Biography

INDIRA MAHAJAN

Praised for her “strongly centered, richly textured soprano” by New York Magazine soprano, “poignant soprano” for her moving portrayals by the New York Times, soprano. Indira Mahajan has gained international acclaim performing in leading opera companies and orchestras worldwide.

For her performance as Bess in Francesca Zambello’s production of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, Opera News wrote, “The incandescent Indira Mahajan as Bess performed an unforgettable performance. Mahajan’s experience shows, not only in her detailed acting, but also in the exquisite way she shapes her vocal lines It is a wonderful instrument.”

Ms. Mahajan is the recipient of the prestigious Marian Anderson Award alongside notable opera singers, Denyce Graves, Angel Blue, and Lawrence Brownlee. Recent operatic highlights include: Santuzza in Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana, the role of Death/Dying in Ricky Ian Gordon’s The Tibetan Book of the Dead, The Mother in Thumbprint by Kamala Sankaram, Momma Sue in She Who Dared by Jasmine Barnes, and Golde in Tevye’s Daughter’s by Alex Weiser. She also performed Verdi’s Heroines, Amelia in Un Ballo in Maschera, Elena in I Vespri Siciliani. She has performed the iconic title roles of Aida, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, Lucia di Lammermoor, and Bess in Gershwin’s Porgy d Bess. Ms. Mahajan can also be heard on recording as Mrs.Chaney in Steven Stucky’s August 4, 1964, conducted by Jaap van Sweden which was performed at New York’s Carnegie Hall. She is the recipient of several awards including the Maria Callas Debut Artist of the Year Award from Dallas Opera, and New York City Opera’s Debut Artist of the Year.

During the Pandemic, she collaborated with several artists using new platforms to continue bringing music, information, and conversation to the international musical community. In collaboration with the National Women’s History Museum, she appeared in a program called Heritage and Harmony: Her Art, Her Voice, launched by pianist and educator, Donna Wang. It featured leading female BIPOC role models in the arts sharing stories of heritage, challenges, and triumphs with celebrated artists including dancer, Misty Copland. Ms. Mahajan was featured on the EP album Heritage and Harmony: Silver Linings, which garnered two Silver Medals at the 2022 Global Music Awards, and the EP entitled, Indira Mahajan: From Baroque to Classical. Ms. Mahajan was featured on WQXR in collaboration with pianist, Donna Wang celebrating the accomplishments of AAPI artists. Also, during that year on Women’s History Month, she performed on a virtual ensemble, the March of the Women by Ethel Symth on Allison Charney’s WQXR mini-series with an introduction by Governor Kathy Hochul the first female Governor of New York State.

Ms. Mahajan has performed at Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, Grand Théâtre de Geneva, Opéra Comique in Paris, Théâtre de Caen. Semper Oper Dresden, Oper Frankfurt, Hannover Oper, Teatro Massimo Bellini, Oper Leipzig, Komische Oper Berlin, the Grand Théâtre in Luxembourg, the Royal Albert Hall in London, New York City Opera, the Washington National Opera, Dallas Opera, Los Angeles Opera as well as joined the roster of the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

During her career, Ms, Mahajan has appeared in concert with celebrated orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Korean Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, l’Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia Roma, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Gustavo Dudamel’s Simon Bolivar Youth Symphony Orchestra in Venezuela, and Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional Costa Rica.

She has been seen on PBS “Live from Lincoln Center” Richard Tucker Gala at Lincoln Center, appeared on Iowa Public Television as Madama Butterfly, and has recorded and performed with the Dallas Symphony conducted by Jaap Van Zweden. at New York’s Carnegie Hall. Ms. Mahajan’s performances of Mimi in La Bohème, Nedda in I Pagliacci, and the title role in Aida have also been aired on Classical Public Radio.

Indira Mahajan was born in New York City to a South Asian father born in Dalhousie, India. and Black American mother born in Raleigh, North Carolina. She began her musical studies at the age of 5 as a violinist and later continued her musical studies with her mother and first voice teacher Juilliard trained, Barbara Mahajan.

Indira holds a bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College, Master of Music degree, an Advanced Professional Studies degree from Mannes College of Music, and a diploma from the Accademia Musicale Ottorino Respighi, and New York’s Fiorello LaGuardia’s High School of Music and Art.