Biography

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, Gabrielian joins the Opéra national de Paris as a member of the Troupe Lyrique, where he will perform a variety of roles including Lo Zio Bonzo (Madama Butterfly), Lord Gualtiero Valton (I Puritani), Député Flamand (Don Carlos), Keeper of the Madhouse (The Rake’s Progress), and Pinellino (Gianni Schicchi). As a sought-after concert performer, he will perform Verdi’s Requiem with the Niagara Symphony.

Highlights from his 2023/24 season include Nick Shadow (The Rake’s Progress) at the Verbier Festival, Basilio (The Barber of Seville) at the Des Moines Metro Opera, his Wagnerian role debut as Fasolt (Das Rheingold) with the Edmonton Opera and his Opéra national de Paris debut as Dottore Grenvil (La Traviata). As a resident artist at the Opera San Jose he has performed Basilio (The Barber of Seville), Frère Laurent (Romeo and Juliet), and Capitán (Florencia en el Amazonas). 

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