Author: Tatoyan Vazgen

‘A CHORUS LINE’ REVIVES THE BROADWAY HIT

Daily News Tribune
663620/A-Chorus-Line-revives-the-Broadway-hit
Sept 8 2008
MA

A musical has something special when it inspires the original
co-choreographer to come out of retirement to direct it.

"I started working on "A Chorus Line" 33 years ago and some days I go,
‘Oh, no I can’t do it again,’" said Bob Avian, 70, the director of
the revival of the 1975 hit. "But I love the show so much, and the
new talent brings their own personalities to the parts."

When "A Chorus Line" opens at the Boston Opera House on Thursday
for a three-week run, the musical will look nearly identical to the
original production directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett,
which won nine Tony Awards, five Drama Desk Awards and a Pulitzer.

"My intention from day one has always been to present Michael Bennett’s
masterpiece," said Avian, who was the original co-choreographer. "I
never wanted to do my own version, because it’s his greatest show
and I didn’t want to mess with that. And it’s part of my history, too."

In fact, "A Chorus Line" has inspired the same loyalty in other artists
who shaped it. Choreographer Baayork Lee, who was Bennett’s assistant
choreographer, has restaged the dances for the revival. And original
set designer Robin Wagner and costume designer Theoni V. Aldredge
also have returned for the revival.

After three decades, though, certain references have become so dated
and obscure that they fall flat on today’s audiences, and these have
been changed. But the stories of the 17 dancers auditioning for
eight places on a Broadway chorus line transcend time to move and
inspire people. And the poignancy and intensity of their emotions
are beautifully expressed in songs like "What I Did for Love," and
"I Hope I Get It," by composer Marvin Hamlisch.

"All the stories are so universal and the audience identifies with
it tremendously," Avian said. "We say things on stage that are so
intimate and truthful."

The stories are told on a bare stage with mirrors, where an
all-powerful director wants the candidates not just to dance, but
to bare their souls. So, they talk to him about their childhood and
adolescence, families and friends, disappointments and dreams.

These stories aren’t just what writers James Kirkwood and Nicholas
Dante imagined. They’re adapted from conversations Michael Bennett
recorded with real chorus line dancers.

Although the concept of an audience watching people audition seems
common today, it was original 30 years ago.

"The structure of the show is much like reality television today,
but we were the first to do that," Avian said.

Avian met Bennett when the choreographer joined the cast for the
European tour. That began a lifelong friendship and collaboration.

"When Michael Bennett asked me to work with him, I said, ‘I don’t
know if I’m a good choreographer,’ but he said, ‘We’re good friends
and you always tell me the truth and that’s really important.’ As
his career moved up, I moved up with him."

The son of Armenian immigrants who grew up in Manhattan, Avian learned
to dance when he came to Boston University and a fellow student in a
movement class encouraged him to join her at Boston Ballet. He took
classes daily for four years, his first formal training, and got
hired shortly after graduation as a dancer in the first of more than
a dozen Broadway shows.

After a long career in choreography, directing and producing for
"Company," "Follies," "Dream Girls," and other shows, Avian retired
in 2000 – until he got a call about "A Chorus Line."

"I’d had enough and life had been good," said Avian, who divides his
time between Connecticut and Florida and will attend opening night
in Boston. "But the producer said, ‘Bobby, you better go do it. This
is your show.’ We’re very protective of it."

PRESS TV, Iran
Sept 6 2008

Gul in Armenia for soccer diplomacy
Sat, 06 Sep 2008 20:21:49 GMT

President Abdullah Gul who attended a soccer match between Turkey and
Armenia in Yerevan, says the game could help end a century of mutual
hostilities.

Attack helicopters escorted the Turkish chief executive’s jet on its
arrival and police and lined the traffic-free streets as his motorcade
sped through downtown Yerevan, the Armenian capital.

Several hundred protesters were seen rallying near the Armenian
presidential offices for Gul’s arrival shouting and chanting,
"Recognition" and "Stop denying the genocide" in reference to
Yerevan’s attempts to have the Ottoman-era massacre of Armenians
recognized as genocide.

Gul is the first Turkish leader to visit Armenia. Ankara and Yerevan
have no diplomatic ties but a relationship that is undermined by the
question of whether ethnic Armenians killed by Ottoman Turks in 1915
in the early years of World War I were victims of systematic genocide.

Gul was invited to attend Saturday’s match at Hrazdan Stadium by his
Armenian counterpart Serzh Sarkisian, who called for closer ties in a
region brimming with tensions in the wake of the Russia – Georgia
conflict.

