Lianna Haroutounian is considered as one of the most promising Verdi sopranos of her generation. Her significant lyrical-spinto abilities allow her to address a wide Opera Repertoire, facing Verdi and Puccini as the French and the Russian Repertoire, and also a wide Chamber Music Repertoire.
Lianna Haroutounian is from Armenia, she grew up in an opera-loving family and studied Pianoforte and Voice at the National Conservatory of Erevan where she passed her Higher Education Singing Diploma in S. Danelian’s class and continued in France at the Centre de Formation Lyrique de l’Opéra-Bastille.
Throughout her career she has sung roles such as Elizabeth de Valois (Don Carlo) at the Royal Opera House with Antonio Pappano and Jonas Kauffman, at the Metropolitan Opera with Yannick Nézet-Séguin, at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden with Maestro Zanetti, in Zurich under Fabio Luisi baton and at the Verbier Festival with Daniel Harding; Amelia (Un ballo in maschera) in Bern and Tours; Marguerite (Faust) at the Opéra de Massy; Amelia Grimaldi (Simon Boccanegra) at the Metropolitan Opera with Plácido Domingo and James Levine, at the Concertgebouw and in Tours; Mimi (La Bohème) at the Royal Opera House in John Copley's iconic production with Piotr Beczala and Plácido Domingo, in Sydney and Tours; Violetta (La Traviata) at the Sanxay Festival; Cio-Cio-San (Madama Butterfly) at the Concertgebouw under the baton of Karel Mark Chichon, at the San Francisco Opera with Yves Abel and Jordi Bernàcer, at the Staatsoper Hamburg, Seattle Opera and at the Sanxay Festival; Hélène (Les vêpres siciliennes) at the Royal Opera House with Antonio Pappano in a new production by Stefan Herheim, subsequently released on DVD, in Frankfurt, ABAO and GNO Athens (Italian version); Desdemona (Otello) at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, conducted by Nicola Luisotti, at the Teatro Real, conducted by Renato Palumbo, in Sydney, at ABAO with musical direction by Riccardo Frizza; Tosca (Tosca) in San Francisco with Riccardo Frizza and at the Palau de les Arts in Valencia, conducted by Nicola Luisotti; Leonora (Il Trovatore) at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, conducted by Nicola Luisotti, and at the Royal Opera House, first with Gianandrea Noseda and then under the baton of Richard Farnes; Iolanta (Iolanta) in concert version with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic and Yuri Temirnakov; title role in Adriana Lecouvreur at La Monnaie, conducted by Evelino Pidò.
Haroutounian performs widely in recital and concert, and her repertory includes Verdi's Requiem (Teatro Real de Madrid), Rossini's Stabat Mater and Petite Messe Solennelle, Poulenc's Stabat Mater, Dvorak's Stabat Mater and Mozart's Requiem. She has also participated in the Verdi Gala at the Royal Opera House in Muscat in collaboration with the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, conducted by Sebastian Lang-Lessing, in an Opera Gala at the Festival d'Annecy and in various recitals in the United States, France, Italy, Spain and Armenia.
Among her recent performances and engagements we highlight Otello at the Teatro Verdi di Trieste; Turandot at the Teatro Verdi di Salerno; La bohème at the Teatre Principal of Palma; Adriana Lecouvreur at the Cervantes Theater in Malaga; Madama Butterfly at the Teatro Regio di Torino, the Carlo Felice in Genova and the Teatro Real and La Gioconda at the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples.
Her engagements in the 24/25 season include Un ballo in maschera in San Francisco, Verdi's Messa da Requiem at La Monnaie, Ariadne auf Naxos at the Teatro de la Maestranza, Tristan und Isolde at the Opéra Royal de Wallonie, Tosca in Seattle and Adriana Lecouvreur at the Opéra du Capitole in Toulouse.
Date Last Edited: June 2024
Not to be altered without permission. Please destroy all previous biographical material.
Lianna Haroutounian is from Armenia, she grew up in an opera-loving family and studied Pianoforte and Voice at the National Conservatory of Erevan where she passed her Higher Education Singing Diploma in S. Danelian’s class and continued in France at the Centre de Formation Lyrique de l’Opéra-Bastille.
Throughout her career she has sung roles such as Elizabeth de Valois (Don Carlo) at the Royal Opera House with Antonio Pappano and Jonas Kauffman, at the Metropolitan Opera with Yannick Nézet-Séguin, at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden with Maestro Zanetti, in Zurich under Fabio Luisi baton and at the Verbier Festival with Daniel Harding; Amelia (Un ballo in maschera) in Bern and Tours; Marguerite (Faust) at the Opéra de Massy; Amelia Grimaldi (Simon Boccanegra) at the Metropolitan Opera with Plácido Domingo and James Levine, at the Concertgebouw and in Tours; Mimi (La Bohème) at the Royal Opera House in John Copley's iconic production with Piotr Beczala and Plácido Domingo, in Sydney and Tours; Violetta (La Traviata) at the Sanxay Festival; Cio-Cio-San (Madama Butterfly) at the Concertgebouw under the baton of Karel Mark Chichon, at the San Francisco Opera with Yves Abel and Jordi Bernàcer, at the Staatsoper Hamburg, Seattle Opera and at the Sanxay Festival; Hélène (Les vêpres siciliennes) at the Royal Opera House with Antonio Pappano in a new production by Stefan Herheim, subsequently released on DVD, in Frankfurt, ABAO and GNO Athens (Italian version); Desdemona (Otello) at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, conducted by Nicola Luisotti, at the Teatro Real, conducted by Renato Palumbo, in Sydney, at ABAO with musical direction by Riccardo Frizza; Tosca (Tosca) in San Francisco with Riccardo Frizza and at the Palau de les Arts in Valencia, conducted by Nicola Luisotti; Leonora (Il Trovatore) at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, conducted by Nicola Luisotti, and at the Royal Opera House, first with Gianandrea Noseda and then under the baton of Richard Farnes; Iolanta (Iolanta) in concert version with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic and Yuri Temirnakov; title role in Adriana Lecouvreur at La Monnaie, conducted by Evelino Pidò.
