Press

“Appreciated was the Mimì of Armenian soprano Karine Babajanyan.”

Oriano de Ranieri, La Gazzetta di Viareggio

 

“The excellent cast starred some already famous voices such as Armenian soprano Karine Babajanyan, a first class Mimì from a vocal point of view...”

Stefano Mecenate, Pensalibero.it

 

"In the Mimi of Karine Babajanyan we observe the evolution of her character which, reserved and stiff at the beginning, becomes warm and passionate. Her gestures, measured but very symbolically loaded, accompany this journey, as when she opens her shawl at the moment of revealing her passions ("Mi chiamano Mimi"), then drops it gently on the ground, to be picked up by Rodolfo. Her voice is very stable and controlled, everything moves smoothly, from her legato in a perfect Italian to the dynamic changes. "

Cinzia Rota, Classicagenda

"Focus of the evening is the protagonist, whom Karine Babanjanyan singlemindedly allows to live towards tragedy. The Armenian soprano, who was heard as a guest here, now returned as a member of the ensemble and is in charge of other Puccini heroines (Mimì and Tosca). For her Manon clearly belongs in this series of heroines. The coquettish courtesan Manon of the beginning remains rather sketch, a woman who prefers not to leave her jewel sparkling love rewards and so misses the saving escape, (..)

Rainer Wagner, Hannoversche Allgemeine

 

"And of course Karine Babajanyan as Manon: a happy casting choice with her pliable voice"

Günther Heiss, Neue Presse

 

"One must highlight Karine Babajanyan as Manon Lescaut with her limpid, secure and controlled vigorous soprano as well as Ricardo Tamuro ..."

"Two vocally outstanding performance in an ensemble..."

Hartmut Jakubowsky, Cellesche newspaper

 

"Vocally it was the evening of the new ensemble member Karine Babajanyan, who this season will be in Hannover as Tosca and Mimì. Her Manon was looking for the right sound in the ensembles in the first act, but she was uncompromisingly present in the second act and was able to experiment delightfully with the nuance richness of her soprano. She convincingly shaped "In quelle trine morbide", in pale sound colors, and in the trio "Affé madamigella" she reminds Geronte with brutal pleasure that she does not love him. Babajanyan's soprano also has sufficient reserves for the last act ( "Sola, perduta, abbandonata") and would certainly have been more convincing with her interpretation with another Des Grieux.

S. Mauß, Opernglas

 

"Karine Babajanyan as Manon (well known to all Bond fans from Tosca at the Bregenz Festival in" Quantum of Solace ") is now in Hannover this season and immediately pull out all the stops of her skills with a perfect soprano and poignant portrayal. So we are already looking forward to further performances in Hannover with her title roles."

Rüdiger Ehlert, Der Neue Merker

 

“So, like her character, this is a prima donna assoluta role. No Seconda donna no maid no rival in love steals the show (the scene with a soprano musician does not count). Karine Babajanyan portrayed this role with a gorgeous multicolored, full-bodied, always precisely focused and controlled soprano, which magnificently lights up with her wonderful high notes. She succeeds in being persuaving in conveying the honest feelings of the moment , as well as the calculating thoughts and the confusion of the feelings, the back-and-forth cunning ones, especially in the second act, to the desperation in the third act which is more a moaning about her own failure and less about the misfortune of not being able to live her love with Des Grieux any longer And beside these big feelings she puts discreet accents, as for example the only finely intimated mockery when she sings the Geronte written madrigal. A wonderful achievement of an gifted singer and actress."

Bernd Stopka, Online Musik Magazine

 

"Vocally actress Karine Babjanyan presented Manon as a self-confident, flirtatious but also shy and loving young woman with her multicolored luminous soprano."

Agnes Beckmann, Opernnetz

 

"... two first rate sopranos, who gave their characters moving human depth: Karine Babajanyan as Primadonna / Ariadne ... with lyrical lines, especially in her great aria "Es gibt ein Reich"..."
Ingo Hoddick, Rheinische Post

 

"Soprano Karine Babajanyan managed to merge deeply with her character: The scenes when she was singing about her character's loneliness were moving thanks to her plain acting and intense singing."
Rudolf Hermes, WAZ

 

"As Elena Karine Babajanyan shone with heroic high notes."

Wolfgang Schreiber, Süddeutsche Zeitung

 

“Somehow Karine Babajanyan brings across more real emotion [than her fellow cast members] in her brief appearance as Elena in Act Four....”

Shirley Apthorp, Financial Times

 

“Karine Babajanyan’s Elena was of an altogether different calibre. The Armenian soprano’s dramatic voice convinced in direct contrast [with that of her colleague], demonstrating more fitting vocal potential and ability in the art of singing.”

J.-M. Wienecke, Das Opernglas

 

“Karine Babajanyan, absurdly staged, nevertheless sang a lovely Elena.”

