THIRD ANNUAL FESTIVAL RUNS FROM NOV. 26-29.
New Brunswick
Nov 19 2009
When Sylvia Kasparian, Professor of Linguistics at Université de
Moncton, organized the first Moncton Armenian Festival in 2005, she
planned for 30 people, but 85 turned up. So for the second festival
in 2007, she planned for 85 and 150 came. Now for the third festival,
Nov. 26 to 29, she’s hoping to triple that number as she and her
committee have planned an ambitious and exciting program to introduce
Monctonians to Armenian music, art, dance, film and food.
Enlarge Photo If you look at a modern world map, you won’t find
Armenia, a country with a rich but tormented history, but you
will find Armenians living in just about every part of the world,
including 200 families in the Maritimes, 12 of them in Moncton,
part of the disaspora.
According to tradition, it was in Armenia, on Mount Arafat, that
Noah’s Ark came to rest after the Great Flood. In recorded history,
the country gained independence from Greek and Persian rule in 189
BC, became the first nation to accept Christianity about 300 AD,
and was once a mighty kingdom that stretched from the Caspian Sea
to the Mediterranean. Armenia was ruled by the Ottoman Turks after
the 1500s, but their history became truly tragic during World War
I. While the rest of the world’s attention was focused on Europe,
the Turks began a campaign of genocide against the Armenians in 1915,
slaughtering 1.8 Million of them.
Thousands more managed to escape and found refuge in Lebanon, Syria,
Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania. Then, in 1918, at the end of
First World War, the land of Armenia was carved up, with the eastern
portion going to Turkey and the western part absorbed into Russia or
the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics as it was known after 1917.
Kasparian is excited about this third festival, as it is an
opportunity to celebrate the rich culture of Armenia, as well as
the 140th birthday of the composer Komitas, who she describes as
"the king of Armenian music."
As a young man he visited the small villages, noting all the details
of the traditional music and folk dances, searching for the essence of
the music. Later, he went to Berlin where he composed classical music,
all of which was influenced by what he had heard in the villages.
"His life was so sad," Kasparian continues. "In 1915 he was arrested,
along with 2,500 intellectuals, who were all killed, but his life
was spared when the American ambassador intervened and arranged for
him to be deported to Paris.
Sadly much of his work was burned by the Turks and this so depressed
him that he could no longer speak. He spent the last 20 years of his
life as a mute in an asylum."
Now, the festival organized by Kasparian and her committee,
will give Komitas back his voice. The grand opening, on Thursday,
Nov. 26 at 6 p.m. in the Louise and Reuben Cohen Art Gallery, UdeM
campus is entitled Komitas: Homage to a Legend. It will feature art,
incorporating Armenian mythological symbols by Edman O Aivazian, a 1988
film on the life of Komitas, Flamenco singer Maral Perk from Halifax,
folk dances performed by Lee Saunders and Kasparian and, of course,
the music of Komitas. Dariush Zarbafian, UdeM professor of musicology,
will play two traditional Iranian stringed instruments, the tar and
the 72-brass stringed santoor, while Hampic Djabourian will play the
duduk. This Armenian flute is made from the wood of the apricot tree.
Kasparian says, "The sound it produces is very deep, very profound. It
touches the whole body and it touches the soul."
The evening will be rounded out with an opportunity to sample some
Armenian cuisine, including "basterma" a spicy sausage, grape leaves,
and a special pizza with very thin dough, "more like a French crêpe.
Armenian cuisine is essentially Mediterranean, with Greek. Persian
and Turkish influences," says Kasparian.
The Festival moves to the Capitol Theatre at 8 p.m. on Friday for what
promises to be a wonderful tribute concert featuring international
soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian.
Kasparian says, "It’s taken me two years to get her here. Since her
professional career began nine years ago, the Toronto-based soloist
has performed at the Metropolitan Opera, the Royal Opera House,
La Scala and Opéra National de Paris. She’ll be accompanied by
the 30-member Amici Chamber Ensemble from Toronto. In addition,
two masters of Russian ballet will perform five dances by Komitas."
Since Komitas was a priest in the Armenian Apostolic Faith, having been
raised in a monastery after he was orphaned at age 11, he also wrote
liturgical music. Some of these songs will be performed in concert
on Saturday, at 8 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 90 Park
Street, featuring the Arahet Quartet, Montreal; soprano Lisa Roy,
Moncton; the Beauséjour Choir and Hampic Djabourian playing the duduk.
For cinema fans, there are two films, Vodka Lemon (2003), a comedy,
and Army of Crime (2009), a historical drama. Both films have English
sub-titles. Screenings are at 2 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday at
the Jacqueline Bouchard Building, UdeM.
Kasparian and her committee are looking forward to sharing a vibrant
Armenian culture with Greater Moncton.
That is has survived against such terrifying odds is a real testament
to the human spirit and the power of music which speaks across time
and the boundaries of language and politics. For more information:
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