Mandikian was born in Izmir , Turkey in 1924 . Mandikian 's parents , Krikor Mandikian and Beatrike Ananian , were survivors of the Armenian Genocide . The family fled to Athens , Greece , and Mandikian was sent to the Athens Conservatory where she studied under Elvira de Hidalgo . When she was 15 she made her operatic début with Maria Callas . In 1948 she travelled to Britain to meet the scholar and composer Egon Wellesz . Wellesz arranged for her to give a recital that included Greek music written over two millennia . This included Delphic Hymns written in about 128 B.C . She also appeared in Wellesz 's '' Incognita '' in Oxford . A demonstration of her singing led to regular work . In 1953 she had leading roles in operas in both Paris and London . In that year she was singing in London 's Covent Garden in Peter Grimes by Benjamin Britten and in 1954 she appeared in '' Le Coq d’or '' by Rimsky-Korsakov again at the Royal Opera House
Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
Arda Mandikian