{"id":571,"date":"2026-05-01T20:08:33","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T20:08:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/33\/?p=571"},"modified":"2026-06-30T16:55:49","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T16:55:49","slug":"armenia-puts-its-epic-on-stage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/33\/armenia-puts-its-epic-on-stage\/","title":{"rendered":"Armenia Puts its Epic on Stage"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Anna Grigorievna Asatryan<\/strong>*<\/a> and Margarita Kamalyan<\/strong>**<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

David of Sassoun<\/em>. Based on the Armenian epic David of Sassoun. <\/em>Literary adaptation of the epic: Hayk Hambardzumyan\u2024Music: the ethno-electro group Hog Artun. Choreography: Mariam Aslanyan. Choirmaster: Narine Voskanyan. Scenography:  Arthur Durgaryan. Project Creator, Main Director: Gosh Sargsyan. Premiere at Alexander Spendiaryan National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, Yerevan, Armenia, 18 and 19 December 2025. (As of January 2026,  David of Sassoun<\/em> has been incorporated into the theatre’s repertoire.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The creation of the ballet-oratorio David of Sassoun<\/em> (Sasuntsi David<\/em>), at the initiative of Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan, and its production at the Alexander Spendiaryan National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, marked a revival of the Armenian national epic spirit in the country’s contemporary cultural life; further, it inaugurated the genre of the ballet-oratorio in Armenian music.<\/p>\n\n\n

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David of Sassoun<\/em>, Branch I<\/em>, \u201cTsovinar.\u201d 28 January, 2026. Photo: Tigran Arakelyan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The ballet\u2011oratorio genre, relatively rare in the contemporary repertoire, synthesizes elements of both ballet and oratorio. In this hybrid form, the choreographic element is closely interwoven with vocal performances (by soloists and choir) to narrate a dramatic or heroic-epic storyline. The result is not an opera (where all the dialogue is sung) nor a traditional oratorio (concert singing). Instead, it is a unified work in which dance and musical expression jointly propel the dramatic action. The libretto is based on an adaptation of the Armenian epic by the scholar Hayk Hambardzumyan, specifically for this production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The medieval Armenian epic David of Sassoun<\/em> conveys the struggle of the heroes of Sassoun (a region in historical Armenia, located in present-day Turkey) against Arab invaders. The epic was composed between the eighth and tenth centuries.<\/p>\n\n\n

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David of Sassoun<\/em>, Branch I<\/em>, \u201cKhurkik Jalali.\u201d 28 January, 2026. Photo: Tigran Arakelyan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Owing to the magnificent sculpture by the eminent Armenian sculptor and People\u2019s Artist of the USSR, Yervand Kochar, which stands in the square adjacent to the railway station in Yerevan, David of Sassoun has also become one of the principal symbols and iconic landmarks of the Armenian capital.<\/p>\n\n\n

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David of Sassoun<\/em>, Branch I<\/em>, \u201cArmenian Heroes.\u201d 18 December, 2025. Photo: Tigran Arakelyan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The ballet-oratorio encompasses the entire epic, tracing a journey through four generations of heroes (the \u201cbranches\u201d):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Sanasar and Baghdasar (The Birth of Sassoun):<\/strong> The story begins with the miraculous birth of the twin brothers from water. The scenes depict the founding of the Sassoun fortress and the dawn of the struggle for freedom. In choreography, this is often expressed through imagery of the water element and monumental construction.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n
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    David of Sassoun,<\/em> Branch<\/em> I<\/em>, \u201cA Girl So Beautiful.\u201d 18 December, 2025. Photo: Tigran Arakelyan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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    1. Mher the Elder (Lion-Mher):<\/strong> A sequence of scenes revealing the character of David\u2019s father. The centrepiece is the legendary single combat with a lion: Mher tears the predator\u2019s jaws apart with his bare hands, earning his epithet. This triumph of spirit and physical prowess is conveyed through expressive, athletic choreography.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n
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      David of Sassoun,<\/em> Branch III<\/em>, \u201cMarutha.\u201d 18 December, 2025. Photo: Tigran Arakelyan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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      1. David of Sassoun (The Central Sequence):<\/strong> The most extensive section of the performance, covering the key milestones in the hero\u2019s life:\n