Opera singer Alis Manukyan bid farewell
Alis Manukyan, one of Turkey’s most prominent opera singers and a distinguished figure from the Armenian community, was bid farewell yesterday at a funeral ceremony held at the Surp Vartanants Armenian Church in Şişli, İstanbul.
A memorial ceremony was also held for the artist on the same day at the Atatürk Cultural Center's (AMK) Yeşilçam Sinema Hall.
The artist, for whom an "Honor Night" was organized by the Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey at the Beyoglu Atlas Cinema on Feb 18, 2026, passed away on May 6 at the age of 93.
Sahak Mashalyan, the 85th Patriarch of the Armenians of Turkey, delivered the closing speech of the honor night. Referring to Manukyan's modest personality, he stated that they had not read much news about her until today as she had quietly withdrawn into her corner, and said:
"Dear Alis, the most beautiful thing you did in life was to discover yourself. Because there are two great important days in a person's life. One is the day they are born, and the other is the day they understand why they were born. You understood at an early age that you were born for music. Your family also supported you, and you developed your God-given talent. Talent alone does not work. It requires work, sweat, tears, and fatigue. You have gone through all of them. You have built a very beautiful career for yourself, for your family, for your people, and for Turkey. Tonight proved that Alis Manukyan is not someone who will be forgotten so easily. Your life and your impact show themselves in the artist friends here."
'Goodbye Digin Alis'
Opera singer Kevork Tavityan said the following in a message he wrote after the artist’s passing:
"Alis Manukyan,
"You are one of the people who radically changed my life. The first vocal recital I watched, the first opera I watched (Rigoletto, Gilda) was with your voice and that fascinating, wonderful stance. It was impossible not to be impressed and not to be an admirer after seeing you on stage and hearing your voice. I was only a high school student. That first night I listened to you, I thought, this must be the voice of an angel; I want to be on stage like this, to share what is in my mind and soul with people. Although nearly 45 years have passed, I still feel the excitement of that day whenever I think of the sparkle and beauty of your costume and jewelry.
"Years later, I had the honor of appearing on the same stage with you. Finding myself on the same stage as you, singing on the same stage with you, was a great life experience and a great privilege for me. With your usual kind and embracing manner, you accepted and honored me as a colleague. I still bow before you with respect and love as your apprentice. Long live the Diva. Goodbye Digin Alis. You will always have a place in our memories."
About Alis Manukyan
Opera singer.
Born in İstanbul on June 11, 1933, the artist (Coloratura Soprano) was the daughter of jeweler Artin Usta. She was accepted to the İstanbul Conservatory, and her first teacher was "Ms. Ren Gelenbevi."
After graduating from the conservatory with high honors (1959), she graduated from the Higher Opera Department of Miami (Ohio) University (1959/60), where she went on a special scholarship. She won first place in the vocal competition organized by Miami University. She worked with vocal coaches such as Dora Lyon and Otto Frohlich, and in the same year, she won first place in the Central American Singing Competition.
She returned to Turkey and joined the İstanbul State Opera as a soloist (1960). She played lead roles in the operas "Rigoletto," "Lucia di Lammermoor (Lucia)," "The Barber of Seville," "Carmen" (Frasquita), "La Boheme" (Musetta), "Don Pasquale" (Norina), "L’elisir d’amore," "The Marriage of Figaro," "Don Giovanni," "A Masked Ball," "Romeo and Juliet," "Anush," "The Tales of Hoffmann," and "Olympia."
She went to Romania and became a finalist in the George Enescu Music Festival in Bucharest (1962). She took third place in Bulgaria with the Bulgarian work "Yarasturey" (1967). In the same year, she played "Gilda" in the opera "Rigoletto" in the city of Burgas.
In 1969, she went to Romania twice as an invitee. She performed in "Rigoletto" and "Lucia" at the State Operas of Bucharest, Cluj, Iasi, and Timisoara. She was invited a second time by the Bulgarian State Opera through the Turkish Foreign Ministry to perform "Rigoletto" in the cities of Sofia, Plovdiv, and Varna (1971). At the end of this tour, she was also invited by the Bulgarian State Opera to the Varna International Music Festival to be held in July 1972. In the opera "Rigoletto," she performed alongside famous Bulgarian artists such as bass-baritone Nikola Gyuzelev, Petko Marinov, Nikolai Stoilov, and Reni Penkova. In 1973, she was invited to Bulgaria again, this time performing in "Rigoletto" in Burgas and Ruse; additionally, in 1974, she played lead roles in "The Barber of Seville" and "Don Pasquale" in Burgas, Varna, and Pleven.
The artist, who gave countless vocal recitals domestically and abroad (in various countries in Europe and America), gave concerts accompanied by the İstanbul State Symphony Orchestra, the Presidential Symphony Orchestra, and the İzmir State Symphony Orchestra. She became one of the permanent soloists of the İstanbul State Opera after 1960. She worked with vocal coach Belkis Aran at the State Opera.
Also a successful artist with Lieder, Manukyan demonstrated her knowledge and voice quality especially in the works of Schubert, Debussy, Ravel, Strauss, and Mozart.
She passed away on May 6, 2026.
(TY/VK)