Once, from the late 1980’s to the late 1990’s, opera singer and artistic director Gayane Barseghyan’s name was sound in the cultural life of Armenia. Many of the artists, at the meeting with “Aravot” on various occasions, often remember her, in particular, her roles as a singer: Donna Anna (in Mozart’s “Don Juan”), Nedda (in Leonkavalo’s “Pajaci”), Nato (in S. Jrbashyan’s “Gikor”), in the opera theater directing by M. Tariverdiev’s “The Waiting,” Jan- Carlo’s “The Phone” and in a comedy theater A. Ayvazyan’s and G. Yertisyan’s “Better late than never,” A. Barseghyan’s and V. Kotoyan’s “Pele Pughi” plays. Many of the directors say that Bach’s “Coffee Cantata” was first performed in Armenia directed by Gayane Barseghyan.
In a meeting with us, the famous artist who lives and works in the USA for 15 years, one by one remembered her works in Yerevan. Moreover, the memories took her to her childhood. “I’m a child who grew up in the comedy theater. Here, I have staged a few Armenian operettas of my father, Ararat Barseghyan, “Valley of Love”, “Pele Pughi” plays. In this theater, my mother, renowned artist Ida Mkrtchyan, had played the so many characters different from each other. In this comedy theater, in the face of Yervand Ghazanchyan, I met one of the few artistic directors who first created perfect conditions for the young director, actually believed in me, and one more thing that I could never forget. During the rehearsals, Mr. Ghazanchyan was not showing his presence. And when giving advice, he was so careful, probably was thinking of not to say something that I could get offended…,” said Ms. Barseghyan.
According to her, “She was also fortunate in the opera theatre, it was a great school, where the roles were made by my distinguished professor, Gohar Gasparyan. And being next to Tigran Levonyan, I assure you, was a great success. I am sorry that the Levonyan artistic director’s school, which could be the foundation for the education of young artists, did not have the sequel. Whereas, he had founded a wonderful school that were to become the artistic foundation of the opera theater. It was during the time of Levonyan, when the Yerevan Opera Theater presented the masterpieces of the worldwide Italian opera art, Verdi’s “Othello” and Donizetti’s “Poliuto” in Spain, and later had a tour in the USA, Egypt and the UAE.”
She also added that after the departure of Tigran Levonyan, unfortunately, the artistic art of the theater rolled down reaching probably the level of 1940-50’s. To the remark that during the years you mention, the theater had staged great performances, truly by the great artistic directors, Ms. Baghdasaryan replied, “Of course, is those years, the artistic level of the opera stage was not low, but it would always go ahead, follow the changes in the world opera art not year to year, but literally day by day, which Levonyan was realizing very well and presenting a great art…”
Interrupting the Armenian memories of our interlocutor, we asked her to “move” to the United States and introduce her activities, especially when after years of break she is in the homeland for the first time. “I am founded and operate in Glendale, I have started from scratch. Americans are right saying that to integrate into the American culture is impossible. Driven from the circumstances, first human contacts with different nations take place in this country, and to have an access to the local culture, it is necessary that it is done right from the first creative steps, though my diploma in musical theater director received from Russian Academy of Theatrical Arts is accepted in the world. In short, I could not come out to the American environment,” informed Ms. Barseghyan.
Continuing, she said that she lives a rich creative and social life in Glendale. She is the Vice President of the Armenian-American Musical Theater Union, also the Head of the Arts Department of Hyasa Union. Over the years, she had organized the concerts of renowned musicians, including opera singer Barsegh Tumanyan, conductor Hovhannes Chekijyan. Now she is in her homeland on work. Hyasa Union is organizing the tour of the State Musical Comedy Theatre after H. Paronyan and she is entrusted to choose any performance from the repertoire to show in the spring of 2015 in Glendale. “I am here on a short visit. I am sorry that I could not visit the theaters and watch some of the performances, however, I watched two performances in the Comedy Theatre directed by Ghazanchyan: Shirvanzade – Satyan’s “Morgan’s relative by Marriage”, and Vahe Shahverdyan’s Branislav Nušić’s “The Cabinet Minister’s Wife”. I am highly delighted with this comedy theater performances. It is not necessarily to tell me, the state support to the theater is visible,” said the artist. To the remark of how the state support is visible, Gayane Barseghyan said, “If the State Theater exists, then the state supports it. After the two performances, I witnessed a crowded hall and enthusiastic audience. And the artistic director, Yervand Ghazanchyan, of course, has his invaluable role in all of this.” The question of whether she will open any brackets from her years of 1994-99 working as a Deputy Director in the Opera Theater during the times of Tigran Levonyan remained without any comments.
Samvel DANIELYAN
