The Pearl Fishers
"The beautiful Ani Maldjian is splendid as Leila, particularly in her first aria, [O Dieu Brahma], which displays her brilliant artistry as a coloratura soprano with jewel-like tones and trills and remarkable breath control and placement." -Houston Chronicle by Buzz Bellmont "Ani Maldjian sang the role of Leila with a voice that was remarkable for its combination of flexibility and rich color. She was the most natural actor, portraying Leila’s varying moments of fear, vulnerability, and inner peace effortlessly. In fact, Maldjian infused so much emotion into her singing alone, that the veil she wore over her face through much of act one and act two could have been opaque rather than white and she still would have conveyed her feelings effectively." -Opera Pulse Magazine by Robin Lowe "Soprano Ani Maldjian brought exotic beauty and no shortage of coloratura flittering to the role of Leila." -Houston Arts week, By John DeMers 
Nixon in China
"Ani Maldjian brought demonic power to the role of Mao’s wife, Chiang Ch’ing, seizing control of the stage with her virtuosic, self-identifying, vaunting aria." -Los Angeles Times by Chris Pasles "The foreboding and sinister Madame Mao, Chiang Ch’ing, is sung by returning Ani Maldjian. This petite young singer packs a lot of punch that she wields into an ecstatic frenzy during The Chairman Dances. There are several moments within Nixon in China that are spellbinding, but in particular, the repartee she exclaims during the “ballet within the opera”which finds us entranced and fixated with her character." -Concerto Net by Christie Grimstad "Fierce, fiery performance." -LA Daily News by John Farrell "Ani Maldjian stunned the entire audience with her supernaturally powerful coloratura leaps in Act Two’s 'I am the wife of Mao Tse-Tung'." -Opera West by David Gregson "She portrayed this role menacingly, ultimately brandishing an AK-47 at everyone, including Nixon." -Opera Warhorses by Tom Ruppert "Commanding." -Out West Arts "Ani Maldian brought the house down with her rendition of “I Am the Wife of Mao-Tse-Tung! Her light coloratura voice maneuvered the challenging aria beautifully." -Culture Spot LA by Wendy Kikkert "Madame Mao is disturbingly compelling, thanks to Ani Maldjian’s strong voice and presence. Though starting from opposed places, one [Pat Nixon] warm and inviting, the other [Madame Mao] strident and nearly horrifying, both women touch the audience thanks to the tender treatment rendered by Hanson and Maldjian. -The New Gay "Ani Maldjian, last seen happily slaughtering chickens as The Cunning Little Vixen, gives a wickedly galvanizing performance of Madam Mao's aria, "I am the wife of Mao Tse-Tung." She is an exceptional young singing actress and a true rarity, a "character soprano" with seemingly boundless high-register power. I for one hope that Long Beach keeps finding roles for her for years to come." -A Fool in the Forest, by George Wallace "Ani Maldjian fearlessly attacks and conquers the punishing tessitura of Madame Mao." -ShowMag by Michael Van Duzer |
Les Mamelles de Tiresias/Tears of a Knife
"Sensational performance by soprano Ani Maldjian, whose Eleonore and especially Tiresias became multi-leveled, meaningful and very funny women. Her singing of the Poulenc was marvelously gratifying, capturing its special mixture of elusiveness and operatic grandeur." -Los Angeles Times, by Mark Swed "She is a truly marvelous singer and a clever instinctive, actress with a lovely, clear, stable and really sizable sounding voice." -Opera West, by David Gregson "Soprano Ani Maldjian has established herself as a superb singer and skilled actress as LBO's cunning Vixen and a ruthless Madame Mao, among others, and she again brings those qualities to bear on the instability of Eleonore and the aspirations and triumphs of Thérèse/Tiresias. Poulenc gifted his heroine with some exquisitely complex and gorgeous music, which Maldjian negotiates with heartening ease." -A Fool in the Forest, by George M. Wallace "Maldjian has great fun in the role, but also sings with a real passion, intensely personalizing the desire for emancipation from the role of complacent, baby-making housewife....The first act belongs mostly to Maldjian." -Press telegram, by John Farrell "Ani Maldjian was easily the vocal standout with a bright, robust voice." -www.allisyar.com, by CK Dexter Haven "Beautifully sung by Ani Maldjian." -Gazettes by Shirle Gottlieb "Impressively sung by Ani Maldjian." -Easyreader.com by Bondo Wyszpolski 
The Cunning Little Vixen with Long Beach Opera January
"Big things are predicted for her. Her Vixen was radiant. Her little things, and especially her fleeting Chaplinesque gestures, were pitch perfect. So was her equally superb soprano." -Los Angeles Times by Mark Swed "Maldjian has a very expressive face, big eyes and a voice of power. Her personality infuses the fox with strength, cunning and a human touch." -Press Telegram by John Farrell "Maldjian provided a suitably sassy and cute Vixen, limpidly voiced." -Orange County Register by Timothy Mangan "Maldjian proved an entrancing Vixen. She is an eager and resourceful actress who found both the Vixen's energetic charm and her wily resolve. Fresh-toned and vocally secure she brought the right silvery sheen to this music and her diction was admirable." -Stage Happenings by Michael Van Duzer "Maldjian, was a delight as Vixen. Her voice is clear and pretty, and her acting compelling and natural. Being cute as a bug's ear doesn't hurt, either." -Gazettes by Jim Ruggirello 
Gianni Schicchi/L'enfant et les sortileges with Seattle Opera
"[Maldjian] skillfully drew from the audience the requisite collective sigh without pulling us out of the story." -Seattle Weekly, by Gavin Gorchert "The show was stolen by soprano Ani Maldijan. She sang an intricate, difficult coloratura aria with precision. Later on she reappeared as the Princess, giving a curiously sensuous performance that was subtle and captivating.""Maldijan rendered the iconic aria O, mio babbino caro with as much breathless, swooning intensity as one could hope for, and yet at the same time took pains to make sure that it sounded light and in keeping with the overall timbre of the presentation. -Northwest Reverb by Lorin Wilkerson "...so that when Ani Maldjian, as Lauretta, launched her seductive performance of O mio babbino caro, the lyrical beauty of the moment did not seem in any way incongruous." -Seen and Heard International Review by Bernard Jacobson |
