A strong troupe was formed of actors from Moscow, Leningrad, Tbilisi, Baku and Rostov-na-Donu. Other than that, outstanding operetta genre actors like Izabella and Hayk Danzases, Alexander Karatov (Karapetyan), Armenak Ter-Abrahamyan, Eduard Hambardzumyan, Varduhi Shahsuvaryan, Nvard Alikhanyan, Sonya Eyramjyan, Marina Sedmar, Martin Lusinyan, Karp Khachvanqyan, Svetlana Grigoryan, Alla Andriasyan, Artashes Arevshatyan, Seda Maryan, Norayr Mnatsakanyan, Grigor Simonyan and others were invited.
Due to the efforts of Armenian conductor Aram Ter-Hovhannisyan a choir was established. The choir included artists from the opera theater and the state choir. Many of the choir’s artists later became remarkable soloists. Also, Hovhannisyan brought to the theater a group of magnificent conductors among which Raisa Sarkisova, Tsolak Vardazaryan and Gurgen Karapetyan particularly stood out.
The ballet group was large too. It came with professional dancers. The chief dance instructor was Mikhayil Moiseev. Afterward, Anatoly Lebedev became the chief instructor and held that position for rather long years.
Notably, from the very start the theater has had a very impressive group of painters due to which the theater’s decoration art was set on a corresponding high level. Several names worth mentioning are – Michael Arutchyan, Alexander Shaqaryan, Ervand Qochar, Karo Minasyan, Ashot Mirzoyan, Ilya Arbatov, Gradion Gevorgyan and Grisha Sahakyan.
Initially, the theater’s play list was made up of primarily works by classical authors like Johann Strauss, Emmerich Kalman, Rudolf Friml, Isaak Dunaevsky, Anatoly Lepin and others. Gradually the demand for the national works started growing, and it was already high time that Armenian operettas be created. In this regard, the play list was enriched with the famous operettas by Tigran Chukhajyan and Artem Ayvazyan. With time moving on Vardan Tigranyan, Vagharshak Kotoyan, Alexander Harutyunyan and Grigor Eghiazaryan wrote special works for the theater.
Not only Armenian directors among them Levon Qalantar, Armen Gulakyan, Tigran Shamirkhanyan, Vardan Achemyan, Hovhannes Karapetyan, Tachat Vardazaryan, Hrachya Ghaplanyan, Manya Aslanyan and Vavik Vardanyan have been invited to work in the comedy theater, but also directors from abroad. Interesting performances were staged by Popov (Bulgaria), Alegrov (Moscow), Khachatryan (Ukraine), Gamrekeli (Tbilisi) and so on.
The current play list of the Yerevan State Theater of Musical Comedy after Hakob Paronyan includes the following performances:
- Love Stir (Marc Camoletti) – Two act comedy. Staged by Anush Sargsyan.
- No Right to Die (Jirayr Ananyan) – Two act Comedy. Staged by Yervand Ghazanchyan. First performed on March 5, 2011.
- Mr Babik and Others (Jora Harutyunyan) – Two act comedy. Staged by Yervand Ghazanchyan. First performed on November 22, 2008 and was devoted to the 80th anniversary of Jora Harutyunyan.
- Same Day Every Year (Bernard Slade) – Two act comedy. Staged by Ashot Adamyan.
- Twelfth Night (William Shakespeare) – Two act comedy. Staged by Yervand Ghazanchyan. First performed on September 12, 2008.
- The Curious Savage (John Patrick) – Two act comedy. Staged by Hrachya Mushegyan. First performed on July 11, 2000.
- Eastern Dentist (Artemi Ayvazyan, Hakob Paronyan) – Operetta. Staged by Yervand Ghazanchyan. First performed on September 20, 2000.
- Liar Needed (Demetrius Psafas) – Two act comedy. Staged by Anush Sargsyan. First performed on July 28, 2001.
- Aesop: The Fox and the Grapes (Guillermo Figueiredo) – Two act heroic comedy. Staged by Gohar Harutyunyan. First performed on September 10, 1998.
- Khatabala (Gabriel Sundukyan) – Two act comedy. Staged by Gohar Harutyunyan. First performed on September 8, 2008.
- The Game of Love and Chance (Pierre Marivaux) – Two act comedy. Staged by Ishkhan Melqumyan. First performed on April 29, 1998.
- Filumena Marturano (Eduardo De Filippo) – Two act comedy.
- In Search of Happiness (Victor Rozov) – Two act comedy. Staged by Vanuhi Ghazaryan.
Address: Yerevan, Vazgen Sargsyan 7
Tel.: (374 10) 580 101
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.comedytheater.am/
