Yerevan Opera Theatre to open new concert hall on November 1

The Alexander Spendiaryan National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre in Yerevan is opening a new concert hall in a 1,050-square-meter section of its building that housed the Opera Club for many years beginning in the 1990s.

The space has now been returned to the theatre and will serve as a venue for chamber concerts, children’s opera and ballet performances, and other cultural events.

The concert hall will be officially inaugurated on November 1, the 155th anniversary of the birth of renowned Armenian composer Alexander Spendiaryan.

Speaking to journalists on October 26, theatre director Karen Durgaryan emphasized that the space belongs to the theatre and will become a stage for children.

“We want to teach children how to attend the theatre through concerts, opera and ballet performances, from buying a ticket to watching a performance. The series of events planned here can contribute to educating the next generation and, more broadly, ensuring the future of theatrical life 10, 20 and 30 years from now,” Durgaryan said.

The inaugural concert on November 1 will feature pianist Hayk Melikyan, an Honored Artist of the Republic of Armenia, performing works by Spendiaryan and other Armenian composers. In December, the venue will host New Year performances for children at noon and 2 p.m.

Renovation work is still underway, but the theatre management has decided to begin holding concerts and performances there before it is complete. The venue is expected to be fully equipped by February, when new, comfortable seats will also be installed.

Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Tigran Virabyan described as absurd a phrase that cultural figures had heard for many years: “We had a great time drinking at the opera last night.”

“In this case, people were not talking about the opera theatre, but about a club that was incompatible with this important cultural institution. Entertainment venues are very important, but they should have their own place and purpose and should not be given the same exaggerated importance they once had. Today is a very important day, as 1,050 square meters of space is being returned to the opera theatre through the efforts of the state,” Virabyan said.

He added that good and bad managers differ in how they use the space at their disposal. A bad manager thinks about whom to hand it over to in order to make life easier for themselves, while a good manager quickly finds ways to implement creative ideas in the space.

Virabyan stressed that the theatre uses all available areas of its building for creative projects. During the summer, it organizes open-air concerts on the roof. He expressed confidence that the newly reclaimed space would become an interesting alternative cultural venue.

“When we talk about the theatre’s programs, we realize that 24 hours a day are not enough for the opera theatre. There are days when a performance takes place at 1 p.m., a concert at 6 p.m., and another event at 9 p.m. With all its scale, enthusiasm and programs, the opera theatre continues to be the most vibrant institution in our cultural life,” the deputy minister said.

According to Virabyan, the new concert hall will also host young creative professionals and independent artists.

He noted that the venue is still in its initial form and that he and Durgaryan are discussing various options for transforming it into a concert hall equipped with modern technical facilities. Durgaryan added that the space would also house rehearsal rooms and a museum.

“The theatre has a history. Renowned artists who enriched our productions have worked here. Without a museum, the younger generation may not know this history. Through the museum, we will try to show young people and visitors to the city how the theatre began its journey, what productions it staged, and which renowned artists worked at the opera theatre,” Durgaryan said.

He recalled that a small café and a museum had operated in the space during the Soviet era.

Durgaryan also recalled that Yerevan had a Children’s Opera Theatre during the Soviet period, which continued operating until the early 1990s. The theatre now plans to establish a children’s theatre on its new stage, following a similar concept.

“We already have a children’s choir, and children will perform for other children,” he said.