Brilliant young Thai-American soprano, Ariya Sawadivong, is in increasing demand for operatic and concert performances around the world.
A native of Asheville, North Carolina, Ariya graduated from the prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) in Philadelphia where she studied with Ruth Golden. She previously earned her bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), where she studied voice with Dr. James Bumgardner. While at AVA and UNCG, she performed many leading roles including the title roles in Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta and Janacek’s Káťa Kabanová , Tatyana in Eugene Onegin, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Suzel in L’amico Fritz, and Gilda in Rigoletto.
Most recently Ariya portrayed the role of Mimi in La Bohème with Bozeman Opera in Bozeman, Montana. Amongst her frequent appearances on the concert platform, she has sung the soprano solos in Orff’s Carmina Burana with the Bucks County Symphony, Vivaldi’s Gloria with the Asheville Symphony Orchestra and Bruckner's Te Deum with the Greensboro Choral Society.
The recipient of many awards and scholarships, Ariya placed second in the Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competition where she performed in the Grand Winner’s Concert with the Palm Beach Opera Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Kamal Khan. She has also received an encouragement award at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, placed third in the Mario Lanza Competition in Philadelphia and was a 2007 finalist in the Loren L. Zachary Society National Vocal Competition.
In 2011, Ariya joins the principal roster of Opera Australia. She will make her Sydney Opera House debut as Echo in Richard Mills' The Love of the Nightingale.