Armenian National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet ( hy, Ալեքսանդր Սպենդիարյանի անվան օպերայի և բալետի ազգային ակադեմիական թատրոն, ''Aleksandr Spendiaryani anvan operayi yev baleti azgayin akademiakan tatron'') or simply known by locals as Օպերա, ''Opera'' is an opera theatre in

Yerevan Yerevan ( , , hy, Երևան , sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Y ...

, which was officially opened on 20 January 1933, with

Alexander Spendiaryan Alexander Afanasyevich Spendiarov (Spendiaryan) (russian: Александр Афанасьевич Спендиаров, hy, Ալեքսանդր Ստեփանոսի Սպենդիարյան, November 1, 1871, Kakhovka, Russian Empire – May 7 ...

's ''

Almast ''Almast'' ( hy, Ալմաստ meaning ''diamond'') is the only opera of the Armenian composer Alexander Spendiaryan. History In 1916 Spendiaryan met Armenian poet Hovhannes Tumanian, who suggested three of his poems "Anush", "Parvana" and "The Si ...

'' opera performance. The opera building was designed by the Armenian architect

Alexander Tamanian Alexander Tamanian (, March 4, 1878 – February 20, 1936) was a Russian-born Armenian neoclassical architect, well known for his work in the city of Yerevan. Life and work Tamanian was born in the city of Yekaterinodar in 1878 in the family of ...

. It consists of two concert halls: the

Aram Khatchaturian Aram Ilyich Khachaturian (; rus, Арам Ильич Хачатурян, , ɐˈram ɨˈlʲjitɕ xətɕɪtʊˈrʲan, Ru-Aram Ilyich Khachaturian.ogg; hy, Արամ Խաչատրյան, ''Aram Xačʿatryan''; 1 May 1978) was a Soviet and Armenian ...

concert hall with 1,400 seats and the Alexander Spendiaryan Opera and Ballet National Theatre with 1,200 seats.

Theatre

The ground-breaking of the Opera-Theatre took place on 28 November 1930 during the celebrations of the 10th anniversary of

Soviet Armenia The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic,; russian: Армянская Советская Социалистическая Республика, translit=Armyanskaya Sovetskaya Sotsialisticheskaya Respublika) also commonly referred to as Soviet A ...

. On 20 January 1933, the building was officially opened. Soon after the theatre foundation, a ballet troupe was established. ''

Swan Lake ''Swan Lake'' ( rus, Лебеди́ное о́зеро, r=Lebedínoye ózero, p=lʲɪbʲɪˈdʲinəjə ˈozʲɪrə, link=no ), Op. 20, is a ballet composed by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1875–76. Despite its initial failur ...

'' by

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most popu ...

was the first ballet performance in 1935. Based on Tamanian's design and under the supervision of his son the theatre hall was completed in 1939, and the opera building was renamed after

. Large-scale construction works did not finish until 1953, when the entire building was finally completed with its current shape. The opening of the theatre promoted the creation of new national operas and ballets. The first Armenian ballet was ''Happiness'' by

Aram Khachaturian Aram Ilyich Khachaturian (; rus, Арам Ильич Хачатурян, , ɐˈram ɨˈlʲjitɕ xətɕɪtʊˈrʲan, Ru-Aram Ilyich Khachaturian.ogg; hy, Արամ Խաչատրյան, ''Aram Xačʿatryan''; 1 May 1978) was a Soviet and Armenian ...

. On the basis of this ballet the composer soon created '' Gayane'' which has been performed all over the world. Many other Armenian composers have written operas and ballets. Over the years, these artists have worked at the theatre: singers

Gohar Gasparyan Gohar Gasparyan ( hy, Գոհար Գասպարյան; 14 December 1924 – 16 May 2007), also known as the "Armenian nightingale", was an Armenian opera singer. Life Born in an Armenian family in Cairo, Egypt, Gasparyan studied at a Music ...

