arts the armenianreporter culture& May 5, 2007 Her bright and cheerful song and dance bring joy to to joy bring dance and song cheerful and bright Her Garik Gyurjyan celebrates Gyurjyan &whiteGarik inblack optimism Armenian children and warm their parents’ hearts parents’ their warm and children Armenian Dzenkele menkele jeev jeev – jeev jeev menkele Dzenkele

An essay Kricorian Nancy by It’s Taline!

1975 documentary about Arme- nian shepherds called “Seasons.” The subject Possibly the Kinodance Company dancers went of a film by greatest novel to Armenia last year and filmed the famed ever written scenes similar to the ones in “Sea- Taviani in Eastern sons,” and they also performed at brothers, Armenian, the locations Peleshian shot his Skylark Burning Orchards film. “Denizen” features videos Farm is now is now available shot in Armenia behind and on available in English the dancers as they perform. f in English translation. connect: translation. www.kinodance.org first published in the Armenian Skylark Farm reading in SSR in 1966, but it was banned and burned on the streets of Yerevan New York City for its version of the events. The Antonia Arslan will read from author released a revised version her award-winning novel Skylark in 1968. Burning Orchards has now Farm, which was recently translat- been published in English, trans- French film festival at ed into English and published by lated from its original banned Knopf. The reading and talk will version, by Black Apollo Press in Golden Apricot take place on Tuesday, May 15, at the U.K. The book launch will take A French film festival will be part of 7:00 p.m. at the Zohrab Informa- place on Wednesday, May 9, at 7 the Golden Apricot International tion Center at the Diocese of the p.m. at the Armenia House, 23 Che- Film Festival in Yerevan this sum- Armenian Church, 630 Second Av- niston Gardens, London W8. f mer. More than half a dozen French enue, New York, N.Y. connect: movies have already been chosen Arslan is professor of literature [email protected] for screenings between July 9 and at the University of Padua. Sky- July 14. More than 250 films have lark Farm (La Masseria delle Al- been submitted to the festival, and lodole) is her first novel; it won organizers anticipate some 50,000 the Italian Premio Campiello in people will participate in festival 2004. The novel chronicles the life screenings and events. f of a family struggling for survival connect: during the Armenian Genocide in www.gaiff.am 1915. A film based on the novel, di- rected by Paolo and Vitorio Tavi- Dancer, Alissa Cardone ani, and featuring actress Arsinée Video Still by Alla Kovgan ­Khanjian recently premiered at ASA’s 58th annual Artists’ the Berlinale. f Cyberart inspired by connect: Ball 212.686.0710 Peleshian’s “Seasons” This New York tradition for more A growing number of artists are than half a century takes place Armenian masterpiece creating what they call cyberart. Saturday, June 16, at the Puck These works of art are produced us- Building in Soho. The event in- available in English ing computers, cameras, and vid- cludes an art exhibit, music, and Gurgen Mahari’s Burning Orchards eos, and are distributed through dancing. Proceeds are donated to is considered by some to be the iPods and cell phones. (See Poetry, Armenian charities and the Ar- greatest novel ever written in page C11.) During Boston’s Cyber- menian Students’ Association’s Eastern Armenian. Set in Van be- arts Festival, the Kinodance com- scholarship fund f fore the Genocide, it offers one pany performed its creation called connect: version of events leading up to the “Denizen,” inspired by Armenian [email protected] great catastrophe. The book was director Artavazd Peleshian’s www.asainc.org

Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture Copyright © 2007 by CS Media Enterprises llc On page C1: Night after night, Armenian children across the All Rights Reserved United States go to sleep hearing a mother’s lullaby. Chances are Contact [email protected] with announcements good that mother is Taline, and her CD Oror is on again. To advertise, write [email protected] or call 1-201-226-1995 Story on page C6. Briefly

C2 Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 5/5/2007 Children of Hayk inspire in black and white

Garik Gyurjyan UCLA professor of Armenian and characters Garik captures include Near Eastern history Richard a 15-year-old Armenian-American celebrates beauty and ­Hovannisian, the Catholicos of All champion gymnast with Olympic optimism Armenians, Karekin II, and famed hopes. attorney Mark Geragos. “It’s people who have somehow Not only are those with name contributed to the culture,” ex- by Paul Chaderjian recognition on display, but so plains Garik. “Those who have are people Garik calls “symbolic.” helped our people, who make us Among the photographs he shares proud, who inspire others, and This weekend, a photo exhibit ti- at the Harvest Gallery is one of people who haven’t been exposed tled “Children of Hayk” opens at a mother who lost both her sol- to the public.” the Harvest Gallery in Glendale. dier sons during the Karabakh Garik says he considers each The photographer, Garik Gyurjian, liberation war. Other interesting of his photographs a work of art, set out to present a collection of important, well-known, influen- tial, and interesting Armenians. “The project started off with me going to Armenia in 2001 for six weeks,” says the Armenia native, whose father is a Armenia’s dep- uty minister of culture and youth affairs, Gagik Gyurjian. When he returned home to the U.S., Garik realized he wanted to document as many interesting Armenians he could meet. These portraits he would include in what he calls a “photographic encyclo- pedia of Armenians in the early 21st century.” “I decided to include everyone from around the world,” he says, “because there are people who are living and working in other coun- tries and are helping Armenia and might never go back there. But still, they are very Armenian, and they’re the children of Hayk. They come from the same place. They come from the same people.” Choosing his subjects Included in the exhibit are por- traits of the first lady of jazz, Tatevik Hovhannisyan, mas-

Photography ter dudukist Jivan Gasparyan, Sculptor Khatchour Iskandarian in his studio. Photos: Garik Gyurjian.

Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 5/5/2007 C3 through rose-colored glasses, but the truth is that he simply wants some Armenians to stop being cynics all the time and to stop questioning everything in Arme- nian life and Armenian society. “Some people say I’m naive,” he says, “but, we’re used to saying toasts and good things. Then we disregard a certain amount of that positive talk. I want to show peo- ple who are comfortable in their own skin, and it doesn’t matter what they look like. I think they’re all beautiful.” Back story of the would- be doctor Garik, who has been commis- sioned to shoot writers and art- ists for magazines like Time and Travel + Leisure Golf, newspapers like the LA Weekly, and by music companies including Hollywood Records and DreamWorks Re- Right: Karekin II, cords, started out wanting to be a Catholicos of All medical doctor. Armenians. Below: “I went to school at UC San Di- Peter Balakian, ego as a biochemistry major, hop- author of The ing to become a doctor,” he says. “I Burning Tigris. took some photo classes, because my cousin here was taking photo and he hopes they communicate classes. I saw him developing film his admiration for his subjects, and liked photography.” his love for his country, his people, While volunteering at the sur- and his optimism. gical intensive care unit at UCSD, “I think that optimism is a big part Garik realized medicine and work of my work,” he says. “I see that in a hospital were not for him. in the portraits, and other people “People were being referred to as have mentioned it. I would love for ‘it’ and became inanimate objects,” this work to inspire and make Ar- he says. “I did not like the whole menians more optimistic or feel a thing. But spending time in the little bit more positive about our photo lab, I could be there for people and our country.” hours, until three o’clock in the Garik says he is targeting his morning and not realize it.” optimism at pessimists who com- Garik soon switched universi- plain about every single thing that ties and majors and earned a bach- happens in Armenia and with Ar- elor’s degree in photography from menian society. “I want them to Cal State Northridge. He graduat- see that we are a beautiful people, ed, spent a few years working as a interesting people,” he says. “There freelance photographer, as an as- are interesting people among us, sistant, and at photo shops. Then who are doing really great work.” he decided to go back to school The photographer says he doesn’t and learn more about the art of want to sound like a cliché or like photography. That quest led him he is looking at Armenian society to the Art Center College of De-

