Barbiere di siviglia | basilio | Opera San Jose

Canadian-Armenian bass-baritone Vartan Gabrielian has been praised for “... a voice that comes from his toes - magisterial and commanding, with just enough vibrato to give it bite (Citron).” 

This season marks numerous exciting roles and house debuts for Gabrielian. He will sing Nick Shadow (The Rake’s Progress) at the Verbier Festival, house debut as Dottore Grenvil (La Traviata) at the Paris Opera, role and house debut at Opera San Jose performing Basilio (The Barber of Seville), Friar Laurent (Romeo and Juliet), and Capitán (Florencia en el Amazonas). Gabrielian makes his Wagnerian role debut as Fasolt (Das Rheingold) with the Edmonton Opera and will close the season as Basilio with the Des Moines Metro Opera. A sought-after concert performer, Gabrielian will also be the bass soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.

Highlights from last year’s season include Masetto and Commendatore (Don Giovanni) at the National Arts Centre, Nourabad (Les pêcheurs de perles) at the Vancouver Opera, and a return to the Canadian Opera Company to perform Dottore (Macbeth) and cover Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro), and Banquo (Macbeth).

Gabrielian holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance from the Curtis Institute of Music. He is also an alumnus of the Canadian Opera Company’s ensemble and the Santa Fe Opera Apprentice program.