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    Categories: 2020

Music: Armenian soprano after Dresden scandal: ‘Culture knows no boundaries’

Panorama, Armenia
Jan 24 2020
Culture 11:54 24/01/2020 Armenia

"I strongly believed that culture knows no boundaries and I am glad that this belief is shared by so many people who have supported me with their words and deeds these days," renowned Armenian soprano Ruzan Mantashyan said in a Facebook post.

The singer’s comments came after she was invited back to perform at the Semper Opernball in Dresden, Germany, on February 7. She had been forced out of the performance by Azerbaijani tenor Yusif Ayvazov, who had reportedly refused to share the stage with the Armenian soprano because of her nationality.

Mantashyan is expected to perform Tatiana Aria from Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin. 

World-famous Armenian singer Hasmik Papian, who had condemned the event organizers from the very first day, declared victory on Facebook on Thursday.

“The decision of the Semper Opera Ball is a victory. By raising this matter, we helped the German side to review their decision and to restore the justice at the same time saving their face,” Papian wrote.

Many German singers were angered by Semper Opernball’s decision to cancel Mantashyan’s performance. 

Emil Lazarian: “I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS