Praised for her "rich, soaring soprano" and“crystalline tone” (Opera News), Indian-American soprano MAYA KHERANI has been sought after for her vibrant voice and committed characterizations in repertoire from the Baroque to the modern. This season's engagements include a debut with the New York Philharmonic in Messiah with Ton Koopman, Handel's Agrippina condotta a morire with Jeffrey Thomas and American Bach Soloists, Handel's Silete venti with Portland Baroque Orchestra and Julian Perkins, and returns to Boston Baroque for Messiah and American Bach Soloists for Baroque bravura arias for New Year's Eve. Career highlights include debuts at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence and Château de Versailles Spectacles as DRUSILLA/FORTUNA in L’incoronazione di Poppea with Leonardo García Alarcón released on DVD; AUTONOE in Sartorio’s L'Orfeo with Philippe Jaroussky with Opéra national de Montpellier; PIPER in Pay the Piper (world première) at Glyndebourne; BARBARINA / SUSANNA (cover) with Raphaël Pichon and Handel and Haydn Society; ZERLINA in Don Giovanni at Boston Baroque; Muffat’s Missa in labore requies with Richard Egarr and Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra; Mahler's Symphony No. 4 with Vancouver Symphony; NITOCRIS in Handel’s Belshazzar, Messiah and Bach’s Mass in A major with American Bach Soloists; and Messiah with Boston Baroque and Portland Baroque Orchestra. Her favorite opera roles include SUSANNA, PARTENOPE, DESPINA, SEMELE, BELINDA, GILDA, ROSINA, and TYTANIA. Maya graduated from Princeton University summa cum laude with a degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, San Francisco Conservatory of Music with honors, and the Boston University Opera Institute.
Ms. Kherani did her young artist training at Central City Opera, American Bach Soloists Academy, SongFest, Early Music Vancouver, and the Amherst Early Music Festival. Notable credits during her time as a young artist include a debut in the role of MEERA in the world première of Jack Perla’s River of Light at Houston Grand Opera (HGOco), BRITOMARTE in Martín y Soler’s L’arbore di Diana (The Chastity Tree) at West Edge Opera, JILL in the world première of Jack and Jill and the Happening Hill at Salt Marsh Opera, the title role of SEMELE and DORINDA in Orlando at Pocket Opera, and SUSANNA in Le nozze di Figaro and FRASQUITA in Carmen at West Bay Opera. As a conservatory student, Maya sang the premières of Neil Rolnick’s Anosmia, released by Innova Records in 2013, and Dante de Silva’s “graphic opera” Gesualdo with Opera Parallèle.
Ms. Kherani’s numerous awards include semi-finalist in the 2020 Glyndebourne Cup, 3rd place in the 2021 Handel Aria Competition, the 2015 McGlone Award from Central City Opera, 1st Place and Audience Favorite at the James Toland Vocal Competition, 2nd Place at the Peter Elvins Vocal Competition the Kalvelage Award at West Bay Opera’s Holt Competition, two Encouragement Awards from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and the top overall Barlow Award at the San Francisco Bay Area NATS competition, where she also won 1st Place in both the Professional Art Song and Aria categories.
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Ms. Kherani graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University with a B.S.E. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and certificates (minors) in Music Performance, Materials Science, and Robotics and Intelligent Systems. At Princeton, she received the Isidore and Helen Sacks Award for excellence in Music Performance and was a dancer and choreographer for Naacho South Asian Dance Company and proud member, past President, and soloist in the Princeton University Glee Club. She holds a Master of Music degree with honors from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and a Professional Certificate from the Boston University Opera Institute.
She currently makes her home in Northern California with her husband, 3 year old daughter, and 1 year old son. When not singing or parenting, Maya enjoys playing tennis, practicing yoga, cooking, reading novels, hiking, scuba diving, and buying way too many kitchen gadgets.
