A Conversation with Baritone Konstantinos Stafylides, Winner of the International Voice Competition
- Brainz Magazine
- May 26
- 9 min read
Diana Elizabeth Martinovich is a renowned singer, vocal coach, author, and project manager. Her expertise spans vocal artistry, project management, and career coaching, impacting individuals globally. Author of several books, including "A Mindset for Happiness," she's a Worldwide Women Association member and Marquise Who's Who Honoree.
Konstantinos Stafylides, the vibrant baritone recently crowned a winner of the prestigious International Voice Competition Boris Martinovich 2025, embodies the intersection of artistic passion and strategic self-development. His win, which included a $1000 prize, a year of vocal lessons and career coaching with Boris Martinovich himself, and the coveted role of Escamillo in Clyde Opera Company Scotland’s summer 2025 production of Carmen, marks not just a vocal triumph, but a testament to his holistic approach to his career. This interview delves into Konstantinos' journey, exploring the synergy between his artistic pursuits and the mindset, coaching, and business acumen that propelled him to success. It's a conversation relevant to any individual navigating a challenging and competitive field, striving for excellence, and seeking fulfillment beyond mere technical skill.
Your win at the Boris Martinovich Competition is a significant achievement. Can you describe the feeling of winning and what that moment meant to you on a personal and professional level?
Thank you for the kind words. I’m very honored to be doing this interview! I believe the only way to honestly begin is to express my gratitude to the jury of the competition as well as everyone involved. It’s certainly an overwhelming mix of emotions. On one hand, as someone who has very recently started seriously auditioning, it’s truly heartwarming to see so many important artists of the industry confirming my efforts and putting their trust in my potential. At the same time, there is a great sense of pressure regarding my future development, as every success raises expectations higher and higher.
As an artist from the musically under-educated Greece, I’m honestly proud of everything I manage to accomplish despite the minimal resources I’ve been granted in these early stages. All in all, this achievement absolutely marks a new chapter in my artistic journey, one which I could not be more grateful and excited for.
The role of Escamillo in Carmen is iconic. What draws you to this character, and what is your approach to embodying such a powerful and complex figure on stage? How does your interpretation incorporate your personal understanding of the character?
The handsome young toreador is rightfully one of the most coveted operatic roles for baritones and bass-baritones, and it is exactly that quality that makes him an intimidating part to approach. There is always considerable anxiety in performing one of the most easily recognizable pieces of music ever written, especially when that happens to be a rather lengthy, treacherous, and exposed aria like the “Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre”. It, along with Carmen’s aria, is the main musical number that people come to see the opera for, whether we like it or not.
Apart from that, however, managing to embody a character of this caliber in a mature manner without resorting to hyperbole demands dramaturgical intelligence and experience, which most young artists simply will not have. Just singing the notes should not “cut it” in the 21st century, at least for me, and many baritone roles tend to suffer from this “danger” of immature interpretation.
Beyond technical proficiency, what do you consider to be the most crucial elements of successful operatic performance? How do you cultivate these qualities within yourself?
Kind of following up from the previous question, there is an unbelievable difference between a good singer and a good singing actor. Obviously, this is a heated modern discussion, and I’m not of the opinion that more = good. Quite the opposite. I notice a sort of “inflation” of movements and/or gestures in modern staging and choreography practices that, while making opera more visually lively, often misses the point of the libretti. Interpreting a role “better” should never mean “doing more”. I was lucky enough to receive training in kinesiology and basic theatre, which made me adopt a rather different view on operatic acting.
We often think older singers were more stoic in their interpretation, or “didn’t really act” and “just sang”, but there is absolutely a lot to be learned from that tradition. Less is almost always more, whether it be subtle eye contact between stage partners, leaning one’s body weight toward their point of interest, etc. I pride myself on my character portrayal, and I try to develop this understanding
through studying the original materials libretti are based on and personalizing my role’s motivations, fears, weaknesses, etc.
