Yerevan, Armenia (Երևան) - Spendiarov Opera & Ballet Theatre - postcard c70s

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^{Text from the free encyclopedia WIKIPEDIA may appear below to give a little background information (internal links may not  work) :}

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^{Yerevan (/ˌjɛrəˈvɑːn/; Armenian: Երևան [jɛɾɛˈvɑn],  listen (help·info)), is the capital and largest city of Armenia, and one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities.[9] Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country. It has been the capital since 1918, the thirteenth in the history of Armenia, and the seventh located in or around the Ararat plain.}

^{The history of Yerevan dates back to the 8th century BC, with the founding of the fortress of Erebuni in 782 BC by king Argishti I at the western extreme of the Ararat plain.[10] Erebuni was "designed as a great administrative and religious centre, a fully royal capital."[11] During the centuries long Iranian rule over Eastern Armenia that lasted from the early 16th century up to 1828, it was the center of Iran's Erivan khanate administrative division from 1736. In 1828, it became part of Imperial Russia alongside the rest of Eastern Armenia who conquered it from Iran through the Russo-Persian War (1826-1828). After World War I, Yerevan became the capital of the First Republic of Armenia as thousands of survivors of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire settled in the area.[12] The city expanded rapidly during the 20th century as Armenia became part of the Soviet Union. In a few decades, Yerevan was transformed from a provincial town within the Russian Empire, to Armenia's principal cultural, artistic, and industrial center, as well as becoming the seat of national government.}

^{With the growth of the economy of the country, Yerevan has been undergoing major transformation as many parts of the city have been the recipient of new construction since the early 2000s, and retail outlets as much as restaurants, shops, and street cafes, which were rare during Soviet times, have multiplied.}

^{As of 2011, the population of Yerevan was 1,060,138, making up to 35.1% of the total population of Armenia.}

^{Yerevan was named the 2012 World Book Capital by UNESCO.[13] Yerevan is an associate member of Eurociti}

^{Armenian National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet after Alexander Spendiaryan (Armenian: Ալեքսանդր Սպենդիարյանի անվան օպերայի և բալետի ազգային ակադեմիական թատրոն (Aleksandr Spendiaryani anvan ōperayi yev baleti azgayin akademiakan t'atron)) in Yerevan was officially opened on 20 January 1933, with Alexander Spendiaryan's Almast opera performance. The opera building was designed by the Armenian architect Alexander Tamanian. It consists of two concert halls: the Aram Khatchaturian concert hall with 1,400 seats and the Alexander Spendiaryan Opera and Ballet National Theater with 1,200 seats.}

^{The ground-breaking of the Opera-Theater took place on 28 November 1930 during the celebrations of the 10th anniversary of Soviet Armenia. On January 20, 1933, the building was officially opened. Soon after the theater foundation, a ballet troupe was established. Swan Lake by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was the first ballet performance in 1935.}

^{Based on Tamanian's design and under the supervision of his son the theater hall was completed in 1939, and the opera building was renamed after Alexander Spendiaryan. Large-scale construction works did not finish until 1953, when the entire building was finally completed with its current shape.}

^{The opening of the theater promoted the creation of new national operas and ballets. The first Armenian ballet was Happiness by Aram Khachaturian. On the basis of this ballet the composer soon created Gayane which has been performed all over the world. Many other Armenian composers have written operas and ballets. Over the years, these artists have worked at the theater: singers Gohar Gasparyan, Tatevik Sazandaryan, Mihran Erkat, Pavel Lisizian, Aikanush Danielyan, Nar Hovhannisyan, Gegham Grigoryan, Anahit Mekhitarian; conductors Konstantin Saradjev, Michael Tavrizjan, Aram Katanyan, Yuri Davtyan; ballet masters A. Petrosyan, M. Chmshkyan, Vanush Khanamiryan, Vilen Galstyan; painters Martiros Saryan, Minas Avetisyan.}

^{Since 1935 a unique Armenian opera, Anoush by Armen Tigranian, has been performed in Yerevan opera theater. It was a great step in Armenian opera history. Anoush is in the repertoire of the theater until now.}

^{Since it was opened, the Armenian National Opera & Ballet Theater has performed more than 200 different operas and ballets by Armenian, Russian and Western European composers. The theater company has performed in more than 20 countries, e.g. in Russia, Spain, Lebanon, USA, Greece, Germany. In 1956, the theater received the status of National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater.}

^{The theater has also hosted concerts performed by Charles Aznavour, Ian Anderson, John McLaughlin, Akvarium and many others.}

^{Ալեքսանդր Սպենդիարյանի անվան օպերայի և բալետի ազգային ակադեմիական թատրոնը հիմնադրվել է ՀԽՍՀ Լուսժողկոմատի 1932 թվականի օգոստոսի 5-ի որոշմամբ։}

^{Առաջին ներկայացումը Ալեքսանդր Սպենդիարյանի «Ալմաստ» օպերան է, որը բեմադրվել է 1933 թվականի հունվարի 20-ին։ 1930-ական թվականների երկրորդ կեսից թատրոնում բեմադրվում են մի շարք հայկական օպերաներ ու բալետներ՝ «Գայանե», «Քաջ Նազար» և այլն։ 1939 թվականին թատրոնը մասնակցում է Մոսկվայում կայացած հայ արվեստի և գրականությանը նվիրված միջոցառումներին և պարգևատրվում է Լենինի շքանշանով։ Մոսկվայից վերադառնալով՝ 1940 թվականի հունվարի 12-ին, թատրոնը նոր խաղաշրջանը բացում է Ալեքսանդր Թամանյանի նախագծով կառուցված շենքում՝ «Ալմաստ» օպերայով}