C4 Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 5/5/2007 sign in Pasadena, where he earned Garik says when he is ready a bachelor of fine arts in 2003. to capture someone on film, he “I think I like the immediacy of meets the subject with no expec- photography,” he says. “My dad tations. “I go with an open mind,” is an architect, and I had always he says. “All these people are dif- thought about becoming an ar- ferent. I meet them on different chitect.” However, Garik was days. Some are in a good mood. discouraged by his father’s col- Some are cranky. They’re all inter- leagues and told he would have esting characters.” to be ready to sacrifice his vision Sometimes, according to the and spend decades catering to photographer, he meets subjects other architects instead of creat- that are wearing an ethereal mask. ing his own art. Some people may be trying to cov- “That’s what I like about photog- er their vulnerability, others their raphy,” he says, “seeing the results, insecurities, while others their especially when I start on a project true and great sense of self and like ‘Children of Hayk.’ It excites power. me to know that the photographs “The camera will see through are going to be in a book or are the mask and capture the person,” going to be on exhibit. The final says Garik. Photographs some- product is important to me.” times capture for a photographer a person who is completely different And, what is a good than how they appear in real life. “When you photograph them,” portrait? he says, “each photograph takes “Composition,” says Garik. “That’s 30th or 60th of a second to ex- Tatevik Hovhannisyan, the first lady of jazz. one thing I teach my students. It’s pose. On the contact sheet, you not really about being good, it’s can see a split seconds of this the timelessness that I strive for, person’s life when he or she that all photographers, that all wasn’t confident, when he was artists strive for.” down to earth, vulnerable, or in- Garik says the goal of artists secure. You see images of a per- should be to create a piece that son that is more powerful that not only moves people but is also you thought.” timeless. He hopes that people Which one of those 30th-of-a- will look at his photographs one second intervals of a person’s hundred years from now and feel life Garik chooses to display is a the same effect that the portraits personal and professional choice, have now. says Garik. “It’s different with For art to be timeless, it has to each person. Sometimes, if I feel feel fresh every time it’s observed, like the person is pretending to be explains Garik. “Simplicity and something they are not, then that truth are important in art. They one shot that they’re vulnerable is are important to people who are the shot that’s more true. I might looking for a mate,” he says. “They use that shot.” are important in music apprecia- Out the 120 portraits Garik tion and when judging beautiful has snapped since 2001 for ‘Chil- things.” dren of Hayk,’ nearly thirty of Simplicity and truth as also im- them will be on display for the portant in photography, accord- next two weeks. ‘Children of ing to Garik. “I like simplicity, Hayk’ are black and white por- natural things, true things,” he traits, capturing Armenians the says. “A lot of my photographs photographer feels have an in- are inconspicuously lit, some- teresting story to tell. They are times not lit at all. That aspect of people, says Garik, who can in- simplicity that makes it timeless spire other Armenians as they in my mind.” have inspired him. f Richard G. Hovannisian, who has taught for years at UCLA.

Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 5/5/2007 C5 Taline and company bring joy to children through their Christmas concerts across the United States and beyond. The wholeness and holiness of singing a children’s song

Taline connects kids bond, and to nurture a growing, passed through musical notes in impressionable mind. simple progression. Children’s to their Armenian Songs have communicated cul- songs are highfalutin corporate language ture to younger generations for cen- speaking points fused in effective turies, impressed upon them the marketing campaigns. They are cadences of a language, the myths the elements of what is communi- by Paul Chaderjian and metaphors of a people, the sto- cated in the vibration of a mother’s ries of heroes, legends, and the fairy vocal chords and the vibration’s of tales brewed by generations past. a child’s ear drum. They are lyr- preface Mothers. Songs. Culture. A trinity ics of words, understood or not, Mothers have sung their children that seems to go beyond countries sounds, emotions, truths travel- to sleep as far back as human of origin, native tongues, histories ing through space and time. They memory can recall. It’s some- of civil wars, eastern or western are almost divine. Whole. thing human, natural, almost ef- dialects, genocide and earthquake, fortless. beyond wealth and poverty, and verse 1: Mothers have sung to express independent of failure or success their love, teach words and num- in academic, social, political, or a young bride singing bers, entertain. They have sung, business environments. The heroine of this story is a young sing, and will sing as play, to dis- A mother’s song are words of bride. The year is 1993, and she tract, to make infants laugh, to wisdom. They are simple yet com- has just married a computer pro-

Music soothe a hurt, to connect and plex messages, seeds and viruses grammer. She has graduated with

