Vocal art is probably the most perfect and natural way of artistic expression of feelings, emotions and creative abilities of a person. In the genre of opera where all voices are equal, soprano, like the violin in the orchestra comes first. It’s not the matter of preferences that people usually give to high voices; all voices may be beautiful, from soprano to bass. It just seems that in the musical art, a high voice is similar to a summit that is the peak of the whole musical composition. However, it doesn’t make singing easier. This must explain the fact that the recordings of soprano parts are so rare in the history of recording. What is left to us are mainly the legends about the great sopranos of the past.
The creative activity of Ariza Benin is a wonderful example of the continuity of the best traditions of the Russian vocal school. A graduate of P.I. Tchaikovsky’s Moscow State Conservatoire, Ariza Benin possesses a bright “flying” soprano that immediately captures listeners’ attention. From the first notes you hear, you can’t help not to admire how easily singer manages to cope with technical difficulties of the most complicated parts of the worlds' opera repertoire. A person, who takes the risk of offering practically the full variety of the most challenging soprano repertoire on this CD, should have not only artistic courage, but also an absolute confidence in his or her creative abilities. Ariza Benin certainly possesses these qualities. Arranging her repertoire comprising the difficult soprano parts of Russian composers, such as Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov and famous parts from operas by Bellini, Donizetti, Puccini, the singer recreates the enchanting realm, revealing the secrets of composers’ thrilling, almost intimate attitude to the vocal art of soprano. The voice’s freshness and virtuosity appeal to you and the more you listen to this recording, the more you feel like listening to the singer again and again.
Current disk (CD) that we offer to our listeners includes the most complicated and beautiful soprano parts performed by Ariza Benin and is sure to become a special and long – awaited gift to all vocal art lovers. The singer, who has a wonderful soprano voice and who knows all secrets of vocal art has another undisputed advantage. Singing in Ariza’s family was a natural thing and she has lived in an atmosphere of singing since early childhood. Singing came as natural as breathing to her. This can be easily explained – the great Russian nightingale Sergey Lemeshev was one of her ancestors.
Professor of Fine Arts Dr. Evgueni Minaev |
