Tenor. A graduate of the Vocal and Acting Department of the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, in the class of E. Sąsiadek. Third prize winner at the 11th A. Sari Vocal Competition in Nowy Sącz. In 2007, he won second prize and 11 additional awards at the 6th S. Moniuszko International Vocal Competition in Warsaw. While still a student, he began performing extensively in concerts.
He made his debut on opera stage at the Teatr Wielki –National Opera with the role of Lensky in P. Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin (2002). Since then, he has collaborated regularly with the Warsaw stage. He became particularly known to Polish and foreign audiences in the roles of: Tamino (The Magic Flute by W. A. Mozart), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni by W. A. Mozart), Nemorino (The Elixir of Love by G. Donizetti), Ismaele (Nabucco by G. Verdi), Duca (Rigoletto G. Verdi), Alfredo (La Traviata by G. Verdi), Boris (Katia Kabanova by L. Janáček), Steva and Laca (Jenufa by L. Janáček), Pinkerton (Madame Butterfly by G. Puccini), Cavaradossi (Tosca by G. Puccini), Rodolfo (La Boheme by G. Puccini), Calaf (Turandot by G. Puccini), Madwoman (Curlev River by B. Britten), Don José (Carmen by G. Bizet), Drum Major (Wozzeck by A. Berg), Wacław (Maria by R. Statkowski), Shepherd (King Roger by K. Szymanowski). He is the only performer of all the main tenor roles in S. Moniuszko’s operas: Janek in The Raftsman, Kazimierz in The Countess, Idamor in Paria, Stefan in The Haunted Manor and Jontek in Halka.
The artist also has a very busy concert schedule, singing leading tenor parts in works by K. Penderecki (Te Deum, Cosmogony, Credo, Seven Gates of Jerusalem, Polish Requiem, Matins). He also sang Messa di Requiem by G. Verdi, Symphony No. 8 by G. Mahler, Harnasie by K. Szymanowski, Messiah by G. F. Händl, Missa solemnis and Symphony No. 9 by L. van Beethoven. He performed K. Szymanowski’s Symphony No. 3 “Song of the Night” with the National Philharmonic under the direction of A. Wit (DVD), the Sinfonieorchester des Bayreischen Rudfunks in Munich and Cologne under the direction of M. Jansons (CD), and the Orquesta Sinfónica de RTVE in Madrid under the direction of H. Lintu.
Rafał Bartmiński participated in a monumental performance of G. Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 in E-flat major “Symphony of a Thousand” during the Grand Jubilee Gala celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Silesian Philharmonic, as well as in a television concert broadcast on POLSAT WROCŁAW PRZYSZŁOŚCI.
At the invitation of Director Przemysław Neumann, he performed in the open-air concert ‘Open-Air-Arena der Gärten der Welt’ in Berlin with the Szczecin Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra. On May 29, 2025, he received the Silver Medal for Merit to Culture Gloria Artis.