a brief biography
SISU RAIKEN made her operatic and television debut at the age of 12 in a New York City Opera Company production of Benjamin Britten’s Let’s Make An Opera on PBS. Her teachers included Judith Raskin and Alberta Masiello of the Metropolitan Opera and Dan Marek, Rise Stevens and Karl Bamburger at The Mannes School of Music. Miss Raiken appeared on Broadway in Harold Prince’s production of A Doll’s Life and portrayed Gertrude Stein in Stanley Silverman’s Obie Award-winning production of Virgil Thompson’s The Mother of Us All, and was featured in a Kennedy Centre White House Honors Program honoring Mr. Thompson which aired on CBS. She was chosen for the role of Emily in the world premiere of the revised version of Gian Carlo Menotti’s Help! Help! The Globolinks! She also sang the title role in the American premiere of George Bizet’s Djamileh. Her voice is featured in Steve Martin’s film, Bowfinger, and on her debut CD, “Presenting Sisu Raiken.”
She performs as a solo artist and with the groups Smooth Blend, Elegant Music and Steel and Ivory.
Ms. Raiken received a BA in Music from Upsala College and studied at The Mannes School for Music, The National Shakespeare Conservatory and The National Improvisational Theatre in New York City. She has taught voice, acting and fine art and also has directed musicals and plays. She has held the position of Artistic Director at The New Village Leadership Academy, an independent school in Calabasas, California from 2005 to 2013. She is currently on the arts faculty for Every Kid's A Genius.
She performs as a solo artist and with the groups Smooth Blend, Elegant Music and Steel and Ivory.
Ms. Raiken received a BA in Music from Upsala College and studied at The Mannes School for Music, The National Shakespeare Conservatory and The National Improvisational Theatre in New York City. She has taught voice, acting and fine art and also has directed musicals and plays. She has held the position of Artistic Director at The New Village Leadership Academy, an independent school in Calabasas, California from 2005 to 2013. She is currently on the arts faculty for Every Kid's A Genius.