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Member Spotlight: Quirina Lechmann - Soprano
Company Spotlight: Regents Opera
Member Spotlight: Phil Wilcox - Baritone
Company Spotlight: London Armenian Opera
We are delighted to announce our first Company Spotlight - London Armenian Opera led by artistic director baritone Aris Nadirian.
1. How do you describe London Armenian Opera?
A small, community based opera company, producing Armenian operas in London.
2. What is the ethos of London Armenian Opera?
To keep alive the cultural identity of Armenians in the diaspora as well as to introduce Armenian operas to the wider public.
3. What has been one of the most memorable and rewarding experiences for London Armenian Opera?
Bringing together artists from Armenia and the UK with a production of Armen Tigranian's epic opera Davit Bek on the centenary of the Armenian Genocide in 2015.
4. What dream project would you most like to achieve in future?
My personal dream would be to stage Alexander Stepanian's Almast. This is a dream that I have carried with me for over 40 years!! I was 15 years old when I came across the vocal score of this opera at the Armenian library in Isfahan, Iran (where I was born). From that moment on, I’ve been enchanted by the story and the composer's genius in combining Persian and Armenian folk music to portray the unique characteristics of these two neighbouring nations.
5. What do you like most about London Armenian Opera?
LAO has always maintained at its core two values - working with non-professionals and also giving a platform and opportunity to musicians and singers in the early stage of their career to gain experience.
6. If you could give one piece of advice to creatives starting out, what would it be?
Try to bridge the gap between the
"personal" and " the collective" in your artistic development path.
7. Share three words that are the pillars you shape your company by. At Audition Oracle, ours are Curiosity, Craft and Community
Pride, history and folklore.
8. Do you have any performances coming up that you’d love us to shout about?
Avet Terterian's The Ring of Fire , an abstract opera and a psychological drama which deals with the human cost of deep ideological divisions within a nation.
There will be two performances of the opera at The Marylebone Theatre on 19th and 20th July. For tickets, please visit https://tickets.marylebonetheatre.com/tickets/series/TheRingofFire.
To read more about London Armenian Opera, please visit their website - https://www.londonarmenianopera.com.