Hailing from Bainbridge Island, WA, mezzo-soprano Aria Minasian is delighted to be a Herndon Foundation Emerging Artist with Virginia Opera for the 2024-2025 season. Ms. Minasian recently spent the summer as a Studio Artist with Wolf Trap Opera covering Anna 1 in Weill’s Seven Deadly Sins and Madeleine in Kevin Puts’ Silent Night, as well as performing various opera scenes and mainstage choruses throughout the season. Recently, Aria was the Alto Soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Dexter Community Orchestra for their Bicentennial Concert and debuted with Pacific Symphony as Giovanna in Verdi’s Rigoletto.
Ms. Minasian’s extensive variety of stage roles include Elizabeth Cree in Kevin Puts’ Elizabeth Cree, receiving reviews for her “spectacular portrayal…her Elizabeth was deep and seductive, precociously balancing beauty and terror…[her voice] pulled the audience into Elizabeth’s madness and gripped until we were left begging for more.” and her performance of Donna Elvira in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, for which she was praised for being “the favorite all-around performance…for her ability to embody both the humor and the darker, more painful emotions of [Donna Elvira’s] story” (Arts at Michigan). Additional roles include Orfeo in Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, Madame de la Haltière in Massenet’s Cendrillon, Dorabella in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Zita in Puccini’s Gianni Schicci, The Celebrant in Bernstein’s Mass, Olga in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, Taller Daughter in Mazzoli’s Proving Up, Forrester’s Wife & Owl in Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen (in Czech) and more. Aria has worked with a number of composers and on world premieres, such as workshopping the role of Maggie Hobson in Tom Cipullo’s new opera Hobson’s Choice, portraying the role of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg in Grammy Award-Winning composer Christopher Theofanidis’ Door Out of the Fire, performing as the soloist in James Stephenson’s Symphony No. 2, and taking on the role of Carmen Miranda in Roberto Sierra’s I am Carmen Miranda.
In addition to her operatic highlights, Aria has performed as a part of Detroit Opera’s Touring Ensemble in their outreach concerts since 2022, as well as performing in numerous concerts for the Singing Justice Research Initiative and Singing Down the Barriers. Ms. Minasian was a featured soloist for Classical Vocal Reprints’ “An Anthology of African and African Diaspora Songs,” which was highlighted on international star baritone Thomas Hampson’s website Song of America and the African Diaspora Music Project, a database for resources, history, and encouragement to explore and perform more underrepresented composers and their works.
Ms. Minasian’s awards include the George Shirley Award (2024), Grand Prize Winner of the Patricia Crump Competition (2023), 1st Place Winner of the Friends of Opera Competition (2021), 2nd Place Winner of the Seattle Opera Guild’s Singers’ Development Awards (2020), Metropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition Encouragement Award Winner (2020), Region Finalist (2020), and District Winner (2019).
Aria studied as a classical pianist for over a decade and received several awards before finding her love of opera as she entered college. Aria recently graduated with her Specialist of Music in Vocal Performance (2024) and Master of Music in Vocal Performance (2022) from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, & Dance receiving a Full Merit Scholarship for both degrees, while studying with mezzo-soprano Freda Herseth. Aria graduated with her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Lawrence University Conservatory of Music receiving the Presidential Scholarship, studying with soprano Joanne Bozeman. Additional training includes being an artist with Russian Opera Workshop working with the late Ghena Meirson and a Studio & Principal Artist with Utah Valley Opera Fest (formerly UVAA). When not on the stage, practicing, or in rehearsal, Aria enjoys time with family and friends, hiking, yoga, going on walks with her dogs, and is a deeply committed Mariners baseball fan. For more information, please visit www.ariaminasian.com.