ON OCCASION OF 85TH BIRTHDAY OF CHARLES AZNAVOUR
Noyan Tapan
May 22, 2009
YEREVAN, MAY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The world-famous Armenian-French singer,
composer, poet and actor and all this is about the same man – Charles
Aznavour who celebrates his 85th birthday in Morter Homeland on
May 22nd.
Aznavour wrote his first song "I Am Drunk" in remote 1944. He composed
more than a thousand songs, the most famous ones being, in particular,
"The Drums of Love", "La Mamma", "This is the End", "Alleluia",
"Give Us Today" and others. He won international recognition as a
singer after a successful performance at Olimpia concert hall in
Paris in 1959.
C. Aznavour’s voice is considered "the most important vocal reality
of new times". The roles he played in films did not go unnoticed
either: in 1959 he won a "Crystal Star" award for his role in the film
"Head Against the Wall", while in 1961 he received "The Best Actor
of France" award. His roles in such films as "Shoot the Pianist" and
"The Passing of the Rhine" (1960), "Taxi For Tobrouk" and "The Devil
and the Ten Commandments" (1961) are also worth mentioning.
After the destructive 1988 Spitak earthquake, Aznavour wrote jontly
with Tiran Garvarentz the song "Pour toi Armenie" ("For You, Armenia")
which was performed by a grour of famous singers from various countries
and aroused international compassion for the terrible tragedy of our
small country.
Following that, the great singer started active charitable activity
in the homeland of his ancestors.
The Decree of May 5th, 2009 opened a new – diplomatic page in
Aznavour’s biography: by the decree of Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan, Charles Aznavour is Armenia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary to Switzerland, he is also Permanent Representative
of Armenia to international organizations in Geneva.
Aznavour enjoys general love of his compatriots in Armenia, the
Diaspora and Artsakh – it is no accident that a square was named
after the chansonier in Yerevan, the capital of All Armenians, and
his house-museum will open here in the autumn. A bronze statue of
the singer was erected in Gyumri.
A series of concerts "For You, Armenia" took place in Stepanakert
and Artsakh on May 17-22. The final concert will be given in Gyumri
on the birthday of the singer.
Born in 1924, to a family of Armenians who immigrated from Javakhk to
France, Charles Aznavourian (Aznavour) is undoubtedly the most famous
person out of the Armenians currently living in the world. People
both in Armenia and France consider him as their own.
Aznavour is one of those few lucky persons whose greatness was
acknowledged by mankind during their lifetime. When he turned 80,
it was announced that he would no longer give concerts. Thank God,
the reality is different, and we again have an opportunity to listen
and see the Great Singer on the stage.