Maayan Licht

Maayan Licht (Hebrew: מַעְײַן לִיכט, born 20 May 1993) is an Israeli classical singer and sopranist. He performs in opera and concert repertoire in Europe and Israel, with a focus on Baroque and early Classical works.

Early life and education Licht was born in Israel in Rehovot (about 150.000 inhabitants) that was also his mother's hometown near Tel Aviv.

He expressed interests in making sounds starting at age 2, mimicking his family's microwave. His vocal talent in the high soprano register was identified by a local voice teacher, Vita Gurevich, with whom he began his formal studies. He later studied Early Music and classical singing at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam with singing professor Xenia Meijer, completing bachelor's and master's degrees, both awarded in 2021.

During his studies he performed as a soloist in oratorio repertoire, including Handel's Messiah and Bach's Mass in B minor in Amsterdam. These engagements led to appearances with Dutch early‑music ensembles and opera projects.

He currently resides in both The Hague Netherlands, and Tel Aviv, Israel. He is gay and supports both Israelis and Palestinians, wanting peace in the war between the two countries. In 2026 Licht made his Australian debut with a four-city tour for Vladimir Fanshil's and series "Live at Yours".

His stage roles have included Laertes in Gasparini's Amleto at Theater an der Wien, Achille in Porpora's Ifigenia in Aulide at the Bayreuth Baroque Opera Festival and Cherubino in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro at Oper Dortmund and the Janáček Theatre. He has also appeared in Stradella's San Giovanni Battista and in the premiere of Ľubica Čekovská's opera Here I Am, Orlando in Brno.

In concert, Licht has sung soprano parts in Handel's Messiah, Handel's Theodora, Bach's Mass in B minor and his St John Passion. He has collaborated with ensembles such as the Netherlands Bach Society and Opera2Day, among other orchestras and early‑music groups.

Selected performances Date Role Name of concert / production Venue Location (city, country) 2020 Soprano / ensemble Grachtenfestival Competition with Duo Zeffiretti Grachtenfestival venues Amsterdam, Netherlands 2021–2025 Soprano soloist Messiah (Handel), concert performance Concertgebouw (small hall) Amsterdam, Netherlands 2021–2025 Soprano soloist Mass in B minor (Bach) Concertgebouw (small hall) Amsterdam, Netherlands 2023–2025 Soprano soloist (Didymus) Theodora (Handel), concert / semi-staged Markgräfliches Opernhaus Bayreuth, Germany 2024 Sopranista soloist Baroque gala (incl. "Ombra mai fu") with Sexteto IBF Auditorio Alfredo Kraus Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain 2024 Sopranista soloist Baroque gala (Handel and Vivaldi arias) with Sexteto IBF Auditorio Alfredo Kraus Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain2024–2025 Soprano role San Giovanni Battista (Alessandro Stradella), Bayreuth Baroque Opera Festival Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Netherlands 2024 –2025 Featured singer CarMEN (adaptation of Bizet's Carmen) Theater an der Wien Vienna, Austria 2025 Orlando Here I Am, Orlando (Ľubica Čekovská), world premiere Janáček Theatre (NdB) Brno, Czech Republic Oct–Dec 2025 Cherubino Le nozze di Figaro (Mozart) Janáček Theatre (NdB) Brno, Czech Republic Dec 2025 Sopranista soloist "Soprano senza maschera" – Israel Camerata Jerusalem tour Oper Dortmund Dortmund, Germany

Projects and collaborations Licht participates in staged and crossover projects that combine opera with other performance forms. He has performed in CarMEN, a queer‑themed adaptation of Bizet's Carmen created with drag performers and presented at venues including the Concertgebouw, Muziekgebouw and Dutch festivals. He is also involved in Technopera, a project that integrates electronic music and operatic singing and has appeared at Dutch concert halls and festivals.

Awards and recognition Licht has received several international prizes and distinctions for his singing. Winner of the "Best Newcomer" award at the 2025. Recipient of the Bajazzo Sponsor Award 2025 from Theater- und Konzertfreunde Dortmund for his performance as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro at Oper Dortmund. Grand Prize at the Vienna International Music Competition in 2023. Jury and audience prizes at the Grachtenfestival Competition 2020 with his ensemble Duo Zeffiretti.