She began her formal vocal training at the Rustavi Music College (1982–1986) in the class of Honoured Teacher of the Georgian SSR L. Z. Gozalishvili. As a fourth‑year student she won First Prize at the 4th Republican Vocal Competition for Students of Music Colleges (Kutaisi, 1985).
In 1986 she entered the Baku Conservatory in the class of Professor K. G. Kerimov, and in the same year became First Prize laureate of the Transcaucasian Competition.
She continued her higher education at the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory in the class of Professor V. N. Kudryavtseva‑Lemesheva (1987–1989), and then in the class of People’s Artist of the USSR, Professor E. V. Obraztsova (1989–1992). As a fifth‑year student she received a Diploma in Vienna (Austria, 1992). From that time she began to collaborate with Goskoncert, with which she remained a soloist until 2016.
Since 1996 she has taught in Israel by invitation, while continuing an active concert career.
From 2003 to 2006 she was an assistant‑trainee at the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory in the class of Professor V. N. Kudryavtseva‑Lemesheva. From 2007 to 2017 she taught at the Academic Music College at the Moscow Conservatory, where she attained the highest qualification category.
Her students include laureates and diploma‑winners of Russian and international competitions, among them V. Komarovskaya, S. Korepina, I. Lumpova, T. Mikheyeva, M. Treshcheva, A. Marfenko, V. Amelina, L. Novikova, T. Konstantinova, L. Krasilovskaya, A. Kunakh, O. Petrosyants, A. Makarenko, L. Nizayeva, L. Shafigullina, N. Orlova, M. Mokrova, A. Avakyan, and others.
Since 2009 A. M. Benina has served as a jury member and chair at numerous competitions and festivals (Moscow and the Moscow Region, Saint Petersburg, Zheleznogorsk in Kursk Region, Bryansk, Kalyazin, Kazan, Sochi, Terracina in Italy, Odessa, Yalta, Sevastopol).
Since 2014 she has been administrator of the Natalia Shpiller All‑Russian Vocal Competition «Masterpieces of Russian Music». She speaks at conferences and gives open lessons and masterclasses in Moscow and the Moscow Region, Kaliningrad, Kursk, Bryansk, Zheleznogorsk (Kursk Region), Israel, and China.
She has published articles and made numerous audio and video recordings.
Selected publications:
- «In the Class of Professor V. N. Kudryavtseva‑Lemesheva» in Voprosy vokalnogo obrazovaniya, collected articles, Moscow, 2016;
- «On the Work of the Accompanist in the Solo Singing Class» in Voprosy vokalnogo obrazovaniya, collected articles, Moscow, 2017;
- Razvitiye tekhniki golosa soprano (Developing Soprano Vocal Technique: Based on Vocal Repertoire), teaching manual, compilers M. Agin and A. Benina, Moscow, 2016.
Audio recordings:
- «The Best for Soprano», arias from operas with the Musica Viva Symphony Orchestra, conductor Tao Lin, sound engineer Vadim Ivanov, Mosfilm recording studio;
- Romances by Russian composers (Rimsky‑Korsakov, Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky), with pianist Ekaterina Ganelina, sound engineer Alexander Burtman, Pavel Slobodkin Centre Concert Hall;
- Mahler, Symphony No. 4 for soprano and orchestra, with the Novosibirsk Academic Symphony Orchestra, conductor Tao Lin, sound engineer Pyotr Kondrashin;
- Rachmaninoff’s «Vocalise» on the CD «Mussorgsky, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin» with the New Russia State Symphony Orchestra, conductor Alexander Sladkovsky, sound engineer Pyotr Kondrashin;
- Glinka’s «Ruslan and Lyudmila», scenes and arias from the opera with the Kemerovo Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, conductor Tao Lin, sound engineer Pyotr Kondrashin;
- «Classics of the Genre» (20 musical pieces), including the aria of the Snow Maiden.
Video recordings:
- Ariza Benina and Fatma Kasyanenko in the concert programme «Voices of Love» with the Donbass Opera Orchestra, conductor Sergey Dubnitsky, RPM, 2015;
- Rimsky‑Korsakov romances with pianist Karina Pogosbekova, RPM, 2012;
- Glinka’s «Ruslan and Lyudmila», concert performance with the Kemerovo Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, conductor Tao Lin, RPM, 2010;
- Verdi’s «Il trovatore», concert performance with the Kemerovo Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, conductor Tao Lin, RPM, 2009;
- Ariza Benina and Makvala Kasrashvili in the concert programme «Verdi Plus» with the Moscow Philharmonic Academic Symphony Orchestra, conductor Tao Lin, RPM, 2007.
Ariza Benina continues to perform actively. A priority in her work is the performance and promotion of Russian classical music. Her interpretations of Russian heroines are distinguished by deep insight into the composer’s idea, refined vocal mastery, and a subtle revelation of each character’s inner world. She has toured widely, including Israel, Canada, China, the USA, Spain, Turkey, Italy, and other countries.
She also performs in many Russian cities, including Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Tver, Yaroslavl, Kemerovo, Novosibirsk, Lipetsk, Bryansk, Kursk, Zheleznogorsk, and Kalyazin.
In 2006 her CD «Arias from Operas» was presented at the Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Centre with the Musica Viva Chamber Orchestra under Tao Lin. In the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory she performed Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 with the Conservatory Symphony Orchestra under People’s Artist of Russia L. Nikolayev.
In 2007, within the project «The Best for Soprano», she gave a solo concert in the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall with People’s Artist of the USSR Makvala Kasrashvili and the Academic Symphony Orchestra (conductor Tao Lin).
In 2008 she appeared at the T. N. Khrennikov Music Festival in Lipetsk with Roberto Alagna and V. Prudnikov, performing with the Musica Viva Orchestra under Alexander Sladkovsky.
Over many years Ariza Benina has collaborated fruitfully with the Kuzbass State Philharmonic in Kemerovo, taking part in staged concert performances and recordings of Glinka’s «Ruslan and Lyudmila» and Verdi’s «Il trovatore».
In 2015 she appeared in a concert at the Donetsk Opera and Ballet Theatre (Donbass Opera). In 2016 she sang in a gala concert in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory marking the 30th anniversary of the International Union of Musical Figures, with the Moscow Conservatory Opera Theatre Orchestra (conductor A. Petukhov) and the Academic Song and Dance Ensemble of the National Guard of Russia (conductor People’s Artist of Russia Major‑General Viktor Eliseev).
In 2016 she received a Diploma from the International Union of Musical Figures for her outstanding contribution to musical art.
She currently serves as secretary of the department, responsible for students’ performance practice and organising departmental events, including concerts, artistic meetings, and jubilee evenings.