Haroutounian performs widely in recital and concert, and her repertory includes Verdi's Requiem (Teatro Real de Madrid), Rossini's Stabat Mater and Petite Messe Solennelle, Poulenc's Stabat Mater, Dvorak's Stabat Mater and Mozart's Requiem. She has also participated in the Verdi Gala at the Royal Opera House in Muscat in collaboration with the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, conducted by Sebastian Lang-Lessing, in an Opera Gala at the Festival d'Annecy and in various recitals in the United States, France, Italy, Spain and Armenia.
Among her recent performances and engagements we highlight Otello at the Teatro Verdi di Trieste; Turandot at the Teatro Verdi di Salerno; La bohème at the Teatre Principal of Palma; Adriana Lecouvreur at the Cervantes Theater in Malaga; Madama Butterfly at the Teatro Regio di Torino, the Carlo Felice in Genova and the Teatro Real and La Gioconda at the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples.
Her engagements in the 24/25 season include Un ballo in maschera in San Francisco, Verdi's Messa da Requiem at La Monnaie, Ariadne auf Naxos at the Teatro de la Maestranza, Tristan und Isolde at the Opéra Royal de Wallonie, Tosca in Seattle and Adriana Lecouvreur at the Opéra du Capitole in Toulouse.
Date Last Edited: June 2024
Not to be altered without permission. Please destroy all previous biographical material.
2024-2025 Performances
MADAMA BUTTERFLY
03 of July of 2024 Teatro Real (Madrid)
09 of July of 2024 Teatro Real (Madrid)
14 of July of 2024 Teatro Real (Madrid)
18 of July of 2024 Teatro Real (Madrid)
UN BALLO IN MASCHERA
06 of September of 2024 San Franciso Opera (U.S.A)
11 of September of 2024 San Franciso Opera (U.S.A)
15 of September of 2024 San Franciso Opera (U.S.A)
18 of September of 2024 San Franciso Opera (U.S.A)
21 of September of 2024 San Franciso Opera (U.S.A)
24 of September of 2024 San Franciso Opera (U.S.A)
27 of September of 2024 San Franciso Opera (U.S.A)
REQUIEM DE VERDI
10 of November of 2024 La monnaie / de munt (Brussels, Belgium)
13 of November of 2024 La monnaie / de munt (Brussels, Belgium)
ARIADNE AUF NAXOS
14 of December of 2024 Teatro de la Maestranza (Sevilla)
16 of December of 2024 Teatro de la Maestranza (Sevilla)
18 of December of 2024 Teatro de la Maestranza (Sevilla)
TRISTAN UND ISOLDE
28 of January of 2025 Royal Opera of Valonia (Liège, Belgium)
30 of January of 2025 Royal Opera of Valonia (Liège, Belgium)
02 of February of 2025 Royal Opera of Valonia (Liège, Belgium)
05 of February of 2025 Royal Opera of Valonia (Liège, Belgium)
08 of February of 2025 Royal Opera of Valonia (Liège, Belgium)
TOSCA
3 of May of 2025 Seattle Opera (U.S.A)
9 of May of 2025 Seattle Opera (U.S.A)
11 of May of 2025 Seattle Opera (U.S.A)
ADRIANA LECOUVREUR
20 of June of 2025 Opéra National Capitole Toulouse (France)
22 of June of 2025 Opéra National Capitole Toulouse (France)
24 of June of 2025 Opéra National Capitole Toulouse (France)
26 of June of 2025 Opéra National Capitole Toulouse (France)
29 of June of 2025 Opéra National Capitole Toulouse (France)
03 of July of 2024 Teatro Real (Madrid)
09 of July of 2024 Teatro Real (Madrid)
14 of July of 2024 Teatro Real (Madrid)
18 of July of 2024 Teatro Real (Madrid)
UN BALLO IN MASCHERA
06 of September of 2024 San Franciso Opera (U.S.A)
11 of September of 2024 San Franciso Opera (U.S.A)
15 of September of 2024 San Franciso Opera (U.S.A)
18 of September of 2024 San Franciso Opera (U.S.A)
21 of September of 2024 San Franciso Opera (U.S.A)
24 of September of 2024 San Franciso Opera (U.S.A)
27 of September of 2024 San Franciso Opera (U.S.A)
REQUIEM DE VERDI
10 of November of 2024 La monnaie / de munt (Brussels, Belgium)
13 of November of 2024 La monnaie / de munt (Brussels, Belgium)
ARIADNE AUF NAXOS
14 of December of 2024 Teatro de la Maestranza (Sevilla)
16 of December of 2024 Teatro de la Maestranza (Sevilla)
18 of December of 2024 Teatro de la Maestranza (Sevilla)
TRISTAN UND ISOLDE
28 of January of 2025 Royal Opera of Valonia (Liège, Belgium)
30 of January of 2025 Royal Opera of Valonia (Liège, Belgium)
02 of February of 2025 Royal Opera of Valonia (Liège, Belgium)
05 of February of 2025 Royal Opera of Valonia (Liège, Belgium)
08 of February of 2025 Royal Opera of Valonia (Liège, Belgium)
TOSCA
3 of May of 2025 Seattle Opera (U.S.A)
9 of May of 2025 Seattle Opera (U.S.A)
11 of May of 2025 Seattle Opera (U.S.A)
ADRIANA LECOUVREUR
20 of June of 2025 Opéra National Capitole Toulouse (France)
22 of June of 2025 Opéra National Capitole Toulouse (France)
24 of June of 2025 Opéra National Capitole Toulouse (France)
26 of June of 2025 Opéra National Capitole Toulouse (France)
29 of June of 2025 Opéra National Capitole Toulouse (France)
Gallery
Multimedia
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Tosca (San Francisco Opera)
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Il Trovatore (Royal Opera House)
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Reviews
PIKOVAYA DAMA . GRAN TEATRE DEL LICEU. 2022
"Moreover, the performance of soprano Lianna Haroutounian in the role of Lisa gave us the best moments of the evening, (...). And Haroutounian's mellow but forceful timbre, coupled with her dramatic interpretation and projection, encapsulated the sonorous contrasts of her role". Maria Sanchez (Bachtrack)
