1 - Armin Wegner Asked Franz Werfel
Not to Write his ‘40 Days of Musa Dagh’
Part III
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
2- Krekorian Blasts Azerbaijan’s Attempt to Prevent LA Speech
by PM Pashinyan
3 - Occidental College Kicks Off Arts Opening Season
with ‘Breaking Bread in L.A.’
4- World Premiere Of Aram Kouyoumdjian’s ‘Constantinople’
To Be Staged By Vista Players
5- Mardik Martin, ‘Mean Streets’ and ‘Raging Bull’ Co-Writer, Dies at 84
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1 - Armin Wegner Asked Franz Werfel
Not to Write his ‘40 Days of Musa Dagh’
Part III
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
The California Courier will publish in a four-part series the exchange
between the two historic figures Armin Wegner and Franz Werfel.
Radio and press continued to feed on me. In the end, a severe illness
knocked me down, which I haven’t overcome to this day. I was
commissioned by a book club to write an in-depth work on Jewish
Palestine. It stole laborious hours from my great Armenian novel,
which would have been finished long ago, under other circumstances.
Nevertheless, I have finished the first volume, although it still
needs a revision. The draft of the second volume is about half way
done, as well as parts of the fourth volume, which I had started
previously.
When I returned from a sanatorium in Meran on December 12 (fairly
recovered), and ready to go back to work again, I heard that you had
read a chapter from a proposed Armenian novel in Berlin. By the way,
the public oration of some sections of my Armenian novel took place on
an evening in the Herrenhause, which the Association of German
Narrators organized for me in November 1930, and which was reported to
the press at that time.
Dear and honored Franz Werfel, you may now ask with certain rights,
why I am writing all this to you? Isn’t it always charming to see
different poets use the same material as they shape it according to
their temperament, personality and creativity? How many various
Madonna paintings do we appreciate based on this artistic impulse,
directed to the same motives in the times of the Middle Ages and the
Renaissance? And, has this somehow affected the fame, success and
creativity of the artists? Didn’t it strengthen it, on the contrary?
Unfortunately, we live in other times today, not in an age of cultic
community as we did then. In our case, we also deal with a work in
which documents from the years of the Armenian deportation are a
necessity. Documents which I, despite my own personal experiences,
used heavily, as well. I must necessarily draw a parallel, where in
some places, the content – in isolated cases, even in the exact
wording – completely match. I see this when I have the newspaper
reports of your last lecture in which all of those facts are listed,
which Johannes Lepsius so vividly left in his journal in his own
written judgment about his interview with Enver Pasha.
I hope you don’t misunderstand me! It is not only the right, but the
duty of a writer to use such documents. Nevertheless, it is not
pleasant to see such parallels revealed in the eyes of the public. In
every poetic work, it’s not only the invention, but all the facts
operate with and for the work, which the poet draws from the events
and intellectual currents of his or her time. Contemporary history,
even many literary works of their contemporaries, becomes a quarry for
the significant artist, from which he or she breaks the building
materials for their work. Emerson recognized this very well when he
called Shakespeare a “library” of his time.
The moment I explain this to you, you will also understand the concern
that has come my way, since I heard of your new project. Deep down,
internally, such concern is certainly not the case. The characters of
each poet are necessarily filled with his own flesh and blood, no
matter how much he takes them from history, just as a good portrait at
the same time shows the features of the master who painted it. But
outwardly and economically, this concern is bigger; because your
message forces me, at least regarding my first volume, which I would
like to postpone until the completion of the second one, to publish it
sooner than I intended.
I cannot stay indifferent if a genius, a much more famous and
successful poet, like Franz Werfel, should come out with a novel that
echoes with the conclusion of my own theme. Because with that he will
take away from the public the punchline stuff that my work amounts to,
and for which it was actually written. Obviously, I cannot finish the
last volume and publish it, before completing the other volumes.
Perhaps my fear, caused only by the newspaper notes about your
lecture, is unfounded, but imagining your book published makes me feel
like a North Pole explorer, who after months of life-threatening
hardships, arrives at the pole, realizing that someone else had
arrived before him a few days earlier.
If I make this presentation so detailed to you, it will first of all
be to prove to you the extensive background of my work, with regard to
the shaping of the destiny of Armenia. But there is also another
reason that moves me – I am told by members of the Academy, and by
friends who attended your last lecture, that you had said that the
whole thing would initially be an indeterminate plan, and you did not
even know if you were going to execute it at all. If this is correct,
then my message should probably not be without influence on your
decision.
It is possible that you, as a member of the Academy of the Arts, had
heard of my plans, and the honorary award bestowed to me two years
ago. Or, perhaps, my offer to the publisher Zsolnay, who is so close
to you, or at least through literary circles in general? I suppose
this is not the case, since, as a rule, writers knowingly do not
cultivate the same materials at the same time, especially not when a
project is in an advanced stage.
On the other hand, it proves once again the genius of your poetic
vision, to devote your time and talents to the same formidable event.
And yet, I was not only fighting for my own life’s work here, but I
also would have to warn you against continuing it.
Despite the equality of all primal humanity, Asia, the Asiatic
characters, and Turks as well as Armenians, are so utterly remote from
us that the design of Asia for any European poet, if he really wants
to penetrate into the interior, remains an enticing as well as
dangerous mystery. Although I have lived in the country for many years
in close relationship with Armenians and Turks, although my Armenian
and Turkish friends have provided me with rich personal, unpublished
material, and although my own records of the Armenian people and their
deportation fill out numerous booklets, documents which I have left,
with the consideration of my planned work, to my dear friend Johannes
Lepsius, yet I know the infinite psychological difficulty of the task.
Even for you, it is possible, that this dangerous labyrinth, once it
gets you, will lure you deeper and deeper. I do not know. If I had
known beforehand to what extent my Armenian novel and the work on it
would expand with the years, would I have had the courage to dare to
get involved with it? My participation in this human tragedy has
probably been the deepest and most central shock of my entire human
experience.
Article to be continued in the next issue…
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2- Krekorian Blasts Azerbaijan’s Attempt to Prevent LA Speech
by PM Pashinyan
LOS ANGELES—Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Krekorian has
condemned an effort by the Los Angeles Consulate General of the
Republic of Azerbaijan to prevent Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan from
speaking at a massive rally in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday,
September 22.
In a letter addressed to LA Mayor Eric Garcetti, the consul general,
Nasimi Aghayev, urged the City “not to allow the misuse of the Grand
Park by the Government of Armenia.”
Krekorian responded with his own letter to the consul general this
week that excoriated the attempt to enlist LA City leaders, including
Mayor Garcetti, in this effort. “(Your) letter urges the elected
leaders of Los Angeles to violate the United States Constitution by
censoring free _expression_,” wrote Krekorian. “Our country is founded
on the idea that the free exchange of ideas makes us stronger and in
fact is necessary to make our democratic government possible.”
“Please allow me to be as clear as I can be,” said Krekorian, “Prime
Minister Pashinyan absolutely will be my guest in Los Angeles City
Hall, he absolutely will address the public in Grand Park, and he
absolutely will be welcome to say anything about any topic he chooses
to speak about, without limitation.”
The rally is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m., with the prime minister
speaking around 4 p.m.
Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Krekorian, the first
Armenian-American to be elected to city office in Los Angeles,
represents Council District 2, which includes the east San Fernando
Valley. He is also on the Metro and Metrolink boards of directors.
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3 - Occidental College Kicks Off Arts Opening Season
with ‘Breaking Bread in L.A.’
By Jim Tranquada
Oxy Arts, the community-based arts hub of Occidental College, will
launch the opening season for its newly opened space on York Boulevard
with Breaking Bread in L.A., a three-month exploration of how food
offers the possibility of cross-cultural connections in our
cosmopolitan metropolis.
In keeping with Oxy Art’s interdisciplinary philosophy, Breaking Bread
programming will include a group exhibition, performances, film,
lectures, panel discussions and, of course, food. A September 12
opening exhibition reception at the Oxy Arts Building kicked things
off with food tastings from long-time Highland Park eateries and
global music tunes by Dublab. The season is scheduled to run through
November 24. All programming is free and open to the public.
While Breaking Bread showcases multiple artists in multiple art forms,
the idea behind it is a simple one: “In a time of deep social
divisions, to find a sense of belonging and connection through the
unique legacies and culinary traditions of our multicultural
communities,” says Meldia Yesayan, Oxy Arts director.
Among the highlights of the series are:
Miry’s New Arrival Supper Club (September 28), featuring traditional
Syrian food prepared by the Trad family. The Trads are among the
Syrian refugees who have been helped by Miry’s List, the Eagle
Rock-based nonprofit that helps refugee family resettle in Los
Angeles. More than 350 families from countries including Syria,
Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq have been helped by the organization since
its founding in 2016. (Registration required.)
