THE QUEEN OF SPADES / The Grange Festival, UK
“Most eloquent of all, Anush Hovhannisyan as Liza breathes tragedy from the start with her exquisite tone and gently shaped phrases…”
The Telegraph
“Leading the team of singers was Anush Hovhannistyan, an exceptional Liza, both for her acting talent and for her airy and brilliant timbre, without breaks throughout the entire register.”
Mundo Clásico
“As Liza, Anush Hovhannisyan’s lavish soprano fits the vocal bill as impressively as her tireless engagement shades in her character’s tragic vulnerability.”
The Stage
“Her Act 3 arioso was a superb portrayal of wearied grief and disillusionment, the notes precisely placed but always bathed in lyricism.”
Opera Today
THE THREE DIVAS / ReGeneration Festival, Florence
“ The Three Divas...proved unmissable... Out of an opening piano improv that oscillated between Impressionism, Expressionism and modern jazz came the silky voice of Anush Hovhannisyan in Purcell's Music for a While against a background of projected stars and moon... An astonishing duet between Hovhannisyan and Johns was a delight, the more operatically-trained Hovhannisyan meshing beautifully with Johns in ‘The Man I Love’, with Farinacci’s trumpet a golden third voice. Hearing Hovhannisyan in Weill (‘Wie lange noch?’) was remarkable, morphing by some magic into a duet on ‘Mack the Knife’. But that was no less remarkable than the arrival of Dvořák’s ‘Song to the Moon’ from Rusalka (sung, wonderfully, in Czech) after a trumpet and piano solo, the piano having Cageian ‘prepared’ elements. The move of the Dvořák to jazz was smoothly, impeccably managed via a moment of darkened Impressionism. Hearing this in a version for singer, piano and bass was actually remarkably touching, against a beautiful projected background drenched in moonlight.
Hovhannisyan simply shone – she provided the heart-stopping moment of the night. ”
Colin Clarke, Seen and Heard International
Verdi: Les vêpres siciliennes (Hélène) / Welsh National Opera
“The cast’s one outstanding member was the Armenian soprano Anush Hovhannisyan, as the militant heroine Helene. Blessed with an alluring ruby-red timbre, she sang with a refinement of phrasing and musical imagination absent from her male colleagues…”
Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph
“By far the most distinguished was the Armenian soprano Anush Hovhannisyan, as a striking, raven-haired Hélène... she is a classy artist…” Hugh Canning, The Times
“…she was the determined powerhouse, vocally and dramatically, of the breathtaking final scenes.” Benjamin Poore, Opera Wire
“As the Duchess Hélène, Anush Hovhannisyan impresses with her formidable technical poise…the young soprano produced ravishing sounds in the moments of sweetness, of a quality that could be described as seraphic, and yet was full of bite and passion in the climactic scene.” Emmanuel Andrieu, Opera Online
“Anush Hovhannisyan is a fluent Hélène…” Stephen Walsh, The Arts Desk
“Anush Hovhannisyan is a powerful Hélène ….” Chiara Strazzulla, Arts Scene in Wales
“The voice is full of colour, the technique brilliant and she looks striking.” Colin Davison, British Theatre Guide
“Hélène is the story’s one star, and Anush Hovhannisyan seizes the opportunities Verdi gives her with both hands. The audience loved her.” Lucien Jenkins, The Critics’ Circle
“She was impressively affecting in her duets with Henri, and her bolero (‘Merci, jeunes amis’) in Act V was utterly charming.” Glyn Pursglove, Seen and Heard International
LIEDERKREIS: Decades vol 4 / VIVAT
“ Hovhannisyan sings with a lovely Slavic edge to her voice, which means that the songs are full of character.”
Planet Hugill
“AH’s rich-toned voice is very well suited to the melancholy”
MusicWeb, John Quinn
“With her darkly sensuous timbre, Anush Hovhannisyan is a vivid advocate for Dargomizhsky”
Gramophone, RIchard Wigmore
Puccini: La bohème (Musetta) / Opera North
“Anush Hovhannisyan is a larger-than-life scene-stealing Musetta, with oodles of voice and personality. It’s a luxury to have an operatic “leading lady” in this sometimes undercast role.” The Sunday Times
“Anush Hovhannisyan's debut is dazzling.” Yorkshire Magazine
“Musetta, played by Anush Hovhannisyan, was the highlight of the night. Her vocal quality is without parallel and she was the only principal who did not occasionally struggle to be heard over the orchestra. Her pianissimo at the end of her Act 2 aria Quando m’en vo was extremely thrilling and I loved the way she was able to go from the utterly ridiculous character in Acts 2 and 3 to the much more sympathetic pious one in Act 4.” Mancunian Matters
“Anush Hovhannisyan is scintillating as the flamboyant Musetta, and her burlesque treatment of the aria Quando m’en vo is a show-stopping moment.” The Reviews Hub
“Armenian soprano Anush Hovhannisyan, who represented her country two years ago at the Cardiff Singer of the World competition, revealed considerable acting talent, especially when she was manipulating the feelings of both Marcello and her rich, elderly suitor Alcindoro in the Café Momus. Her “Quando m’en vo” was particularly impressive, sung along with charmingly coquettish body language.”
Bachtrack
Rubinstein: Demon (Tamara) / Queen Elisabeth Hall
“Hovhannisyan’s prima-donna temperament and exciting singing mean she steals the limelight as Tamara, with her brilliantly shaded voice and nuanced artistry. Her use of colour and dynamics is spellbinding, and she threw herself physically into the part, as if in a fully staged production.” The Sunday Times
“The Armenian Anush Hovhannisyan’s Tamara grew as the evening progressed, from spirited to impassioned, with a gleaming soprano sound that enabled her to inhabit the part more fully than the Tamaras in any other performances of The Demon I’ve experienced." Opera magazine
“As Tamara, Anush Hovhannisyan thrilled with the vibrancy and abandon of her performance, and dramatically she charted the mental decline and increasing emotional torment of the girl.” Classical Source
“Anush Hovhannisyan sang with fierce intensity and considerable power.” The Guardian
“Anush Hovhannisyan also stood out as Tamara, revealing great power in her soprano, yet also rendering some of the most challenging top lines with sensitivity and precision.” Music OMH
“Anush Hovhannisyan sang with sultry ardour as Tamara…” The Times
Verdi: La traviata (Violetta) / Scottish Opera
"Anush Hovhannisyan sweeps all before her with her bright, lyric soprano and tall, handsome figure... this was a “star is born” moment for the young Armenian."
The Sunday Times
"It is not every day – nor every month, not even every year – that you can say “a new Violetta is born.” Yes, yes, up-and-coming sopranos are constantly taking on the challenge of Verdi’s tragic heroine all over the world, but of how many can you instantly say “she is a born interpreter of the role?” On the evidence of her first performance in Glasgow – actually the fourth night of David McVicar’s 2008 staging – it can unquestionably be said of Anush Hovhannisyan. The Armenian soprano, a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme, has the coloratura, the musical intelligence, the rock-solid technique, the evenness throughout an ample vocal range, the dramatic versatility, the imposing but graceful physique – and indeed the pathos. She even knows how to ‘speak’ the Italian text, so much so that that the simple word ‘Si’ resonates with meaning.”
Opera magazine
“Throughout the night, the passion and power of Scottish Opera debutante (Anush) Hovhannisyan included a voice that shape-sifted from velvety richness to steely power with confident gymnastics and high notes to die for along the way.“
The Northern Times
Liszt: Sardanapalo (Mirrah) / Suoni dal Golfo
Italian premiere
“Soprano Anush Hovhannisyan excelled in her realisation of Mirra the slave girl, to whom Liszt assigns the most spectacular vocal writing. Her burnished tone and secure bel canto technique made this a performance to treasure. “
Bachtrack, Stephen Pritchard
“Anush Hovhanissyan is the real Italianate deal. She runs the gamut from dark lower colours to utterly secure and brilliant top, and makes sense of the text, too, even if Liszt doesn't always set it idiomatically. “
The Arts Desk, David Nice
Mozart: Don Giovanni (Donna Anna)/ New Generation Festival Florence
“…the central couple were dream casting: Anush Hovhannisyan’s Donna Anna was sung with infinite grace. “
The Independent, Michael Church
“From the cast of talented young singers above all have stood out the female singers with truly exceptional Donna Anna (Anush Hovhannisyan from Armenia)”
La Stampa Toscana, Piero Meucci