Opera in Armenia

Don’t miss out on the art and culture scene while you’re in Yerevan! The capital offers everything from jazz and symphonic music to ballets and opera, all at accessible price points. In this article, you can learn more about the history of opera and opera performances in Armenia. 

Dikran Tchouhadjian is known as the founder of the Armenian operatic tradition. In 1868, he authored Arshak II, the inaugural grand Armenian opera replete with choruses and ballets. The opera tells the story of the eponymous ancient king who ruled Armenia from 350 to 367 AD. 

Armen Tigranian ranks high among Armenia’s most notable 20th century opera composers. Tigranian was Russian-born, most remembered today for his masterpiece Anoush, a tragic love story set in an Armenian village. The performance, based on the poem by Hovhannes Tumanyan, incorporates traditional folk music beautifully. 

In 1912, Anoush debuted as Armenia's first opera in the folk theatre of Armenia’s second largest city Gyumri (then called Alexandropol). The venue no longer functions as it once did, now housing the Gyumri branch of the TUMO Centre for Creative Technologies . Nevertheless, it has preserved the intricate stone-carved facade of the former opera house while incorporating modern red synthetic building materials. 

In 1935, Anoush was professionally presented for the first time at the National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre. Located in Yerevan’s city centre, this cultural symbol boasts two massive halls with a total of 2,600 seats, and regularly hosts operas, ballets and concerts. 

The building was unveiled on January 20, 1933 in honour of composer, conductor and the founder of Armenian national symphonic music, Alexander Spendariyan. His opera, Almast, was the first performance ever staged in the modern structure, which was designed by the giant of Armenian architecture, Alexander Tamanian. He was the mastermind behind Yerevan’s Republic Square, the State Medical University, and other iconic structures. 

Today Armenia’s Opera and Ballet Theatre frequently stages both Anoush and Arshak II, as well as international classics such as La Traviata, Carmen, and Aida, all featuring English subtitles during performances. With time, they will enlarge their playlist of both Armenian and international opera and ballet masterpieces, with the goal of representing them on the local stage. 

Tickets can be purchased through the opera's ticket office, either in person or online.[2]  Prices typically range from 15-50 EUR, depending on the seating location and event. 

In addition to enjoying performances, visitors can now tour the opera house, explore what happens behind the scenes to make the magic happen and even meet some of the individuals responsible for every aspect of the performances. Multi-language tours, available for groups of 10 to 25 people, can be reserved for 3000 AMD (7 EUR) per person. 

So, let the show begin! 

TUMO Centre for Creative Technologies. I think we can add a link to this web for SEO?

Maybe we could add the link