A native of Los Angeles, CA, Talin Nalbandian is an Armenian-American mezzo-soprano who is currently attending the University of Texas, Austin, for a Doctor of Musical Arts degree. For the 2021-22 season, she sang Ravel’s Shéhérazade in concert, Der Trommler in Ullmann’s Der Kaiser von Atlantis, and the title role in Bizet’s Carmen. She recently performed La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi with Livermore Valley Opera and was a Second-Place winner for the Mildred Miller International Voice Competition. In 2019, she sang the roles of Hansel and Sandman in Hansel and Gretel, and Suzuki in Madama Butterfly with Opera San José. That summer she also returned to Music Academy of the West to sing the role of Ruby in the west coast premiere of Jennifer Higdon’s Cold Mountain. Additionally, Talin won first prize at the Henry and Maria Holt Vocal Competition and the Burbank Philharmonic Kennings-Fischer Competition, as well as being a district winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. She has also received awards from the Butler Opera International Competition and the Mentoris Project Vocal Competition. Her concert work includes a performance as the alto soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Symphony Silicon Valley. Talin has worked with Virginia Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Sarasota Opera, and Wolf Trap Opera. Her roles include Maddalena (Rigoletto), 1st trio member (Trouble in Tahiti),  Caverna (L’Opera Seria), Bianca (The Rape of Lucretia), Dorabella (Così fan tutte), First Nursemaid (Street Scene), Marcellina (Le nozze di Figaro), and Mallika and Mistress Bentson (Lakmé), as well as covering  Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni) and Mrs. Jones (Street Scene). Talin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Pepperdine University and a Master of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music.