me, she has a handful of performances already on the pipeline.
Due to the success of Ritorna Vincitor!, Christiana teams up once again with pianist Dr. Peter Porticos for a repeat performance in Encore!, an evening of opera arias by Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini, Richard Wagner, Richard Strauss, and Jules Massenet. This happens on June 13, 2026, 6:00 PM at Manila Pianos Showroom located at the 4F Ronac Lifestyle Center, Paseo de Magallanes, Makati City. Contact 0917-4158876 for tickets.
Christiana then joins the Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra in Celli Sentimental on June 14, 2026, 7:00 PM at the Centro de Turismo in Intramuros, Manila. Conducted by Dr. Renato Lucas, she will be the featured soprano in the performance of Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 by Heitor Villa-Lobos that is rarely performed in its entirety. Also performing in this concert is cello wunderkind Damodar Das Castillo. Tickets are available at Ticket2Me.com.
Next up is Opera Up Close, a concert lecture with pianist Mariel Ilusorio happening on July 11, 2026, 6:00 PM at the Sunshine Place in Jupiter St., Makati. E-mail sandy.hontiveros@gmail.com for tickets.
The series wraps up with Canciones con Guitarra on August 8, 2026, 6;00 PM at Varlez Pianos, LGI Bldg., Ortigas Ave. For tickets, contact Richard Sy Facunda at 0917-415-8876 or rsyfacunda@gmail.com.
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| Christiana Serafin de Ocampo Photo ©Dominic Dimagmaliw |
Christiana “Tinette” Serafin de Ocampo is a Filipino soprano whose international artistic career spans Manila, the United States, and Europe.
Born in Manila, she initially pursued pre-medical studies at Sarah Lawrence College and later at Columbia University before turning toward music.
She was awarded a scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music, where she completed her studies in vocal performance under the tutelage of Edward Zambara.
During her academic years in New York, she actively engaged in vocal performance, singing undertaking solo work. She also appeared as a soloist in church and concert settings, gaining early experience in sacred and recital repertoire.
In New York, she worked with the renowned Filipino soprano Evelyn Mandac, further deepening her artistic grounding.
Following her studies, she began professional engagements in the United States, including work connected with Washington Opera (now Washington National Opera). She also performed with Washington Concert Opera, as well as in concerts associated with the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and related orchestral projects.
During this period, she attracted interest from major opera institutions, including the San Francisco Opera. However, due to visa constraints related to transitioning from student practical training to a working visa, she made the decision—following professional guidance—to continue her artistic development in Europe.
This led her to relocate to Vienna, where she could further immerse herself in the Germanic vocal tradition and Lied repertoire. Vienna marked a decisive artistic turning point. There, she worked with the legendary soprano Hilde Zadek, whose guidance confirmed her development as a dramatic soprano. Her repertoire focus expanded toward major dramatic roles including Tosca and Aida.
In parallel, her collaboration with pianist Norman Shetler opened a deep engagement in German Lied tradition, including Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Wolf, Mahler, and Wagner. In particular, Wagner became a bridge toward a more dramatic repertoire.
She further expanded her French mélodie repertoire with works by Hahn, Fauré, Duparc, Chausson, Poulenc, Ravel, and Debussy, building on earlier studies with Thomas Grubb in New York.
Her development continued with Margarita Lilova and later with Wessela Zlateva.
Her Vienna years were also marked by extensive exploration of somatic and movement practices, including the Feldenkrais Method, Alexander Technique, Yoga, and Rolfing. Initially encouraged by soprano Evelyn Mandac, she studied multiple yoga traditions, including Iyengar and Bikram, developing a holistic understanding of singing as an integration of body, breath, and mental focus.
She also worked with soprano Nelly Miricioiu, who further affirmed her direction as a dramatic soprano. Her performance work during this period included Tosca under conductor Uwe Theimer of the Wiener Volksoper and Musikhochschule, alongside concert and recital engagements across Europe. While her vocal identity did not conform to rigid classification, this period consolidated her artistic voice as a spinto drammatico soprano with a broad interpretive range.
She collaborated with conductor Marc Tardue, who invited her to perform Samuel Barber’s masterpiece Knoxville: Summer of 1915 with the Jenaer Philharmonie.
Over time, she increasingly focused on concert work and pedagogy. During the global pandemic, she relocated to Paris, where she re-established her artistic base and resumed both performing and teaching.
While in Paris, worked with Craig Sirianni, whom she credits for strengthening her engagement with spinto and dramatic repertoire. She then met her current teacher Howard Haskin, whose guidance reaffirmed her classification as a spinto drammatico soprano and supported a renewed technical approach based on the teachings of Marie-Henriette Dejean, which integrate physiological and spiritual aspects of singing.
After 4 1/2 years in Paris, she spent a period in Milan dedicated to intensive study and technical consolidation.
She now returns to Manila to present a series of concerts and masterclasses, establishing her Asian base while continuing an international career across Europe and expanding her artistic work throughout the Asia-Pacific region. This homecoming marks not a return in closure, but a continuation of an international artistic trajectory, bringing her accumulated experience into dialogue with audiences and emerging singers in the Philippines and Asia Pacific region.
For further information, check out the social media accounts at the following:
Facebook: Christiana Serafin de Ocampo
YouTube: @christianaserafindeocampo
