American countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen
is one of the classical vocal world's most promising rising stars. Aryeh's
first commercial recording project – the world premiere recording
of Kenneth Fuchs' Poems of Life with the London
Symphony Orchestra, conducted by JoAnn Falletta – won a 2019 Grammy Award in
the Best Classical Compendium category, which honors albums with
multiple soloists and multiple works. Winner of a 2019 William
Matheus Sullivan Musical Foundation Award, and Third Prize Winner in
the 2019 edition of Placido Domingo's Operalia, he was also First
Prize Winner and Audience Choice Award recipient at the 2018 Dallas Opera
Guild Vocal Competition. In his breakout 2016/17 season, he was named Grand
Finals Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council
Auditions and was the recipient of a Sara Tucker Study Grant from
the Richard Tucker Music Foundation. He was First Prize winner of
the Houston Grand Opera Eleanor McCollum Competition, and winner of the
Irvin Scherzer Award from the George London Foundation.<<cut>>
In the 2021/22 season, he makes his Metropolitan Opera debut as Rosencrantz in the Met and U.S. premiere of Brett Dean's Hamlet in the Neil Armfield production, conducted by Nicholas Carter. He makes his Opernhaus Zürich debut in a collaboration with the Ballett Zürich, performing the music of Monteverdi in a world premiere ballet by Christian Spuck, conducted by Riccardo Minasi. On the concert stage, he makes his Russian and role debuts in the title role of Handel's Giulio Cesare in Egitto with the Russian State Chamber Orchestra, led by Christopher Moulds, he returns to The Dallas Opera in a series of gala concerts, led by Emmanuel Villaume, and he returns to Ars Lyrica Houston in a program of Bach and Handel.
In the 2020/21 season, Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen made his Australian and role debuts as Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Adelaide Festival in the acclaimed Neil Armfield production conducted by Mark Wigglesworth, and he performed a solo recital as part of the Adelaide Festival. On the concert stage, he was engaged for performances with Ars Lyrica Houston, Kansas City Symphony, at Carnegie Hall with the Oratorio Society of New York, at the Chapelle Royale de Versailles, and with Washington Bach Consort.
Highlights of the 2019/20 season included the role of David in Barrie Kosky’s heralded production of Handel’s Saul at Houston Grand Opera, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms with the Buffalo Philharmonic, and Handel’s Messiah with the San Francisco Symphony and Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. He was also engaged for performances as Tamerlano in Vivaldi’s Bajazet with Portland Opera and Goffredo in a new production of Handel’s Rinaldo at the Glimmerglass Festival, as well as concert performances with Chapelle Royale de Versailles and Ars Lyrica Houston.
He joined San Francisco Opera’s prestigious Adler Fellowship program for 2018/19, and he made his San Francisco Opera debut as Medoro in Handel’s Orlando under the baton of Christopher Moulds. Performances of the season also included the role of David in Handel’s Saul with Nicholas McGegan and the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra , Ottone in Handel’s Agrippina with Ars Lyrica Houston conducted by Matthew Dirst, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with Matthew Dirst and the Portland Baroque Orchestra, and the world premiere of a new ballet by Yuri Possokhov with the San Francisco Ballet. He covered the role of Polinesso in Handel’s Ariodante at the Lyric Opera of Chicago conducted by Harry Bicket, and he recorded a program of Gluck, Handel, and Vivaldi for his first solo album with Jeffrey Thomas and American Bach Soloists.
The New York City native became the first countertenor in the history of the Houston Grand Opera Studio during the 2017/18 season. His performances for the company included the roles of Nireno in Handel’s Giulio Cesare and Second Maid in Strauss' Elektra, both under the baton of Music Director Patrick Summers. He also made his Cincinnati Opera debut as Ottone in a new production by Zack Winokur of Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea, conducted by Gary Thor Wedow.