Opera is a demanding field. How do you manage the mental and emotional
challenges of preparing for and performing such demanding roles? What are your techniques for stress management and maintaining focus?
I personally tend to be an artist that works in “bursts” of creative productivity, where I might manage a week’s worth of studying in a couple of days, then take a day or two off for myself, family and people that are important to me. While I am nothing close to an expert in time management, everyone should listen to their needs, within reason, and see how much they can really get away with. I often need to memorize a role, completely drop it for a month, then pick it up again to really feel I’m beginning to comprehend it. Obviously, most production schedules scarcely allow such comforts. When approaching a lengthy role, I often find myself studying the most mentally exhausting parts, like long stretches of recitativo, first, allowing me to feel somewhat relieved when I can eventually just “study the fun parts”.
As for stress management, I don’t really feel comfortable giving advice on the topic as it’s definitely not one of my strong points. Honesty is (sometimes) key!
Your vocal talent is undeniable. Can you share your training regimen and how it has evolved over time? What role do discipline and perseverance play in your artistic journey?
First of all, thank you! I’m always experimenting with different routines and warm-ups, such as repertoire and anatomical needs change. For me, Manuel Garcia’s “Trattato completo dell’arte del canto” (Complete treatise on the art of singing) was a technical game-changer in terms of connecting with the bel canto tradition and acquiring a sense of day-to-day vocal consistency.
Apart from Garcia’s drills, I tend to avoid pure vocalise style exercises and prefer to isolate challenging phrases of arias. This allows me to confront specific challenges in a realistic use case, often involving transposing said phrases, imposing restrictions in dynamics, breaths, etc, to test my limits. You should never worry about a high note if you’ve practiced singing the whole passage a third higher! It’s also a guilty pleasure of mine to experiment with a few arias I might not really be ready for, or even some manageable tenor and bass-baritone repertoire.
All of the above personally (which is a very important word here) assist me in understanding how my instrument functions. I make a personal goal to sing atleast 2-3 hours per session, whether that’s focused study on a recit. Or just going through the same old aria 5 times in a row until everything feels right. Then again, seeing as I’ve only been singing for less than 2 years now, this might not mean really much!
You’ve been awarded a year of career coaching with Boris Martinovich. What are you most looking forward to learning during this mentorship? How do you see this impacting your overall career trajectory?
I greatly admire Mr. Martinovich’s artistry and consider him an inspiring figure in the operatic landscape. A dark but never forced basso cantante instrument with an impressive, effortless baritonal top with which he sensitively approaches every phrase. He absolutely represents an era of singing we dearly miss today, and one I would love to be able to adopt even a tiny portion of. Also happens to be one of the greatest Escamillos I’ve had the pleasure of hearing! My outlook on the “career” is always to build the voice first, then let my worth be shown in practice. I humbly believe the generous mentorship of an artist as impressive as Maestro Martinovich will prove to be an award far more lucrative than any monetary prize.
Many aspiring artists struggle with self-doubt and building confidence. What strategies do you use to overcome these hurdles and maintain a positive mindset?
As mentioned before, this is an issue that I absolutely suffer from, and in many ways, I’ve come to accept it as most likely never-ending. We all know comparison as the thief of joy, but there is no way to deny that the operatic industry for young artists is an intricate warzone. I find that in competitive fields, it’s often preferable to err on the side of “arrogance” rather than downplaying your abilities, as being humble is often perceived as weakness. There is no shame in acknowledging your personal strengths, especially in age groups in which having a generally refined, stage-ready instrument is often not realistic.
The business side of the arts is often overlooked. What is your approach to networking and self-promotion in the opera world? How do you balance artistic passion with strategic career planning?
Despite feeling rather inexperienced to answer this wonderful question in a satisfying manner, I absolutely believe that there’s no excuse for a singer not to have a YouTube channel showcasing their standard repertoire. There’s nothing egotistical about presenting yourself to the world. A piece of advice I often give to more timid colleagues is to be more annoying! Send a cold email to that conductor, casting director, whoever it might be. Sell yourself for a project even if you don’t have anyone promoting you for it. Travelling to a city for a few days?
Email every single voice professor in the university and ask them if they’d like to hear you. Etc etc. Will you get a response? Usually not, but I’ve landed some pretty sweet opportunities just because I sent upwards of 100 “annoying” emails to total strangers. There should be no sense of shame in trying to showcase your worth without waiting for an ex machina middleman to acquaint you first.
What role does spirituality or mindfulness play in your life, and how does this inform your approach to your art and your career?
The sense of “exiting” your body for ~30 seconds has proven vital immediately before going on stage. I like to picture myself about entering my first note, which usually makes my heart rate quadruple. I then let myself relax and suddenly feel as if I’ve already walked on that same stage a thousand times and it’s not a big deal. I also like to imagine the fear of cracking on a note, and how I would recover. Paradoxically, “living” these situations in my mind makes me less paranoid. Most likely not something that will work for everyone!
Looking ahead, what are your long-term goals for your career? What kind of legacy do you hope to leave as an opera singer?
Oh gosh, what a question! While I try not to have any delusions of grandeur, I would ideally have an operatic career that is not defined by profitability but merely by what provides me with the most artistic integrity. Realistically, I’m most inspired by heavy ensemble roles that include a lot of interaction with stage partners and humbly hope to make a reliable candidate for about half a dozen common roles that allow me to steal the show from the sidelines. On the more grandiose side of ambitions, I would love to be remembered as an artist who offers a new perspective on the psyche of iconic baritone characters, an intelligent interpreter who plays just as much as he sings and maybe interpolates too many high notes? I’m predicting I will also have a bit of a reputation about “liking opera too much” and being tunnel visioned, annoying to talk with, etc., which are attributes I will own with pride! We’ll see, though!
How do you see the intersection of coaching, mindset, and business strategy contributing to success in the arts? What aspects of your training have been most valuable in this regard?
As analyzed further in question 8, the instrument doesn’t have much value if you cannot present it to your prospective employer. Based on this, the most impactful mindset change one can make is to mentally legitimize reaching out with more aggressive “marketing”.
What’s one piece of advice you'd give your younger self just starting out?
If I could talk to myself from 2 years ago, when I started studying classical voice for the first time, singing mostly Schumann, I would probably just tell myself to drop out of the conservatory sooner! Voice degrees/diplomas vary in importance depending on the country and the path each artist wants to follow. Not that there’s anything wrong with anyone who forged their path that way, it just never personally fit me. On a more general note, I’d advise myself to spend more money when possible! Better to work with the best resources you can sooner instead of saving and spending years compromising on your growth.
This interview aims to showcase Konstantinos Stafylides not only as a talented baritone but as a thoughtful and strategic artist. By exploring the intersection of his artistic endeavors with his approach to self-development and career management, we hope to inspire readers to integrate holistic thinking into their own pursuits of excellence. His story underscores the crucial link between talent, dedication, and a mindful approach to achieving one’s goals, demonstrating that true success in any field is a multifaceted endeavor.
Read more from Diana Elizabeth Martinovich
Diana Elizabeth Martinovich, Career Coach, Author, Project Manager, Singer
Diana Elizabeth Martinovich is a highly accomplished singer, vocal coach, author and project manager. Her expertise is showcased through her roles at the International Voice Competition Boris Martinovich, where she serves as both jury member and project manager. She is also a successful career and life coach, empowering individuals to reach their full potential. Her published works, including "The Art of Bel Canto: Where Science and Spirit Meet," "A Mindset for Happiness," "Unlocking the Secrets to Financial Success," "Dream Big, Achieve Bigger," and "The Power Within You," demonstrate her commitment to sharing her knowledge and inspiring others.
