French-resident Alain Altinoghlu will conduct the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia
The next announcement of the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia (artistic director, Ed. Thopchyan) caused a surprise not only among music lovers. French-resident conductor Alain Altinoghlu arrived in Armenia for the first time to conduct the orchestra band. Only in narrow vocational circles, people knew that the constantly invited conductor to the world leading orchestras and opera theaters carrying a Turkish surname is an Armenian by origin.
“Aravot,” first inquired from the artist why he carries this surname up to date. The musician replied, “Indeed, it is a fate of an Armenian man why my father and my mother were carrying this name, I think, there should be no comment on it. I will only say that in 1934, Turks were simply necessitating Armenians to carry a Turkish surname. My parents moved from Turkey to Paris in 1971 and I was born in 1975, and our last name is Altunyan. Both my father and mother wanted to restore their true name in Paris, but in those years, the French government had issued a law saying that if a foreign citizen is willing to change its last name, then it should sound French. I introduce myself to the world as an Armenian musician.”
Our interlocutor informed that he graduated from the Paris Conservatory, where he currently teaches. His first performance as a conductor took place in 2001 at the Paris Opera National. “I have conducted performances at the “Metropolitan” in New York, opera-houses in Chicago, Vienna, Berlin and Zurich, among my achievements especially in the last season, I consider the performance “Werther” by Massenet staged at the “Metropolitan”, then Verdi’s “Simón Bocanegra,” Mozart’s “Marriage of Figaro” and “Don Giovanni” opera performances, as well as Strauss’s “Salome” at the Vienna Staatsoper. Recently, I also conducted in Zurich and not only …,” said Alain Altinoghlu. He also added that this year, he will conduct the world premiere of “Red Lanterns” opera by Christian Jost in Zurich, as well as “Don Giovanni” performance at the London Royal Opera House for the first time.
We also inquired about his career as a symphonic conductor. “I have acted with Chicago’s, Philadelphia’s, French and other orchestras. On April, I will conduct Mozart’s “Requiem” in a concert in Paris dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Genocide,” noted the conductor. Our fellow citizen said that he is also a pianist and often acts with his wife – operatic mezzo-soprano Nora Gubisch). He also said that he is cooperating with his countrymen scattered all over the world, he mentioned Nare Arghamanyan’s name known to the Armenian audience, with whom he recorded Liszt’s piano concertos. To the questions of whether it is possible for him to obtain an agreement with our opera-theater directorate during his stay in Yerevan to perform as an opera conductor in his homeland in the future, the artist said that he has heard about our opera theater, but at this moment, he cannot have such negotiations as the creative schedule is compiled 4-5 years ahead. To the point, Alain Altinoghlu has arrived in his homeland with his father, wife and son. They visited the Genocide Memorial.
Samvel DANIELYAN
