Karen Durgaryan will hold position of acting Director of Armenian National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet

ArmInfo. Conductor Karen Durgaryan will hold the position of the acting Director of the Armenian National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet named after Alexander Spendiaryan. According to the press service of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, introducing the new head to the staff of the Academy of Opera and Ballet, deputy head of the department Ara Khzmalyan noted that there is no need to present in detail the activities of the Maestro, since Karen Durgaryan has been working at the Opera House for many years and is well acquainted with its features.

He stressed that the requirements put forward for the acting director are quite tough, but the executive branch will fully support maestro Durgaryan and the theater staff. "We will closely cooperate, all possible issues will be discussed," Ara Khzmalyan said.

In turn, Karen Durgaryan stated that a certain rhythm of work will be proposed during his leadership. 

To note, since 2016, the Armenian National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet named after Alexander Spendiaryan was headed by Konstantin Orbelian.

To note, Karen Durgaryan was born in Yerevan. In 1996, Durgaryan graduated from the Yerevan State Conservatory, in 1997 he trained at the St. Petersburg Conservatory under the guidance of Professor Ilya Musin. In 1995 he was appointed second conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of the Armenian Philharmonic, and in 1996 he became the musical director of the Britten and Armenia international festival in Yerevan. Since 1997, Karen Durgaryan held the position of artistic director and conductor of the Yerevan State Chamber Music Theater, where he staged the operas "The Vanity of Gold" by Britten, "Bernauer's Daughter" Orff and "Kikos" by Ajemyan. Since 2001, he has been the Chief Conductor of the National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater.  In the spring of 2008, Karen Durgaryan made his debut at the Mikhailovsky Theater in St. Petersburg, where he directed the operas "Eugene Onegin" by Tchaikovsky and "Love Potion" by Donizetti.  He also conducted productions of Khachaturian's ballet "Spartacus", including on the stage of the Moscow Bolshoi Theater and the London Coliseum. From October 2008 to February 2009, Karen Durgaryan conducted numerous opera, ballet performances and symphony concerts of the Mikhailovsky Theater in Italy (La Fenice Theater, Venice) and Japan.

Durgaryan regularly conducted productions of the Kazan State Opera and Ballet Theater, both in Kazan and on tour.

In July 2010, Karen Durgaryan's collaboration with the Mariinsky Theater began: at the invitation of maestro Gergiev, he conducted a new production of the ballet Spartacus and continues to conduct this performance in St. Petersburg and on tour.

In 2008, Karen Durgaryan was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the Republic of Armenia, and in 2010 he was awarded the Movses Khorenatsi Medal for achievements in the field of culture and art.