Lark Musical Society  continues its 100 commemorative events for the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. In April, UCLA and Lark premiered Ian Krouse’s Armenian Requiem at UCLA’s Royce Hall. It was a sold out, giant event. Just when you thought it doesn’t get bigger than that.

Lark Musical Society will now stage Anoush, the opera based on Hovhannes Tumanyan’s immortal ballad and set to beautiful music by Armen Tigranian. Led by Hasmik Papian and Shoushanik Barsoumian, the opera will be staged at the Ambassador Auditorium In Pasadena, California on May 23.

This opera is rightfully known as “the Armenian Romeo & Juliet”. It’s a tale of Armenian lovers caught up in the tumult of human impulses and social mores.  Anoush falls in love with her brother’s friend Saro, a shepherd. Mossi and Saro are at a wedding celebration and they are encouraged to have a friendly wrestle together. Mossi becomes enraged when Saro tries to impress Anoush by pinning Mossi during the match – violating the local code of honor and humiliating his friend. Mossi’s boundless rage ends when he shoots Saro. The heartbroken Anoush cannot live without her love, Saro. Her pain ends when she throws herself into the rivers which flow from the mountains where she met Saro.

On this commemorative centennial year, Lark brings Anoush Opera to help fuel the Armenians’ unbroken spirit to live, thrive, and create through the arts in Los Angeles.