Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen brings his “astonishingly beautiful” (The Guardian) instrument to a broad range of repertoire spanning the Baroque to the contemporary. Acclaimed as both a “young star” and “complete artist” by the New York Times, the "extravagantly gifted” countertenor is “poised to redefine what’s possible for singers of this distinctive voice type” (San Francisco Chronicle).
Nussbaum Cohen finds a close affinity between the ancient musical traditions of his Jewish heritage and the Baroque works composing much of his operatic repertoire. Equally invigorated performing new works, Nussbaum Cohen performed on the GRAMMY® Award-winning recording of Kenneth Fuchs’ Poems of Life with the London Symphony Orchestra under JoAnn Falletta; and his interpretation of the Refugee’s aria from Jonathan Dove’s Flight provided the centerpiece for his competition successes, including winning the Grand Prize at the 2017 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, top prizes in Houston Grand Opera’s Eleanor McCollum and the Dallas Opera Guild Competitions, a George and Nora London Foundation Award, the Richard Tucker Study Grant and Career Grant, and the 2024 Gerda Lissner Foundation’s International Vocal Competition.
In the 2024-25 season, Nussbaum Cohen creates Ismael in the world premiere of Mikael Karlsson and Royce Vavrek’s adaptation of Ingmar Bergman’s Fanny and Alexander at La Monnaie de Munt in Brussels. He also returns to Deutsche Oper Berlin for Sir George Benjamin’s Written on Skin. Highlights of his concert schedule include his debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and his French debut performing Vivaldi at the Festival de Froville. He performs in recital at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and in Houston and Minneapolis/St. Paul.
In recent seasons, he has performed with the Bayerische Staatsoper, Opernhaus Zürich, Adelaide Festival, Komische Oper Berlin, Glyndebourne, the San Francisco Opera, Ballet, and Symphony; Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Houston Grand Opera, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Music of the Baroque, Philharmonia Baroque, Buffalo Philharmonic, and Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.
After earning his bachelor’s degree in history from Princeton, Nussbaum Cohen graduated from San Francisco Opera’s Merola and Adler Fellowship Programs and the Houston Grand Opera Studio.
Please note: Biographies are based on information provided to the CSO by the artists or their representatives. More current information may be available on websites of the artists or their management.