C6 Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 5/5/2007 a degree in early childhood educa- verse 2: taline speaks tained thirteen songs, and it in- tion, and she is employed by a pre- Fourteen years have passed since cluded original songs penned by a school, where listening and sing- her first recording. Taline’s first talented songwriter from Armenia ing along to Canadian children’s cassette, “Five Little Ducks,” con- named Mari Sarkissian. The music singer Raffi are part of the- cur tained eighteen songs and cost was composed and performed by riculum. During the day she sings the couple about $500. Since its Alex, who professes their second “Apples and Bananas” and “Five debut, it has sold more than 15 album in 1994 had better arrange- Little Ducks,” and soon her new thousand copies and continues to ments than the first. husband hears her singing those be a favorite. “But then after that,” says Alex, same songs around the house. “I used to sing ‘Five Little Ducks’ “the whole thing stopped.” The year “And I hadn’t realized she had a to my preschoolers, so we trans- was 1995, and the couple, who had pretty good voice,” he says. “She lated it and picked songs like joined diasporan children’s music really sounded very good, and I ‘Shokehgark,’ ‘Bzdig Kouyr,’ and gurus Ara Kekejian, Yorgantz, and have worked with a lot of sing- ‘Nabasdag,’ ” says Taline. “We Vako in making beautiful music, ers.” And he had. In earlier incar- picked songs we liked the most, stopped making music when they nations as a musician, Alex Bessos and then recorded those. These made their first baby. had garnered fame in the commu- are all songs that even my mother “We had our first daughter, and nity with his band and their one- and father used to sing when they that’s when it stopped,” says Alex. hit wonder “Gookan LA.” A bits were in kindergarten.” “But those two albums kept selling, and bytes guy by day, Bessos was “We wanted a really good quality, and every year, they sell a little a musician, producer, and record- very simple recording,” says Alex. bit more. We still produce them, ing artist at nights and weekends, “We wanted something comfort- and parents love them. They’re outsourcing his musical muses to able to the ear, something that still available, and they still sell, fuel other musicians’ careers. was appropriate for kids. Taline even today.” After hearing his bride sing, a did all the singing. We produced a zero turned into a one in the mind cassette. And then when that was verse 3: of this computer programmer. “We successful, and we made a little thought it would be a really good money from that, we invested happy day (ourakh ohr) idea to produce a really high-quality that money into the next album Taline and Alex’s first daughter Armenian album for kids,” he says. called, ‘It’s a Small World.’ ” is about to turn 12; their younger Bride and groom rented a small Taline’s second cassette con- daughter is 8. Time flies when studio for ten dollars an hour and recorded their first collection of children’s songs in Armenian. A few were traditional Armenian songs that they had heard their parents sing when they were kids. Others were translations of traditional songs that the bride sang to her preschoolers. A few were translated from French. Others were from a book of children’s songs published by the Armenian Church. Thus was born . . . Taline. ­Dzenkele Menkele Jeev Jeev Taline. The Gats! Taline, whose voice and image mesmerize infants and children across the seas. “Let’s Sing and Count” Taline. Hink Taline’s Pokrig Patigner Taline. The peace- productions ful, almost-generic, almost-angel- feature bright, ic Armenian mother whose sound joyous colors. rings on speakers, whose image Being Armenian comes to life on television screens “has to be a in tens of thousands of Armenian fun, positive homes around the world. experience,” That Taline. Her. Taline says.

Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 5/5/2007 C7 “At that point, when we came school director at Rose and Alex back, all the parents we met Pilibos Armenian Preschool in were asking for DVDs,” says Alex. Hollywood, Takouhi became part “They’d say, we have the CD, but of the team. we really want Armenian DVDs for “The educational element was re- our kids. And this was 2002–2003.” ally important,” says Taline. “We Everywhere Taline was asked to wanted to expose children to the appear to sing a few of her songs, Armenian language. We want- fans would ask for DVDs, one of ed them to learn the language the most useful modern tools for through the music, through the entertaining and educating chil- dancing. The entertainment ele- dren. ment was important; so was the educational element.” verse 4: the making of Alex says they were determined to make their first DVD because ‘let’s sing and dance’ parents, like he and Taline, want “We didn’t know where to start in their kids to be exposed to the Ar- making a DVD,” says Taline, who menian language at an early age. had never performed on-camera “There are parents who believe In concert, Taline you’re raising kids, and the years before. “We had no idea how to do their kids should have a piece of says, “We do high passed quickly. When both their it. I had no idea where to start.” the Armenian heritage in them fives. We sing and daughters went off to school, Taline had so far sang in record- from day one,” he says. If those dance together. ­Taline decided she wanted to go ing studios and made one or two parents didn’t believe that, we It’s a lot of fun. back to work. She says she wanted appearances for small community wouldn’t have done the DVD.” I’m one of their to be productive outside the home, gatherings. But recording a DVD “I think those early years are very, friends. That’s but she wanted to focus on music. would mean finding something to very important, in building that how it is. I feel it “I was very busy traveling for shoot, dancers, costumes, a script, link or those feelings toward the more when I meet work at the time,” says Alex. a choreographer, lights, camera, Armenian language and culture,” the children, and “So, we hired another producer, and lots of action. says Taline. “Instead of watching they react like ­Dickran Sahagian, to do all the ar- “Through contacts,” says Alex, something in English or another that. I realize, oh rangements.” Raising two daugh- “I met a producer named Sevak language, kids should hear Ar- my goodness, they ters had been an educational ex- Petrossian. He’s got a TV studio, menian and have fun at the same know me.” perience for the couple. Previous- Meridian Studios, and he does a time. It has to be a fun, positive ly, they had recorded songs with lot of TV programming. And he experience.” simple arrangements, lots of rep- was willing.” To make their first DVD more etition, without much percussion “We decided to work on two mu- colorful and interesting, Alex de- and very few instruments. sic videos,” says Taline, “just to see cided they would add characters Observing their daughters re- how things go. We recorded ‘Dzen- to their formula. “I had attended act to music and mainstream kele Menkele’ and ‘Gats!’ And once a UCLA extension class on video children’s programming made we had an idea of how to do videos, production,” he remembers, “and Alex realize that kids liked more we decided to do a DVD.” we had a speaker who worked on upbeat music with more pop ele- “The first videos were for TV,” children’s programs. One of the ments. “We changed style to pop says Alex. “We wanted to have things he said is that if you are music,” he says. “We went into something to give the stations to producing something for kids, you Dickran’s studio and recorded play. They were very simple videos. need to have characters. That was ‘Oorakh Ohr,’ which is a party al- We did the whole filming in four- a key thing that impressed me.” bum for kids.” five hours and then some editing.” “So we created the character of “Gatz!” the Armenian freeze Then came what Alex calls “re- Peeso, the cat,” says Taline. “We dance, was part of this album, and verse engineering.” To figure out also created Dzaghradzou, the the songs continues to resonate in how mainstream children’s pro- clown, and Nabig, who is the living rooms throughout the dias- grammers produced the videos nabasdag, the rabbit.” With the pora. The popularity of this song his kids watched, he and Taline characters in mind, Taline, Alex has prompted Taline and Alex watched them and figured out how and Takouhi develop a script, to perform it during their mu- to film various parts of their video. brainstorming and coming up sic tours and on the digital video Enter Takouhi Saatjian, an early with creative ways to make the discs that were to follow their first childhood education specialist video interactive and interesting. three music discs. with a graduate degree. The pre- “A lot of the songs are interac-