Departing Ankara, Gul said he hoped the first match between the two
national sides would aid `rapprochement’.

`This match is important beyond being the first match between the
Turkish and Armenian national teams,’ Gul told a news conference.

`I hope today’s match will contribute to removing barriers to the
rapprochement of two peoples with a common history, and contribute to
regional peace and stability.’

Turkey defeated Armenia 2-0 in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier game.

Turkey has never opened an embassy in Armenia and in 1993 Ankara
closed its land border with Armenia in a show of solidarity with
Azerbaijan, a Turkic-speaking ally that was fighting Armenian-backed
separatists over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

But Russia’s decision last month to send its forces into Georgia, an
ex-Soviet state which borders both Armenia and Turkey, has convinced
many that it is time for Ankara and Yerevan to put their differences
aside.

President Sarkisian also said that he had been invited by President
Gul to attend a return football match between the two nations in
Turkey next month.

AZERI LEADER, US VICE-PRESIDENT DISCUSS KARABAKH, REGIONAL SITUATION

AzTV Baku
Sept 4 2008
Azerbaijan

Azeri-US ties are developing successfully and have entered into new
areas, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said after talks with US
Vice-President Dick Cheney in Baku on 3 September.

Speaking at the meeting, which was shown on Azerbaijani’s state-owned
AzTV the same day, Aliyev said: "We are now working on the development
of diversification of energy supply. This is important not only for
consumers, but also for producers of energy resources."

Aliyev stressed the development of ties in the political, economic,
defence and security spheres and international peacekeeping
operations. The president referred to the USA’s important role in the
OSCE Minsk Group, tasked with helping to resolve the Karabakh conflict.

"The resolution of the Armenian-Azeri conflict over Nagornyy Karabakh
is very important for us. As one of the co-chairs of the Minsk Group,
the USA plays an important role in helping the two sides to find ways
to settle the conflict. The resolution of this conflict should be based
on international legal norms, as with other conflicts, on condition
that respect is shown to the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan,
the region and all countries around the world," Aliyev added.

Aliyev noted that he discussed the situation in the region at his talks
with Cheney and expressed hope that strong partnership between the USA,
Azerbaijan and other regional countries would strengthen security,
peace, stability and cooperation in the region.

In turn, Cheney said that "the USA strongly supports Azerbaijan’s
sovereignty and territorial integrity. We support the resolution of
the Nagornyy Karabakh problem through talks based on the principle
of your country’s territorial integrity and all other international
legal norms. The resolution of the conflict today is more important
than before, because regional peace and stability and Azerbaijan’s
security depend on the resolution of this issue."

Cheney highly rated Azerbaijan’s loyalty to cooperation with
Western countries in the energy sphere and thanked Azerbaijan for
its contribution to the US-led global fight against terrorism. He
supported "the Azerbaijani people’s efforts to strengthen democracy
and supremacy of the law, to respect human rights and to… build a
modern, progressive and independent state" and expressed confidence
that Azerbaijan would serve as an example in ensuring peace and
stability in the region.

PRESIDENT SAYS ARMENIA NOT TO RECOGNIZE GEORGIAN BREAKAWAY REGIONS

Mediamax
Sept 4 2008
Armenia

Yerevan, 4 September: Armenia cannot recognize the independence
of Abkhazia and South Ossetia without recognizing the independence
of the Nagornyy Karabakh republic (NKR), Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan stated.

The head of state said this on 3 September at an annual meeting of
heads of Armenian diplomatic missions abroad.

"The question whether Armenia will recognize the independence of South
Ossetia or Abkhazia has been heard recently. As with Kosovo, it’s
obvious that given the Karabakh problem Armenia cannot recognize the
independence of similar formations without recognizing the independence
of Nagornyy Karabakh," the Armenian president stressed.

At the same time, Serzh Sargsyan expressed his confidence that during
the negotiation process the Armenian side can persuade Azerbaijan
that there is no alternative to the recognition of the right of the
people of Nagornyy Karabakh to self-determination.

SON OF GEORGIA’S FIRST PRESIDENT DETAINED IN TBILISI

Itar-Tass
04.09.2008, 16.45

TBILISI, September 4 (Itar-Tass) — Georgia’s law enforcers say
they have detained son of the country’s first president, late Zviad
Gamsakhurdia, Tsotne Gamsakhurdia, on charges of spying for a foreign
power and plotting an overthrow of the constitutional bodies of power.

The Georgian Prosecutor-General’s Office opened a criminal case
against Tsotne Gamsakhurdia in November 2007.