"Without a doubt, Lianna Haroutounian's Lisa, replacing Radvanovsky, was musically the highlight of the performance, immersing the audience in the character's waters well beyond the second scene of the third act on the banks of the Neva." Félix de la Fuente (Opera World)
"...a cast in which the Armenian soprano Lianna Haroutounian, who took on the role of Lisa, stood out for her beautiful, lyrical voice..." (...)" Lianna Haroutounian's Lisa was at a high level, with moving accents and great lyricism,..." Javier Pérez Senz (El País)
"Lisa, for her part, was played by Lianna Haroutounian, who replaced Sondra Radvanovsky. She showed at all times the necessary pathos for the character, with a warm, homogeneous, smooth timbre, as is usual with her, standing out especially in her last scene". Gonzalo Lahoz (Platea Magazine)
"Lianna Haroutounian sang a beautiful Lisa, with truly moving moments." Pep Gorgori (ABC Cultura)
"She [Lianna Haroutounian] responds with the same fervour, settling into an opulent, rounded timbre across the entire range, which is wonderfully suited to the young woman lost in her passion. Her vocal facility allows her the most beautiful outbursts, as well as lovely nuances in the gentler passages. She concludes the great scene and the duet of the last act with a long sustained note in which she lets us hear all the agonising despair of her character". Yannick Boussaert (Forumopera)
"She [Lianna Haroutounian] is really the best of the cast. The voice is beautiful and almost always fills the hall, she is perhaps too lyrical in the most dramatic moments, but she is absolutely adequate and gave the necessary drama for the second scene of the third act." (in fernem land.blog)
"Lianna Haroutounian (Lisa) has a robust, fleshy voice, with a steady, firm bass that carries her wide range of sonorities. Her chest voice flourishes and imposes itself on the orchestra without difficulty, but the musical expression works to vary. Textual articulation is crisp and in keeping with the theatrical portrayal of an innocent girl torn between her marital duty and the passionate love that ultimately drives her into the icy waters of the Petersburg Neva." Vojin Jaglicic (Ôlyrix)
"Without a doubt, Lianna Haroutounian's Lisa, replacing Radvanovsky, was musically the highlight of the performance, immersing the audience in the character's waters well beyond the second scene of the third act on the banks of the Neva." Félix de la Fuente (Opera World)
"...a cast in which the Armenian soprano Lianna Haroutounian, who took on the role of Lisa, stood out for her beautiful, lyrical voice..." (...)" Lianna Haroutounian's Lisa was at a high level, with moving accents and great lyricism,..." Javier Pérez Senz (El País)
"Lisa, for her part, was played by Lianna Haroutounian, who replaced Sondra Radvanovsky. She showed at all times the necessary pathos for the character, with a warm, homogeneous, smooth timbre, as is usual with her, standing out especially in her last scene". Gonzalo Lahoz (Platea Magazine)
"Lianna Haroutounian sang a beautiful Lisa, with truly moving moments." Pep Gorgori (ABC Cultura)
"She [Lianna Haroutounian] responds with the same fervour, settling into an opulent, rounded timbre across the entire range, which is wonderfully suited to the young woman lost in her passion. Her vocal facility allows her the most beautiful outbursts, as well as lovely nuances in the gentler passages. She concludes the great scene and the duet of the last act with a long sustained note in which she lets us hear all the agonising despair of her character". Yannick Boussaert (Forumopera)
"She [Lianna Haroutounian] is really the best of the cast. The voice is beautiful and almost always fills the hall, she is perhaps too lyrical in the most dramatic moments, but she is absolutely adequate and gave the necessary drama for the second scene of the third act." (in fernem land.blog)
"Lianna Haroutounian (Lisa) has a robust, fleshy voice, with a steady, firm bass that carries her wide range of sonorities. Her chest voice flourishes and imposes itself on the orchestra without difficulty, but the musical expression works to vary. Textual articulation is crisp and in keeping with the theatrical portrayal of an innocent girl torn between her marital duty and the passionate love that ultimately drives her into the icy waters of the Petersburg Neva." Vojin Jaglicic (Ôlyrix)
TOSCA. TEATRO CERVANTES. 2021
" But if there was something great about this Tosca, it was undoubtedly the great heroine of the evening, the Armenian soprano Lianna Haroutounian. Haroutounian, one of the voices of the Real and who next July will play Cio-cio-san at the Liceu, shone as Floria Tosca, resolute in her acting and great in her singing. Haroutounian from her entrance on stage, aware of the psychological evolution of the character, gradually turned in intensity until justifying the aria Vissi d'arte, not without first signing in the first act the duet Non la sospiri, much more firm and corporeal [...]. Arriving at the duet Il tuo sangue Haroutounian in the third act, the great soprano was already the master of the stage...". Alejandro Fernández (La Opinión de Málaga)
