The Voice
“Raina’s voice, considered in itself, as pure sonic material, as an instrument, is almost as non-existing. What I mean is, it cannot be described if it is not associated to a clearly defined character, be it Tosca, Cio-Cio-San, Adriana or the Gräfin in Capriccio. It is a voice that becomes different each time. According to Wagner – who was writing about Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient – “this is the only praise to which a singing-actress should aspire”.
Rodolfo Celletti
“The good thing with Raina is that her heroines have no masks; they are not traditional. In them, we feel her feminine sensitivity, whether this is Queen Elizabeth or tiny Cio-Cio-San… Raina has the ability to focus on what is essential in a character. This is why her heroines are always stripped of any deceit. She possesses the honesty that allows her to reach down to the depth of her characters… When Raina appears, the stage becomes replete with her presence.”
Mauro Bolognini
“Kabaivanska is infinite: each role of hers is like the fresco of a famous painter.”
John Rody