Maya Barsacq is a French-American conductor, composer, performance artist, and opera coach whose work bridges tradition and innovation. A dynamic presence on the podium and beyond, she is a passionate advocate for opera, classical, and contemporary classical music.

An accomplished music director, she has appeared with Opera de Tenerife, the New Frequencies Festival, Classical Revolution Orchestra, the Hannover Ensemble, and other international stages. She has also collaborated with Midsummer Mozart Festival, Opera Idaho, and West Bay Opera, working alongside leading singers, directors, and instrumentalists. Her mentors include esteemed conductors George Cleve, Nicole Paiement, Barbara Day Turner, and Michel Singher.

Maya is deeply committed to education and mentorship, sharing her knowledge with the next generation of opera artists through masterclasses at opera studios and conservatories around the world. She also coaches singers through Cosi7 and served as Resident Opera Coach at SoftlyLoud Consulting from 2020 to 2024.

In 2021, Maya founded the Zenith Opera Competition, of which she remains the Director. In just a few years, the competition has established itself as a prestigious international platform for exceptional emerging opera singers, attracting outstanding talent from across the globe.

Its distinguished international jury brings together representatives of some of the world’s most renowned opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Staatsoper Stuttgart, Santa Fe Opera, Seattle Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, and Teatro Real, among others.

Now preparing for its seventh edition, the Zenith Opera Competition has played a meaningful role in discovering and nurturing the next generation of operatic talent, helping launch careers on some of the world’s most prestigious opera stages.