Heralded by Opera News for their “lush” voice, Melina Jaharis is a Greek-American with a “rich, dark, resonant” mezzo soprano. 

For the 2023-2024 season, Melina will cover Santuzza and Lucia with MidAtlantic Opera Productions and La Gran Vestale (La Vestale) with Teatro Grattacielo. Additionally, Melina joins Regina Opera covering Santuzza and performing the role of Lola. This winter brings La Ciesca (Gianni Schicchi) and Marianna (Il signor Bruschino) and the Fairy Queen (Iolanthe) with Bronx Opera. Melina will be performing Azucena with STC in concert. This spring, Melina joins LAH-SOW in Das Rheingold as both Fricka and Erda in different concerts. They will also be performing in the 30th anniversary gala of Teatro Grattacielo. They were a finalist in the SAS Performing Arts competition. 

Future seasons include the world premiere of Kate Mayo (Beyond the Horizon) with Teatro Grattacielo and Carmen. Melina will join the Oxford Philharmonic (UK) to sing two performances TBA in 2025/2026. 

Highlights of their 2022-2023 included covering Madre in Madama Butterfly and scenes as Eboli and Ulrica with Sarasota Opera. That summer they covered Amneris, Ortrud and Mrs. Soames with Utah Festival Opera.  They also sang the title role of Carmen with MIOpera and performed Mrs. Gibbs with the Boston Opera Institute.

Their 2021-2022 season included the world premiere as the title role of Charley in Good Country with LOLA Austin, Isabella in Zandonai's Giulietta e Romeo with Teatro Grattacielo as well as covering Bellx and Calypso in Nighttown with Lowell House Opera.

Before the pandemic, they were briefly singing as a soprano. In the 2019-2020 season, they performed Hannah after (As One) with the Carolina Performing Arts in Chapel Hill, NC. Soon after they would have covered Leonore (Fidelio) with the Oxford Philharmonic [covid cancellation] and they would have made their European debut performing As One in Lisbon, Portugal. 

In 2018, Melina sang with Wolf Trap Opera where they performed the role of the Contessa di Ceprano and covered Maddalena in Verdi’s Rigoletto. Equally comfortable speaking German and English, they studied in Vienna, Austria at the Konservatorium Prayner in the year before their graduate studies. Melina is also a Greek citizen.

Some of her other roles include Donna Elvira, Knusperhexe, Madame de Croissy, Marcellina, Gertrude, Ma Moss, Alcina, Contessa Almaviva, Anna Maurrant and Fiordiligi. Equally comfortable speaking German and English, she studied in Vienna, Austria at the Konservatorium Prayner in the year before her graduate studies. Melina is also a Greek citizen. 

Past training includes: Wolf Trap Opera, Brevard Music Center's Janiec Opera Company, AIMS in Graz, Konservatorium Prayner (Vienna, Austria), Midwest Institute of Opera, Manhattan Opera Studio, Miami University in Salzburg, La Musica Lirica, IES in Vienna and the Music Institute of Chicago.

She has trained at the Piven Theater and Giordano dance studio as well.

Melina has trained as a singer, actor and dancer from age 8. Since the age of 4, she has studied many foreign languages, such as Greek, Italian, French, German and Russian. 

Melina Jaharis is queer and non-binary (she/they). She passionately supports many causes that fight to end social injustices, such as Black Lives Matter (Black Liberation), Disability Justice, Fat Liberation and Trans Liberation.