Enid Benezra

Music

ENID (EATON) BENEZRA has sung leading roles with the Brooklyn College Opera Theatre, New York University Opera Theatre, and the Liederkranz Opera Showcase. She has appeared at the Metropolitan Opera House in Jerome Hines’ opera, “I Am the Way.” She has concertized at Town Hall, The Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center, The Hudson River Museum, The Bay Shore Music Lovers Club, The West Islip Chamber Orchestra Society, and the Liederkranz Music Society. Her radio credits include solo performances on WNYC, WFUV, and WHBI. Enid Benezra was coached in operatic roles and concert repertoire by the late Thomas Martin of the New York City Opera and by Gerald Brown, also of NYCO. She studied vocal technique with Prof. Cesare Longo of New York University. In a 1987 article in City Opera’s Spotlight Magazine, Enid Benezra was recognized for her work in introducing opera to youngsters.  She has been a member of the Kingsborough Community College Chorus since 1993 where she has sung solos in Mozart’s “Coronation Mass,” and “Regina Coeli,” Vivaldi’s “Gloria,” Saint-Saens’ “Christmas Oratorio,” and Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Patience” and “HMS Pinafore.”

Enid Benezra holds a BA and an MS in Early Childhood Education from Brooklyn College where she also minored in Speech and Theatre. Her specialty was Reader’s Theatre. Most recently she performed as the Narrator with members of the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra in several of their “Off the Shelves” programs at various Public Libraries throughout Brooklyn. She taught kindergarten and music classes in the NYC Public School System beginning in 1970 and was Project Arts coordinator, in addition to her classroom duties. She retired from the system in January of 2004.

Mrs. Benezra is involved in doing volunteer work for several organizations. Both she and her husband volunteer with the Brooklyn Philharmonic in a variety of capacities. She is a Life Member of Hadassah, for whom she serves on the Board of Directors of the Dena Chapter, as well as the Board of Hadassah Brooklyn Region. She and her husband Jack, create, produce and direct 2-3 programs a year for the Brooklyn Region Hadassah’s Circle of Life programs. Among these is an annual charity concert performed by current and past Hadar Scholars, many of whom have been mentored by Enid and Jack Benezra. Both Enid and Jack have been Hadar Foundation Music Mentors for the last seven years, during which they planned many events for the scholars, including attendance at various concert performances in NYC, visits to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Music Galleries, and seminars with well-known professionals in the music business.

She is married to Jack Benezra. They have two grown daughters and four grandchildren.