Jeffrey A. Leipsic, Opera News

 

“In the staging, Faust received medical and therapeutic attention from “Nurse Elena,” performed by the Armenian soprano Karine Babajanyan with luscious, dramatic timbre.”

Marco Frei, Oper! Das Magazin

 

“…Karine Babajanyan’s Elena clearly has a far better trained instrument at her disposal.”

Laurent Barthel, Opéra​

 

“She was outperformed by Karine Babajanyan, who sang the role of Elena with a well focused, profound voice and from whom we gladly would have heard more.”

Ludwig Steinbach, Der Opernfreund

 

“One of the great delights of the evening was the Elena of Karine Babajanyan, whose theatrical sense was unequaled – except by the beauty of her performance.”

Luc Roger, Operaworld

 

“The singers on the side of the Good, Joseph Calleja (Fausta), Kristine Opolais (Margherita), and Karine Babajanyan (Elena) were like stars outshining the fortissimo coming out of the pit and intensified their piani with vocal poetry.”

Michaela Schabel, Klassik.com

 

“It is right to highlight the very good impression made by the Elena of Armenian soprano Karine Babajanyan with her large, easy-sounding, and well-controlled voice.”

Alejandro Martínez, Codalario.com

 

“Karine Babajanyan acquitted herself with great presence and aplomb in a role that sits very high and requires volume and power, scoring an enormous, and merited, success: this is name to remember.”

Le blog du Wanderer

 

“... vocally she was able to impress…. She offered a warm, dark soprano sound.”

Mordechai Aranowicz, Operamagazine.nl

 

“Elena was sung by a superb Karine Babajanyan.”

Andrea R.G. Pedrotti, L’ape musicale

"In other words, no easy task [the weather conditions], which Karine Babajanyan (Amelia) above all the rest was able to master in amazing fashion. The Armenian soprano provided thrills with her blooming, velvety, dusky voice, which she employed with nuance and which seems predestined for larger, dramatic roles."
SB, Das Opernglas

 

“Guest artists like the Armenian soprano Karine Babajanyan (Amelia), who also sings at the Bayerische Staatsoper (Munich), indeed ensured considerable vocal brilliance.”
Stefan Arndt, Hannoverische Allgemeine Zeitung

“...soprano Karine Babajanyan rose with throbbing voice into Amelia's exaltation.  As in the recent Andrea Chenier her ability to achieve refined nuances of characterization in her arias through skillfully varied employment of her voice was impressive.”
Andreas Berger, Braunschweiger Zeitung

 

“The soloists, above all the Armenian soprano Karine Babajanyan in the title role, were able to communicate the melodrama of the work enthrallingly and with vocal radiance.  […] Absolutely stunning, the way [Babajanyan] blazed a trail between guttural depths and keen-edged high notes.”
Christoph B. Ströhle, Reutlinger General-Anzeiger

 

“Karine Babajanyan’s Carmen was no tramp but a regal diva in red and – by the end – in black, who gives her favours to whomever she wishes.  She unfurled her mezzo-like timbre out the deep into a lascivious refinement – no wonder that Don José (Juan Pablo Marin) should fall under her spell.”
Susanne Eckstein, Südwest Presse

 

"The Braunschweig opera house was able to engage an internationally experienced singer, Karine Babajanyan, for the female lead, Maddalena di Coigny, in this new production. Born in Armenia, Karine Babajanyan was the vocal highlight of the premiere with her wonderfully blossoming, balsam-laden soprano voice. The role’s great outbursts came out nuanced and pliable, and in her duets with Chénier she adjusted to her partner in splendid fashion."
S. Barnstorf, Das Opernglas

 

"Zu Herzen gehend gestaltet Karine Babajanyan die Maddalena in Ihrer zentralen Arie vom Tod der Mutter und der hymnisch aufgehenden Liebe als Gottheit. Ihr vibratoreicher Sopran ist von großem Nuancenreichtum und eindringlicher Leuchtkraft."
Andreas Berger, Braunschweiger Zeitung

 

"Ansonsten eine prima Besetzung Karine Babajanyans satten Sopran als Madeleine konnte man auch schon an größeren Bühnen bewundern, ihre Leistung gefällt ebenso in Braunschweig."
Martin Freitag, Der Opernfreund

