PRESS RELEASE
Hamazkayin GB
Navasartian Centre
223 Northfield Avenue
London W13 9QU
Tel: 0044 208 5672277
Email: [email protected]
Soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian in London
Hamazkayin London premiers the film: Isabel Bayrakdarian:
‘A Long Journey Home’
A stunning music documentary directed and produced by Stormy Nights
Productions of Toronto, Canada. [email protected]
Saturday, May 27th, 2006
The Navasartian Centre was packed with members of the London Armenian
community of all ages and genders who had come to see not only the
stunning film of Isabel’s emotional and musical first trip to Armenia
in 2004, but to also meet the Armenian-Canadian Soprano in person.
They were not disappointed: Canada’s most promising young Armenian
soprano captivated the audience with her beauty as well as her golden
voice, singing folksongs of Komitas and sacred church music: Dele
Yaman, Andouni, Sourp- sourp and many others.
Accompanying Isabel were her husband Serouj Krajian (pianist) and the
Directors/Producers of the film.
The Chairman of Hamazkayin London, Hayasdan Vartanian, introduced
Isabel to the audience: Born in Lebanon, of proud Armenian heritage,
and presently a loyal citizen of Canada. She is a First Prize winner
of the prestigious Placido Domingo “Operalia” Competion in 2000 and
recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee medal. Isabel has
made a splash on the international stages of the opera world. She has
performed with the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Chicago Lyne
Opera, Teatro alla Scala, L’|Opera de Paris and at the Salzburg
Festival to name but a few.
Her first CD, ‘Joyous Light’ is a disc of Armenian songs. In addition
to her recorded albums, Ms Bayrakdarian’s voice can be heard on the
Grammy Award-winning sound-track of The Two Towers, the second
installment of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, as well as in the
award-winning film ARARAT.
Following the screening of the film, a Questions & Answers session was
held with the Star and her entourage. The evening ended with a
cocktail reception with Armenian delicacy.
Attending and seeing this beautiful 80-minute documentary was like a
virtual journey to Armenia. Isabel Bayrakdarian is the God’s gift to
the Armenians, but we have to share this gift with all the nations of
the world.
The film ‘A Long Journey Home’ is available on DVD from Stormy Nights.
Isabel is currently in London for another important debut, at Covent
Garden, where she will perform Susanna in Mozart’s The Marriage of
Figaro.