Armenia takes active part in cultural life of West

February 22-28: main cultural events of the week.

The Sergei Paradjanov Festival in London and Bristol was opened with Yuri Mechitov’s photographic exhibition at the National Theatre Monday, February 22. The exhibition was composed of rarely seen photographs taken by Georgian photographer Yuri Mechitov during his 11 year friendship with the director. The Sergei Paradjanov Festival in London and Bristol was the first major celebration of the legendary artist and filmmaker whose talent transcends religious and political boarders, drawing on the cultural traditions of Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine and Russia. The Festival aimed to present the life and works of Sergei Paradjanov to UK audiences through a series of diverse events that include: a film season; a moving image installation; a symposium and a workshop at the BFI Southbank; a photographic exhibition at the National Theatre; screenings and talks at Pushkin House; a concert at St. Yeghiche Armenian Church; a film retrospective at Arnolfini (Bristol); and a photographic exhibition at The Bristol Gallery.

PanARMENIAN.Net - "The films of Sergei Paradjanov have always captivated me with their unique cinematic language and the poetic strength of their imagination. For me, Paradjanov is like a slap in the face to banality, harshness, self-interest and general uniformity," festival organiser Layla Alexander-Garrett said.

The festival will last till March 28.

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75th anniversary of Lebanese writer of Armenian decent, Aram Sepetchyan was marked at Glendale Public Library. The event, organized by Tekeyan Cultural Union subsidiary in US, featured the presentation of writer’s book published in Lebanon.

During the event, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II awarded Aram Sepetchyan with St. Sahak and St. Mashtots Order.

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In a historic event, the Ankara Radio Polyphonic Choir, which is affiliated with the state-owned Turkish Radio and Television, or TRT, has performed this week a work in Armenian under the direction of Istanbul-based Armenian conductor Hagop Mamigonyan. The choir will perform the work again at an Armenian church in Istanbul.

Led by Istanbul-based conductor Hagop Mamigonyan, the choir performed “Gali Yerk” (Harvest Wind), a work by Armenian polyphonic music expert and ethnomusicologist Komitas Vardapet.

Founded in 1970, the TRT decided last year to celebrate its 40th anniversary with 40 different conductors, both Turkish and foreign. One of those it invited was the young Hagop Mamigonyan of the Surp Lusavoriç Armenian Choir, which has been performing in Istanbul for 80 years.

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110th birth anniversary of composer Isaak Dunayevsky was marked in Yerevan, on February 26. “Concert and theatrical performance were held in Moscow House of Yerevan. Fragments from different movies with his music were demonstrated and performed. Armenian singers also participated, performing Dunayevsky's musical compositions,” Liana Azoyan, head of press service, Rossotrudnichestvo representative office in Armenia, told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

During the event, representatives of Russian Embassy in Armenia, Rossotrudnichestvo as well as Hasmik Poghosyan, RA Minister of Culture made a speech.

According to Liana Azoyan, Rossotrudnichestvo representative office in Armenia is the organizer of the event. “This concert is only one of the events to be held in Armenia. We are planning to organize another event to commemorate Alexander Griboedov, soon,” she mentioned.

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Armenia will be among honorable guests of International Film Festival in Argentine to be held in Buenos Aires between March 6 and 13. "Border", a documentary by Harutyun Khachatryan and “Bonded Parallels", a feature film by Hovhannes Galstyan will be presented at the festival. On March 7 the Day of Armenia will be held in the frame of the international film festival and reception will be organized by the Armenian Ambassador in Argentina Vladimir Karmirshalyan, press service of RA Foreign Ministry reported.

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Armenology Research Center has been for 10 years engaged in digitization and bibliography of Armenians periodicals, foreign editions about Armenia and Armenians and books published before 1920.

“The 16th century marked the origin of Armenian book printing, which proved to be a highly important event in the cultural life of the Armenian nation. During the 1512 to 1800 a large number of books in the Armenian language were printed in 28 cities of the world. The most interesting period was the first 300 years, during which more than 1100 books in Armenian were printed,” Gevorg Nersesyan, director of the Armenology Research Center, told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter on February 25.

“The purpose of our program is to create a full-fledged catalogue of Armenian ornamental art in book printing by 2012, which would offer an opportunity to carry our relevant research in this area, as well as to put out a series of publications on Decorative Art in Armenian Printing dedicated to the 500th anniversary of Armenian printing,” he said.

“Over 100 Armenian books have been already digitalized. The next program envisages creation of a bibliographical catalogue. Thanks to a computer program, which ensures access to information about articles in various periodicals, we have digitalized over 500 editions,” Mr. Nersesyan said. “The Armenian Ministry of Culture provided access public scientific libraries. With modern equipment and financial support the program will be accomplished by 2012,” he added.

