After 69 years, Verdi’s “Aida” staged in Armenia again

Under the High Patronage of the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, with the support of the Embassy of Italy to Armenia, upon the initiative of the Ministry of Culture of the RA, the National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet after Alexander Spendiaryan, and the “ArtTeam”, as well as VivaCell-MTS General Sponsorship, one of the masterpieces of the world operatic art, Giuseppe Verdi’s “Aida” is being staged in Armenia again. This was announced at a joint press conference held at the Opera House.

Adamant at satisfying the sophisticated Armenian audience, the Culture’s Friend VivaCell-MTS is eager to sponsor staging of the best cultural projects that will mark the cultural scene in Armenia. Armenia’s Leading Mobile Operator provided AMD 217 million in order to make the best out of this cultural event.

The first staging of Verdi’s “Aida” took place in 1871 in Cairo; in Armenia it first appeared on the stage of the National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet in 1941.

This time the Armenian audience of opera will have an opportunity to enjoy the performance staged by Italian stage director Mario Corradi, December 23^rd through 26^th. The premiere promises to be an interesting event full of surprises. Hasmik Papian, soprano, and Georgi Oniani, tenor, invited from Vienna and Munich, respectively, will appear on the stage, on December 23. During the next two days, on 25^th and 26^th, the story of the unhappy love between the Captain of the Egyptian guards and the Ethiopian slave, will be told by Magda Mkrtchyan, Anna Mnatsakanyan, Lilit Soghomonyan, Marine Deinyan, Sargis Aghamalyan, and Ruben Nurijanyan. The crowd sceenes were staged with the support of the Police Academy of Armenia.

The operatic art is the voice of the nature spoken out through the humans. The more artists stay close to their nature, the more persuasive and moving will be their performance. Giuseppe Verdi is one those, who has managed to touch the human hearts, independent of the national belongingness. Art lives forever and inspires people to create and to strive for perfection.

Mario Corradi last staged “Aida” in Marseilles nine years ago, where Hasmik Papian appeared as Aida. Impressed with Papian’s mastery of performance, the Italian director expresses his appreciation of the Armenian vocal arts school.

After its premiere Aida will be included in the repertoire of the Opera House after Alexander Spendiaryan.