‘ALMAST’ OPERA FINALLY COMES TO THE STAGE
Tert.am
Sept 16 2009
Armenia
The premiere of the opera "Almast" will be held at the National
Opera and Ballet Academic Theatre (named after Al. Spendarian) on
September 18 and 19. The premiere, initially scheduled for June 2009,
was delayed in order to present Spendarian’s work in a more completed
form for the new theatre season.
The art director of the new "Almast" is "Honored Art Worker of the
Russian Federation," state prize winner Georgy Isahakyan, the conductor
is People’s Artist of Armenia Yuri Davtian. Stage and costume design is
by Vyacheslav Okunev from Russia, and the dance director is Armenia’s
people’s artist Vilen Galstyan.
Al. Spendarian wrote "Almast" opera in the last year of his life,
in 1928. The opera is based on the poem "Tmbkaberti Arum" (Conquering
of the Drum Castle) by famous Armenian poet Hovhannes Tumanyan. The
opera was performed for the first time in 1930 in Moscow. In Yerevan,
it was first performed in 1933. "Almast" was the first performance
at the National Opera and Ballet Academic Theatre.