"The Malaga coliseum's great investment in the soloist chapter was evident, beginning with the protagonist in the figure of the Armenian soprano Lianna Haroutounian, a singer of superb and resplendent emission thanks to the vocal control at the service of the psychological evolution of the character conceived by Puccini, going from the apparent naivety of the first act to the heroism that carries her to the immolation in the final scene. Haroutounian veered from the lightness of the duet "Non la sospiri la nostra casetta" in the first act to the firmness of the "Vissi d'arte" in the second and to the superb third act, which she turned into a singing work of art as is always expected of a great soloist like Haroutounian". Alejandro Fernández (Ópera Actual)
"From the singing point of view, the performance of the Armenian soprano Lianna Haroutounian must be considered the determining factor in this performance, demonstrating at all times her mastery of her leading role, both dramatically and vocally. Of the former, it is worth noting how truthfully she brought out Floria Tosca's conflicted and passionate personality in the singing phrasing. In the second, she reserved her voice for the most demanding moments such as the duet with Cavaradossi in the first act and the paradigmatic aria of the second, "Vissi d'arte", which tends to be a faithful one that clarifies the suitability of the vocal impulse of a lyric soprano with a particular spinto character". José Antonio Cantón (Codalario)
"Lianna Harotounian has been showing an unstoppable rise on the international scene thanks to wise repertoire planning and an unquestionably good reception by audiences and theatres. The Armenian soprano undoubtedly underpinned the success of these Malaga performances...". José Amador Morales (Mundo Clasico)
"The Malaga coliseum's great investment in the soloist chapter was evident, beginning with the protagonist in the figure of the Armenian soprano Lianna Haroutounian, a singer of superb and resplendent emission thanks to the vocal control at the service of the psychological evolution of the character conceived by Puccini, going from the apparent naivety of the first act to the heroism that carries her to the immolation in the final scene. Haroutounian veered from the lightness of the duet "Non la sospiri la nostra casetta" in the first act to the firmness of the "Vissi d'arte" in the second and to the superb third act, which she turned into a singing work of art as is always expected of a great soloist like Haroutounian". Alejandro Fernández (Ópera Actual)
"From the singing point of view, the performance of the Armenian soprano Lianna Haroutounian must be considered the determining factor in this performance, demonstrating at all times her mastery of her leading role, both dramatically and vocally. Of the former, it is worth noting how truthfully she brought out Floria Tosca's conflicted and passionate personality in the singing phrasing. In the second, she reserved her voice for the most demanding moments such as the duet with Cavaradossi in the first act and the paradigmatic aria of the second, "Vissi d'arte", which tends to be a faithful one that clarifies the suitability of the vocal impulse of a lyric soprano with a particular spinto character". José Antonio Cantón (Codalario)
"Lianna Harotounian has been showing an unstoppable rise on the international scene thanks to wise repertoire planning and an unquestionably good reception by audiences and theatres. The Armenian soprano undoubtedly underpinned the success of these Malaga performances...". José Amador Morales (Mundo Clasico)
UN BALLO IN MASCHERA. Teatro de la Maestranza. 2021
"Lianna Haroutounian's Amelia is the best I have ever heard live. Exceptional in all aspects, it would be difficult to single out one over another in those we usually comment on when reviewing a voice: the timbre dazzles, the treble is perfect and stratospheric, and her stage presence convinces without falling into melodramatism. Spectacular the duet with Vargas in the second act, which was applauded and cheered with great enthusiasm by the audience and her aria Morrò,ma prima in grazia was a lesson (once again tonight) on how to sing Verdi. Bravísima". Javier del Olivo (Platea Magazine)
"Superb Haroutounian, a fully Verdian voice, with a marvellous capacity to transmit emotions thanks to her mastery of the regulations and the intensity of her phrasing, especially moving in Morrò ma prima in grazia." Andrés Moreno Mengíbar (Diario de Sevilla)
"Haroutounian's Amelia, on the other hand, showed herself intractable, with a full register, powerful and secure trebles, as well as great expressivity, especially in her aria 'Madall'arido', where she was able to sustain the subtlety of her singing without breaking down and then face with daring the beautiful duet with Riccardo. Carlos Tarín (ABC de Sevilla)
"Haroutounian was unequivocally superb, a textbook Verdian voice, with an impressive capacity for emotional transmission, a masterly use of regulators and an accentuation always at the service of dramatic expressiveness. Her capacity for nuance in "Morró, ma prima in grazia" was stunning". Andrés Moreno Mengíbar (Scherzo)
"His [Ramón Vargas] duet with Amelia in the second act deserved fiery ovations, and it is that the Armenian soprano Lianna Haroutounian showed why she is so well regarded among Verdi lovers, with remarkable agility and considerable expressive force, scintillating treble and great sensitivity." Juan José Roldán (El Correo de Andalucía)
"Haroutounian is unambiguously superb, a textbook Verdian voice, with an impressive capacity for emotional transmission, masterful use of regulators and an accentuation always at the service of dramatic expressiveness. Her capacity for nuance in "Morró, ma prima in grazia" was impressive". Andrés Moreno Mengíbar (Scherzo)