Tatevik Sazandaryan Tatevik Sazandaryan (1916–1999), was a Soviet and Armenian operatic mezzo-soprano who became a member of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union in 1958. She performed as a soloist at the Yerevan Opera Theatre from 1937 to 1961. Biography Born ...

Mihran Yerkat The House of Mihrān or House of Mehrān (Middle Persian: 𐭬𐭨𐭥𐭠𐭭; new Persian: مهران), was a leading Iranian peoples, Iranian noble family (''šahrdārān''), one of the Seven Parthian clans, Seven Great Houses of the Sassanid ...

Pavel Lisitsian Pavel Gerasimovich Lisitsian (, hy, Պավել (Պողոս) Գերասիմի Լիսիցյան) (November 6, 1911 – July 6, 2004), was a Soviet baritone opera singer who performed in the Bolshoi Opera, Moscow from 1940 until his retirement fr ...

, Haykanush Danielyan, Nar Hovhannisyan,

Gegham Grigoryan Gegham Grigorian (also written Grigoryan) ( hy, Գեղամ Գրիգորյան}; russian: Гегам Григорян; 29 January 1951 – 23 March 2016) was an Armenian operatic tenor. Biography Gegham Grigorian was born in Yerevan and gradua ...

Anahit Mekhitarian Anahit Mekhitarian (also spelled Mkhitaryan or Mkhitarian) (; russian: Анаит Мхитарян; born 6 March 1969) is an Armenian operatic soprano. A leading soloist of the National Theater of Opera and Ballet of Armenia, she was conferred ...

; conductors Konstantin Sarajev, Michael Tavrizyan, Aram Katanyan,

Karen Durgaryan Karen may refer to: * Karen (name), a given name and surname * Karen (slang), a term and meme for a demanding woman displaying certain behaviors People * Karen people, an ethnic group in Myanmar and Thailand ** Karen languages or Karenic la ...

Gianluca Marciano Gianluca is an Italian masculine given name. Its English translation is "John Luke" and it is often a shorter form of "Giovanni Luca". * Gianluca Alfenoni (born 1996), Argentine footballer *Gianluca Arrighi (born 1972), Italian writer *Gianluca ...

Yuri Davtyan Yuri may refer to: People and fictional characters Given name *Yuri (Slavic name), the Slavic masculine form of the given name George, including a list of people with the given name Yuri, Yury, etc. *Yuri (Japanese name), also Yūri, feminine Jap ...

; ballet masters A. Petrosyan, M. Chmshkyan,

Vanush Khanamiryan Vanush ( fa, ونوش, also Romanized as Vanūsh, Venoosh, and Venūsh) is a village in Kalej Rural District, in the Central District of Nowshahr County, Mazandaran Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 2,483, in 679 families. M ...

Vilen Galstyan Vilen Galstyan ( hy, Վիլեն Գալստյան, (Vilen Sargsyan) 12 February 1941 – 4 June 2021) was an Armenian ballet dancer and actor who was popular in the former U.S.S.R. and especially in Armenia. He was awarded by the ''People's Artist ...

Rudolf Kharatyan Roudolf Kharatian ( hy, Ռուդոլֆ Խառատյան, born April 1, 1947, in Yerevan) is an Armenian ballet dancer, choreographer, teacher, director and painter. He is a People's Artist of Armenia (2012). He is the Principal Choreographer and Ar ...

; painters

Martiros Saryan Martiros Saryan ( hy, Մարտիրոս Սարյան; russian: Мартиро́с Сарья́н; – 5 May 1972) was a Soviet Armenian painter, the founder of a modern Armenian national school of painting. Biography He was born into an Armenia ...

Minas Avetisyan Minas Avetisyan (, July 20, 1928 — February 24, 1975) was an Armenian painter. Biography Minas Avetisyan was born in the village of Jajur, Soviet Armenia. His mother, Sofo, was a daughter of the priest from Kars. His father, Karapet, was a ...

. Since 1935 a unique Armenian opera, ''

Anoush ''Anoush'' (also Anush, hy, Անուշ) is a five-act opera composed by Armen Tigranian, based on the 1892 poem of the same name by Hovhannes Tumanyan. Originally composed in 1912, it was first performed in Alexandropol, but it had to wait until ...

