ABOUT

Mezzo-soprano, songwriter, and harpist began her musical journey at the age of four. She started her education at Glasbena matica, and later took harp lessons at the music school in Ljubljana. She continued her education in the arts program at the Conservatory of Music and Ballet in Maribor. There, she focused on the harp under the mentorship of Professor Dalibor Bernatovič, jazz singing with Ana Bezjak, and solo singing with professors Leona Bašovič and Tina Bohak.

For her achievements in classical music, she has received numerous awards. Among her most prestigious accolades are first place at the international harp competition Antonio Salieri in Italy and a gold plaque at the national competition Temsig in solo singing.

After completing her secondary education in solo singing, she continued her studies at the Ljubljana Academy of Music, graduating in 2018 under the mentorship of professor Alenka Dernač Bunta. She pursued her master’s degree in solo singing – opera under the guidance of professor Pija Brodnik. For her achievements during the academic year 2021/22, she was awarded the Prešeren Prize by the Academy of Music. Her master’s thesis included a vocal recital and an essay on “The Role of Agrippina“ in G. F. Händel’s opera. She frequently attends singing seminars hosted by internationally renowned opera singers like José Cura, Bernarda Fink, Janez Lotrič, and Vladka Oršanić.

Throughout her career, she has showcased her talents in various arenas. In 2018, as a solo alto with the Baroque Orchestra of the Academy of Music, she performed Mozart’s Spatzenmesse and Vivaldi’s Gloria in D major at the Slovenian Philharmonic. In the same year, she made her theatrical debut in the SNG Nova Gorica production of “Trojanke” (“The Trojan Women”), playing the role of Cassandra. Directed by Jaša Koceli, the play premiered in April and was based on a new translation by Jere Ivanc. With this production, she toured Cyprus, Italy, Poland, and Osijek.

Sara Briški Cirman began her opera career in 2019, taking on the role of the Doctor in the mini opera “Nepotrebna” by Iztok Kocen. A year later, she performed in the world’s first tambura opera, “Ambrož and Katarina,” and in June 2021 played the role of Old lady in L. Bernstein’s opera “Candide”.

In April 2021, she won first prize and third place at the IMMCC 2020 international singing competition. In the summer of 2021, she performed with the Slovenian Baroque Orchestra, conducted by Egon Mihajlović and concertmaster Monika Toth. In August 2021, she played the role of Rosina in concert performances of Rossini’s Barber of Seville, led by Maestro Georg Pehlivanian. In late October 2021, accompanied by the Maltese Philharmonic, she sang a concert of opera arias at Teatro Astra in Malta, under the direction of José Cura.

In April 2022, she performed the titular role in Handel’s opera “Agrippina” at Cankar Hall in Ljubljana, directed by Egon Mihajlović and staged by Rocco Rappl. That same month, she also sang at the closing concert of the Prague Opernfest at the Vinohrady Theatre in Prague, led by the Prague Opera’s Artistic Director, Maestro Jaroslav Kyzlink. A week later, she sang with the Albanian opera orchestra in Tirana at the Maria Kraja opera festival, under the baton of Maestro Martin Andrea.

In June 2022, she performed as a soloist with the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra at the Imago festival in Ljubljana’s Congress Square and the Koper theatre. In August, she played the role of Urška in the original musical “Povodni mož” (“The Water Man”), which premiered to sold-out audiences at the Križanke during the Ljubljana Festival. A month later, she sang as a soloist at a concert of the Slovenian Baroque Orchestra in Gornji Grad and the next day at a concert of Slovenian art songs at the Glasbena matica Conference.

In November 2022, she debuted in SNG Opera and Ballet Ljubljana with the role of Public Opinion in Offenbach’s “Orpheus in the Underworld”. In December 2022, she sang the role of the Angel of Peace in a live performance of the Nativity scene in Postojna Cave. In May 2023, she returned to the Ljubljana Opera stage in the role of Larina in the opera “Eugene Onegin”. In
2024 she sang the lead in the tango opera “Maria de Buenos Aires”

She is also active in popular music, releasing most of her songs under the stage name Raiven. Her debut album, “Magenta”, was released in 2017, followed by the EP “REM” in 2019. For “Magenta”, she received the award “Zlata Piščal”, a Slovenian music accolade presented by the Cultural and Artistic Society “Zlata Piščal” for achievements in Slovenian popular music.

In 2021, she won the Popevka festival with the song “Volkovi”, after which she dedicated herself to creating an electro-opera project, which she introduced with the single “Habanera”. 

She continued her musical evolution in 2023 with the release of the single “Ikona,” which announced her EP “Sirene pt. 1,” released in February 2024. The standout track from the album, “Veronika,” was chosen by an international panel to represent Slovenia at the 68th Eurovision Song Contest. Prior to this, Raiven celebrated the 10th anniversary of her career with a sold-out concert at Linhart Hall in Cankarjev Dom.

Since October 2020, she has been studying psychoanalysis at the Sigmund Freud University in Ljubljana, reflecting her continuous passion for learning and personal development.