Dining in Diaspora: Tracing the Legacy of Armenian Food in America
(November 24), an exploration by journalist Liana Aghajanian of the
politics, history, travels and identity of the food of Armenians,
refugees from war, genocide and atrocity. For more than a century,
food has been the closest thing that encapsulates the feeling of being
rooted for the Armenian immigrants.
For more information, visit https://www.oxy.edu/oxy-arts
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4- World Premiere Of Aram Kouyoumdjian’s ‘Constantinople’
To Be Staged By Vista Players
LOS ANGELES—The world premiere of “Constantinople,” the latest work by
award-winning playwright and director Aram Kouyoumdjian, is being
staged by Vista Players, the acclaimed theater ensemble that “set the
standard by which others were judged,” at the Secret Rose Theatre in
North Hollywood. “Constantinople” will open on Friday, September 27,
2019 for a six-weekend run through November 2.
A tale of resilience, the fast-paced, 90-minute production focuses on
the Armenian community in the former Ottoman capital during the
post-Genocide era at a time of political intrigue, military struggle,
and a growing feminist movement.
“Constantinople” centers around Vehanoush, the editor of a feminist
journal, and Roupen, a guerilla fighter (“fedayee”), who coordinate
missions for the recovery of women and children abducted during the
Genocide and also for the transport of weapons into Armenia. Their
idealism is challenged, however, as the political situation around
them takes a darker turn and endangers their own lives.
“While it has the colossal calamity of the Genocide as its point of
departure, the play is not a tale of mourning or lament,” according to
Kouyoumdjian. “It’s not a tale of victimhood. Its characters are all
fighters—either literally or metaphorically—so it’s a tale of
resilience, highly-charged and propulsive.”
Jade Hykush (Vehanoush) and Travis Laughlin (Roupen) are joined in the
cast by Eva Abramian, Jonathan Fishman, Kristin Mothersbaugh, Luc
Rosenthal, and Robert Walters. The show’s design team boasts the
talents of Alan Tollefson (sets), Henrik Mansourian (lighting), and
Allison Dillard (costumes), fresh off an Ovation Award win. Ara
Dabandjian is the production’s original music composer and Armineh
Hovanesian its stage manager.
Kouyoumdjian is the winner of Elly Awards for both playwriting (“The
Farewells”) and directing (“Three Hotels”), and has been hailed for
having “an adventurous artistic sensibility for intelligent
productions” (Sacramento Bee). His feature plays and solo pieces have
been performed in half a dozen cities, from Los Angeles (Fountain
Theatre) to London (Finborough Theatre). His most recent productions
include “Happy Armenians”; the open-air, site-specific performance “i
Go On” at DTLA’s Grand Park; and last year’s world premiere of
“William Saroyan: The Unpublished Plays in Performance.”
Performances of “Constantinople” are on Friday and Saturday nights at
8:00 pm, and on Sundays at 3:00 pm. Due to the intimate nature of the
theater space, no late seating will be allowed.
Tickets ($20-$40) can be purchased at www.itsmyseat.com/constantinople.
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5- Mardik Martin, ‘Mean Streets’ and ‘Raging Bull’ Co-Writer, Dies at 84
By Lawrence Yee
Mardik Martin, a longtime friend and collaborator of Martin Scorsese
whose writing credits included “Mean Streets,” “New York, New York,”
and “Raging Bull,” died Wednesday, September 11, from undisclosed
causes. He was 84.
“My friend and colleague Mardik Martin died this morning,” his friend,
former WGA West president Howard A. Rodman, said Wednesday night. “To
say that Mardik was one of a kind is a wild understatement. No one–no
one–will ever fill those shoes. May he rest in well-earned peace.”
Born in Iran to an Armenian family and raised in Iraq, Martin
immigrated from Iraq to the United States as a young man. He received
a master’s degree in 1968 from NYU and subsequently taught at the
school, during which time he befriended Martin Scorsese. The two would
work on multiple film projects together, co-writing “Mean Streets” in
1973.
Martin co-wrote two other Scorsese-directed films: 1977’s “New York,
New York” (written with Earl Mac Rauch) and 1980’s “Raging Bull”
(written with Paul Schrader). He also wrote 1977’s “Valentino” with
Ken Russell, who also directed the film.
In 2014, Martin co-wrote the screenplay of the German film “The Cut”
about the Armenian Genocide. It was selected to compete for the Golden
Lion at the Venice Film Festival. Martin also taught screenwriting at
USC, and was remembered for it by his former student, screenwriter
Larry Karaszewski.
“Mardik was my screenwriting teacher at USC. A great guy. A great
writer,” Karaszewski said.
This article appeared in The Wrap on September 11, 2019.
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