C8 Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 5/5/2007 tive,” says Taline. “For example, want to watch it again. You want in-concert video, and the other ‘klookh, oosn, ou madigner,’ or the to them to watch it again and three are scripted, with musical ‘Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes’ again and again. You want this to numbers and outside footage.” song. Not only are the kids singing stick. You want to make the most In her second and third in-studio the song, but they’re moving. As impact you can with the DVD.” productions, Taline expands her the song moves up in tempo, they At the end of the experience, dialogue to include lessons about have to move faster. They are sing- Taline’s popularity had crossed animals, the Armenian alphabet, ing, playing a game, and learning media from audio to video. Soon, and being Armenian. There is even Taline speaks and body parts in Armenian.” their video was being ordered via a firefighter named Peter, who sings in her native “The key was to make learning talinemusic.com from all corners shows off his e fir fighting gear; Western Armenian. a game,” says Alex. “We’re fortu- of the world. Thanks to the Inter- and of course, the classic Taline Her DVDs, nate to have two kids who watch net and the vast Armenian diaspo- song about the five little ducks however, feature a lot of children’s programming. ra, Yerkenk yev Barenk had become with the camera following little children and We saw what they liked, and what an instant international hit. duckies crossing a creek in a park. guests speaking in they didn’t like. We saw what they “You can’t teach Armenian with each of Armenian found amusing, what they didn’t. verse 5: one video,” says Alex, “but the im- dialects spoken in So we learned a lot from them, portant thing is to communicate the United States. from watching them.” “let’s play together” and some themes. For Making their first DVD was also “yerkenk hayeren” example, we educational, says Alex. “I learned talk about the a lot from Sevak,” he says, ex- Everyone involved in Taline’s sec- A r m e n i a n pressing his gratitude to the head ond full-length DVD agrees that a l p h a b e t of Meridian Studios. “It was a tre- they were a lot more comfortable and explain mendous challenge, trying to find the second time around. “In 2004, that it’s a appropriate footage to put togeth- a lot of the kids who participated very valu- er and come up with something in the second DVD were in the first able thing that looked professional.” DVD the year before,” says Alex. to have our “Our first full-length DVD was in “Their experience helped quite a bit. language.” 2003,” says Taline. “It was called They’d been in front of the camera Part of ‘Yerkenk yev Barenk,’ ‘Let’s Sing before, and they got used to it.” the di- and Dance.’ Once we had the script, “I got used to the camera too,” we put the cast together, found a says Taline. “It was the first time choreographer, the dancers, the in my life that I was being filmed, children, including our older one, singing and dancing. So, I was a Tamar. Vanya was three or four lot more comfortable the at the time, and I don’t think she second time around. was ready for the camera yet.” Now, we have a “When we were producing the total of four firstDVD ,” says Alex, “I wasn’t sure DVDs. One if kids would watch it. You put it is a live, out there, and you hope that kids will watch it and will

Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 5/5/2007 C9 their DVDs become, the less they the kids, taking pictures, meeting are able to recover their expenses. the parents. It’s as if they know “We’ve encountered a prob- Taline. There’s a very strong rela- lem with piracy,” explains Alex. tionship.” “While our first DVD had the low- “I’m like a friend to them,” says Takouhi Saatjian’s est production value, it sold the Taline. “I’m on the same level. We children’s book, most number of copies. The peo- do high fives. We sing and dance Yerken k ou ple who illegally duplicate and together. It’s a lot of fun. I’m one Hamrenk (Let’s sell our DVDs didn’t know about of their friends. That’s how it is. I sing and count) us, so we were able to sell quite a feel it more when I meet the chil- includes a CD by bit. But now, as soon as we pro- dren, and they react like that. I re- Taline. duce something new, the next alize, oh my goodness, they know day it’s pirated so heavily all over me. And then when I go back to my alogue in Yerkenk Hayeren sketch- the world, that it’s very difficult kids, I’m like any other mother.” es, says Alex, focuses on the im- to sell anything and recover your portance of keeping our language expenses.” chorus: sing it y’all alive. “We talk to the kids and then A mother, yes, but not like any reinforce the idea through songs,” verse 6: other mother. With four success- he says. “While Taline and the kids ful DVDs, seven best-selling CDs are playing games and dancing, concerts and tours and countless successful perfor- we’re also communicating some Over the past few years, Taline mances around the world, Taline very important themes about lov- and Alex have invited thousands is definitely not your average ing their friends, respecting their of students from Southern Cali- mother. brothers and sisters.” fornia Armenian schools to their Yes, she is a mother who does The lack of respect for their big Christmas concert. It’s a tradi- what most mother do – sing to copyright is something that is tion that they want to continue their children. now slowing down Taline and and expand to other communi- However, her songs allow other Alex. While they are considering ties. Taline and Alex hope to make Armenian mothers to have an ef- producing a fifth DVD, the small- their Christmas concert tours fective educational tool with which ness of the Armenian market may longer, starting in late October, they can introduce their children not justify the expense of their continuing through January and to the Armenian language. productions. The more popular performing in a different city each Witness a child watching a Taline weekend. video, and it’s enough proof that In addition to her winter tour, whatever je ne sais quoi Taline Ov Em Yes Taline organizes an annual spring has, works. Kids love her, and so Words and Music by Mari tour, which takes her to commu- do their parents. Kids watch and Sarkissian nities throughout the southwest want more. Recorded by Taline in Yegek United States, including a number And the most popular of all of Khaghank Myasin of concerts in Southern Califor- Taline’s works of art? Her lullaby nia. Taline has also performed for album, the Oror CD. Recorded in Ov em yes? Ov em yes? children across the United States, 2004 in their own home studio, it’s Pokrig Hye men em yes. in Europe, and in Australia. On their best production and favorite Hayrenike sirogh, June 24, she’ll appear in Vancou- album, Taline and Alex say. Kach azniv manoog em yes. ver, British Columbia, for the first Proof that songs leaving the time. mouths of mothers to heal, ease, Ge medzanam yes shoudov, “Wherever we go,” says Taline, teach and entertain their chil- Tbrots gertam kirkerov, “the response is very, very positive. dren must be one of the most Hon sorvim kirern hayots, The kids are always happy, and I’m natural and beautiful, divine, Vor krets Mesrob Mashdots. happy when I meet them. We feel holy human acts of interaction. a connection. During the concert, Because that’s what humans do, Ov em yes? Ov em yes? they’re all up dancing. We pick the sing. And mothers take that act Pokrig Hye men em yes. most popular songs to perform, one step closer to the divine by Hayrenike sirogh, and we ask for volunteers.” singing to their own flesh and Kach azniv manoog em yes. “There’s a tremendous connec- blood, reaching out with a cul- Hayasdane sirogh, tion and love,” echoes Alex. “Af- tural lesson that perhaps makes Kach azniv manoog em yes. ter each concert, Taline spends possible the self-preservation of about two hours meeting with the children of Hayk. f

C10 Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 5/5/2007 Lola Koundakjian takes Armenian poetry online

On the popular iTunes podcasting service, Armenian poetry may be downloaded regularly thanks to the Armenian Poetry Project. The Armenian Reporter asked the APP’s Lola Koundakjian to explain their pods and what reaction they have received so far.