"It wasn't the biggest [ovation] because it went to his castmate Lianna Haroutounian whose lyric soprano vocal qualities fitted her part like a glove. The Armenian singer's instrument was homogeneous, with considerable volume and a pleasing timbre with an attractive mordant, especially in the high register. On an interpretative level, Haroutounian spurred Vargas on in a fiery duet, showed off legato singing in her great aria of the second act and finished with a highly moving "Morrò,ma prima in grazia" chiselled with beautiful smorzature, a finished portrait of this anguished character of Verdi's". José Amador Morales (Codalario)
"La soprano armenia Lianna Haroutounian acompañó a Vargas con una enorme fuerza expresiva, una sensibilidad dramática un punto henchida pero siempre haciendo valer la agilidad de su registro. Tiene un centro delicado y un uso de legato muy expresivo, que demostró en la agitada «Ma dall’ arido stelo divulsa»." Ismael G. Cabral (Ópera Actual)
"The Armenian soprano Lianna Haroutounian accompanied Vargas with enormous expressive power, a dramatic sensitivity that was a little overdone but always asserting the agility of her register. She has a delicate centre and a very expressive use of legato, which she demonstrated in the stirring "Ma dall' arido stelo divulsa". Ismael G. Cabral (Current Opera)
"Superb Haroutounian, a fully Verdian voice, with a marvellous capacity to transmit emotions thanks to her mastery of the regulations and the intensity of her phrasing, especially moving in Morrò ma prima in grazia." Andrés Moreno Mengíbar (Diario de Sevilla)
"Haroutounian's Amelia, on the other hand, showed herself intractable, with a full register, powerful and secure trebles, as well as great expressivity, especially in her aria 'Madall'arido', where she was able to sustain the subtlety of her singing without breaking down and then face with daring the beautiful duet with Riccardo. Carlos Tarín (ABC de Sevilla)
"Haroutounian was unequivocally superb, a textbook Verdian voice, with an impressive capacity for emotional transmission, a masterly use of regulators and an accentuation always at the service of dramatic expressiveness. Her capacity for nuance in "Morró, ma prima in grazia" was stunning". Andrés Moreno Mengíbar (Scherzo)
"His [Ramón Vargas] duet with Amelia in the second act deserved fiery ovations, and it is that the Armenian soprano Lianna Haroutounian showed why she is so well regarded among Verdi lovers, with remarkable agility and considerable expressive force, scintillating treble and great sensitivity." Juan José Roldán (El Correo de Andalucía)
"Haroutounian is unambiguously superb, a textbook Verdian voice, with an impressive capacity for emotional transmission, masterful use of regulators and an accentuation always at the service of dramatic expressiveness. Her capacity for nuance in "Morró, ma prima in grazia" was impressive". Andrés Moreno Mengíbar (Scherzo)
"It wasn't the biggest [ovation] because it went to his castmate Lianna Haroutounian whose lyric soprano vocal qualities fitted her part like a glove. The Armenian singer's instrument was homogeneous, with considerable volume and a pleasing timbre with an attractive mordant, especially in the high register. On an interpretative level, Haroutounian spurred Vargas on in a fiery duet, showed off legato singing in her great aria of the second act and finished with a highly moving "Morrò,ma prima in grazia" chiselled with beautiful smorzature, a finished portrait of this anguished character of Verdi's". José Amador Morales (Codalario)
"La soprano armenia Lianna Haroutounian acompañó a Vargas con una enorme fuerza expresiva, una sensibilidad dramática un punto henchida pero siempre haciendo valer la agilidad de su registro. Tiene un centro delicado y un uso de legato muy expresivo, que demostró en la agitada «Ma dall’ arido stelo divulsa»." Ismael G. Cabral (Ópera Actual)
"The Armenian soprano Lianna Haroutounian accompanied Vargas with enormous expressive power, a dramatic sensitivity that was a little overdone but always asserting the agility of her register. She has a delicate centre and a very expressive use of legato, which she demonstrated in the stirring "Ma dall' arido stelo divulsa". Ismael G. Cabral (Current Opera)
LA BOHÉME. Las Palmas. 2020
"I was very pleasantly surprised by the soprano Lianna Haroutounian, in the part of Mimi. A sweet and ductile voice, in evident maturity, she always sounded round and homogeneous, delving into warm sonorities and with a truly appreciable dramatic intensity. She sounded impeccable throughout the evening, with special prominence in the third act. Her instrument is rarely naturally identified with Puccinian melodrama". Alejandro Martínez (Platea Magazine)
"None of this magical evening, of course, would have been possible without a cast of protaganist voices in a state of grace. (...). The Armenian soprano Lianna Haroutounian (Mimì) possesses an attractive spinto lirica voice, to which is added her ability to evince the emotions that her role demands". Cayetano Sánchez
"Lianna Haroutounian, proposed a wonderful Mimì, rich in nuances and without blemish, as well as showing an astonishing ability to adapt her lyric spinto timbre to all the edges of the role with sweetness and control." Agustín Arocha (Ópera Actual)
