Hovhannes Ayvazyan
Tenor
Tenor
“Hovhannes Ayvazyan was a captivating Calaf. His dark and at the same time very resonant spinto tenor reminds me of the timbre of Mario del Monaco. He showed off his power and richness, as the part requires, but he often surprised with a juicy piano, as in the first phrases of the aria “Non piangere Liu”
or an incredibly fluid diminuendo, as in the ending of his riddle for the princess: "Dimmi il mio nome prima dell'alba e all'alba moriro”.
“The Armenian tenor Hovhannes Ayvaziyan delivered an Otello of great stage presence and extraordinary character portrayal. Confident and full-bodied in “Esultate,” he was poetic and somewhat nostalgic in the first-act duet with Desdemona, especially in “È il fazzoletto ch’io le diedi, pegno primo d’amor.”
He fully commands the role, and his well-crafted vocal line together with his attractive timbre won over the audience”.
“… it is one of the greatest tests of the role and of tenor literature. He won the part with tremendous vocal and dramatic power, almost making the audience fear how he would manage to carry it off so volcanically – but he did. Alongside this, he showed not only Otello’s emotions, but also his inner torment, with a sincere, heartfelt performance. … Béla Abody once wrote of Mario Del Monaco’s Otello: a great temperament, but not a great soul. Ayvaziyan’s Otello has both a great temperament and a great soul. In him, the Opera House has found a great treasure”.
MOMUS 28 October 2024