Q: What is the Armenian Poetry Project? A: APP is a blog created to pro- vide weekly RSS feeds of Armenian poems in original and translated forms. It’s curated in 3 languages: Armenian and English, with the recent addition of some French. Q: How do people hear it and participate? A: Online through iTunes and other feed readers, and by sim- ply visiting the website http:// armenian-poetry.blogspot.com Q: How many podcasts have you produced so far? A: As I am approaching the 1st anniversary, I have released over 55 podcasts, including special issues. Q: Who have been the featured poets? A: Every reader and every au- R.H. Lola Koundakjian reads Armenian poetry. Photos: Narine Karamyan thor has made a unique and spe- cial contribution. I don’t have any A: At first I was the only reader. though iTunes only displays a featured guests. Some of the writ- Within a month I had volunteers. few recent ones, the blog has a ers are very famous, others are I usually request or suggest 5 po- year’s worth of text and audio budding, while others are com- ems, and we sit for a recording clips, organized in categories pletely unknown or “lost.” session. I then produce them in such as Armenia, Canada, France, Q: What type of reaction have one shot. Afterwards I prepare a Diaspora. you had to the APP? schedule and release one per week. Q: Why poetry? A: Ninety-nine percent positive, During the course of the week, I A: It’s a great introduction to although there are some readers may post additional poems in text literature and culture in general, who are not pleased with my se- only (with or without translation). and to the Armenian culture in lections. I use only UNICODE for the Arme- particular. As opposed to prose, Q: How do you determine whose nian text encoding. This means poetry is shorter, creating small poetry you will use? the text is available in google and audio clips, and therefore acces- A: It’s completely subjective. I other search engines in Armenian. sible to listeners who are dialing have to like them. Q: Are all the previously pro- up. My readers are currently in 84 Q: How often to you produce duced episodes available? countries and most do not have

Poetry podcasts? A: Yes. And they’re free. Al- fast Internet access.

Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 5/5/2007 C11 Q: Where do you see the pod- sonal growth just attending and casts in the next several years? participating in the many events Are there plans to increase the this city offers. Just this week, I number of pods, take them to non- attended several lectures at the Internet audiences? “PEN World Voices Festival,” which A: I have a core support group had 160 writers from all over the which meets quarterly as mem- world in town. I was able to talk to bers of the “Dead Armenian Poet’s several authors, hear them read in Society”. We read and comment their native tongues and through about poetry, and then open a translations. bottle of wine (or two). For the past 25 years, I have We have talked of publishing a worked extensively with clay, ex- volume for APP as well as working hibiting in and around New York with translations of works by for- City. My work is in collections on Lola Koundakjian gotten poets. three continents. I have dabbled a has released Depending on the availability of little with other visual arts. For 12 over 55 podcasts readers and writers, I can certain- years I have served on the board of over the past ly increase the feeds. the Ararat quarterly, but I hadn’t year through the Ideally, I’d like to have a core written much since my college Armenian Poetry fund to pay my readers and writ- days. When I revived the Dead Project. ers who have been so far volun- Armenian Poet’s Society in 2005, teers. Although I accept donations, I also had the impetus to write ther’s work, and the Armenian I have received only one donation, again. Podcasting seemed a natu- public a chance to read works during the course of the entire ral extension of DAPS and writing. that were forgotten. year this program has been pro- Q: Who have been the biggest The second story involves duced! artistic influences in your life. ­Marine Petrossian, a poet in Ar- Q: How many hits and down- A: It’s a very long list! And it’s menia. I met her last fall, and loads have you had so far? growing all the time. she was kind enough to read to A: Over 8,000 hits and down- Q: What themes do you find me for a recording session. After loads in less than a year. yourself drawn to when you are some of the audio clips were re- Q: How can people without writing? leased, a man in Barcelona con- iPods or without Internet access A: I write urban poetry. I have tacted me asking for her email enjoy the work you do? very few pastoral themes. I also address. As a result of her ap- A: APP exists because of the write about the human condition. pearance on APP, Marine will be Internet – and is concentrated At my very first reading on April 21, travelling to Spain next month, around that medium. at the Cornelia Street cafe, in the and reading her work in Barcelo- On the other hand, you don’t Greenwich Village, I had to make na; her poetry will be translated need to own an MP3 player, but an effort to balance poems about into Catalan. I am regularly cor- you need Internet access through war, poverty, and inequality with responding with Armenian poets a PC or Mac. iTunes (Windows happier themes. of all ages throughout the world, and Mac) is a free download. In Q: Anything else you want to and researching at the New York addition, the feeds are compatible add? Public Library. with any feed reader application. A: Two special stories and com- I would like to ask your read- You can subscribe with Yahoo, ments or recommendations: ers to (a) read Armenian works Feedburner, Odeo, and so forth. The first is about a Swedish in general, and (b) make an effort All the episodes are free. man who contacted me via email to borrow from the circulation Q: Tell us about your back- and informed me his grandfather department of your local library, ground, your ventures into poetry was an Armenian poet. After as well as purchase volumes; en- and the other arts. some research I discovered that courage young authors by attend- A: I’ve been involved with fine the poet was Harout Kostandyan ing their readings; explore other arts since a very young age. When who, although unknown by the regions of the diaspora and Arme- I moved to New York City at the general public, remained a highly nia. Our culture is neither static age of 17, the art world here was regarded poet. Since this first nor concentrated in one geogra- so much bigger than what I had contact, I have read and trans- phy. We are ever evolving. experienced growing up and lated some of his work, giving Q: Thank you. f through my travels. To this day, I his grandson an opportunity to connect: am experiencing tremendous per- finally understand his grandfa- [email protected]

