An ancient spell rings out overseas
She embodies that legendary creature whose song pampers you and persuades you, charms you and disarms you. Although she is a seductively singing siren she won’t inflict a mortal wound on you!
You will find her kind in manners and soul just like her voice is gentle, sweet and powerful.Everyone knows her with her stage name: Era Kayln but her birth name is Anush Arakelyan and she is proud of her Armenian heritage.
Anush began studying opera in Armenia, at the Komitas State Conservatory of Music, in the capital, Yerevan. Her first dream was to sing pop music, but she fell in love with operatic melodies and stories. Though it was rigorous training, something happened that she realized that opera was her calling.Therefore she focused more on what filled her with passion and love. A choice that also challenged her. Since then Anush became Era.
E.K.: “I first knew I had something of a voice when I was about 7 years old. I was playing with my neighbors. making noise and being loud. I was pretending to sing an opera. I didn’t even know what it was. However I went for it. Some passers-by stopped and asked who was making that sound. I thought I was going to get in trouble. But I bravely admitted that it was me. That lady then said to me:
– Oh precious child! Your voice is magnificent. You could really be a great opera singer!-
After that I started singing at school, in the choir, and in the different shows and performances. I always had a solo. And even though I loved doing it, I couldn’t imagine that it was anything special until I went to conservatory and started to study formally.”
Soon after her graduation at the conservatory Era took part in an international singing competition. Her talent brought her to the final. Since then she never stopped flying reaching ever higher peaks!
E.K.: “I believe that my voice and talent is God given. When I am singing and my voice is soaring – this is when I feel closest to God.”
As an opera singer she traveled extensively in various Western and Eastern European countries to play roles such as Violetta in La Traviata, by G. Verdi; Musetta in La Bohème, by Puccini; Antonia in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, by Offenbach. She didn’t miss the lead role in Anush, the most popular work of Armenian music and theater, by Armen Tigranian. Era speaks Armenian, Russian, Italian, French and German and she continues to enchant everyone with her voice even overseas.
Los Angeles especially is a city that tends more to the surrogate of the opera, that is to the musical. However Era manages to make everyone loving this genre, even those who have never heard an opera.
E.K.: “My voice type is a lyric soprano or perhaps a lirico-spinto soprano. I especially love the Verdian heroines and, of course, Puccini as well. Both of these composers have provided me with a lot of exceptional repertoire.
My vocal coach would tell me:
– Take your music to bed with you, maintain a close relationship with the music, especially when needing to memorize text or memorize blocking (which is the stage action). During La Traviata rehearsals I really formed a bond with Violetta’s character. I had the feeling that Verdi wrote this music especially for me. Like he was talking to me through the arc of the music and character development.”
By moving to the United States she has enriched her curriculum with even more projects and operatic experiences without ever stopping studying. She deeply digs discovering something of herself in each opera character she performs. Era experiences a real magic. It is the magic of love. Eros threw his dart causing her to fall under this spell. The story becomes like real and she experiences it floating, with authentic drama, on her clear consistent high notes.
E.K.: “When you live and sleep and breathe with this music it really becomes a part of you. It’s physical, spiritual and challenging. But ultimately it is so rewarding. And when we rehearse we get very close to each other because what we do is emotionally intimate. I like to imagine that this is a microcosm of world peace or utopia. The other singers are from all different backgrounds and we form bonds through this art form and music and through this rehearsal process. I cannot imagine that non-singers would really understand, how these roles and their incredible stories really consume us singers. In the rehearsal process we eat drink and sleep this music. It is like the best love affair with the music because it is a love affair that never disappoints you. Thank you very much for your questions and reminding in me once again the great pleasure to maintain this incredible journey!”
