Welcome Mané Galoyan, dazzling Armenian soprano

Armenian soprano Mané Galoyan will make her house debut as Gilda in Lyric Opera of Chicago’s upcoming Rigoletto (Sept 14 - Oct 6, 2024). Having been introduced to classical and jazz music by her grandfather in early childhood, Galoyan always knew she wanted to pursue the arts. She studied at Yerevan State Komitas Conservatory in Armenia, an institution dedicated to higher musical education, gaining both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in opera. Then, she moved to the U.S. to work with Diane Zola and attend the summer program at Houston Grand Opera.

At Houston Grand Opera, Galoyan made her house debut as Kitchen Girl in Rusalka during the 2015/16 season. Her growth since then has been exponential. In 2019, the Houston Press hailed Galoyan’s Rigoletto performance as “radiant as dewy Gilda in her first throes of love, heavenly as a daughter disgraced, and positively stoic as martyr…  she possesses a crystalline voice that cuts through any orchestral texture.”

Her combination of power and delicacy has secured Galoyan multiple awards from international competitions. She won First Prize in the 27th Eleanor McCollum Competition and Concert of Arias with Houston Grand Opera; the 2021 Operalia Second Prize; The Pepita Embil Prize of Zarzuela; Rolex Prize of the Audience; and many others.

Mané Galoyan sings "Ah fors'è lui" in Seattle Opera's 2023/24 production of La traviata.

Role highlights from the 2023/24 Season include Violetta Valery in La Traviata at Sante Fe Opera and Deutsche Oper Berlin, Vixen in Cunning Little Vixen at Detroit Opera, and Suor Angelica in Il Trittico at Bayerische Staatsoper. Asked by a UK-based arts website to describe the act of performing, Galoyan answered “sharing, living, exciting, transforming, and loving,” evincing a vibrancy and delight in the art form that she will surely bring with her to Chicago this autumn.