Biography - DORI 

Dorela Cela, soprano 

Soprano, Dorela Cela was born in Tirana (Albania) and grew up near Milano (Italy). She made her first musical steps as a member of the children's choir of Teatro alla Scala in Milano. Later on, she studied classical singing at the G. Verdi Conservatory in Milano under the guidance of Sonia Turchetta and at Accademia di Bel Canto CUBEC di Modena with Mirella Freni. 

Dorela has given numerous performances across the world with ensembles such as I Cameristi della Scala, AFEA Quartet, 150Orchestra, Ensemble Duomo, Le Cameriste Ambrosiane, I solisti Laudensi. She has been part of numerous opera productions, and some of her most significant roles are Serpina (La serva padrona), Adina (L'elisir d'amore), Euridice (Orfeo ed Euridice), Monica (The Medium), Susanna (La nozze di Figaro), Carolina (Il matrimonio segreto), Berenice (L'occasione fa il ladro), Musetta (La Bohème). 

She has achieved great success in various singing competitions, amongst others, second prize at XVII International Competition F. Tagliavini, a special prize at XVII International Competition R. Zandonai of Fondazione Pergolesi Spontini Jesi, second prize at International Competition Nei Stëmmen of Ministry of Culture of Luxembourg 2011, first prize at VII Competition Enrica Cremonesi and first prize at XLII International Competition Toti Dal Monte. 

Dorela participated in masterclasses given by Montserrat Caballé, Jaume Aragall, Jennifer Larmore, Alessandra Althoff, Mireille Alcantara, Umberto Finazzi.

Biography - DORI 

Teodora Drozdik-Popović, mezzo-soprano

The Serbian-born mezzo-soprano, Teodora Drozdik-Popović, grew up in a family of musicians and started to perform at an early age in music festivals, piano competitions, and television programs for children. After obtaining a master's degree in Hungarian language and literature at the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad (Serbia), she decided to move to The Netherlands and pursue her singing ambitions. She did her bachelor's studies in classical singing/opera with Carolyn Watkinson and Charlotte Riedijk at Codarts (Rotterdam) and her master's studies at Conservatorium Masstricht in the class of Axel Everaert. Currently, she is doing her doctoral studies in performance practice/classical singing at the University of Novi Sad (Serbia) with Milica Stojadinović.

Teodora has a wide interest when it comes to classical vocal repertoire and actively sings lieder, opera and contemporary music, mainly in different chamber music settings. Till now, she appeared in the roles of Der Komponist (Strauss - Ariadne auf Naxos), Fragoletto (Offenbach - Les brigands), Dritte Dame and Dritter Knabe (Mozart - Die Zauberflöte), Suor Zelatrice (Puccini - Suor Angelica), Elsa (Faust - opera pastiche), The Butterfly and The Louse in a newly composed opera for children Jacques de Slak by Panos Gklist. Teodora sang the role of The Old Lady in a concert version of Bernstein's Candide under the baton of Jan Cober in the famous concert hall Casa da Música in Porto (Portugal) with Banda Sinfónica Portuguesa. With her duo partner, the Spanish pianist Federico Mosquera Martínez, she gave multiple recitals in Serbia, The Netherlands, Spain and Belgium. Teodora enjoys performing contemporary music and has recently formed a group with marimbists Alex Smith and Colin Crandal. They had a very successful concert at the Neo Festival as part of the program Novi Sad - European Capital of Culture 2022. She is a prize winner in competitions De stem van Haarlem, Vocalis (The Netherlands), Vera Kovač Vitkai (Serbia) and Lav Mirski (Croatia). She has participated in masterclasses with Jennifer Larmour, Maria Riccarda Wesseling, Damien Guillon, Roberta Alexander, Renate Behle, Claron McFadden and Wolfram Rieger. 

Teodora is also employed as artistic research and portfolio supervisor for the master's students at Conservatorium Maastricht (The Netherlands).