On Friday September 12th, People of Ar Cultural Foundation, in association with USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies put together an ambitious and amazing Armenian All-Star musical show. Among the diverse and incredible line-up were Serj Tankian (System Of A Down vocalist), jazz pianist Tigran Hamasyan, jazz pianist, Sebu (singer of Capital Cities) to only name a few. This show was the first of its kind and aimed at celebrating Armenian culture and history through a blend of traditional music, stunning choreography, immersive visuals, all of it supported by an incredible orchestra under the baton of internationally renowned Maestro Sergey Smbatyan.
Throughout the evening the selection of songs backed by the visuals highlighted Armenia’s history from the creation of times to today. It had Noah and his Ark who landed in Armenian land after the flood, the country becoming the first state to adopt Christianity as its official religion, the wars that reshaped the country throughout the centuries, the dramatic genocide afflicted on Armenians at the beginning of the twentieth century, the country’s incorporation into the Soviet Union, until today.
Tigran Hamasyan opened the ceremony with a beautiful piano piece as two ballet dancers performed on the stage. Sisters Inga & Anush followed shortly after to perform a couple of songs including the beautiful “Harsanekan”. Sevak Amroyan performed one of his songs “Yarkhustan” as Zvarnots Dance Ensemble, a group of traditional dancers got on stage for an incredible demonstration that ended with them forming a human pyramid.
The musical journey took a different direction as opera singer Barseg Tumanyan got on stage. His powerful voice and magnetic presence captivated the audience immediately. When he left, he was followed shortly after by soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian. Her voice was so pure, you could feel the emotion fill up the Greek Theater as if time had been suspended for a moment. Sevak Amroyan came back alongside two other singers for another performance. The three of them wearing armors as flames danced on the screens at the back of the stage.
Sona Rubenyan who made a name for herself in Armenia by winning music talent show Hay Superstar appeared next. She performed a powerful song backed up by the Haikian Chamber Choir with her on stage. She was followed by singer Nune Yesayan as visuals in the background were echoing the traditional tapestry exhibited outside the theater for the occasion. Sebu Simonian who is best known for being one half of the pop duo Capital Cities sat down at the piano as the orchestra stopped playing. He delivered a moving rendition of his song “I Came Down From The Mountain” while a duo of dancers performed on stage.
Isabel Bayrakdarian came back for another ethereal moment. You could hear a pin drop in the sold out venue. As the orchestra carried on a blend of classical and traditional music, the light singled out a duduk (Armenian flute) player who stood up for an incredible solo. Other highlights of the evening included guitar player Suren Arustamyan who delivered his re-imagined version of “Pour Toi Arménie” by French-Armenian singer Charles Aznavour, accompanied by the choir.
As the end of the evening was coming to an end, Serj Tankian made his first appearance. Although most people know him for being the lead singer of metal band System Of A Down, his solo career is unbelievably rich and diverse. He has collaborated with countless artists from all horizons be it jazz, electronic music or pop. He has worked with orchestras, composed movie scores, written musicals, and the list goes on. For the occasion he performed his song “Amber” and was joined on stage by Sevak Amroyan who is also featured on the single version released a couple of years ago. Both left the stage under thunderous claps from the crowd.
Armen Movsisyan appeared with his acoustic guitar and played the moving “Ver Kats” to an audience who was totally captivated by the powerful performance. As he left the stage, Serj came back, this time in company of Inga & Anush. They revisited the song “Aurora’s Dream” that the Armenian-American singer released almost a decade ago. The orchestral and haunting song gave the three singers a platform to showcase their incredible vocal abilities. As the final notes hit, the Greek Theater erupted in cheers and applauses. The stage was then rushed bythe entire ensemble of dancers, choir, musicians and producers of the show for a final salute while they received a well-deserved standing ovation.
It is unclear yet if this was a unique show or if it will turn into a recurring event, but regardless this evening will go down in history. On a personal level I can confidently say that I’ve never seen anything quite like this and that it was the best show I’ve attended in a very long time. Props to creative director Arman Nshanian and producer Asko Akopyan for bringing this epic musical and visual spectacle to life.
ECHOES OF OUR ANCESTORS
Photos + Review by Manuel Gay | Exclusively for Music, Why Not!