Armenian opera

Armenian opera is the art of opera in Armenia or opera by Armenian composers. The founder of the Armenian operatic tradition was Dikran Tchouhadjian (1837-98), who was born in Constantinople in the Ottoman Empire and received his musical education in Milan, where he became a great admirer of Verdi. He was a political and musical nationalist who mixed Western and Armenian influences in his work. His Arshak Erkrord is regarded as the first Armenian opera. It was written in 1868 but had to wait until 1945 for a full staging. The libretto, by Tovmas Terzian, is based on the life of the 4th-century king Arsaces II (Arshak II). Chukhadjian's other operas include Arifi khardakhutyune (The Government Inspector, based on the play by Gogol, 1872); Zemire (1891), which was written in Turkish and premiered in Constantinople; as well as Kyose Kyokhva ("The Balding Elder"), Lelebidj ("The Pea Seller") and Indiana.

The next important composer of Armenian opera was Armen Tigran Tigranian (1878-1950) who lived in Russian Armenia and the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic. He wrote Anoush, set in the Armenian countryside, in 1912 (first performed in Alexandrapol) but it had to wait until 1935 for its full professional staging at the Armenian National Opera Theater. It made heavy use of folk music, as did Tigranyan's last opera, David Bek (1950). Based on the life of the eponymous national hero and set in the 18th century, it depicts the struggle between Armenians and Safavid Persians. Other leading Armenian opera composers include Alexander Spendiaryan and Haro Stepanian.

Sources

Donald Grout A Short History of Opera (Columbia University Press, 4th ed., 2003)

Opera topics

History and national traditions	Origins of opera Italian opera (Verismo) Opera in German French opera Opera in English Russian opera Polish opera Hungarian opera Armenian opera Spanish opera Opera in Latin America Opera in Venezuela List of Argentine operas List of Mexican operas List of North Korean operas

Opera components	Aria Aria di sorbetto Arioso Cabaletta Cantabile Da capo aria Insertion aria Ballet Cadenza Cavatina Divertissement Leitmotif Libretto Mad scene Overture Recitative Ritornello Surtitles

Types of opera	Afterpiece Azione teatrale Ballad opera Burletta Comédie en vaudevilles Comédie mêlée d'ariettes Dramma per musica Entr'acte Farsa Festa teatrale Género chico Grand opera Intermède Intermezzo Literaturoper Melodrama Monodrama Duodrama Melodramma Musical theatre Number opera Opéra-ballet Opera buffa Opéra bouffe Opéra bouffon Opéra comique Opéra féerie Opera semiseria Opera seria Operetta Pasticcio Pastorale héroïque Posse mit Gesang Rescue opera Romantische Oper Sainete Savoy opera Semi-opera Singspiel Spieloper Tonadilla Tragédie en musique Zarzuela Zeitoper

Voice types	Soprano Coloratura Soubrette Lyric Spinto Dramatic Mezzo-soprano Contralto (Alto) Countertenor Sopranist Haute-contre Castrato Tenor (Tenore di grazia) Baritenor Baritone Bass-baritone Bass

Participant and role types	Banda Breeches role (Travesti) Claque Comprimario Diva Hovsångare Kammersänger Maestro Musico Prima donna Prompter Répétiteur

Singing concepts and techniques	Bel canto Cantabile Chest voice Coloratura (Fioritura) Convenienze Coup de glotte Fach Falsetto Falsettone Head voice Legato Messa di voce Passaggio Portamento Sprechgesang Squillo Tessitura Timbre Vibrato Vocal range Vocal register Vocal resonation Vocal weight Voice types

List articles	Argentine operas Christmas operas Historical opera characters Important operas Major opera composers Mexican operas North Korean operas Notable operas Opera topics Operetta composers Opera librettists Opera genres Opera houses Opera companies Opera festivals Opera directors Operas set in the Crusades Orphean operas Zarzuela composers

Miscellaneous	Opera house Orchestral enhancement Regietheater Sitzprobe Stagione

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