Lawyer Keti Bekauri was allowed to see her client earlier on Thursday.

"Tsotne is well. He says he is innocent, and he dismisses all the
charges that have been brought against him," the lawyer said.

Tsotne Gamsakurdia, 32, a philologist by profession, was very critical
of the Georgian authorities’ policies lately. From the autumn of 2007
to August 2008 he was resident in Russia.

In an article in Russian journal VIP Premier published before Georgia’
s attack on South Ossetia Gamsakhurdia wrote, "In the current
conditions the main player in Georgian territory is the United States."

He quoted public statements by some US political scientists who
stressed "the importance of US presence in Eurasian Balkans (a term
coined by Zbigniew Brzezinski) for limiting and restraining Russian
influence, and now the influence of China".

By promoting Georgia’s accession to NATO, Washington, 9 Cbesides
purely military considerations, plans to influence Russia’s North
Caucasus, which has a high conflict potential due to ethnic and
religious factors," Gamsakhurdia wrote. The United States "could not
influence the fate of the region without strategic allies. Turkey
is such an ally in TransCaucasia." Thus, "it would be appropriate
to speak about a certain coincidence of geopolitical interests of a
world power and a regional power." Iran displayed growing interest
in TransCaucasia of late and it has shifted the focus of cooperation
to Armenia, specifically that in the economic sphere. "For Armenia
Iran becomes an additional factor of national security enhancement,"
Gamsakhurdia concluded.

As for West European intentions in the region, they mostly boil down
to the transit of energy resources "as a stand-by option in case
traditional cooperation with Russia and the Middle East fails."

Georgia has not developed either into an "oasis of democracy" or
into a flourishing economy, contrary to promises by foreign and
domestic politicians. According to official statistics, a fourth of
the population has emigrated and a half of those remaining live below
the poverty line.

Modern transnational energy and transportation projects failed to
provide either security or economic success to the country.

"At the current stage internationally recognized neutrality would be
the20best way out of the situation – all the interested parties would
guarantee security and development of the country," Gamsakhurdia said.

He does not rule out the possibility of "strategic partnership of
Georgia and Russia" by virtue of historic, cultural and economic
traditions.

"In difficult conditions of networked and colliding interests of
various powers the Georgian leadership is obliged to carry out
a balanced, long-sighted policy that meets the interests of the
people. In reality, it is the other way round."

ARMENIANS WAITING FOR GUL WITH OPEN ARMS

Turkish Daily News
Sept 4 2008
Turkey

While Turkey is debating what kind of reaction President Abdullah Gul
will get in Armenia when he goes to watch Saturday’s football game,
a voice rising from the other side of the Mount Ararat is quite
welcoming. ‘The Armenians are hospitable people, we have total
respect for your president,’ says the football federation chief
Ruben Hayrabedyan

As a novel occassion is approaching with the football game between
Turkey and Armenia, both countries have seemingly forgotten about
sports as all eyes are on the prospective meeting of presidents
Abdullah Gul and Serge Sarkisian.

Gul has not officially confirmed his visit to Yerevan for the World
Cup qualifying fixture, but it has been reported that he would accept
Sarkisian’s invitation to watch the game together at Hrazdan Stadium.

However, Gul will not be the only Turk watching the game at the
55,000-seat venue. The Turkish Football Federation expects 113 of their
members to be present at the game, declared the Armenian Federation
head Ruben Hayrabedyan.

Previously, it was reported that 5,000 seats were reserved for
Turkish fans. Hayrabedyan said visitors coming to Yerevan would
make an important contribution to solving the problems between the
two countries.

"We need contact to overcome problems between Turkey and Armenia,"
the federation chairman told the Turkish Daily News. "Yes, there are
painful memories of the past, but they should not be preventing the
bridges of fraternity in the future."

Saturday’s encounter has already become a diplomatic issue, surpassing
the sporting event, but the Armenian football chief tried to bring
the game back to the forefront of people’s minds.

"Football may seem to be overshadowed by the politics these days,
but that is not true," said Hayrabedyan, adding that football fans
are eagerly awaiting the match.

There are worries about serious protests against the Turkish side,
especially against Gul, and although Hayrabedyan did not deny that
protests might take place, he said they would not be aggressive.

"The Armenians are hospitable people," said Hayrabedyan. "Our people
want peace to be obtained between two countries. Our people have
complete respect towards the President Gul."

As the Armenian side played down the possibility of tensions off the
pitch, they expressed a strong belief that their national team would
give a hard time to the Euro 2008 semi-finalist Turks on the pitch.