'' by

Armen Tigranian Armen Tigranian or Tigranyan or Dikranian ( hy, Արմեն Տիգրանի Տիգրանյան; 26 December 1879, Alexandropol – 10 February 1950, Tbilisi) was an Armenian composer, conductor and sociocultural activist. His best-known work is '' ...

, has been performed in Yerevan opera theatre. It was a great step in Armenian opera history. ''Anoush'' is in the repertoire of the theatre until now. One of sopranos currently performing this role is

Mary Movsisyan Mary Movsisyan ( hy, Մերի Մովսիսյան) is an Armenian operatic soprano, soloist at the Armenian National Opera and worldwide. Biography Mary Movsisyan was born in Yerevan, Armenia. In 2010, she graduated from Yerevan State Conserva ...

. Since it was opened, the Armenian National Opera & Ballet Theatre has performed more than 200 different operas and ballets by Armenian, Russian and Western European composers. The theatre company has performed in more than 20 countries, e.g. in Russia, Spain,

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...

, United States,

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...

, Germany. In 1956, the theatre received the status of National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre. The theatre has also hosted concerts performed by

Charles Aznavour Charles Aznavour ( , ; born Shahnour Vaghinag Aznavourian, hy, Շահնուր Վաղինակ Ազնավուրեան, ; 22 May 1924 – 1 October 2018) was a French-Armenian singer, lyricist, actor and diplomat. Aznavour was known for his dist ...

Ian Anderson Ian Scott Anderson (born 10 August 1947) is a British musician, singer and songwriter best known for his work as the lead vocalist, flautist, acoustic guitarist and leader of the British rock band Jethro Tull. He is a multi-instrumentalist w ...

John McLaughlin John or Jon McLaughlin may refer to: Arts and entertainment * John McLaughlin (musician) (born 1942), English jazz fusion guitarist, member of Mahavishnu Orchestra * Jon McLaughlin (musician) (born 1982), American singer-songwriter * John McLaugh ...

, Akvarium and many others.

Artistic directors

Romanos Melikian Romanos Melikian ( hy, Ռոմանոս Հովակիմի Մելիքյան; October 1, 1883, Kizlyar – March 30, 1935, Yerevan) was an Armenian composer. He finished the Rostov Musical College, then the classes of Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov and B. Ya ...

Tigran Levonyan Tigran Levoni Levonyan (''Khandikyan'', hy, Տիգրան Լևոնյան; 1936–2004) was an Armenian operatic tenor and director, Professor of Yerevan State Conservatory. People's Artist of Armenia (1984). He was the husband of Gohar Gasparyan an ...

Ohan Durian Ohan Durian or Duryan ( hy, Օհան Դուրյան; September 8, 1922, Jerusalem - January 6, 2011, Yerevan) was an Armenian conductor and composer. Life and career Ohan Durian was born Hanna Khatchadurian in Jerusalem. From 1939 to 1945 he st ...

Constantine Orbelian Constantine Garrievich Orbelian, Jr. ( hy, Կոնստանտին Օրբելյան, russian: Константин Гарриевич Орбелян, born San Francisco, 27 August 1956) is an American conductor and pianist of Armenian and Russian des ...

(since 2016)

Gallery

File:Yerevan at night (50mm).jpg, The Opera House (foreground, left) with the Yerevan skyline File:Yerevan skyline at dawn.jpg, Yerevan skyline with Opera House at dawn File:Parc-opera.jpg, The Opera park File:Opera at night.jpg, The opera at night File:Ópera, Ereván, Armenia, 2016-10-03, DD 13.jpg, Panorama

References

External links

About Yerevan Opera Theatre
{{Authority control Opera houses in Armenia Ballet companies in Armenia 1933 establishments in the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic Tourist attractions in Yerevan Buildings and structures in Yerevan Theatres completed in 1933 Music venues completed in 1933

Theatre

Artistic directors

Gallery

See also

References

External links