It is not needlessly remarked that the apple does not fall far from the tree. Once again I get to acknowledge this axiomatic truth inherited from our elders when I talked with eminent actor, Merited Artist of the Republic of Armenia Vanik Mkrtchyans and his two sons, Vardan Mkrtchyan, Director of Hamazgayin (National) Theater and Tigran Mkrtchyan, Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Head of the Press, Information and Public Relations Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia. In addition to blood relations, the three individuals are united by amazingly harmonic relations, the genetically passed commonalities are apparent. “Armenpress” is continuing the series of interviews, which aims at elucidating, presenting the readers successful biographies of “fathers and sons”, their “dialogue” and “genetically” inherited experience and profession.

“When I was small, I was dreaming that one day….”

Vanik -When I was small, I was dreaming that one day I would become a great person (is laughing). In small age I think almost all children have that desire, to become taller, stronger. But later, when they become more conscious, when they start attending schools, when they begin the learning process, when the idea of entering a university is penetrating into their ears, their inclinations are little by little coming to the fore. Inside me the longing for arts was existent still in my childhood, as there were different small clubs in the school. That was decisive as of what would be my final route.
Vardan- When I was small, I was dreaming when everything would be good. When my consciousness started to work, the earthquake year had commenced followed by the movement (independence). And I was continuously thinking when all that would pass, when would everything be more delightful and better. Although the fact of being born in artists’ family in that issue is rather helpful, the artistic atmosphere was healing that pain, was pushing the disquiet away. When there were parties in our home in the evenings, everything was beginning to seem easier. Besides that, I was longing to become a musician: that is my dream unfulfilled.
Tigran- In my case arts indeed had a great influence, as I was dreaming of becoming a painter, sculptor, for some time also a violinist. The time we lived in prevented all that, I mean the years of independence, years of deprivations, difficulties which directly affected the artistic inclinations and in my case the latter become non-realized. At that time I had a desire to turn to diplomacy, I chose the specialty of a historian, of history of international relations. In fact, events happening outside our home affected my choice of profession.

“Now I am what…”
Vanik- Now I am what I am. The change of my age never affects my character. From birth human being has something inherited which stays on forever and never changes. The discipline, the influence of the environment do not lead to great changes. It is impossible that human being would change by 80-90%. And if he/she desires to change, then it becomes a game, a perceived game in life.
Vardan- I am what I was, because I think that the essence of human being does not change. As of a professional, now I am someone, who always wants to be more.
Tigran- Now I am what I have always been, at the same time what I shall always be. The present is an element of the past and the future and provides the continuity of the past into the future. The whole course of life is a continuation of a perpetual present. Indeed some changes do occur, but the basic value system does not alter.

“I get upset, when…”
Vanik- I get upset when I wish. I can sometimes get upset by the role, a certain situation, although someone viewing from aside will not notice my anger. I get upset at my sons from within, that they are like myself, are so quiet. I would like them to be different.
Vardan- I get upset when things are not moving. I get upset when I or my environment get stuck in marsh. When the flow of river is open, I am no more upset.
Tigran- I get upset at the condition that human being is not living his/her life as it could be the last day in life. I get upset when people are not committed to their work or whatever they do; when suffering by inferiority complex is continuously dreaming about unachievable things and is not completing the job under hand. I think if each one of us does our job, our country, our life will progress.

“I am indifferent…”
Vanik- I am never indifferent, I succeed in that. I think only a not-thinking person can be indifferent. What can not even sleep indifferently, although indifference can make life easier.
Vardan- Indifference in family, in life is excepted. We are quite the reverse, we are too much interested… (smiles).
Tigran- I am indifferent towards anti-cultural phenomena, as I think over-attention further incites their propagation. It somehow becomes a PR of unhealthy phenomena. On the other hand, I understand that indifference can give birth to new crimes. In my childhood I was indifferent towards mathematics, although I loved my teacher (smiles).

