MONUMENT TO COMPOSER KHACHATURYAN UNVEILED IN MOSCOW
ITAR-TASS, Russia
Nov 1 2006
MOSCOW, November 1 (Itar-Tass) – A bronze monument to composer Aram
Khachaturyan was unveiled in the public garden near the House of
Composers in Bryusov Lane here on Tuesday.
Taking part in the ceremony were Lyudmila Putin, the wife of the
Russian president, Robert Kocharyan, Armenia’s president and Yuri
Luzhkov, the mayor of Moscow.
The monument was erected nor far from the house where the classic of
Soviet music had lived.
Sculptor Georgy Frangulyan and architect Igor Voskresensky have
designed the monument. They commemorated the maestro at the moment
of his creative inspiration, surrounded by music instruments.
"It’s very symbolic that the monument is situated in such a place,
not far from the conservatoire and the House of Composers," Lyudmila
Putin said
She underlined that the sculptors had "portrayed in their artwork
the soul and character of the composer and his music."
"The monument symbolizes the friendship between our peoples; and I’m
sure live flowers will always be seen at its foot, as bright as his
music," Lyudmila Putin said.
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan, who came to the ceremony
together with his spouse Bella, noted that Khachaturyan’s life, fate
and creative career are "is a vivid example of interlacing fates of
our peoples."
"It’s very significant when a person is equally liked and viewed as
belonging to the nation, in Armenia, as in Russia," Kocharyan said.
He also noted the significance of the location of the monument.
"Everything around is linked with music, and it’s very important that
Khachaturyan’s image reminds all of us about a happy future of our
nations," the Armenia preisdent said.
Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov, who cut the red ribbon at the foot of the
monument together with the Armenian leader, recalled his studies in
a children’s brass band.
"Aram Ilyich often came to see us and personally supervised all our
musical knowledge and skills," Luzhkov said.
He said it the famous maestro’s visits to an outlying House of Culture,
belonging to a chemical plant, were of special pride to local kids.
Luzhkov underlined that the monument to Khachaturyan was opened
during the Year of Armenia in Russia, "when we are solving problems
of spiritual and political communication between our citizens."
People’s Artist of the USSR Aram Khachaturyan created the world-famed
ballets Spartacus and Gayane, symphonies, instrumental concertos,
and music to the films Masquerade, Admiral Ushakov, and Othello,
and to theatrical productions.