Art lovers of St. Petersburg had another chance to learn about Armenian culture during the July 3-6 Days of Yerevan held in St Petersburg, which is the capital of culture of the Russian Federation. Several events were held within the framework of the Armenian culture days of Yerevan, including a Gala Concert featuring performances by Armenian groups and performing artists, an art exhibition, a theatrical performance, as well as a Roundtable devoted to scientific and educational issues and targeted at exchange of experience. Among the participants of the Roundtable were the delegates of Yerevan led by Mayor of Yerevan Taron Margaryan, members of the Yerevan representation in St. Petersburg and the rectors of several universities of St. Petersburg.

It is safe to say that the Days of Yerevan ended with a glorious concert of the State Academic Choir of St. Petersburg on July 5^th, which featured performances by the National Academic Choir of Armenia led by Maestro Ohannes Chekidjian. Words can’t describe what was taking place on stage. One had to see it…Music lovers of St. Petersburg hadn’t forgotten the State Academic Choir of Armenia, that is, the Capella…

After exactly 20 years, the Capella finally performed in St. Petersburg where it has always been loved by the people. The choir’s annual tours have been an inseparable part of the great cultural life in the city for years and, as a rule, they were held at the glorious Dmitri Shostakovich Philharmonic and often with the famous Mravinsky Symphony Choir and always under the direction of Maestro Ohannes Chekidjian and in front of a full audience. It was the audience that was delicate and demanding as it heard nearly 40 vocal and symphonic works performed by the State Choir of Armenia and the Leningrad Symphonic Orchestra and famous soloists under the direction of Chekidjian, along with great Armenian and world classical music until 1993, and the programs read “It is being performed in the USSR for the first time”. Well-known world classical works such as Berlios’s “Requiem”, “Te Deum”, Vivaldi’s “Gloria”, Bach’s La Major Messa, Schubert’s “Cantat” and Verdi’s”Anthem of the Nations” have been performed during the big concerts.

True, this time the Capella’s concert was held at the hall of the St. Petersburg State Academic Choir and not the hall after Shostakovich (the hall of the St. Petersburg State Academic Choir is also wonderful), but the audience was still packed. It was that audience that wanted to listen to a performance of Komitas’s song after listening to the brilliant performance of a work by the Capella and the Leningrad Symphonic Orchestra (like Verdi’s “Requiem”) and the same audience that asked the Capella where it had been for the past 20 years…The desire to listen to Komitas’s music after Verdi goes to show not only the grandeur of Komitas (which is indisputable), but also the high level of awareness and high taste of the audience of St. Petersburg.

In addition to all this, this concert once again proved that the capital of culture of Russia hasn’t lost a lot in the past two decades and that the new generation, which was listening to the songs of Komitas and Armenian classic music in general, listened to the performances of the Capella led by Ohannes Chekidjian and was simply startled.

The concert was very multifaceted and interesting and included performances of Armenian and world classical music, including the works of Komitas, Saharun, Tigranyan, Verdi, Berlios, Guno, Gershwin, Rossini…Each number received warm rounds of applause. When the Capella performed the Russian folk song “Ey, Ukhnem” adapted by Novikov, the audience gave rounds of applause since it didn’t expect to hear such a performance of a Russian folk song…

The choir’s soloist Sargis Aghamalyan (tenor) and concertmeister Aram Turabyan also stood out with their high-level performances. Maestro Chekidjian, who was reliving his prime on stage, simply proved that nothing has changed, just like the music lovers of St. Petersburg are still delicate, demanding. The Capella has also remained the same with its unique “personality, and its director, Maestro Chekidjian has remained the everlasting, charming youth. The concert held under his direction is entertaining for the audience, and for the singers, it was “a holiday that is always with you”.

Hayk Karapetyan