The meeting of “Aravot” with the famous opera tenor, People’s Artist of the Republics of Lithuania and Armenia, Gegham Grigoryan, pursued two objectives: to get acquainted with the upcoming projects of recently appointed artistic director of the National Academy of Opera and Ballet after Al. Spendiaryan, and to learn when, eventually, the International Academy of Opera Art under the initiative of the renowned artist will be opened.
Gegham Grigoryan first said that as before so as the upcoming opera season for 2015-2016 will be opened with Tigranian’s “Anush” opera, on September 9. “In a possible short period, we have planned to present Bellini’s “Norma” and Puccini’s “Tosca” opera performances to the audience, we are planning to initiate the staging work of Sofa Aznavuryan’s “You Shouldn’t” opera for children. Jointly with the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory Opera Studio, we will implement Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” opera, Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lamermure,” Khachaturian’s analogue ballet performance with the music written for Lermontov’s “Masquerade” drama and so on. Undoubtedly, we will also restore some performances left out from the repertoire of the theatre for some reasons. This is certainly a part of our plans,” assured our interlocutor.
In response to the question that upon the return of Gegham Grigoryan to the theater, a lot is talked that the renowned artist intends to invite young singers, so whether it does not assume “getting rid” of some soloists, Maestro briefly said, “The soloists who simply have nothing to do in the current repertoire and the upcoming performances, an agreement will be signed with them. When we feel the need for them, we will invite them for at least playing one song. Theaters, not only ours, need freshness.” He also added that they will often invite conductors, singers, ballet dancers and the high-quality management will ensure this process. He also noted that they have a producer who is already busy with these activities.
On September 4, at the National Opera House, as the notice board reads, opera Diva Lyubov Kazarnovskaya and Gegham Grigoryan invite to a charity concert, the proceeds of which will be allocated to the construction works of the International Academy of Opera Art. In this regard, Mr. Grigoryan informed that invited artists will also play in the upcoming event, including famous singers Alexander Chernov (Russia), Nicola Uliveri (Italy), Vishnia Radosad (Serbia) and conductor Anatoly Levin (Russia). The singer particularly noted that his student from Armenia, bass Gosh Sargsyan, soprano Sophia Tumanyan, conductor Sergey Smbatyan, together with the State Youth Orchestra of Armenia will attend the concert. Back to the Academy, our interlocutor, without getting into the details, said that there would be similar several charity concerts to bring the construction work of the Academy to the end. To the question of who will be eligible to study or to be trained in the Academy, and whether this educational institution will serve only to the opera singers, the artist replied, “The Academy is for ready, moreover, established and perhaps well-known singers, in other words, in addition to the opera singers, also conductors, stage directors and artists will be trained here, in short, young artists having different professional background related to the musical theater. The Academy is pleased to host also singers who, for example, would turn to us for preparing one single song. The renowned experts invited from abroad will also ensure the high-quality education. We have also planned to conduct Master Classes.”
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Opera and ballet arts festivals are held in outdoor amphitheaters or concert halls in the summer season in the world for a long time. In that sense, Italian “Arena di Verona”, German “Forest stage” and so on are well known, and since August 16, the “Open Opera” project will be launched in Moscow with Verdi’s “La Traviata”, whose open-air performances will be held in the “Green Theater” adjunct to the Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy (ВДНХ). To the inquiry whether a day will come that we also would have an open-air concert halls for several audiences, Gegham Grigoryan informed that, in his words, it is planned to build an open-air concert hall in the opposite side of the International Academy of Opera Art to be built in Kanaker for up to 1,500 spectators, which will also enable us to stage opera and ballet performances in the summer season, as well as to host, as it is used to say in the West, international festivals.
Samvel DANIELYAN
