Canadian-Armenian bass-baritone Vartan Gabrielian is a recent graduate of the Canadian Opera Company’s ensemble program and the Santa Fe Apprentice program. While still a student, he made his professional debut with the Opéra de Montréal performing the role of Sparafucile (Rigoletto).

Highlights in his upcoming ²⁰²²⁄₂₃ season include his role and house debut as Nourabad (Les pêcheurs de perles) at Vancouver Opera. At the Canadian Opera Company, Gabrielian returns to perform Jailer (Tosca) and Dottore (Macbeth) in addition to covering Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro), Banquo (Macbeth), and First Nazarene (Salome). A sought-after concert performer, Gabrielian will also be performing Verdi’s Requiem under the baton of Francis Choinière.

Recent appearances include performing the title role in Le nozze di Figaro at the Trentino Music Festival; Betto (Gianni Schicchi), Armed Guard (Die Zauberflöte), and Dottore Grenvil (La traviata) at the Canadian Opera Company; the title role of Sweeney Todd at Curtis Opera Theatre; and Leporello and Commendatore (Don Giovanni) at Opera Philadelphia. In prior seasons, he has performed the following roles at the Chautauqua Institute: King (Ariodante), Colline (La Bohème), Sparafucile (Rigoletto), Masetto (Don Giovanni), and Sarastro (Die Zauberflöte).

Gabrielian was a finalist at the 2022 Belvedere Competition and has been a recipient of awards from numerous organizations including the Metropolitan Opera National Council, Career Bridges Schuyler Foundation, Jacqueline Desmarais Foundation, Sylva Gelber Foundation, Gerda Lissner Foundation, and the George London Foundation. Gabrielian is a graduate of the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music, having earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree of Vocal Performance under the tutelage of Marlena Malas and Armen Boyajian.