Anousha Nazari

Anousha Nazari stands out as a unique Iranian lyric mezzo-soprano of her generation. With a repertoire and artistic identity that fuse Persian and European influences, she builds a bridge between these two worlds through her performances.

Born on the shores of the Caspian Sea, Anousha was awarded the International Prize at the Tehran Music Festival in the choral category before joining, in 2014, the Tehran Symphony Orchestra, then under the direction of Maestro Alexander Rahbari. Having already sung in illustrious venues in Iran, such as Roudaki Hall & Vahdat Hall, in 2016, she moved to France where she went on to perform at major European venues, notably the Philharmonie am Gasteig in Munich, Salle Cortot, the Beaux-Arts de Paris, and the Hôtel de Lauzun. She has collaborated with renowned artists such as Sonia Wieder-Atherton, Julie Gayet, and Shani Diluka, among others.

Nazari’s first album, Sounds of Ancestors, was released in 2021 by the Samuel Jordan Center for Persian Studies & Culture at the University of California, highlighting 20th-century Persian melodies intertwined with verses from great poets of the Iranian world. That same year, she contributed, alongside twenty other international artists, to the musical project 20 chansons et berceuses du monde (20 songs and lullabies from around the world), a collaboration with Joyvox Editions distributed by Sony Music. Her second album, In Vino Veritas: Hommage à Khayam, was produced and released in 2024 by Gondishapour in partnership with the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts. This album features contemporary chamber music composed specifically for this recording.

Beyond her performances on stage, Anousha presented a cycle of musical videos in partnership with institutions such as the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and the Philharmonie de Paris, reaching a wider audience. One of her works was showcased in the Khmer Court of the Musée national des arts asiatiques – Guimet, inspired by the poems of Nizami and centred on the epic romance between Princess Shirin and King Khosrow.

With a strong interest in the interplay between different art forms, Anousha Nazari is frequently sought after for musical and artistic initiatives in France and Europe. She has served as a jury member for several prestigious institutions and events, including the 160th edition of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts and the Global Encounters Festival of the Aga Khan Development Network.