He also informed that a partnership agreement was reached with the French Embassy in Armenia. “The French side expressed willingness to help our specialists pursue research in French libraries in 2011,” he said.

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On March 1 the Berlin Philharmonic Hall hosted a concert of a newly formed choir of the Armenian church and cultural community of Berlin. "We have received an invitation from Berlin Philharmonic to participate in the "Intercultural Dialogue" project and accepted it, since it is a good way to get acquainted with other cultures," the spiritual leader of the Armenian church and cultural community of Berlin and Northern Germany, Archimandrite Yeghishe Avetisyan said before the concert.

The concert featured the choirs of the Kurdish and Assyrian communities of Germany.

"We sing songs of Komitas and we hope to expand our repertoire. The participation of Armenian Navy Band’ soloist Arto Tunchboyajyan and the Kardeş Türküler Turkish group is also likely, we also will sing several songs together, but do not know yet in which language, " head of the choir Seda Peshiktashlian earlier told PanARMENIAN.Net

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Martiros Saryan’s works exhibit dated to the 130th birth anniversary of the renowned artist opened in Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, on February 26. The exhibit wss organized with the assistance of Russian Ministry of Culture and RA Embassy in Moscow.

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Last year was rich for the National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre after Alexander Spendiaryan in terms of creativity and repertoire, Spartacus ballet staged Russian choreographer Yuri Grigorovich being the main event.

“Spartacus became the brand for Armenia,” Kamo Hovhannisyan, director of the National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet after Spendiaryan told a news conference in Yerevan.

“In 2010 Alexander Harutyunyan’s Sayat-Nova and Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida by will also be presented to the audience,” he said.

“For Aida we have invited famous Italian stage director Mario Corradi. I hope this year will be also successful like the previous one,” Kamo Hovhannisyan concluded.

Currently, two ballets based on works of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi and Johann Sebastian Bach are under preparation.

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The Armenian National Library hosted a presentation of Stepan Srapian’s “My dear Armenian” book, a collection of letters and articles by the Italian philanthropist of Armenian origin.

The book narrating relations between Armenia and Diaspora and life of Stepan Srapian (1906–1972), the head of the Italian branch of the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), was presented by literary critic Arthur Andranikyan on February 24.

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Naregatsi Arts Center launched new 3-day program, including a number of events. On February 23, Gayane Zakaryan gave a solo concert, performing works by Armenian and foreign classical composers. On February 24, New York, I Love You film was screened. On February 25 and 26, musician Norayr Kardashyan played Armenian folk music while ethnographer Alina Pahlevanyan gave a lecture on the subject. Karin folk dance group took the stage with We and Our Dances program.

* For the first time Artsakh (NKR) had its own pavilion at BIT International Tourism Fair in Milan between February 18 and 21, 2010. The fair brought together representatives of 140 countries providing 57 sq. m of expo hall area.

As the press office of RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported, the NKR pavilion, featuring the history and cultural heritage of Artsakh's population, was placed between Turkish and Russian pavilions.

According to the exhibition organizers, this year the number of the participants reached 200 thousand.

The NKR delegation was led by Sergei Shahverdyan, head of NKR government’s tourism department.

The BIT-Tourism Fair has been held in Milan annually, since 1980. BIT-Tourism Fair is the largest exhibition in the world for the Italian tourist product alongside comprehensive, pre-eminent international representation.

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Yerevan’s Moscow cinema will host the screening of Serj Tankian’s “Elect The Dead Symphony” concert movie on March 16, Edgar Barseghyan, head of Barseghyan Media Factory told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

Barseghyan Media Factory acquired the rights for CD/DVD set presentation, winning the contest launched by Reprise Records and Cinema Purgatorio.

Currently Barseghyan Media Factory is negotiating Taknian’s presence at the CD/DVD set presentation. “There were 4 more applications from Yerevan, but they did not fit,” Edgar Barseghyan said.

On March 16, 2009, Serj Tankian and New Zealand’s 70-piece Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra took the stage at the Auckland Town Hall in New Zealand and delivered an exhilarating and unique performance of Tankian’s latest solo album, Elect the Dead. Six cameras were set up to capture the performance in HD, and the resulting product is the impressive Elect the Dead Symphony CD/DVD set, due to be released on March 9, 2010.

Aside from the orchestral performance of the tracks on the album, the Elect the Dead Symphony includes two bonus, never-before-heard songs, Gate 21 and The Charade, interviews with Tankian and members of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, as well as backstage footage.

* Glendale Public Library will host a meeting of the Union of Armenian Writers of California on March 4. Victoria Sanasaryan’s works will be presented by literary critic Emma Umroian during the event.

Mane Amirjanyan / PanARMENIAN News
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