"None of this magical evening, of course, would have been possible without a cast of protaganist voices in a state of grace. (...). The Armenian soprano Lianna Haroutounian (Mimì) possesses an attractive spinto lirica voice, to which is added her ability to evince the emotions that her role demands". Cayetano Sánchez
"Lianna Haroutounian, proposed a wonderful Mimì, rich in nuances and without blemish, as well as showing an astonishing ability to adapt her lyric spinto timbre to all the edges of the role with sweetness and control." Agustín Arocha (Ópera Actual)
MADAME BUTTERFLY. Gran Teatre del Liceu. 2019
"There is something about Lianna Haroutounian that is very much to be appreciated. Apart from her lyric soprano spinto voice, which last night at the Liceu was full-bodied, smooth and seamless, she has something that is not always found in the performers who give life to Madama Butterfly: that ability to become minimal, to show her emotions - many and very intense in that much-travelled role in the operatic repertoire - without gesturality ruining the character... Already in the first aria of Cio-Cio San, "Un vel di vedremo", when she describes, happy, her hours of waiting for Pinkerton's return, glimpsing any ship arriving in the distance, the audience burst into the first of the ovations. " Maricel Chavarría (La Vanguardia)
"Lianna Haroutounian, who built an almost perfect Butterfly both vocally and scenically..." Pablo Meléndez-Haddad (El Periódico)
"This production forces one to get it all out, to empty oneself, and therefore benefits singers like Lianna Haroutounian, who made her debut on Saturday at the Liceu, and who is as splendid as a singer as she manages to be as an actress. The Armenian soprano, who has just been earning good reviews in the United States precisely for Butterfly, and who is beginning to be recognised as one of the most complete dramatic voices of the moment - singing both Verdi and Puccini - seems to have been born to play the geisha of Nagasaki: she sings it without gimmicks, with a clear, firm voice, and is credible because she does not exaggerate the tragedy. When she gets into the role, she makes her Cio-Cio San a stoic, resolute and hopeful woman, not an irritating mourner. She sang the star aria, Un bel di vedremo, with assurance and without temptation to any flourishes, and did not pin her hopes of an ovation on those three minutes alone, but on the slow maturation of her role, which improved as the minutes progressed. Overall, her Butterfly is convincing, complete in body and singing, which is the same as saying that she bordered on excellence". Javier Blánquez (El Mundo)
"Haroutounian held the reins of the drama with a beautiful voice, full, rich in nuances and firm in the treble. Her interpretation of Cio-Cio San, emotive and sincere, transmits the anguish, suffering and greatness of the unfortunate geisha with great stage presence and overflowing expressiveness. The overwhelming finale, which is also the best resolved theatrical scene in the production, was memorable". Javier Pérez Senz (El País)
"In a single-character opera, as this one is, it's necessary for the performer to be of the highest calibre so that the whole ensemble works. The Armenian soprano made her debut at the Liceu with a masterly interpretation: nuanced, visceral, with a resounding voice in the mid-range and secure in the treble register, and with a precious colour, pleasant to listen to, that grew in intensity as the tragedy progressed". Gerard Guerra Ribó (elnacional.cat)
"...the Armenian soprano displayed a voice of beautiful, warm timbre that was an appropriate vehicle for expressing the candour of Cio-Cio-San, especially in the first act, with a generous projection that, far from annulling Jorge de León's Pinkerton in the rapturous duet, was decisive in conferring the necessary rotundity in the scenes of greater drama in the second and third acts. Haroutounian brought all the facets of Cio-Cio-San movingly to life, with singing that was always elegant, with noble phrasing, full of sensuality in the duet with Pinkerton, but full of pathos, as after listening to Pinkerton's humiliating letter read by Sharpless ("Due cose potreifar: tornar a divertir la gente, col cantar... oppure, meglio, morire". ), or mordant, in the outburst of despair that follows ("Ah! m'hascordata?"). After the interpretation of "Un bel dìvedremo", the Armenian soprano turned the theatre upside down, as was to be expected, although that was only one detail of a splendid performance also supported by an accomplished stage performance". Xavier Borja Bucar (Codalario)
"The Armenian Lianna Haroutounian made a memorable debut in the Barcelona coliseum in the role of Butterfly, to the point of coming on stage to receive the applause, still in tears at the end of the performance. It was the perfect summary of what happened on Saturday night at the premiere of this operatic masterpiece. Haroutounian demonstrated a profound knowledge of the character, mastering both the vocal part and the stage movement, with delicate and precise gestures. (...) You can't go on stage to defend the role if you don't delve into all these subtleties, which the Armenian knows inside out". Pep Gorgori (Abc)
"Lianna Haroutounian, who built an almost perfect Butterfly both vocally and scenically..." Pablo Meléndez-Haddad (El Periódico)