C12 Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 5/5/2007 An unsentimental journey Elif Shafak, The Bastard of Istanbul cide. Barsam’s mother, Shushan, Because intellectuals (Viking, 2007). wants to rescue Armanoush from were the first to be this fate. Rose admits to herself eliminated, the older reviewed by Marilyn Arguelles that part of her initial attraction to Mustafa was the knowledge that generation is not pleased Barsam’s family would be aghast at with Armanoush’s This is a boisterous novel, full of in- her marrying a Turk. But she saw interest in books. teresting, mostly female characters this as just retribution for their re- who live in Istanbul, San Francisco, ferring to her as an odar, which was and Arizona. It is a mandala of fam- the very first word she learned in Mustafa’s family. They welcome her ily connections and loyalties, with Armenian, and for continuing to with a sumptuous meal and are im- more than one surprise at the end. treat her as an outsider. pressed that Armanoush knows the Asya, 19, lives in Istanbul with So we have Asya in Istanbul and names of the dishes. It is then that her mother, Zeliah Kazanci, her Armanoush in San Francisco and Armanoush tells the family that she three aunts, grandmother. and Tucson, both young, modern women is Armenian-American and that her great grandmother. Each member with confusing family backgrounds. grandmother prepares these same of this household is idiosyncratic Asya is a rebel, given to drinking, dishes. As she begins to explain her in some way: a tattoo artist, a clair- smoking, and consorting with un- father’s family history and what voyant, a hypochondriac, and a usual characters at the Café Kundera. happened to her ancestors in 1915, it history teacher who tries, without Asya’s relatives don’t know what she becomes apparent that the Kazan- much success, to bring order to the is doing when she’s away from home, cis – even the history teacher aun- chaotic household. There was one and they believe her when she says tie – view anything that happened male in this generation, Mustafa, she is taking ballet lessons. Arma- before 1923 as history from another who was the favored child. By mov- noush, who is described as very country and another people. While ing to America as a young man, he beautiful, is happiest when reading Armanoush is in Istanbul, the past had hoped to avoid an early death, novels. Her grandmother and aunts is revisited, secrets are revealed, and the fate of the Kazanci men. disapprove of this, and Armanoush connections are unearthed. We also Armanoush Tchakhmakhchian senses this is a cultural survival in- learn the identity of Asya’s father. (or Amy, as her American mother stinct. That is, because the writers, The author, who is a professor of calls her) is Mustafa’s stepdaughter. poets, and intellectuals had been the Near Eastern studies at the Univer- Her mother, Rose, was divorced first to be eliminated, she feels the sity of Arizona, was charged with from Armanoush’s father, Barsam. older generation, although proud “public denigration of Turkishness” Rose felt like an outsider in her of her intellectual curiosity, does when this novel was published. husband’s large extended family not want her to be seen as anything (The charge was later dropped.) and blamed the failure of her first other than ordinary. Armanoush is Elif Shafak has written a family marriage on what she saw as con- a member of the Anoush Tree sec- saga against the backdrop of con- stant interference from Barsam’s tion of Café Constantinopolis, a flicting historical memories. She family. Uncle Dikran Stamboulian, chat room whose participants are uses humor, tragedy, social com- described as someone who “every grandchildren of families once based mentary, and mysticism to tell the year adds another layer of flab to in Istanbul. They choose a specific story of two families, so different his infamous belly, like a tree trunk discussion topic each week, tending and yet so similar, who represent adding a growth ring with the to revolve around their common en- the interconnectedness of all peo- passing of each year,” is outraged emy, the Turks. The author includes ple. The novel’s central question is when Rose accepts Mustafa’s mar- a good bit of political dialogue and whether it is better for society to riage proposal, asking how Barsam Armenian history in the chat room examine the past or to disregard can allow his daughter to be raised discussions. it, to acknowledge wrongdoing by a Turk. He worries that she will Because Armanoush had always or to live with collective amnesia. be brainwashed to deny the Geno- felt divided between her Armenian Through her writing, Ms. Shafak father and American mother and shows herself to be fair-minded Marilyn Arguelles, assistant to the because she yearns to find her iden- and brave when considering “the vice president of instruction at Merced­ tity, she decides to travel to visit her Armenian question.” It is an unsen- College, is an avid reader of fiction and Grandma Shushan’s ancestral home timental journey, one well worth

Books ­biographies. in Turkey and arranges to stay with taking. f

Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 5/5/2007 C13 Telethon debauchery on stage

Comedians and large checks in small amounts heartaches. Headed by the Karo to community leaders seeking and Gor Kirakosian father-and- audience laugh at the fame, from local cable talk show son team, featured previously in absurdness seen on TV hosts crossing gender boundar- the Armenian Reporter, the troupe ies and trying to be sensational- brought the evening to a close with fundraisers ists to incredibly accurate yet pa- a musical finale. Had the telethon For two sold-out night at the Alex thetic stereotypes of Armenians, been real, said Kirakosian at the Theater in Glendale, the comedy nothing was left untouched, no end, Demq would have taken the group known as Demq produced holds barred. The audience knew proceeds and torn down the Alex one of the most hilarious parodies what they were coming to see, Theater to build in its place a rep- its talented troupe of performers and the Demq team asked them lica of the Opera in Yerevan and has ever staged. The show was to put reality on hold for a few purchased every audience mem- called “the Demq Telethon,” and hours and have fun making fun ber a first-class roundtrip ticket to it mocked everything that could of its diasporan existence. Demq, the homeland. It’s good to know and perhaps should have been well known in Southern Califor- an Armenian audience can laugh left sacred. From the construc- nia for their local cable comedy at itself, its stars, performers, ste- tion of roads in Karabakh to per- TV shows and stage productions reotypes, and its determined an- fectly mimicked Armenian pop rose to the occasion to provide nual drive to build the homeland’s and rabiz performers, from ultra­ some comic relief to a communi- infrastructure through the real fascistic sounding, patriotic scouts ty riddled with historic and con- telethons – which can, sometimes,

Comedy making an appearance to hand temporary challenges, issues and be funny as well. f

C14 Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 5/5/2007 Demq Telethon Cast ANNA UZUNYAN JACKIE AGARONYAN DAVID TOVMASYAN SRPUHI POGHOSYAN GOR KIRAKOSIAN (written by) LEVON PETROSSIAN GOR KIRAKOSIAN ARTAK HOVSEPYAN ARTAK HOVSEPYAN LEVON GOVBASHYAN LEVON PETROSSIAN HAKOP PETROSSIAN (music by) ARTAK OGANYAN VACHE TER-YEGISHYAN SHAHE NDARBINYAN (lighting by) HAKOP MANKIKYAN NEPTUNE PRODUCTIONS VAHE ATALARYAN (produced by) KARPIS KASABYAN KARO KIRAKOSIAN GEVORG GRIGORYAN (directed by) ARAM GASPARYAN GOR KIRAKOSIAN TAGUI BASMADZHYAN KARO KIRAKOSIAN ARMINE POGHOSYAN

A parody of televised Armenian fundraisers such as the Armenia Fund’s Thanksgiving 2006 telethon, during which Armenians across the globe pledged $13.7 million to help rebuild the homeland.

Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 5/5/2007 C15 Actress-playwright Adriana Sevan’s career is Taking Flight triumphantly

by Lisa Kirazian acclaimed theater productions productions: Sarah Ruhl’s The across the country, as well as in Clean House, Nilo Cruz’s Anna in television and film. the Tropics and Two Sisters and a She is a passionate performer and Her range as an actress is im- Piano, and The Caucasian Chalk Cir- has made a fine reputation as an pressive. She received praise, for cle. She also performed Two Sisters actress in plays at South Coast example, for her fine at the Public Theater in New Repertory Theater in Costa Mesa, work in four York. She also appeared American Conservatory Theater South Coast in Tom Stoppard’s (ACT) in San Francisco, and the Repertory Indian Ink at Public Theater in New York. She ACT has also appeared in “Law and Or- der” and “Sex in the City” on tele- vision and in feature films. She is also a playwright who cites writer Nilo Cruz, dancer Rudolf Nureyev, and actor/writer John Leguizamo as major influ- ences. She is a native New Yorker – born of an Armenian mother who was a dancer, and a Basque- ­Dominican father who was an op- era singer. Her parents met and fell in love while performing in a show together. So, as actress-playwright Adri- ana Sevan says, “I followed them into the family business.” According to Adriana Sevan, she began her artistic life as a danc- er, but after an injury, she found her way into a theater improvisa- tion class and was hooked. She received her BFA in theater from the City College of New York, and proceeded to work in critically

Lisa Kirazian is a playwright and on the Advisory Board of the Armenian Dramat­ ic Arts Alliance. Her play “The Blackstone Sessions,” was part of the ADAA/Foun­ tain Theatre Playreading Series in No­

Stage vember, 2006. Taking Flight at LA Theatre Works in January 2007. Photo: Annie Appel.

