Oriana Geis-Falla, MAMÁ/THE RIVER (she/her)
Praised by the Houston Press as “astonishing… exquisite all evening, hypnotizing us with flawless intonation, diction, and emotional wallop” and by LA Opus for her “large, lovely, and vibrant voice,” Colombian-American soprano Oriana Geis-Falla has a blossoming career in the opera world.
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In the 2025–2026 season, Oriana makes her debut as Lola in Cavalleria Rusticana with Pereira Music Fest, the first opera ever staged in Pereira, Colombia. She then serves as the cover for Ana María in Zorro with Arizona Opera. Her concert appearances include singing as soprano soloist in Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem with Wichita Grand Opera, a holiday concert with Opera in the Heights, and Messiah with Opera Laguna. Later in the season, she portrays Mamá/River in the world premiere of Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote by Pulitzer Prize–winning composer Anthony Davis with Bodhi Tree Concerts in San Diego and repeats the work with Opera Tijuana. She will also reprise the role of Ana María in Zorro with Pacific Opera Project.
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In the 2024–2025 season, Oriana began with a role debut as Lucia di Lammermoor at Opera in the Heights, earning enthusiastic reviews. The Houston Press wrote “for an opera singer, she’s the complete package, a star.” BroadwayWorld likewise praised her portrayal, describing her Act III Mad Scene as “15 uninterrupted minutes, singing for the high heavens… one can feel yourself vibrating with her energy… If anything is worth the price of a ticket, it is Falla’s phenomenal performance.”
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Following Lucia di Lammermoor, Oriana appeared with Opera Southwest as Angela, in the world premiere of Llantos 1492 by Adam del Monte. She was also involved in a world premiere outreach opera at the Ebell Wilshire Theater, We Can Do It by Brooke de Rosa and a concert for Opera Santa Barbara.
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Additionally, Oriana lent her voice for Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie’s show on Peacock, The Encore, as the voice of Paris and she sang for a soon to be announced show on HBO. Passionate about helping others, she also gave a gala benefit concert with Fundación Sanar in Pereira, Colombia, raising money for children fighting cancer and for the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Barbara.
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During the 2023–2024 season, Oriana portrayed Ana María in Zorro in its West Coast premiere with Opera Santa Barbara. She performed a recital alongside Brian Holman for the Oracle Piano Society, sang as soprano soloist in Carmina Burana, presented a Zarzuela concert with Palm Springs Opera Guild, performed in Fiesta Latina with Opera Las Vegas, and served as a back-up singer for Ely Guerra with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. She also covered Carla Lucero’s world premiere of Chicanísima! and performed two leading roles with the Opera Buffs—Luz in Las Auténticas by Ben Morris and Eden in Galaxies by Mark Lanz Weiser.
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In the 2022–2023 season, Oriana joined Actor’s Equity with her performance as Mrs. Anderssen in A Little Night Music at the Tony Award-winning Pasadena Playhouse. She made her role debut as Adina in L’elisir d’amore, singing with Pacific Opera Project and Opera in the Heights. One review exclaimed, “What a voice, again rich and vibrant, with an effortless ability to scale Donizetti’s complex bel canto.” Her voice is also featured on Adam del Monte’s album Transcendence Through Sound: Meditation for World Peace, and she recorded demos for Yuval Ron’s project, Four Medicinal Plants for Sleep: Uchosihi (Breathe).
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Her 2021–2022 season engagements included the Concert for Peace organized by the Washington Concert Society and a soprano soloist appearance in Handel’s Messiah. Oriana also recorded for Disney’s Encanto soundtrack and participated in a table read and recording of Marian, an original musical inspired by the life of the renowned contralto Marian Anderson.
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In December 2020, Oriana debuted Mimi in Pacific Opera Project’s drive-in performances of La Bohème. She made role debuts as Violetta in La traviata with New Rochelle Opera and as the Infanta in Der Zwerg with Numi Opera Theater prior to that.
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Born and raised in Los Angeles, Oriana pursued her education at UCLA under the guidance of renowned baritone Vladimir Chernov. While at UCLA, she was featured as soprano soloist in Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem at Royce Hall, performed the soprano solos of Orff’s Carmina Burana with the UCLA Philharmonia, and portrayed La Fée in Massenet’s Cendrillon. Shortly after her time at UCLA, she received a grant from the Opera Buffs, performing Frasquita in Bizet’s Carmen, and was a soloist with the Long Beach Camerata Singers in Orff’s Carmina Burana and Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem.
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Oriana now calls Laguna Beach home, where she lives with her husband, tenor, Arnold Livingston Geis, and their cat, Dimpy. She continues her vocal studies under internationally acclaimed soprano Joyce El-Khoury. Oriana is a member of AEA, and co-founder of Opera Laguna.