"Die Sängerin Karine Babajanyan rettet als Einspringerin die Wiederaufnahme der Stuttgarter Inszenierung „Madame Butterfly“ – mit hinreißendem Erfolg.
Trotzdem gelang die Wiederaufnahme der Produktion von 2006, nach langer Abwesenheit auf dem Spielplan, grandios. Mittags erwischte das Betriebsbüro in Budapest die Sängerin, die vor acht Jahren die Premiere gesungen hatte, zuletzt hier 2009 als Fräulein Schmetterling auf der Bühne stand: Karine Babajanyan, die von 2003 bis 2011 fest zum Haus gehörte. Am Nachmittag landete die Armenierin in Stuttgart und stand nun wenige Stunden später auf der Bühne. Phänomenal erinnerte sie sich der Abläufe in Jacqueline Wagemakers subtil-schlichter Inszenierung, die dezent das tödliche Missverständnis zweier Kulturen zuspitzt, ohne in die Falle des exotischen Kitsches oder platter Politaktualisierung zu gehen.
… Erstaunlich, und ein Beweis der Energetik, die aus spontan entfalteter Musikalität erwächst (nicht alles muss geprobt werden!), die Geschmeidigkeit der Phrasierung, zu der Babjanyan und Rafael Rojas als testosterongesteuertem Pinkerton im Liebesduett am Ende des ersten Akts fanden. Rojas traf genau den Grad dieses zwiespältigen Charakters, dessen (vokaler) Verführung schwer zu widerstehen ist. Ein klug-musikalischer Tenor mit Kraft, aber auch feinerem Farbenspiel. Noch intensiver, vokal ausgeglichener als vor acht Jahren, nie klischeehaft und aus der Spannung des Augenblicks agierte Babajanyan als grenzenlos Liebende, die statt eines beschädigten Lebens den Tod vorzieht. Da blieb kaum ein Auge trocken im Saal, herzlich-stürmisch wurde die Retterin der Aufführung am Ende des Abends gefeiert.
Stuttgarter Zeitung

"Triumphales Einspringen
Vor acht Jahren hatte Karine Babajanyan die Premiere und die allermeisten Folgevorstellungen gesungen. Jetzt rettete sie die Wiederaufnahme, indem sie am Vorstellungstag eilends aus Budapest eingeflogen kam, um Catherine Naglestad zu ersetzen, die ihr Stuttgarter Rollendebut als Cio-Cio-San geben sollte. Mit diesem zusätzlichen Bonus einer mangels möglicher Probenumstellungen auf neue Partner und einen anderen Dirigenten umso bewunderungswürdigen Leistung dankte es ihr ein Publikum, das die Absage der mit Spannung erwarteten Catherine Naglestad vor der Aufführung noch mit Lauten der Enttäuschung kommentierte, mit einem Jubelsturm sondergleichen.
An ihrem dunkel umhauchten Sopran mit organisch eingebundener Tiefe, tragfähiger Mittellage und einer nur geringfügig von Vibrato begleiteten intensiv gespannten Höhe scheint die Zeit spurlos vorüber gegangen sein. Das schon damals in den Details sehr genau ausgearbeitete Rollen-Portrait konnte sie jetzt gar noch steigern, und all den vielen kleinen Dingen in der Konversation zwischen kindlicher Naivität und unbeirrbarem Glauben in vielfachen Nuancierungen des Tonfalls die verdiente Aufmerksamkeit, der langen Partie dadurch als Ganzes betrachtet eine höhere Wertschätzung geben. Mit Herz und Seele verzehrt sie sich in die so lange hoffende und dann maßlos enttäuschte und entehrt in den Selbstmord gehende Cio-Cio-San und lässt uns mit einer Intensität an diesem Schicksal teil haben als ob es ihr eigenes wäre."
Der Neue Merker

 

"Die stimmlich sehr wandlungsfähige und zu großen Differenzierungen fähige, ausgezeichnete Sopranistin Karine Babajanyan kann als Cio-Cio-San das Publikum sofort für sich gewinnen."
Online Merker

 

"Karine Babajanyan ha delineato una Cio Cio San interpretativamente notevole, con un fraseggio ben sottolineato nelle sfumature e una ragguardevole sicurezza vocale. Una protagonista drammaticamente completa e ispirata nella caratterizzazione drammatica, particolarmente nel terzo atto dove Karine Babajanyan ha trovato accenti espressivi e intensi oltre che molto personali. Sicuramente, un’ interpretazione di ottimo livello che conferma la classe professionale di una cantante sempre scrupolosa e ben preparata in tutti i ruoli che affronta."
Gianguido Mussomeli

 

"Karine Babajanyan als Ariadne überzeugt stimmlich mit erlesenen lyrischen Qualitäten."
WAZ

 

"Gesungen wird nämlich auch noch, und das exzellent. Karine Babajanyan ist eine wunderbare Primadonna, die uns Ariadnes Schmerzen ebenso tief und glutvoll fühlen lässt wie ihren Jubel über die Begegnung mit Bacchus."

Revierpassagen

"Gesanglich stellt die Rheinoper ein ungemein überzeugendes Ensemble vor: Karine Babajanyans Ariadne beginnt in den sinnlichen Tiefen der Klagen mit üppigem, man möchte fast sagen, Mezzoklang ... die Interpretation der Textes gelingt exquisit. Die Verwandlung der Apotheose hört man selten so emotional mitnehmend."
Der Opernfreund

 

"Karine Babajanyan als Ariadne singt und agiert sehr, sehr gut."
Der Neue Merker