C16 Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 5/5/2007 in San Francisco, and Henry V at Shakespeare & Company. Sevan also won an award at The Denver International Film Festival for her portrayal of Priscilla in Patrice Johnson’s critically acclaimed de- but film,King’s County. But she did not start writing for theater until after September 11, 2001. Says Sevan: “I had always kept journals and enjoyed sounding things out on the page, but I never set out to write a play. In 2002, I was invited by INTAR, a theater in New York, to present a 15-minute piece within an evening called, 9/11: Writers Respond. I went into a studio with director Giovanna Sardelli, with nothing but pictures, grief, and a sweater that my friend, who was seriously injured in the attacks, had given me. I emerged several weeks later with a theater piece and the mustard seed of what Adriana Sevan would become the full-length play with Kirk Douglas. called Taking Flight.” Taking Flight is a one-woman the September 11 attack forever “It is my intention that we might show exploring the depth of affected her friendship with a all leave the theater inspired to friendship in the face of disas- friend who was gravely injured love even more. I am grateful to ter, and the restorative power of that day. She received a standing my Armenian grandfather for forgiveness and redemption. The ovation, including praise from the teaching me this, for even after play was created in a workshop at namesake of the theater, the actor having lost everything during the the Mark Taper Forum and later Kirk Douglas himself, who was in Genocide, he never lost his capac- developed at Robert Redford’s the audience that night. ity to love.” prestigious Sundance Theatre Taking Flight then aired nation- In fact, Sevan is now delving Lab. Taking Flight had its world wide on public radio on March 24 into the stories of her Armenian premiere in Los Angeles at Center through the LA Theatre Works se- grandfather to explore how she Theatre Group’s Kirk Douglas The- ries, “The Play’s the Thing.” Sevan might expand them into a play. atre and was chosen at yearend as also performed the play live at She says: “I want very much to one of the ten best plays of 2006 the San Diego Repertory Theater, write about him and his extraordi- by Evan Henderson of the Los An- from March 15 to April 1, again nary heart.” Sevan also wishes to geles Daily News. to fine reviews and audiences who travel to Armenia soon to “experi- On her dramatic opening night were deeply moved. ence his birthplace. I would be the at the Douglas, Sevan acciden- At the end of the San Diego run first in my family to return since tally hurt herself (she severed her of her play, Adriana Sevan received the Genocide.” anterior cruciate ligament) and an audience response unlike any Sevan is writing a collection of writhed in pain onstage as the au- other she has ever experienced. personal essays and a children’s dience was ushered out and para- As she took her final bow at the book. So she is quite a busy art- medics were ushered in. Sevan closing show, her boyfriend took ist these days. Following the suc- bravely decided to continue with the stage and (with the help of the cess of Taking Flight in San Di- the show, propped up with ban- technicians), proposed to Adriana ego, there are several regional daging and ice packs. The audi- on bended knee, complete with theaters across the country that ence was ushered back in, amazed lights and sound. She accepted will be producing the play in the by the courage and passion Sevan and has been thrilled ever since. next year. exhibited in performing through They have not yet set a date but, At this remarkable time, Adri- her inner and outer pain, telling Sevan says, “it feels wonderful” to ana Sevan’s life and career are tak- the heartbreaking story of how be engaged. ing flight, triumphantly. f

Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 5/5/2007 C17 Smooth sailing to “Utopia”

reviewed by Aram Kouyoumdjian

The long nineteenth century – as the eminent historian Eric Hobsbawm has termed it – os- tensibly began in 1789 with the French Revolution and ended at the outset of World War I in 1914. At the midpoint between those two major historical events, the century saw a wave of nationalist revolutions, most prominently in 1848, that swept through France and the rest of Europe. They were, for the most part, quickly and eas- Brian F. O’Byrne, Jennifer Ehle, and Bianca Amato in “The Coast of Utopia.” ily suppressed. In Russia, revolution came later on the development of the Arme- their understanding of Belinskii, – in 1917. The overthrow of the em- nian liberation movement. Chernyshevskii, and Herzen.” pire’s czarist regime, however, had The nexus seems to be the The Lincoln Center’s monumen- been long in the making. The De- poet Mikael Nalbandian, whose tal production of “The Coast of cembrist uprising in 1825, despite most famous patriotic composi- Utopia” – an American premiere ending in failure, had inspired an tion, “Mer Hayrenik” (Our father- – boasts a marquee cast (includ- entire generation of young Rus- land), became the anthem of the ing screen actors Ethan Hawke sian revolutionaries agitating for Armenian nation. Nalbandian’s and Billy Crudup), an esteemed change. propagandistic writings – along director, and a stellar design team. Some of those early revolu- with those of fellow poet Rafayel Their combined talents deliver a tionaries – including Alexander Patkanian and the novelist Raffi virtuoso staging that captures the Herzen, the father of Russian (Hagop Melik Hagopian) – advo- breadth of intellect, emotion, and socialism, and Michael Bakunin, cated liberty through revolution. humor in Stoppard’s writing. the father of modern anarchism, Nalbandian spent time with Stoppard belongs to the elite along with novelist Ivan Tur- “Russian émigré revolutionary of English-language playwrights, genev, poet Nicholas Ogarev, and circles in London,” according to and his contributions to dra- literary critic Vissarion Belin- Vartan Gregorian, and established matic culture now span five de- sky – have been given new life “close personal ties” with Herzen cades – starting with the seminal as key characters in playwright and Bakunin, Ogarev and Turgenev. “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Tom Stoppard’s epic trilogy, “The These connections contributed to are Dead” in the late 1960s. The Coast of Utopia,” now playing at Nalbandian’s undoing in czarist highlights from subsequent de- the Lincoln Center in New York Russia, where he was jailed for his cades include “Jumpers” and City. activities. He died in exile, of tu- “Travesties” in the 1970s, “The The early Russian revolution- berculosis, while only in his 40s. Real Thing” in the 1980s, and the aries influenced the Armenian Gregorian notes that “Nalban- incandescent masterpiece “Arca- nationalist movement that awak- dian was not the only Armenian dia” in the 1990s. ened in the second half of the 19th intellectual who was influenced by “The Coast of Utopia,” a 21st- century. Historians see the direct the writings of such men as Be- century work, tells a 19th-century influence of Herzen and company linskii, Chernyshevskii, Nekrasov, tale about the philosophical and and Herzen. Others, such as Bar- political journeys of the early Rus- Aram Kouyoumdjian is the winner of Elly segh Bastamiantz, [Rafayel] Pat- sian revolutionary thinkers, their Awards for both playwriting (“The Fare­ kanian, and Gevork Yevangulian, lives marked by occasional tri- wells”) and directing (“Three Hotels”). between 1855 and 1865 tried to de- umph, frequent disillusionment,

Theater His latest work is “Velvet Revolution.” velop aesthetic theories based on and constant struggle – if not al-

