Past week presented a gift for culture lovers in Armenia and beyond it

Review of May 10-16 cultural events.

Marking the Night of Museums along with the other countries across the globe, Armenia opened the doors of its museums, offering various expositions, performances and concerts. Students’ art exhibition dedicated to Time Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost their lives during the World War II organized jointly by the UN Office in Armenia and Yerevan State Academy of Arts featured 60 works of art, including graphics, paintings, batiks, ceramics and statues were displayed at UN house, attracting the attention of students, professors, international community, civil society groups, media and general public.

May 20, 2010

PanARMENIAN.Net - The 4th concert in the framework of National Gallery Festival took place in Yerevan, with Armenian People’s Artist, pianist Svetlana Navasardyan performing Mozart and Chopin’s works. The National Gallery also hosted a photo exhibition of Yuri Miloslavsky.

Special events were organized in the State Museum of Nature, Mayr Hayastan military museum, Armenia’s National Institute and Museum of Architecture.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan visited Kalents Museum established by Saro Kalents, the founder of the museum and son of prominent artist Harutyun Kalents.

Yerevan hosted the second international comics festival, which brought together around 20 cartoonists from Armenia and other countries. Among others, International Comics Association Ambassador Barbara Canepa and Angouleme Comics High School board member Dominique Bertail were invited to participate.

Classical music lovers attended the UNESCO headquarters in Paris to enjoy performance of CIS Youth Orchestra under the guidance of Vladimir Spivakov, who promised similar concerts in Baku, Yerevan, Astana, Ashgabat and Kyiv.

Yerevan hosted a presentation of CD with church music performed by Speghani women’s choir. The CD was released in commemoration for Karabakh war victims.

Meanwhile, over 4 million people attended the 23rd Tehran International Book Fair (TIBF) which the Iranian capital hosted from May 2 to 15. Known as the most important publishing event in Asia and the Middle East, it brought together 200 Iranian and 1700 foreign publishers this year, with the number of visitors already reaching 4 million. The large number of visitors of the Armenian pavilion, established by the RA Embassy to Iran and RA Culture Ministry, proved keen interest in the Armenian culture. The visitors were usually interested in tourism and education as well as the Armenian Genocide issue.

To complete the week, Alexander Spendiaryan Opera and Ballet National Academic Theater hosted a concert of Gary Kesayan’s music. The composer’s jazz as well as classic compositions, including the symphony for the theatrical production of The 40 Days of Musa Dagh by Franz Werfel, will be performed during the concert. The Armenian Youth State Orchestra conducted by Sergey Smbatyan took the stage with the composer.

Mane Amirjanyan / PanARMENIAN News