“The educational and cultural history of the Opera Training Department of the YSC. Studying and Assessing Conditions”

Authors

  • Arsen Arshaluys Ghazaryan Yerevan State Komitas Conservatory

Keywords:

Yerevan State Conservatory after Komitas, YSC, European Association of Conservatoires, Opera Training Department, opera art, educational and cultural issues, scope of creative history, historical and cultural theory, opera class, sub-subjects, mission of reforms, professorial staff, research work, actor's mastery, dance-stage movement, analysis of opera drama and role singing, teaching of role singing, practical specialization in opera training

Abstract

Considering Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory as a unique musical higher educational institution in Armenia, its most important mission being the preservation of Armenian and world musical cultural values, historiographic study, teaching and improvement of creative and performing arts, the author singles out a separate area of research and considers specific cultural and educational issues related to the Department of Opera Training of YSC. The author considers the fact that the Department of Opera Training, as a unique educational-creative, musical-theatrical multi-element system with methodical, theoretical, and practical components of specialized professional subjects, has never been the object or subject of scientific research in its 95-year history. The chronicle and history of the Opera Training Department remain unstudied and unsystematized, posing a serious problem for modern cultural and educational progress. Investigating the problem within the field of historical-cultural theory, the author considers it relevant and urgent to systematically present the practical and creative history of the Department of Opera Training (from its foundation to the present day). This involves elevating cultural-educational, practical, theoretical, and methodological issues, as well as current challenges faced by the Department of Opera Training, to the level of scientific inquiry for further research. Given the extensive nature of the research, the author plans to disseminate the findings across several articles, with this article being the first in the series.

Author Biography

Arsen Arshaluys Ghazaryan, Yerevan State Komitas Conservatory

(b. 03.08.1973, Yerevan, RA). In 1996, he graduated from the Theater Department of Yerevan State Institute of Theatrical Arts studying under Academician Levon Hakhverdyan. In 2014, he completed a post-graduate course at Russian University of Theater Arts (RUTI-GITIS), specializing in musical theater directing. From 1998 to 2000 he worked as a director at Ashtarak Folk Theater, and from 1999 to 2006 he concurrently worked as a presenter of literary-musical author's program series at the radio station "Radio Hay-FM-104.1". Between 2000 and 2001, he worked as a director at the children's theater of the National Center of Aesthetic Education. He has been pursuing a teaching career since 2003, working at Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory as an acting skills lecturer and at the Department of Opera preparation as a director-lecturer, Associate Professor (since 2020), and director of the opera house studio named after Gh. Saryan since 2013. He has authored 4 scholarly articles. Since 2016, he has been working as a presenter at the Public Radio of Armenia "Voice of PRA". He is author and stage director of 3 plays within the framework of the Public Radio Theater. In collaboration with a group of YSC graduates of 2018 and current students, he founded the "Musical Drama Theater Group named after Arshak Burjalyan", whose performances were also featured in international theater festivals, in the regions of Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh. Over the years he has staged numerous plays, including "Two Thieves" by B. Nushich, "The State Husband" by B. Show, "Sos and Varditer" by P. Proshyan, "Khatabala " by G. Sundukyan, "The New Tale of the Old Yard" by A. Ghazaryan, "The Stupid Man" by H. Tumanyan. He staged the opera buffa "The Maid-Mistress" by J. B. Pergolesi in the opera studio named after G. Saryan, the mono opera buffa "The Conductor" by D. Cimarosa, the psychological musical theatrical play "Agnus Dei", the literary-musical play "Tagharan" by Ye. Charents, the comic opera "The Barber of Seville" by J. Rossini's (serving as a second director and playing the role of Ambrosio). Within the framework of the International Festival "Theater Lori", he has staged and presented the opera buffa "The Bell" by G. Donidzetti and the opera "Anush" by A. Tigranyan. Within the framework of the Armmono International Theater Festival, he presented the author?s heroic monodrama "I Missed You" as a stage director. For the first time in Armenia, he initiated, directed and presented the monoopera fantasy performances "Goodbye Pagliac" and "On the Night of Ascension" as an author's project. Since 2000, his concert activities have included roles as a singer, screenwriter, and director. He has collaborated with renowned Armenian singers, actors, creative groups, and ensembles in Yerevan and various regions. He has performed poetry as a reciter on many stages in Armenia, Artsakh, and the Diaspora. Additionally, he has recorded the documentary and historical films "Lost Motherland", "My Ani", "Garni Geghard", "Karabakh", "Armenia with You". As a director, he was awarded the Golden Diploma at the Armenian International Festival "Nostalgia", as well as awards and diplomas from the Sos Sargsyan Cultural Foundation at the XXII International Festival of "Theater Lori" in 2014 and the XXIVInternational Festival of Theater Lori in 2018 (dedicated to the 150th anniversary of H. Tumanyan). He also received special awards and diplomas at the 2017 and 2018 Armmono International Theater Festivals, and the 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2018 Gyumri International Competition-Festival "Renaissance" in the nomination musical theater. Actors and students participating in these festivals were awarded the titles of international laureates. In 2019, the Theater Group named after A. Burjalyan received the Golden Medal of the Theater Workers' Union of Armenia (TWUA) and the Tumanyan Medal.

References

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Тигранов Г. Г., Армянский музыкальный театр., Том. 4, Ер., 1988., С. 10-11.

Будагян А. Г., Ереванская государственная консерватория им. Комитаса — 85., Ер.: Издательство ЕГК. 2008 г.

Berko M. A., Conservatoriya imeni Komitasa., Yer.: Ayastan, 1973.

Tigranov G. G., Armyanskij Muzykal’nyj teatr. Tom. 1., Yer., 1956.

Ter-Simonyan M. P, Vysokaya i pachitnaya misiya iskusstva. //Communist, December 19, 1984, Yer.

Tigranov G. G., Armenian Musical Theatre. Vol. 4, Yerevan, 1988., S. 10-11,

Budagyan A. G., Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory - 85. Yer.: Izdatel’stvo YGK, 2008.

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Published

2024-08-15

How to Cite

Ghazaryan Ա. Ա. (2024). “The educational and cultural history of the Opera Training Department of the YSC. Studying and Assessing Conditions”. Musical Armenia, 64(1), 44–53. Retrieved from https://yerazhshtakanhayastan.am/index.php/ma/article/view/275

Issue

Vol. 64 No. 1 (2023): Musical Armenia

Section

Articles