"The Armenian team has become more and more strong recently," said
Hayrabedyan, adding that many players on the squad are playing abroad,
especially in Russian, Iranian, Romanian, Dutch and Danish clubs.

"Of course I want Armenia to win the game. But what is more important
than that, is my hope that the friendship will be the one winning in
the end."

SAVE AGEING POGOSE SCHOOL
by Durdana Ghias

The Daily Star
22
Sept 2 2008
Bangladesh

Pogose School, one of the oldest schools of Dhaka, has become a
living relic due to lack of steps to conserve the building located
near Shankharibazar.

Founded on June 12, 1848, the school was initially run at the house
of NP Pogose, a well-known Armenian at Armanitola and founder head
teacher of the school. At that time it was known as Pogose Anglo
Vernacular School.

The school was shifted for some time to a rented house of JC Panioty,
also an Armenian, before being shifted to this building.

On a visit to the school last week this correspondent found the old
school building in a shabby state. The two-storey building was standing
with the quaint features of its own in the midst of a vast field. In
the middle of the pediment the year 1848 is embossed in plaster.

The building is now used for administrative purpose only. Classes
are held in another building. The portico in front of the entrance
was crowned with battlements, a style of the colonial period.

Climbing up the wooden staircase one will find a long veranda, lined
with wooden doors, on the first floor. Entering the last door of the
veranda one will find the old cashier working at a quaint counter
with wooden banisters.

There is a fireplace in a room once used as a classroom. The old
teachers’ room has a big table and long benches with handles all
around it. It has a quaint chandelier hanging from the roof.

On the wall in front of the headmaster’s room the portrait of NP Pogose
is hung prominently. The portrait is assumed to be drawn by C Pote,
also an Armenian and teacher of the school during its early days.

Conservation Architect Dr Abu Sayeed M Ahmed said the school’s
structural design reflects the classical architectural style of the
colonial period.

"The school has arcaded veranda on the ground floor and pillared
veranda on the first floor. Wooden lattice windows were constructed
for shedding purpose," said Dr Sayeed.

Covered portico, circular pillars and triangular pediment are some
important architectural features of the building.

"The building has circular pillars with ionic shaped capitals. There
is a covered portico. Its roof was used as the veranda of the first
floor. It has a triangular pediment to highlight the central entrance,"
he said.

The central portion of the veranda on the first floor is highlighted
with three projected bays that include four columns.

"At present the outlook of the building is poor. Its surrounding is
quite barren. If trees, plants and gardens can be arranged in the
surrounding areas then the building will become more appealing and its
features will be manifested greatly to the visitors," said Dr Sayeed.

Present head teacher Zulfa Mohammed said the school has lost its past
glory as one of the best schools of Dhaka since they are not getting
good students for the last few years.

"Now we don’t get good students like we had before. Previously good
students from Shyampur and the other side of the river got admitted
to this school. That stopped after closing down the eastern gate,
which we shared with Jagannnath University," he said.

"We had to close it down due to the political clashes among students
who used to get into our compound when a fight broke. Now we have
the entrance near Shankharibazar," said Mohammed.

The school’s former students believe it is a matter of pride for them
that the school is their Alma Mater.

"I was a student of the school in 1950s. At that time it was one of
the most prestigious schools of Dhaka," renowned cartoonist Rafiqunnabi
(Ranabi), an ex-Pogosian, said.

"I loved my school a lot because of the big field in front of it,"
he said. "At that time I was not aware of the heritage value of the
building. But now I feel quite proud that I belong to this quaint
place," he said.

PREMIER: UNWILLINGNESS OF SOME ARMENIANS TO LEARN SHOULD BE PLACED ON SAME FOOTING AS HIGH TREASON

ARKA
Aug 28, 2008

YEREVAN, August 28. /ARKA/. Unwillingness of some Armenians to learn
should be placed on the same footing as high treason, Armenian Premier
Tigran Sargsyan said.

"Not learning we reduce the potential of our nation and destruct
our future. We should cultivate wish to learn starting from school,
and the responsibility for this lies with teachers first of all,"
the Premier said.

According to him, salaries paid to teachers by Armenian Government
are high even compared with salaries paid in the National Academy
of Sciences. Hence, the Ministry of Education should raise also the
requirements to teachers in secondary schools and professors in higher
schools, the Premier said.

Intellectual abilities are number one resource of Armenia, yet
Armenian society underestimates importance of education and science,
the Premier said.