"This production forces one to get it all out, to empty oneself, and therefore benefits singers like Lianna Haroutounian, who made her debut on Saturday at the Liceu, and who is as splendid as a singer as she manages to be as an actress. The Armenian soprano, who has just been earning good reviews in the United States precisely for Butterfly, and who is beginning to be recognised as one of the most complete dramatic voices of the moment - singing both Verdi and Puccini - seems to have been born to play the geisha of Nagasaki: she sings it without gimmicks, with a clear, firm voice, and is credible because she does not exaggerate the tragedy. When she gets into the role, she makes her Cio-Cio San a stoic, resolute and hopeful woman, not an irritating mourner. She sang the star aria, Un bel di vedremo, with assurance and without temptation to any flourishes, and did not pin her hopes of an ovation on those three minutes alone, but on the slow maturation of her role, which improved as the minutes progressed. Overall, her Butterfly is convincing, complete in body and singing, which is the same as saying that she bordered on excellence". Javier Blánquez (El Mundo)
"Haroutounian held the reins of the drama with a beautiful voice, full, rich in nuances and firm in the treble. Her interpretation of Cio-Cio San, emotive and sincere, transmits the anguish, suffering and greatness of the unfortunate geisha with great stage presence and overflowing expressiveness. The overwhelming finale, which is also the best resolved theatrical scene in the production, was memorable". Javier Pérez Senz (El País)
"In a single-character opera, as this one is, it's necessary for the performer to be of the highest calibre so that the whole ensemble works. The Armenian soprano made her debut at the Liceu with a masterly interpretation: nuanced, visceral, with a resounding voice in the mid-range and secure in the treble register, and with a precious colour, pleasant to listen to, that grew in intensity as the tragedy progressed". Gerard Guerra Ribó (elnacional.cat)
"...the Armenian soprano displayed a voice of beautiful, warm timbre that was an appropriate vehicle for expressing the candour of Cio-Cio-San, especially in the first act, with a generous projection that, far from annulling Jorge de León's Pinkerton in the rapturous duet, was decisive in conferring the necessary rotundity in the scenes of greater drama in the second and third acts. Haroutounian brought all the facets of Cio-Cio-San movingly to life, with singing that was always elegant, with noble phrasing, full of sensuality in the duet with Pinkerton, but full of pathos, as after listening to Pinkerton's humiliating letter read by Sharpless ("Due cose potreifar: tornar a divertir la gente, col cantar... oppure, meglio, morire". ), or mordant, in the outburst of despair that follows ("Ah! m'hascordata?"). After the interpretation of "Un bel dìvedremo", the Armenian soprano turned the theatre upside down, as was to be expected, although that was only one detail of a splendid performance also supported by an accomplished stage performance". Xavier Borja Bucar (Codalario)
"The Armenian Lianna Haroutounian made a memorable debut in the Barcelona coliseum in the role of Butterfly, to the point of coming on stage to receive the applause, still in tears at the end of the performance. It was the perfect summary of what happened on Saturday night at the premiere of this operatic masterpiece. Haroutounian demonstrated a profound knowledge of the character, mastering both the vocal part and the stage movement, with delicate and precise gestures. (...) You can't go on stage to defend the role if you don't delve into all these subtleties, which the Armenian knows inside out". Pep Gorgori (Abc)
MADAME BUTTERFLY. San Francisco Opera. 2016
Then, on the afternoon of Sunday, Nov. 6, came the hypnotically fine opening performance of “Madama Butterfly,” with Haroutounian once again singing the title role. (…) No one could say that the splendor of Haroutounian’s artistry — the shimmery firmness of her sound, the voluptuous swell and fall of her vocal phrasing, the intensity and grandeur of her stage presence — came as any kind of surprise. These qualities were amply on display in 2014. Yet it was a joy not only to bask once again in the magnificence of her singing but also to hear it transferred, beautifully intact, to a new dramatic forum. (…) This is hardly the only way to approach the assignment (…) But it worked perfectly for the character of Haroutounian’s singing, with its plush textures and lack of sharp edges. (…) Haroutounian upped the ante in the final act, adding a new layer of fervor to what had already been a forceful vocal showing. She injected her performance with a new jolt of energy — vaulting to high notes, shaping individual phrases with fierce vitality — and all without sacrificing anything in the way of elegance or gentility of tone. Her contribution alone would have been enough to make this “Butterfly” a triumph. (…) . So let me ask once more: When’s she coming back again? Joshua Kosman (San Francisco Chronicle) Read the full review (/www.sfchronicle.com/music/article/Soprano-s-triumphant-return-in-SF-Opera-10598708.php)
