CALL FOR TURKISH-ARMENIAN PEACE FROM THEATER STAGE

Hurriyet Daily News
Nov 17 2009
Turkey

The Gulbenkyan Foundation, an Armenian organization in Lisbon, has
given full support to the play ‘Armenian Concert or Turkish Proverb’
to be staged in Turkey. ‘We cannot live by getting stuck in tragedy,’
says the writer and composer of the play, Gerard Torikian. Also,
director Serge Avedkiyan, who adapted the play to the stage, talks
about the new initiative among the diaspora

The Istanbul premiere of ‘Armenian Concert or Turkish Proverb’ is
tonight at Garajistanbul.

The reconciliation process between Turkish and Armenian people has
received support from the Armenian diaspora.

The Gulbenkyan Foundation, an Armenian organization in Lisbon, has
provided financial support for "Le Concert Armenian ou le Proverbe
Turc" (Armenian Concert or Turkish Proverb) to be staged in Turkey.

The play is the work of world-renowned Armenian composer and
France-based actor Gerard Torikian, who wrote it in collaboration with
French playwright Isabelle Guidard. It received full support not only
from the Gulbenkyan Foundation but also from Turkey and France.

Anadolu Kultur (Anatolian Culture), which is a civil society
organization run by Osman Kavala that supports the Turkish-Armenian
reconciliation process by organizing cultural and artistic events,
played a leading role in bringing Torikian’s play to Turkey.

In his play Torikian questions historical events and reveals the
struggles in his inner world. Directed by France-based Serge Avedikyan,
"Armenian Concert" was first performed in 2006 in France and has
been performed throughout the world since. Its Turkish premiere,
meanwhile, was Thursday in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir. It
will be performed today at Garajistanbul in Istanbul’s Galatasaray
neighborhood at 9 p.m. Though the original language of the 1.5-hour
play is French, there will be Turkish and English subtitles.

Facing the past

Torikian and Avedikyan, who came to Istanbul right after the
Diyarbakir performance, spoke to the Hurriyet Daily News & Economic
Review. Although Torikian came to Turkey for the first time last year,
his roots are in Anatolia. His father’s family is from the northwestern
city of Bursa while his mother’s family comes from the Black Sea
region. The artist grew up hearing about the painful events of 1915.

Torikian said he had prejudices until he came to Turkey. "I felt
myself a part of this land as soon as I came to Turkey because my
grandfather and grandmother are part of this land."

He said he was warmly welcomed during his visit last year. "I returned
to France with very nice memories. As a result of this nice experience,
I decided to stage the play here." Torikian defined the painful events
in 1915 as "a big tragedy."

"There was a big tragedy like genocide but it makes no sense to get
stuck in the tragedy. The best way to get rid of the pain is to be
able to see it from a distance," he said.

‘We can’t define our identity through genocide’

Even though Torikian and Avedikyan are Armenian, they grew up in
different cultures. Avedikyan lived in Armenia until he was 15 while
Torikian lived his entire life in France. Discussing the concept of
"belonging," Avedikyan said, "When I am alone, I question where I
belong: To France, where I live, or to Armenia, or to Anatolia?"

He said similar questions appeared in his inner world from time to
time. "I saw that one cannot survive by getting stuck in the past. As
Armenians, if we continue to define our identity through genocide,
we won’t be able to proceed. We are Armenian, but we remember that
we are human first."

New trend in diaspora

There are more than 1 million Armenians spread around the world from
Anatolia. "The diaspora is finally changing," said Avedikyan.

"Thoughtful artists from the diaspora reject politics and pressure.

They stay away from excessive nationalist statements and viewpoints.

They never deny the genocide but are more positive about the future."

As for the reconciliation protocol that was signed between the two
countries recently, Avedikyan said, "I prefer the sound echoed in the
conscience of people rather than the signatures of politicians. Let’s
support the reconciliation of Turkish and Armenian people, let peace
be our goal."

About ‘Armenian Concert’

In the play an Armenian composer is preparing for an Odyssey Suite
recital, but inspiration for the suite, the Homer Saga, never sets him
free. The past is determined to capture the composer with thousands of
ghosts. He is surrounded by these ghosts from the past. The composer
fights against the past and the ghosts with all his might. The power
of music helps the composer and he succeeds in being freed from the
past. As soon as he is free, he looks at the face of the past and
realizes the best way to vanquish the past is to make peace with it.