“The Queen of Spades”, Vilnius City Opera, 2019
As performed by Kristian Benedict, who’s also going to perform Herman at the Met next season, this iteration of the character is definitely a part of Pushkin’s social drama.
Both Kristian Benedict and Asmik Grigorian are highly acclaimed internationally, and both of them know Russian, which is a good basis for a perfect performance of Tchaikovsky’s opera.
Herman’s parts have these extremely difficult lines and tenor needs a really deep and strong voice with good flexibility to perform it, as well as exceptional dramatic skills. Kristian Benedict made it work. He was not stable emotionally; his portrayal was passionate and lost at the same time. He brought a wonderful dramatic tenor technique to his portrayal of Herman, who was by turns a player, a lover, a madman, a murderer.
“Otello”, Wiener Staatsoper, 6 Feb 2017
…Kristian Benedikt from Lithuania celebrated his house debut (6.02.2017, Wiener Staatsoper) as Otello - and fought very well; With much remarkable singing at the performance and in the great monologue... In the end a well-formed "Niun mi tema" wined for him the full sympathy of the audience.
– Wilhelm Sinkovicz, diepresse.com
Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Otello" at the Wiener Staatsoper with energy despite obstacles
Vienna - "Good luck!" Director Dominique Meyer wished before the performance, and it remained open whether he meant the audience, himself or the artists… … the third tenor could actually be the hero of Verdis Otello - with only one rehearsal in the demanding production of Christine Mielitz. Fortunately, the evening was finally good, as was the Otello of Kristian Benedikt, who celebrated the house debut. With endurance, and limited, but still present and radiating voice, he drew the torments of this tortured soul to the madness of the killing. You certainly couldn’t suspect that this Moor was the third choice.
– Daniel Ender, destandard.at
Before the performance began, Mr. Dominique Meyer made the announcement and asked for leniency for the third Otello of this production. Seiffert was sick during the rehearsals, but after two rehearsals, Antonenko was still not healthy enough to take over. So the rescuer Kristian Benedikt arrived late yesterday evening. He only had a short rehearsal, more was not possible. The great duets, the Choir scenes, were an acquaintance directly on stage. The tension was great and the concentration enormous, but everything went very well. Kristian Benedikt gave his house debut at the Vienna State Opera and proved strong nerves. Otello without rehearsal, this is almost an impossible job. Actually, this could lead to criticism, but he sang both a very good "Esultate" and a good love duet. In the second act he showed nerves, some uncertainties in the phrasing, he simply wanted too much. But after the break he surprised with a poignant "Dio mi potevi". The voice cannot be described as a beguiling one, but he sings technically very well and leads the rather baritone-colored heavy voice effortlessly into beautiful Piani. The audience thanked everyone, especially the Maestro. Now we will see who will be the next Otello?
– Elena Habermann, der-neue-merker.eu
***
...the part of Othello brought a resounding success to the tenor. The artist is very temperamental; his voice is strong and steadfast. He is a true tenore di forza! In previous years in more lyrical parts the artist's temperament sometimes would skip over the character's emotional limits, but for the part of Othello his vocal and spiritual structure ideally suited.
– The Texture of Arts, 25.3.2011
Eleazar participates in almost all the scenes and ensembles of the opera; the solo episodes in 2 act and the aria in 4 act are rather long. From the point of view of the voice, this part could hardly be ascribed to a concrete type of tenor voice, because its performance requires various possibilities. Kristian Benedikt has got all of them. All the time his voice sounds in all the registers as well as on the scale of the volume of the sound very well (the same quality is demonstrated in frequent peaks of the higher register). One cannot see any efforts of a special performance: the character's behaviour, mimic, the nature of movements are dictated by the situation and the state, whose content is expressed in the most lucid way by the timbre of voice,by its volume, by the articulation of a phrase, and by other peculiarities.
– Seven Days of Art, 4.3.2011
...his Don Jose is very suggestive. In his vocal part as well as in the line of the personage
he is creating, dramatics smothers lyricism, therefore we can see Don Jose a little different from the usual one. I should say, he is rather Othello having descended from G.Verdi's score, for his rage suddenly becomes violent and at once spills cruelly and uncontrollably.
– Seven Days of Art, 27.11.2009
Kristian Benedikt is not only an expressive tenor, but also an actor, who credibly shows the way Cavaradossi changes from a flattering artist into a responsible person, when the crisis in society demands that of him.
– Helsingin Sanomat, 5.11.2007