“Just when it seemed the San Francisco Opera season was winding down, the company has introduced a “Madama Butterfly” that absolutely knocks it out of the park. The reason is Lianna Haroutounian, whose impassioned, stunningly beautiful vocal performance in the title role breathes new life into Puccini’s melodrama. Sunday afternoon at the War Memorial Opera House, the Armenian soprano created a “Butterfly” for the ages.(…) As Cio-Cio-San, (…), the soprano inhabits the role completely and decisively, tracing the character’s arc from shy hopefulness to utter despair. The role’s gleaming high notes and poignant utterances are hers to command, and she made the most of them throughout this revival. Mining the deep vein of emotionalism in Puccini’s soaring score, her voluptuous, artfully shaded vocalism and delicately nuanced characterization added up to a gripping portrayal, and her expressive singing in the role’s great set pieces, including the timeless Act II aria, “Un bel di,” was nothing short of brilliant. (…)Get a ticket if you can – this is the company’s final fall revival, and it’s one that opera lovers are likely to be talking about for a long, long time." Georgia Rowe (The Mercury News) Read full review (www.mercurynews.com/2016/11/07/a-madama-butterfly-for-the-ages-at-san-francisco-opera/)
"Lianna Haroutounian possesses a spinto voice of power and vocal control with the ability to convey a range of emotions convincingly through vocal expressiveness and acting ability. (…) Haroutounian proved to be convincing in the role, diplaying both the character’s vulnerability and her inner strength. Haroutounian’s 2014 San Francisco Opera debut created a sensation. Her reception as Cio-Cio-San was equally warm, if not even more so than her Tosca, with a standing audience ovation greeting her as she stepped out for a solo curtain call at opera’s end." William Burnett (Opera Warhorses) Read the full review (www.operawarhorses.com/2016/11/08/review-a-transcendent-madama-butterfly-san-francisco-opera-november-6-2016/)
"The Madama Butterfly of Armenian soprano Lianna Haroutounian may well become recognized as the Butterfly of our time, indeed one of the great Butterflies of all times. (…) The purity of voice that casts her as the unstained Verdi heroine, and the security of her vocal technique sustain the youth and stamina of the 18-year-old Butterfly. The strength and beauty of tone throughout the role’s range underscore the moral certitude of this simple and courageous geisha. The excited Saturday night audience understood and felt the gravity of Butterfly’s strength and innocence, and awarded Mlle. Haroutounian an ovation the size of which I have never before witnessed in the War Memorial Opera House." Michael Milenski (Opera Today) Read the full review (www.operatoday.com/content/2016/11/a_butterfly_for.php)
“Just when it seemed the San Francisco Opera season was winding down, the company has introduced a “Madama Butterfly” that absolutely knocks it out of the park. The reason is Lianna Haroutounian, whose impassioned, stunningly beautiful vocal performance in the title role breathes new life into Puccini’s melodrama. Sunday afternoon at the War Memorial Opera House, the Armenian soprano created a “Butterfly” for the ages.(…) As Cio-Cio-San, (…), the soprano inhabits the role completely and decisively, tracing the character’s arc from shy hopefulness to utter despair. The role’s gleaming high notes and poignant utterances are hers to command, and she made the most of them throughout this revival. Mining the deep vein of emotionalism in Puccini’s soaring score, her voluptuous, artfully shaded vocalism and delicately nuanced characterization added up to a gripping portrayal, and her expressive singing in the role’s great set pieces, including the timeless Act II aria, “Un bel di,” was nothing short of brilliant. (…)Get a ticket if you can – this is the company’s final fall revival, and it’s one that opera lovers are likely to be talking about for a long, long time." Georgia Rowe (The Mercury News) Read full review (www.mercurynews.com/2016/11/07/a-madama-butterfly-for-the-ages-at-san-francisco-opera/)
"Lianna Haroutounian possesses a spinto voice of power and vocal control with the ability to convey a range of emotions convincingly through vocal expressiveness and acting ability. (…) Haroutounian proved to be convincing in the role, diplaying both the character’s vulnerability and her inner strength. Haroutounian’s 2014 San Francisco Opera debut created a sensation. Her reception as Cio-Cio-San was equally warm, if not even more so than her Tosca, with a standing audience ovation greeting her as she stepped out for a solo curtain call at opera’s end." William Burnett (Opera Warhorses) Read the full review (www.operawarhorses.com/2016/11/08/review-a-transcendent-madama-butterfly-san-francisco-opera-november-6-2016/)
"The Madama Butterfly of Armenian soprano Lianna Haroutounian may well become recognized as the Butterfly of our time, indeed one of the great Butterflies of all times. (…) The purity of voice that casts her as the unstained Verdi heroine, and the security of her vocal technique sustain the youth and stamina of the 18-year-old Butterfly. The strength and beauty of tone throughout the role’s range underscore the moral certitude of this simple and courageous geisha. The excited Saturday night audience understood and felt the gravity of Butterfly’s strength and innocence, and awarded Mlle. Haroutounian an ovation the size of which I have never before witnessed in the War Memorial Opera House." Michael Milenski (Opera Today) Read the full review (www.operatoday.com/content/2016/11/a_butterfly_for.php)
Interviews
Musical Criticism - May 2013