Actress, dancer, choreographer-director Aida Simon does not step back before anything
An actress, dancer, choreographer-director Aida Simon is a relatively new name to our theatrical art. In 2013, the artists staged LUltima Cena (by Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” work) at the National Theatre, and in 2014, the plastic dance performances “Pro Shamiram” at the Puppet Theatre made a great uproar in the good sense and were highly appraised by the experts. The ballet-master had invited her undergraduate students of Yerevan State Institute of Theater and Cinema to the premiere. Recently, even the famous film producer Ruben Babayan was stunned how “Aravot” Daily has not been yet addressed Aida Simon who was educated in St. Petersburg and has announced the beginning of her career.
In an interview with us, the artist informed that she graduated from the St. Petersburg Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory as a choreographer, and in 2010, she has returned to Armenia. “During the student years, I already started staging performances and as a dancer I was invited to participate in various events and performances. Over there, under my libretto and staging, “Oedipus the King” (by Sophocles), “Pygmalion and Galatea” (mythological themes), French writer Boris Vian’s “Froth on the Daydream” and other plays were performed.” To our curiosity that conducting plastic dance performances in a city like St. Petersburg, why she does not “turn” to big stages in Yerevan, meaning the Opera House, our interlocutor said that she is going to stage the “Tigran the Great” ballet performance at the Opera House under her own libretto, a modern style by using animation, lighting effects, in short, possible means of modern technology.
Later, she went on, “I have introduced the Libretto to the known jazzman Tigran Hamasyan. He welcomed and not long after, he introduced the “Tigran Mets” music to me”. To the remark that staging a large-scale work requires a long time until getting a “go-ahead” from the Ministry or the Artistic Board of the Theater, the artist mentioned that she is going to apply to the Minister of Culture on this matter, and then said, “In any case, I will find ways to bring my ideas into life.” During the conversation, Aida Simon said she is planning to restage the PRO Shamiram and LUltima Cena performances at the ‘Yerevan’ cultural center, which will soon be open for the spectators. Incidentally, these performances will be viewed also in Germany, on the days of cultural events dedicated to the centenary of the Armenian Genocide held in November.
The information reported to us that Aida Simon had recently visited Turkey, but not as an artist, was confirmed. “After the events commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Genocide, a few days after April 24, rumors were spread that the Turkish government wants to seize the poor Armenians and orphans center called “Kamp Armen” from the Armenian community for building luxury villas in its place. On May 6, the first attack took place by the Turkish nationalists, which gave rise for the members of “New Renaissance” initiative and foreign nationals concerned with this issue to be on duty around the territory of the building day and night. The goal of the Armenian delegation, where I was one of the members, was to encourage the Armenians,” shortly presented the artist. We asked our interlocutor winning the main prize in the contest of fitness in summer, in which future competitions the Armenian woman having the most beautiful body will participate, Aida Simon simply said that soon she will leave for Georgia to participate in the fitness competition held in the framework of the CIS countries for the first time.
Samvel DANIELYAN
In the photos, scenes from PRO Shamiram and LUltima Cena performances, stage director Aida Simon
Aravot daily
