Mascha Benya

Mascha Benya (Yiddish: מאַשאַ בעניאַ, 1908-2007) was a Russian-born Soprano known especially for her promotion and performance of Yiddish song and Jewish art music in the United States after World War II.

Biography

Early life

She was born Mascha Beniakonskyte in Virbalis, Suwałki Governorate, Russian Empire on October 15, 1908. She was born into a Jewish family; her father was a merchant with a passion for Jewish music and Chazzans and opera in particular, and therefore Mascha grew up in a very musical family. After graduating from a Hebrew language Gymnasium, she traveled to Prussia, first studying in a small town near the Russian border and then at the Stern Conservatory in Berlin. Her voice teacher in Berlin was Franceschina Prevosti.

Music career

After finishing her schooling in Berlin and receiving positive reviews for her stage appearances, she came to the attention of choral director Chemjo Vinaver. He engaged her as the lead soprano in his production of Jacob Weinberg's Hehalutz. As antisemitic discrimination worsened in Nazi Germany, it was no longer possibly for Jewish artists to perform for non-Jewish crowds, or to perform the work of "Aryan" composers. In the spring of 1937, Vinaver helped Mascha become involved in the Jüdischer Kulturbund, an organization which was established to support Jewish artists and to create cultural programs for Jewish audiences. In that organization, she acted both as an opera performer and singer of Yiddish folksongs, as well as a Hebrew language teacher. Among her successes in the Kulturbund were her performance of Jacques Offenbach material alongside the tenor Max Kuttner, and in stagings of Don Pasquale and Si j'étais roi.

After Kristallnacht in November 1938, Mascha decided to finally leave Germany for the United States. She sailed from Cherbourg, France to New York City in December 1938. She soon involved herself in Jewish cultural affairs in New York City. In February 1939 she performed as part of a benefit concert for Jewish refugees from Europe and which included such performers as Hans J. Heinz (tenor), Zina Alvers (mezzo-soprano), Sarah Gorby, and Jascha Bernstein (cellist). She also continued her vocal studies under new instructors, including Rhea Silberta, Sebastian Engelberg and Olga Ryss.

After the war, she turned increasingly away from opera and art music towards Yiddish folk songs and Jewish music education. She became a naturalized US citizen in 1944.

In the mid-1950s, she began to prepare to record an LP for ABC Records with Harry Anik accompanying her on piano, to be produced by Abe Lyman. However, both Anik and Lyman died before the album could be completed, and so it was never recorded, although rehearsal tapes for it were later released on audiocassette.

In 1965, she married her husband Lazar Matz.

She died in Queens, New York on November 4, 2007.

Selected recordings

• Mascha Benya: A Yiddish Song Recital Featuring the poetry of Itzik Manger (Musique Internationale, 1997)
• Jewish Song Treasury Vol I (Musique Internationale, 1984, with accompaniment by Abraham Ellstein)
• אַמאָל איז געװען א מעתה Once Upon a Time (Artistic Enterprises, 1957, with Sidor Belarsky and Vladimir Heifetz)
• Jewish Song Treasury Vol II (Musique Internationale, 1984, with accompaniment by Abraham Ellstein)
• The Art of Mascha Benya (Musique Internationale)
• לאָמיר זינגען Let's Sing A Yiddish Song! A Treasury of Popular Children's Songs (Famous Records, arranged by Mikhl Gelbart)
• Nursery Rhymes (Kinder Velt)
• Songs for Jewish Children (Far Yiddishe Kinder Record Co.)

External links

• Masha Benya albums streamable in the Florida Atlantic University Recorded Sound Archive