Domenico Boyagian
"Boyagian shaped the piece with keen attention to textural clarity and subtle inflection, though he also insisted that the musicians indulge in hearty or fleet display at the requisite moments." - The Plain Dealer, Cleveland
About
Celebrated for his expressive artistry, clarity of vision, and dynamic leadership, Maestro Domenico Boyagian is recognized as one of the most compelling conductors of his generation. Acclaimed by The Cleveland Plain Dealer as “a born conductor” and “a conductor for whom the music is the sole point of standing before musicians,” Boyagian brings both passion and precision to his work on the symphonic and operatic stages. Milwaukee’s Shepherd Express praised his “insightful grasp of style,” and his ability to lead “with sensitivity in tempo and phrase.”
Symphony
Now entering his eighth season as Music Director of the Suburban Symphony Orchestra, Boyagian continues to lead the ensemble through a vibrant period of growth and artistic achievement. His visionary leadership guided the orchestra through a complete Beethoven Cycle, culminating in a nearly sold-out performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at Severance Hall, a milestone event that celebrated the orchestra’s 70th anniversary and brought the community together in one of the nation’s most revered concert halls. The 2024–2025 season features works by Dvořák, Glinka, Barber, Tchaikovsky, and Sibelius, along with the orchestra’s Young Soloist Concerto Competition. Boyagian is a dedicated advocate for music education, recently collaborating with legendary pianist Lang Lang on the “101 Pianists” program to engage and inspire young performers across the region.
Opera
In his role as Music Director of Cleveland Opera Theater, Boyagian has elevated the company into a leading operatic force in Northeast Ohio. He has conducted productions nationwide with companies such as Florentine Opera, Opera Southwest, Florida Grand Opera, Opera North, Opera Delaware, Opera Baltimore, and the Manhattan School of Music, earning a reputation for musical depth and dramatic sensitivity. He has also collaborated with institutions including Wolf Trap Opera, New York City Opera, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Conservatorio G.B. Martini, the Cleveland Institute of Music, and the Manhattan School of Music.
As a guest conductor, Boyagian has led performances with the Milwaukee Symphony, Delaware Symphony, Palm Beach Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica, Bulgarian Festival Orchestra, Sofia Orchestra, and the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra.
A native of Bologna, Italy, Boyagian was born into a musical family as the son of internationally renowned Verdi baritone Garbis Boyagian. He studied at the Bologna Conservatory, Accademia Musicale Chigiana, and the Cleveland Institute of Music. His discography includes Edvard Grieg selections with pianist Antonio Pompa-Baldi and the Ohio Philharmonic for Centaur Records, as well as the world premiere of Margaret Brouwer’s Voice of the Lake with the Blue Streak Ensemble.Maestro Boyagian has been recognized with a Most Distinguished Artist grant from Cleveland’s Community Partnership for Arts and Culture, and was named one of the “Top 10 Most Successful Italians Under 40 in the U.S.” by the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce of New York.
Media & Gallery
"The orchestra is technically superb and Mr. Boyagian knows how to add to the jubilation and pathos of the characters circumstances with the nuance of a symphonist. The orchestra becomes at once another lead character and an emotional ensemble that is as extraordinary in the libretto’s quieter moments as it is lavish in its more buoyant moments." - Cleveland Plain Dealer
"Boyagian paced the production with his customary sixth sense, drawing fine playing from the orchestra and excellent ensemble from the singers. Traviata was easily Cleveland Opera Theater’s most impressive production to date. The best professional opera production that Cleveland has seen in years."
- ClevelandClassical
"Conductor Domenico Boyagian is sensitive to the nuances of the score, bringing out the exuberance of Verdi’s melodic waltzing in the scenes set in the Parisian demimonde, as well as the ominous, antic tremolo of the strings as Violetta’s tuberculosis progresses to its inevitable end."
Opera North - Valley News
The orchestra sounded top-notch and responded quickly to every small tempo and dynamic adjustment made by Boyagian.
- ClevelandClassical
In each of the four movements, Boyagian focused on phrasing, color and articulation to elucidate Ravel’s glowing evocations of Baroque style. The performance enchanted from first note to last, and the playing was first-rate.
- The Plain Dealer, Cleveland
Recordings
"Full of muscle and fire where it counts, the performance is also notable for its delicacy and sensitivity. Less forceful, though no less vibrant, is Grieg's "Holberg Suite, in which conductor Domenico Boyagian and the orchestra demonstrate genuine fluency in the Baroque language."
(Zachary Lewis, The Plain Dealer)
