Bucharest hosted Charles Aznavour’s 90th anniversary celebrations

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BUCHAREST, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. On Friday evening, June 6, the Dudyan Armenian Culture over-crowded hall in Bucharest hosted the celebration event dedicated to Charles Aznavour’s 90th anniversary. The distinguished journalist and translator Romanian-Armenian Madeleine Karacasian and Romanian well-known film critic Irina Margareta Nistor, through a dialogue, presented the artistic biography of the glorious singer, revealed separate episodes not only of his concert, but also his movie activities. During the night a film dedicated to Charles Aznavour was demonstrated, which is based on the “Aznavour et ses Amis” great concert, held in Yerevan on September 30, 2006, on the occasion of the Year of Armenia in France.

Especially remarkable were Madeleine Karacasian’s details and photo series about Charles Aznavour’s visits to Bucharest. The journalist first met the world-renowned chansonnier in Bucharest in 1963, in spring, when the singer performed at the Sala Palatului giant concert hall. It was here that accompanied by Madeleine Karacasian, the prominent Romanian-Armenian artist Cik Damadian put down Aznavour's famous graphic drawing.

The second meeting was in February 2004, in Bucharest, during the shooting of the movie Père Goriot, where Charles Aznavour performed the role of the hero of Balzac. On those days the chansonnier gave an exclusive interview to Madeleine Karacasian for «Ararat» journal, entitled "The family feeling is the hereditary quality of the Armenian people" (16-29 February 2004), which later would be summarized in the author’s “With Armenians, About Armenians” (Madeleine Karacasian, Cu si despre armeni, vol. II din 2005, Editura Ararat). Madeleine Karacasian handed over to Aznavour her translation into Romanian of the book by Richard Balducci, “Charles Aznavour - Confidentele unui fiu de boem“. Before that, in 2002, «Ararat» publishing house had published Aida Aznavour – Karvarents’ "Aghbariks" (Aida Aznavour-Garvarentz, Petit frère) - a book of memoirs.

In February 2004, Aznavour also visited the Armenian Center in Bucharest, the Armenian cathedral, the museum and attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition in Dudyan culture house.

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