Loris Tjeknavorian’s opera “Rustam and Suhrab” premiered in 2 acts at the A. Spendiaryan National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre.

RA Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan and Deputy Ministers Daniel Danielyan and Arthur Martirosyan watched the premiere of the opera “Rustam and Suhrab”. The Minister also met with Maestro Loris Tjeknavorian and the creative team of the play, congratulating them on the premiere. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Armenia Mehdi Sobhani also attended the meeting.

“I have been in love with the story of Rustam and Suhrab since childhood. I always wanted to write an opera, but I didn't have the strength. I graduated from the Vienna Academy, returned to Persia and started this project in 1961. Sixty-five years passed before the opera was staged. The idea was conceived 65 years ago and is being implemented 65 years later. I composed eight versions. When I started writing in Persia, I felt the need to present it to a prominent maestro and consult with him. At that time, I thought of traveling to Strasbourg to meet the internationally renowned composer Carl Orff. When I met him, he listened to several excerpts from the opera and offered to stay in Strasbourg and complete it. I was a student, I couldn't afford it, and he told me that the expenses for a year's stay in Strasbourg would be covered. He said, “Go sit down and write the opera.” Amazing, isn’t it? It was a challenging opera. I have given multiple performances of the concert version in Mexico, Armenia, Vienna, and England, yet it has never been staged. I'm glad that it's happening now,” Maestro Loris Tjeknavorian told about the creation of the opera.

The artistic cast of the performance: Rustam - Arman Arakelyan, Suhrab - Perch Karazyan (Honored Artist of the Republic of Armenia), Tahmineh - Lusine Makaryan, Ferdowsi (narrator) - Roman Khnkoyan, Houman - Roland Sofoyan, Afrasiab - Hovhannes Nersesyan, King of Samangan - Gosh Sargsyan, conductor - Karen Durgaryan (Honored Artist of the Republic of Armenia).

The creative cast of the performance: Musical Director - Loris Tjeknavorian, Stage Director and Choreographer - Yarta Yaran, Costume and Set Designer – Yarta Yaran, Assistant Director – Ara Asaturyan, Light Designer - Yevgeny Ganzburg, and Choir Director -Narine Voskanyan.