ARMENPRESS

YEREVAN TO HAVE CHARLES AZNAVOUR MUSEUM

YEREVAN, MAY 5, ARMENPRESS Before this year wraps
up a museum dedicated to acclaimed French-Armenian
singer Charles Aznavour will open in Yerevan. Narek
Sarkisian, the architect who designed the museum, told
Armenpress that in 2006 Aznavour visited the site of
the future museum and liked it.
Last year the government released 110 million Drams
from its reserve funds for construction of the museum.
Narek Sarkisian said the museum will be on a site
overlooking the city and Mount Ararat. It will have a
simple design but with spacious gates and when passing
through the gates the visitors will be looking on
Mount Ararat.
He said the design was approved by Aznavour. The
museum will comprise a residential wing for Aznavour
and his family members when they arrive in Armenia, an
exhibition hall, a reception hall, a conference hail
for 180 people, an open-air amphitheater, a caf? and
the administrative wing.
According to Narek Sarkisian, the museum will
become ` a very serious cultural center,’ as it will
host youth competitions, fairs and exhibitions.
`It will become a French-Armenian cultural center
to reflect simultaneously French and Armenian arts, as
Aznavour does,’ he said.
The design, according to the architect, will be a
mixture of and a dialogue between old Armenian temple
of Garni, built in Hellenic style and European
architecture.
Aznavour will himself choose all items for display.
Narek Sarkisian said Aznavour instructed his aides to
begin selecting the items which he would like to
transport to Armenia. Sarkisian said a dress that
belonged to Aznavour’s grandmother was obtained and
will be donated to the singer when he arrives for the
museum’s inauguration.
The museum will be on Antarayin street, close to
Cafesjian Museum.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress