meet our founders &
artistic leadership
ARNOLD LIVINGSTON GEIS
FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
creative program director
Arnold Livingston Geis is a distinguished American tenor, whose journey into the world of opera is both compelling and unique. Born to opera singers who met in Vienna and founded their own company in Washington State, Arnold’s upbringing was steeped in music. Despite the seemingly enchanting nature of his early environment, his life was not without its challenges. He became estranged from his father at the age of seven and endured the loss of his mother to breast cancer just before his high school years.
Initially resistant to the world of opera, which dominated his household, Arnold had early aspirations of becoming an actor. However, his path ultimately led him back to music, driven by the encouragement of his adoptive parents and the solace he found in performing. His experience in a production of "Les Misérables" alongside his brother was a pivotal moment that redefined his career aspirations, solidifying his passion for the stage.
Arnold pursued his formal education in music at Biola University, earning a Bachelor of Music with a minor in Biblical Studies, followed by a Master of Music from the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music. He is also a graduate of Washington National Opera's Cafritz Young Artist Program.
He has graced many prestigious stages worldwide, including performances at the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Shanghai Symphony, and the Hong Kong Philharmonic. Additionally, his voice can be heard on the Deutsche Grammophon recording of Émigré with the Shanghai Symphony. In the United States, he has appeared with Arizona Opera, Opera Carolina, Cincinnati Opera, Opera in the Heights, and the Baltimore Symphony. His performances have also taken him to the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, LA Master Chorale, LA Opera and San Francisco Symphony. Additional notable performances include Lincoln Center Theater, Pasadena Playhouse, Washington National Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, and Pacific Opera Project, among others. Arnold has been featured twice on PBS's Great Performances.
Geis’s career spans both classical and contemporary genres. He has collaborated on high-profile projects, including performances for Lil Baby at the Grammy Awards, contributing vocals to Kanye West's albums, and recording on Rosalía’s critically acclaimed album Motomami. He has sung on over 50 film and television soundtracks including Tom and Jerry, Family Guy, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Fifty Shades of Grey, Minions, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and Disney’s live-action The Lion King.
Arnold serves as Vice-Chair of the Singers Committee and as a Singer Liaison on the Los Angeles Local Board for SAG-AFTRA. He is a member of AEA, SAG-AFTRA and AGMA. Additionally, he is an adjunct professor at Concordia University, Irvine.
To learn more about Arnold’s roles & his current season please visit: www.arnoldlivingstongeis.com
ORIANA GEIS-FALLA
FOUNDER & SECRETARY
director of vision & programming
Oriana Geis-Falla is a soprano whose dedication to opera is deeply intertwined with her commitment to community service. Born in Los Angeles to immigrant parents from Colombia, she is inspired by her grandmother, who dreamed of becoming a singer but never had the opportunity. Oriana’s passion for music began early; she started piano lessons at six at a recreation center and violin at nine through the Harmony Project, a program that provides music education to children in underserved communities.
During her high school years, Oriana’s interest in vocal music was sparked by an accidental encounter with an all-girls choir at a gala for the Harmony Project. With no prior vocal training, she auditioned and was placed as an Alto 2 way in the back. This inclusion led to a choir tour in Italy and France, which profoundly influenced her love for opera, though she never imagined she would be a singer. After high school, Oriana attended Santa Monica College, as a music education major with an emphasis on violin through the college's Applied Music Program. However, a neck injury prevented her from continuing. Torn between piano and voice, she re-auditioned and earned acceptance in both disciplines but ultimately chose vocal performance. This pivotal decision was followed by an acceptance to the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, where she furthered her vocal studies.
Oriana’s passion for helping others extends to her past volunteer work with Reading Partners, teaching with the Harmony Program (NYC) and Harmony Project (LA) and her significant role in the 2024 gala for Fundación Sanar, which raised substantial funds to support Colombian children battling cancer.
Her credits include performances with Opera Southwest, Opera Santa Barbara, Pacific Opera Project, Opera in the Heights, and the Pasadena Playhouse, as well as the Oracle Piano Society, Palm Springs Opera Guild, Opera Las Vegas, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. She has also been featured in performances with the Washington Concert Society, the Long Beach Camerata Singers, and the UCLA Philharmonia at iconic venues such as Royce Hall.
She is featured on Adam del Monte’s Transcendence Through Sound: Meditation for World Peace and Yuval Ron’s Four Medicinal Plants for Sleep: Uchosihi (Breathe). Additionally, she contributed to the soundtrack for Disney’s Encanto.
Oriana is a member of AGMA & AEA. She serves as a mentor for the Orange County School of the Arts’ Professional Mentorship Program. She maintains a private piano studio.
To learn more about Oriana’s roles & her current season please visit: www.orianageisfalla.com
our story
Oriana Geis-Falla and Arnold Livingston Geis first crossed paths in 2015 during a production of I due Figaro at UCLA. Oriana, a student completing her studies, was part of the chorus, while Arnold stepped in at the last moment as the lead tenor after the original performer suffered an injury. Though it wasn’t until later that year—when they performed as a duo for the Viennese ambassador at an exclusive club in Los Angeles—that they realized they shared a profound passion for music.
Life took them on separate paths, through personal growth and other relationships, but destiny had plans for them. In January 2020, in the heart of New York City, their paths converged once again, and they began their journey as a couple. What started as weeks soon blossomed into years of shared love and artistic synergy. They moved to Laguna Beach in October of 2020.
In September 2024, they celebrated their union in Pereira, Colombia, surrounded by family, friends, and a deep sense of gratitude for their shared journey. Almost immediately, their artistic collaboration took center stage as they debuted together as Edgardo and Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor with Opera in the Heights in Houston, Texas.
2024 marked a milestone in their shared vision as it heralded the inaugural year of programming for Opera Laguna, a project born out of their mutual passion and love for opera and community.
