As part of the financial support of the RA Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports, within the framework of the new model of financing theater and concert organizations, the premiere of Tigran Chukhajyan’s opera “Arshak B” will take place on March 22 at the National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet named after A. Spendiaryan.
Armenian composer Tigran Chukhajyan’s opera “Arshak B” will be presented for the first time in the original Italian language with the participation of the artists, chorus, and orchestra of the National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet named after A. Spendiaryan.
The musical director and conductor of the performance is Donato Renzetti (Italy), and the stage director is Jean-Roman Vesperini (France).
RA Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports Daniel Danielyan was present at the stage rehearsal of Tigran Chukhajyan’s opera “Arshak B” and followed the ongoing creative work. The deputy minister attached great importance to presenting the original “Arshak B” opera on the Armenian stage. “This is a huge event. Almost 160 years after the creation of the “Arshak B” opera, it is presented in its original form on the National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet stage named after A. Spendiaryan. The opera “Arshak B” has never been presented to the audience. Italian is considered the language of the opera genre, and it is noteworthy that this initiative is a wonderful opportunity to present, spread, and popularize the work of the Armenian composer to audiences abroad. Tigran Chukhajyan’s opera “Arshak B” was staged with the financial support of the Ministry of Education and Culture in the context of the new model of financing theater and concert organizations. The theater has done a great job and is also aimed at popularizing Armenian culture. The premiere will take place on March 22, and I am sure this opera production will succeed. We expect similar initiatives from other organizations receiving state funding.”
Composer and musicologist John Sargsyan performed the work of restoring and re-creating the original texts in Italian. According to him, the original Italian version of the opera “Arshak B” was handwritten and difficult to read. “In the original, there were certain unfinished parts and defects, which were restored and cleaned. We turned to Karen Durgaryan, director of the National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet named after A. Spendiaryan, with the offer to stage the opera “Arshak B.” He readily accepted the offer, and now the creative staff of the theater is preparing for the opera’s premiere, which has never been performed in the original.
Karen Durgaryan, director of the National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet named after A. Spendiaryan, noted that the first Armenian opera in the region, which is of great value, was written by Tigran Chukhajyan. “For about 160 years, the opera “Arshak B” (in the original version) has been waiting for its stage, now we are staging it, and I hope it will be a success. Starting with Tigran Chukhajyan, we should, one by one, bring the works of other Armenian composers to the stage and restore Armenian operas.
It should be noted that the opera “Arshak B” is Tigran Chukhajyan’s first opera, which was completed in Constantinople in 1868 by K. Part of the opera was performed in the same year. Tovmas Terzian wrote the Italian libretto of the opera “Arshak B” by the Armenian composer Tigran Chukhajyan.
