Review: MONIKA RADECKA IN MADAME BUTTERFLY at Opera Wroclaw

Monika Radecka just landed on the Wrocław opera scene — and it was a landing. Her debut as Cio-Cio-San in Madame Butterfly at Opera Wrocławska wasn’t just promising — it was powerful.

At only 26, she brings a rare mix of vocal maturity and emotional clarity. There’s depth in her voice, steel in her spine, and a flame of passion that burns through every phrase. Her presence on stage? Undeniable. She doesn’t just play a role — she lives it, breathes it, becomes it.

“I step on stage with the heart of Cio-Cio-San,” she said in an interview, and you believe her. You hear it in every note of Puccini’s score. Her Butterfly isn’t fragile. She evolves — from an innocent dreamer to a woman gripped by passion and heartbreak. That transformation is written into Monika’s body language, her phrasing, and her breath.

She’s not afraid to go all in. There’s a kind of fearless sensitivity in her approach — a refusal to play it safe. And that’s exactly what makes her unforgettable.

She studied both dramatic acting and classical singing in Slovakia and is now continuing her vocal training at the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice. She’s already won numerous vocal competitions — including the international VOICE and VILLAS competition in Szczecin in 2024 — but on stage, what matters most isn’t the medals. It’s the magic.

In Madame Butterfly, she shares the title role with Diana LaMar, under the baton of Australian maestro Daniel Smith. And while it’s still early in Monika’s journey, one thing is clear: Wrocław just gained a serious new voice.

Get to know her now — before the rest of the world catches on. Welcome to town, Monika.

Photo Credit: Opera Wroclaw