“A beautifully burnished mezzo-soprano voice, a fine way with a musical phrase and a strong stage presence”. Toronto Star 2006

Born in Canada of Greek-Canadian heritage, Ariana Chris (née Ariadni Christodoulopoulos) is praised by the press for her “beautifully burnished mezzo-soprano voice".

Ariana Chris continues to delight audiences nationally and abroad with her vocal artistry and engaging stage presence. Among the opera companies with which she has performed are Opera Hong Kong, Opera de Montreal, Anger’s Nantes Opera France, New York City Opera and the Santa Fe Opera.

Selected to sing at the televised Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games , Ariana Chris’s performance of the Greek National Anthem for the Closing Ceremonies was heard by millions of viewers worldwide. Her newsmaking dress was a custom design by the renowned Canadian design team DSquared2.

Earlier in 2009, she sang the role of The Composer in the Polish national premiere of Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos with the Baltycka Opera in Gdansk, Poland and Szeged, Hungary.  Part of the 2009 international Armel Opera Competition and Festival with Mezzo and Duna/Mezzo International Festival, the production was televised in 39 countries. 

With a growing list of international debuts, Ariana Chris’s growing career affirms the press acclaim that “Her sense of style and artistry is world class.”

In 2005, Ms. Chris represented Greece in the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition in Wales, where she sang in the televised master class with Elly Ameling.  In 2004, she was honored to sing for the Canada House at the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics in Greece.

Upcoming highlights of Ariana Chris’ 2010 spring season include a March performance in Toronto, Canada, of “Sappho de Mytilene” a song cycle written for Ms. Chris by composer Constantine Caravassilis (and which won the the 2009 Karen Kieser Prize in Canadian Music), and April perfor-mances with Opera Baltycka in Gdansk, Poland, in which she will sing the role of The Composer in the reprise of the company’s 2009 production of Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos. In June, the same production will travel to Warsaw, where the opera will be presented for the first time in the capital.  In August, Ariana travels to Greece to perform in the Mantzaros Philharmonic’s Gala open air concert on the island of Corfu. 

Recent performances include Opera Hamilton’s 30th Anniversary Gala and appearances with the Matzaros Philharmonic, the Canadian Chamber Orchestra of New York, and New York City Opera’s VOX Show-case 2009. With New York City Opera, she has appeared in productions of The Magic Flute and in Cavalleria Rusticana, in which she made her company debut as Lola in 2007.

Last season, Ariana debuted with Opera Francais de New York as Poldine in Kurt Weill’s Marie Galante, for which The New York Times commented on her “affecting” performance and Opéra magazine lauded her scene as “Superbe Execution” and praised her as “piquante.” Her 2008 debut with the Angers-Nantes Opera as Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte was acclaimed as “Ravissante”.  She has sung the role of Myrtale in Thaïs with Kentucky Opera, and Giannetta in L’Elisir d’Amore with Lake George Opera.

As an apprentice with L’Opera de Montreal from 2002-2005, Ariana sang mainstage as Zweite Knabe in Die Zauberflöte, as Zulma in L’Italiana in Algeri and Myrtale in Thaïs.  With the company’s L’Atelier Lyricque, she toured as Zweite Dame in Die Zauberflöte, Hansel in Hansel und Gretel and as Carmen and Mercedes in 55 performances of Carmen. During this period, Ariana was chosen for a solo Radio Canada Debut Recital and selected for the title role in Dido and Aeneas at the Monument-National.

Ariana studied at the University of Toronto receiving a Bachelor of Voice Performance and a Graduate Diploma in Operatic Studies.