The 22nd anniversary of Armenia’s independence was officially celebrated with Nune Yesayan’s solo concert, which has given rise to stormy anti-reaction among many people. It is not ruled out that this criticism in many cases was due to jealousy, competition, business interests and others. As to how talented is Ms. Yesayan, I can not say, the music that she sings is far from the scope of my spiritual and professional interests.
But the mistake, in my opinion, is conceptual, such an event can not be a solo concert. Such official concert is a state-political event; it should hit a few targets, that’s why it includes a variety of different styles and performers. To this respect, it would be interesting to recall the experience of communists. How were they organizing such concerts? What clichés were repeated year after year, for example, on November 7, often with the same works and performances?
Usually the concert at the Kremlin Congress Palace starts with Shostakovich’s “Festive Overture”, a work, that, they say, was written on a bet within two hours. This is not the great composer’s best work yet. The third part of Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto could be heard, which is, indeed, is a masterpiece, simply too “worn out”.
L. Minkus. Pa-de-de from “Don Quixote” ballet. It was performed, for example, Ekaterina Maximova and Vladimir Vassiliev, the world megastars. As an option, in honor of our nation, Khachaturyan, adagio from “Spartacus” ballet. Often with the performance of the same dancers.
Puccini, Cavaradossi aria from “Tosca” opera. It could also be Chio-Chio-San aria from the same opera of the same author. Apparently, the concert organizers ‘liked’ those episodes for “Toska” national liberation topic, also for the reason that madam Butterfly had suffered from the “American imperialism.”
A. Mezhirov, “Communists, Ahead”. A wonderful poem written by the poet on high professional level. Unfortunately, with too much screaming ideological component, which was not clearly perceived due to the cynicism widely spread in 70-80’s. As an option, Mayakovsky’s poem that the worker receives an apartment and is especially delighted to the fact that there is a shower in the apartment. It is a piece of work written with a good humor.
S. Tulikov, Lenin is Always With You. Mandatory program with almost no alternative. As such, it is very tasteless.
N. Mikhalkov, a fable, officially permitted, quite sharp and talented satire. As an option, Ukrainian artists with “Tarapunka” and “Shtepsel” pseudonyms, this humor was directed to the wider masses.
The second part of the concert was usually covered by pop songs (Yuri Silantyev’s Pop-Symphony Orchestra was on the stage) with the performance of Kobzon, Leshchenko, Magomayev, and Rotaru. Again, in honor of our nation, the works of Arno Babajanyan, Mikael Tariverdiev were played. But it was ruled out that such an event would consist of a solo concert of only one of the aforementioned stars.
It is inconceivable for me that, in particular, the “major” event of the anniversary of the state is entrusted to a single artist, no matter how talented she is. On September 21, 1996, Charles Aznavour gave such a concert in Yerevan, in extremely tensed atmosphere typical to the election situation in Armenia. But even if the political passions of the moment would not be so hot, it is all the same, if the concert of the world-famous chansonnier did not carry an official character, it would be much better remembered and appreciated by the audience.
I think the root of the problem is not a lack of talented artists, but the fact that our government has not yet found its ideological formula, the message that it would like to transfer to its citizens. Communists had that message, wrong, unacceptable and hypocritical, but when there is a specific concept, building a festive event is a matter of techniques. It is the concept that is missing in our society.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
Photo by http.//www.1in.am