“I wish to change…”
Vanik- I would change the times I live in. Every day from various corners of the world we hear news of wars, terrorist acts. Maybe at another time it was also like this and may be we did not have information about it. In a way the mentality of people has changed, contrary to rationality, contrary to arts.
Vardan- There are things that I try to change everyday. I constantly dream of doing something better and better. When I can foresee, I am trying to fulfill that.
Tigran- I am always trying to have changes in my work. I am trying to bring new approaches by preserving the positive value system. Those changes are not drastic, but are aimed at adding good new to the good old, to the preservation of what we have.

“I would have returned…”
Vanik- I would have liked to return my childhood, but not the carefree childhood, the freedom, but the time, which could have granted an opportunity to do everything which I did not have time to do, which I did not do.
Vardan- I would have liked to return all those boys who gave their lives for establishment of today’s and tomorrow’s independent Armenia.
Tigran- I would have liked to return the period of transformation from childhood to youth, they were peculiarly problems-free years, we were doing what we wanted, were in touch with people, who with we wanted.

“I pity that I did not manage…”
Vanik- I pity that I did not manage to have 12-13 children. There are many things I wanted to do, but did not manage, also in connection with roles, etc. But life is still going on, I will certainly manage (smiles).
Vardan- There is no such thing as of now. Everything is still ahead of us. I think much pondering over this issue will rather disturb in managing things.
Tigran- I never have such a feeling of pity. Based on my discipline I do everything possible, what the situation may demand. But one of my traits often makes me repent that I always go forward, within the limits of possible I react and support people whom I barely know. But when I do not get an adequate reaction, I feel pity. I also pity that being aware of that, I still continue to act in the same way.
“I feel distressed, when…”
Vanik- I feel distressed when I am hurt, when knowing the reality, people insist on something else; when the same person acts differently in the streets or in other places.
Boys were of the same opinion- never or almost never feel distressed.

“I believe, that…”
Vanik- I believe that everything will be good, one day and forever.
Vardan- I believe, that our country will become most-of-the-most, the most desired for the representatives of all other nations. I dream about the existence of that Armenia.
Tigran- I believe that one day in every family there will be the consciousness that their child should be a good one, and not the best one. The latter injects an unhealthy competitiveness in the child psychology, which in the future negatively impacts on the achievement of a social contract, of social solidarity. Social mores depend on righteous individuals.

“Fears, complexes…”
Vanik- The consciousness that I would have a son has not caused any fears in me. I have always been confident that we will find common ground together. I was sure in my continuity.
Boys again consent- The fact of their father being eminent has not hindered them or created any complexes, but the reverse, has passed on positive impulses. We very much like our father’s humanistic qualities, the fact that everyone respects and appreciates him.

“Fathers and sons controversy for the sake of….”
Vanik- We have not had conflicts. Just the other way, we have become friends, they are sometimes my best advisors.
Vardan- We have not conflicted, because we have fought on various frontiers and did not collide one another (jokes). There is a feature which unifies us all, the dedication to everything, independent of whether we are speaking about deeds, people or something else.
Tigran-I have acquired from my father his humanism, as well as laboriousness to the degree that sometimes I forget about the existence of time. I have also acquired his inclination of finding solutions to problems by peaceful means.

“Influence in the issue of choice of profession…”
Vanik-I think in that issue I have not influenced, better say I had no tendency to influence. I did not strive for that, but in the issue of love towards arts maybe I had unwittingly an influence.
Vardan-I do understand those generations who continue their parents’ work, as since birth the example of father is in front of you. Sometimes the inclinations passed genetically are getting deeply rooted and present themselves in the case of the profession.
Tigran-I think that live is a cycle of perpetual accomplishment. I have always attempted to preserve those values which were important for me, the love towards arts, which I am passing to my 4 years old boy. Although I chose diplomacy, but I don’t think I have diverged from arts so much. Politics is an art, while diplomacy is its highest form. In addition there is the concept of cultural diplomacy. I believe that Armenia can be presentable to the world with its culture. We have no gas, oil: our main resource is our culture, and to some extent, our science. 

The talks was conducted and similarities were attempted to be found by Arusik Zakharyan