Anahit Mekhitarian (also spelled Mkhitaryan or Mkhitarian) (; ; born 6 March 1969) is an

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...

operatic

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...

. A leading soloist of the National Theater of Opera and Ballet of Armenia, she was conferred the title of Honored Artist of Armenia in 2003. In 2013 on the occasion of Republic day, she was awarded medal for . She has won first prize at three international singing competitions: the Francesc Viñas International Singing Competition (Spain, 1990), the Vincenzo Bellini International Competition (Italy, 1991), and the Julián Gayarre International Singing Competition (Spain, 1996).

Life and career

Mekhitarian, was born in Echmiadzin, Armenia. She graduated with Honours from the Yerevan Conservatory, first in the piano department and then in the voice department. In 1990, at the 28th International Francesc Viñas International Singing Competition in Barcelona, Spain, with Magda Oliviero as the president of the judging panel, Mekhitarian won the First Prize. Less than a year later, in 1991, she was awarded the First Prize at the 23rd Vincenzo Bellini International Competition in

Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...

, with

Dame Joan Sutherland Dame Joan Alston Sutherland, (7 November 1926 – 10 October 2010) was an Australian dramatic coloratura soprano known for her contribution to the renaissance of the bel canto repertoire from the late 1950s to the 1980s. She possessed a voic ...

as the president of the judging panel. Her third victory came in 1996, when she won the First Prize at the 6th Julián Gayarre International Singing Contest in

Pamplona Pamplona (; ), historically also known as Pampeluna in English, is the capital city of the Navarre, Chartered Community of Navarre, in Spain. Lying at near above sea level, the city (and the wider Cuenca de Pamplona) is located on the flood pl ...

, Spain, with

José Carreras Josep Maria Carreras Coll (; born 5 December 1946), better known as José Carreras (, ), is a Catalan operatic tenor from Spain who is particularly known for his performances in the operas of Donizetti, Verdi and Puccini. Born in Barcelona, ...

as the president of the jury. In the course of her career she has appeared throughout Europe as well as in North and South America, Australia, and the Middle East. Her opera appearances include the Gayarre Opera Theater (as Lucia in '' Lucia di Lammermoor''), the Roman Theater in Mérida "Festival de Teatro Clasico" (as Paolina in '' Poliuto'') in

Seville Seville ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Spain, Spanish autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir, River Guadalquivir, ...

and the Teatro Colón in

A Coruña A Coruña (; ; also informally called just Coruña; historical English: Corunna or The Groyne) is a city and municipality in Galicia, Spain. It is Galicia's second largest city, behind Vigo. The city is the provincial capital of the province ...

(as Desdemona in ''

Otello ''Otello'' () is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on William Shakespeare, Shakespeare's play ''Othello''. It was Verdi's penultimate opera, first performed at the La Scala, Teatro alla Scala, M ...

''), at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles (as Anush in ''Anush''), and the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow (as Norma in '' Norma''),.Kadiev, Arkady (13 January 2003)
"Ереванская Норма"
("Norma from Yerevan"). Итоги. Retrieved 1 March 2013 . She has performed concerts at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, Palau de la Música Catalana, Salle Gaveau, St John's, Smith Square, Malmö Concert Hall, Auditorio Nacional de Música, Madrid,

Mariinsky Theatre The Mariinsky Theatre (, also transcribed as Maryinsky or Mariyinsky) is a historic opera house in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Opened in 1860, it became the preeminent music theatre of late 19th-century Russia, where many of the stage masterpieces ...

in Saint Petersburg and Kolonni Zalin Moscow, amongst others. She is a principal soloist at the National Opera and Ballet Theater of Armenia in Yerevan. Opera and Ballet Theater of Armenia
Soprano soloists
. Retrieved 23 February 2013. In 2003 she was conferred the title of Honored Artist of Armenia. In 2009 she gave a gala concert conducted by Miquel Ortega in celebration of the 75th anniversary of National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet in Yerevan. Mekhitarian is married to Armen Hakobyan, a professor at the Armenian State University of Economics.

Repertoire

Mekhitarian's repertoire includes these significant roles:Opera and Ballet Theater of Armenia

. Retrieved 23 February 2013. * Bellini: '' Norma'' (Norma) *Bellini: '' I puritani'' (Elvira) *Bellini: '' La sonnambula'' (Amina) * Donizetti: ''

Don Pasquale ''Don Pasquale'' () is a Gaetano Donizetti opera buffa, or comic opera, in three acts, with an Italian libretto completed largely by Giovanni Ruffini as well as the composer. It was based on a libretto by Angelo Anelli for Stefano Pavesi's oper ...

'' (Norina) *Donizetti: '' Linda di Chamounix'' (Linda) *Donizetti: '' Lucia di Lammermoor'' (Lucia) *Donizetti: '' Poliuto'' (Paolina) *

Leoncavallo Ruggero (or Ruggiero) Leoncavallo (23 April 18579 August 1919) was an Italian opera composer and librettist. Throughout his career, Leoncavallo produced numerous operas and songs but it is his 1892 opera ''Pagliacci'' that remained his lasting co ...

: ''

Pagliacci ''Pagliacci'' (; literal translation, 'Clowns') is an Italian opera in a prologue and two acts, with music and libretto by Ruggero Leoncavallo. The opera tells the tale of Canio, actor and leader of a commedia dell'arte theatrical company, who mu ...

'' (Nedda) * Meyerbeer:'' Dinorah'' (Dinorah) *

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...

: '' The Abduction from the Seraglio'' (Konstanze) * Rossini: ''

The Barber of Seville ''The Barber of Seville, or The Useless Precaution'' ( ) is an ''opera buffa'' (comic opera) in two acts composed by Gioachino Rossini with an Italian libretto by Cesare Sterbini. The libretto was based on Pierre Beaumarchais's French comedy ' ...

'' (Rosina) * Tigranian: '' Anoush'' (Anoush) * Tchouhadjian: ''Arshak II'' (Olympia) *Tchouhadjian: ''Karine'' (Karine) * Verdi: ''

'' (Desdemona) *Verdi: ''

Rigoletto ''Rigoletto'' is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the 1832 play '' Le roi s'amuse'' by Victor Hugo. Despite serious initial problems with the Austrian censors who had c ...

'' (Gilda) *Verdi: '' La traviata'' (Violetta)

References

External links

Official website

Anahit Mekhitarian singing the aria "Casta diva"
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mekhitarian, Anahit Armenian operatic sopranos Living people 1969 births 21st-century Armenian women opera singers 20th-century Armenian women opera singers People from Vagharshapat