Verdi: “Otello”

Arsen Soghomonyan made his debut as a tenor in March of 2017 as Cavaradossi in Tosca to great acclaim at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Opera Theatre in Moscow followed by performances of Canio in Pagliacci at the famous Teatro Degollado in Mexico. Prior to his debut as a tenor, Soghomonyan was the leading baritone of the Stanislavsky Theatre. He has also appeared as a Guest Artist at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.
Born in Yerevan in 1983, Soghomonyan graduated from the Barkhudaryan Music School.
From 2000 to 2006, Soghomonyan studied with R. Hakobyants at the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory, during which he made his debut as a baritone in the role of Fiorello from Il Barbiere di Siviglia with the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra and Maestro Eduard Topchjan.
In 2006, Arsen Soghomonyan was awarded the State Prize of Armenia by the President of the Republic of Armenia. He also won First Prize at the Pavel Lisitsian International Competition of opera singers in Vladikavkaz.
Additionally, Soghomonyan has been a prizewinner at the Romansiada International Competition in Moscow, S. Manushko International Competition in Warsaw, and UNISA International Singing Competition in South Africa.
Soghomonyan has collaborated with such notable conductors as Vladimir Spivakov, Felix Korobov, Tugan Sokhiev, Alberto Zedda and many others.

Graduate of the Moscow Conservatory specializing in choral conducting under Prof. Vladimir Kontarev. In 2010 he continued his education as a vocalist under Prof. Boris Kudryavtsev. In 2014 he won third prize in the 25th Glinka International Vocal Contest in Moscow. In 2011 he sang the part of Bottom in Benjamin Britten’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theatre. In 2011 he was an interning soloist, and in 2012 a full soloist in the Stanislavsky Theatre’s troupe. His repertoire includes Tomsky (The Queen of Spades) , Wolfram von Eschenbach (Tannhaüser), Escamillo (Carmen), and Leporello (Don Giovanni) among others.

The Armenian soprano Hrachuhi Bassenz was born in Yerevan and comes from an artistic family. She first studied violin there and received her vocal education from the State Conservatory in Yerevan named after Komitas. Her debut as Leonora (“Il Trovatore”) in MiR at 26 years of age was a brilliant career launch for her. Shortly afterwards she was awarded with the Gelsenkirchen Theatre Prize. She is a member of the State Theatre Nuremberg since 2008. Her numerous parts and title roles are Bellini’s Zaira, Meyerbeer’s L’Africane, Amelia (“Simon Boccanegra”), Mimì (“La Bohème”), Elvira (“The Puritans”), Violetta (“La Traviata”), Leonora (“Il Trovatore”), Desdemona (” Othello”), Donizetti’s Emilia die Liverpool, Corina (“Il viaggio a Reims”), Fiordiligi (“Cosi fan tutte”), Contessa (“Le nozze di Figaro”), Liu (“Turandot”) etc. Hrachuhi Bassenz was awarded with the Bavarian award for encouraging arts in 2011. The jury particularly praised her impressive stage presence and her exceptionally wide vocal and presentational repertoire. She was also awarded the renowned Voci Verdiane singing competition honour in Busseto Italy. With great success Hrachuhi Bassenz sang “Valentine’’ from Meyerbeer “Les Huguenots” (Live coverage was on BR Klassik) and was nominated by the trade magazine “Opera World.” Her most significant concert appearances include Viva Verdi Gala Concert with the Nuremberg Philharmonic Orchestra under the lead of Guido Johannes Rumstadt, Verdi’s Requiem with the Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno and the Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra at the Festspielhaus Congress Centrum Heidenheim under the lead of Marcus Bosch, the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra under the lead of Alexander Shalley and a performance with the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra at the 19th Musical Olympus Festival, St Petersburg. Her recordings include Armenian songs and church music, a Christmas-CD with the Westfalen New Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Heiko Mathias Förster (2007), “Il Sacrifizio di Jefte” from Johan Simon Mayr, conductor Franz Hauk (2009), Calsiope (Das Goldene Vlies) Vogel, (live radio transmission over Bayern 4 Klassik) and a CD recording from the Glossa Music label, conductor Herve Niquet (2012). In 2016 she made her very successful Norma debut. The audience excitedly celebrated her Norma debut. Bassénz performed the vocal part calmly and deliberately, and had then given the first highlight of the evening with the touching, long breathing and beautifully recited aria “Casta Diva”. (Das Opernmagazin, Detlef Obens). She proceeds with this Norma interpretation to the international Belcanto Elite (Theaterpur.net , Jörg Loskil ) etc.