WRITE ON!: SIZE DOESN’T MATTER
By Sunny Frazier

Lemoore Advance, CA
Aug 28 2008

I’ll be blunt.

The Central Valley is considered an agricultural giant. However, many
consider this area a cultural wasteland. Some of those people with
negative impressions don’t live in Los Angeles or San Francisco. They
live right here.

For a writer who believes there is a wealth of possibilities to
write about in this region, the misconception hurts. William Saroyan
renamed Fresno "Ithaca" for "The Human Comedy." He brought Armenians
to literary attention with "My Name Is Aram." John Steinbeck mined
the Dust Bowl experience and a grim time in Valley history in "The
Grapes of Wrath," and walked away with a Pulitzer and Nobel Prize.

Another Valley-grown Pulitzer Prize winner is poet Philip Levine. He
taught for many years at California State University Fresno. Flying
under the radar is essayist Gerald Haslam. "The Other California:
The Great Central Valley In Life and Letters," is a collection about
growing up in Kern County. Sadly enough, when he did a book signing
in Fresno, I was one of the few people who attended.

Love him or hate him, Mark Arax created controversy with "The King of
California: J.G. Boswell and the Making of a Secret American Empire." I
was in college journalism with Mark and can only applaud his success,
regardless of his subject matter.

Is that enough proof that we don’t deserve the reputation for being
culturally deprived? Yet, if you look at the major newspaper, The
Fresno Bee, it would seem homegrown authors don’t exist. Canned reviews
of best selling authors show up in the Spotlight section, but little
is mentioned of local authors. We’re out there, and they don’t care.

The Kings County Library has given me the unique opportunity to help
put together a speaker program for 2008-2009. I’m contacting all of
the authors I’ve connected with over the years, and some I hope to
meet for the first time. I already know I have The Advance behind me
for publicity, and I hope the Sentinel shows an interest.

The first program I’ve set up is scheduled for Sept. 18. Virginia
Pilegard is the author of a children’s picture book series which
promotes geometry in a fun, unique way. I asked her as a tie-in with
the Olympics because her books are set in ancient China.

My dilemma is how to entice grade school teachers to show up on a
week night when there are papers to grade? How do I get the public
curious enough to want to hear about her trips to China for research?

If you build it, they will come. Why can’t Kings County be a Field
of Dreams? Nobody else is stepping up to the plate. We don’t need a
half-million unmotivated people to support a cultural crusade. Fresno
had its chance to get their literary on, and it turned its back. Maybe
it’s time for a small town to show what can be accomplished with
motivation and community support.

I have a reason to invest in this endeavor. I’m a writer. I write
about the Valley because it’s what I know and love. What writers really
want is an audience, a chance to show their stuff. The Write Stuff.

My artist-roommate, Che Gilson, is interested in explaining the
Japanese graphic novel craze to teens and their parents. I’ve lured
poet Lee Herrick, a Fresno City College teacher, to do a reading
in November. Two Mafia hitmen have written autobiographies and are
interested in speaking at West Hills and the library (don’t worry,
they’re out of witness protection). Screenwriter Michael Mehas,
a former Hanford boy, wants to talk about the movie "Alpha Dog" and
the novel he wrote based on the murder. Astrologer Hazel Dixon-Cooper
will assure you "You Were Born on a Rotten Day."

The list is long and I hope local interest will be high. These
programs are free. Educational. Fun. If culture is not your thing,
come for the cookies. But come.

Sunny Frazier is a resident of Lemoore and a writer of mystery
novels and short stories. To learn more, visit her Web site at

OSCE PA SPECIAL ENVOY FOR GEORGIA TRAVELS TO THE CAUCASUS

Panorama.am
18:11 28/08/2008

OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Emeritus Goran Lennmarker will
next week visit all three countries, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia,
in the South Caucasus.

Mr. Lennmarker, a member of the Swedish parliament, is tasked to
work on supporting the conflict settlement process particularly at
the parliamentary level. He was recently appointed Special Envoy
for Georgia by OSCE PA President Joao Soares and is also engaged
in seeking to solve the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenian
regarding Nagorno-Karabakh.

Next week’s visit is Mr. Lennmarker’s first since the appointment as
Special Envoy for Georgia. It starts in Azerbaijan on Monday, moves
on to Georgia in the middle of the week, and finishes up in Armenia
at the end of the week.

The situation in the South Caucasus will be addressed at the
OSCE PA Fall Meetings in Toronto, Canada 18 to 21 September, where
Mr. Lennmarker will present a report about the situation in Georgia,
and where parliamentarians from all OSCE participating States will
have a debate on this issue.