C18 Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 5/5/2007 together cut short by tuberculosis, effect on an audience all too aware plays in one day may sound in- a scourge of the age. of the tragic events to follow. timidating. However, after one is “Voyage,” part one of the trilogy, By “Salvage,” the concluding play, totally immersed in Stoppard’s focuses on Michael Bakunin as it Herzen is in London and in the engrossing story – so brilliantly unfolds on the vast estate of Pre- company of political exiles stok- staged and executed – one cannot mukhino at a time when a land- ing the fires of revolution in their conceive of experiencing it in any owner’s holdings were measured home countries from afar. Herzen other way. Rather, one only hopes in the number of serfs – or “souls” reunites with his friend Ogarev to that the story of the Armenian na- – he had. The episodic first act publish “The Bell,” an incendiary tionalist movement can one day – written in the sentimental style journal smuggled into Russia – and be told with equal richesse of in- of classical Russian novels (but the likely inspiration for the Arme- tellect and artistry. f laced with Stoppard’s signature nian-language Hunchak (Clarion). wit) – captures the family drama Herzen glories in the emancipa- of the Bakunins, including the tion of Russia’s serfs (in 1861), but romantic and (often arranged) his luster begins to fade with the marital attachments of Michael’s emergence of a new generation of sisters. It is Michael’s search for radicals and nihilists. It will be up ideology, however, that fuels an to Russia’s “new men” to weather intergenerational conflict with the country’s approaching storm. his traditionalist father. As the The production dazzles from its young Bakunin rejects the values first moment, which recreates the of the landed aristocracy, he nav- effect of a storm through the use igates a confused path through of huge swaths of flowing fabric, German philosophy, leapfrog- bathed in blue light and flooded Left: Evan Daves, ging from Kant and Schelling to with the sound of raging waters. Brian F. O’Byrne Fichte and Hegel. In the second Herzen, perching atop the waves, and Kat Peters. act, the action moves to Moscow is swallowed up by the storm and Below: Ethan and Saint Petersburg, as the play disappears into its vortex. The Hawke. shifts back and forth in time to fabric follows into the vortex, re- establish the budding anarchist’s vealing the stunning set by Bob first associations with Herzen Crowley and Scott Pask; their ex- and his circle. quisite design is sublimely lit by In “Shipwreck,” the second play Brian MacDevitt, Kenneth Posner, in the trilogy, the focus turns to and Natasha Katz. The technically Herzen, who has left Russia with flawless production is further en- his family to seek medical care hanced by Mark Bennett’s original for his deaf son, Kolya, in Europe. music and sound, and Catherine Herzen is at first buoyed by the Zuber’s costumes. swell of nationalism in Europe, Director Jack O’Brien molds but becomes shipwrecked, philo- these design elements into a sophically, as revolutions are coherent vision as he guides a stifled and the Second French 40-member cast performing 80 Republic reverts to monarchy. At speaking parts. The Oscar-nomi- the same time, Herzen suffers nated Hawke relishes the role of devastating personal misfortunes, Bakunin, although his approach including the loss of his Kolya at to it is quite modern in sensibil- sea. “I wish it hadn’t happened ity. Crudup treats the disheveled, at night,” the grieving father la- awkward Belinsky with sensitiv- ments. “He couldn’t hear in the ity, while Brian F. O’Byrne infuses dark. He couldn’t see your lips.” Herzen with restraint and gravi- The emotionally gripping “Ship- tas. Josh Hamilton lends surpris- wreck” saves its best scene for the ing depth to Ogarev, as Richard end, as Stoppard replays the mo- Easton and Martha Plimpton ment back in Russia when Herzen shine in multiple roles. first receives permission to take The trilogy can be seen over his family abroad. The joyous three nights or in day-long mara- mood onstage creates a chilling thons on certain weekends. Three

Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 5/5/2007 C19 Satellite Broadcast Program Grid 7 –13 MAY

7 May 8 May 9 May 10 May 11 May 12 May 13 May EST PST Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday PST EST Saturday Sunday

10:30 7:30 Good Morning, Armenians! Good Morning, Armenians! Good Morning, Armenians! Good Morning, Armenians! Good Morning, Armenians! 7:30 10:30 Armenian Music Armenian Music 11:00 8:00 8:00 11:00 11:30 8:30 News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian 8:30 11:30 News in Armenian News in Armenian 12:00 9:00 The Clone- Serial The Clone- Serial The Clone- Serial The Clone- Serial The Clone- Serial 9:00 12:00 The Clone- Serial The Clone- Serial 12:30 9:30 9:30 12:30 13:00 10:00 In Reality In Reality In Reality In Reality The Making of A Film + 10:00 13:00 Furor Exclusive 13:30 10:30 The Making of A Film + Furor Cool Program Music Videos Armenian Film 10:30 13:30 Discovery Discovery 14:00 11:00 Armenian Film Health Program Discovery Yo-Yo Show 11:00 14:00 Cool Program Cool Program 14:30 11:30 Big, Fat Armenian Wedding Big, Fat Armenian Wedding Big, Fat Armenian Wedding 11:30 14:30 The Century Armenia-Diaspora 15:00 12:00 News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian 12:00 15:00 Armenia-Diaspora Furor 15:30 12:30 The Capital Our Victory Cool Program 12:30 15:30 Express The Century 16:00 13:00 Music Videos Belisima - Serial Belisima - Serial Belisima - Serial Belisima - Serial 13:00 16:00 Belisima - Serial Yo-Yo Show 16:30 13:30 The Week 13:30 16:30 17:00 14:00 Armenia-Diaspora The Century Journalistic Research Journalistic Research Super Duet - rehearsals 14:00 17:00 Super Duet - rehearsals Super Duet - rehearsals 17:30 14:30 News in English News in English News in English News in English News in English 14:30 17:30 News in Armenian VOA (The Voice of America) 18:00 15:00 Cartoon Cartoon Cartoon Cartoon Cartoon 15:00 18:00 Cartoon Cartoon 18:30 15:30 Cool Program Cool Program Cool Program Cool Program Cool Program 15:30 18:30 Hot Line Hot Line 19:00 16:00 The Clone- Serial The Clone- Serial The Clone- Serial The Clone- Serial The Clone- Serial 16:00 19:00 The Clone- Serial The Clone- Serial 19:30 16:30 16:30 19:30 20:00 17:00 Super Duet - Concert (repeat) Exclusive Exclusive Exclusive Exclusive 17:00 20:00 Exclusive Exclusive 20:30 17:30 Norutuynner Norutuynner Super Duet - rehearsals Super Duet - rehearsals 17:30 20:30 Super Duet - rehearsals Blitz 21:00 18:00 Blitz Blitz Blitz Special Lesson 18:00 21:00 Blitz Super Duet - Concert 21:30 18:30 News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian 18:30 21:30 News in Armenian 22:00 19:00 Belisima - Serial Belisima - Serial Belisima - Serial Belisima - Serial Belisima - Serial 19:00 22:00 Furor 22:30 19:30 19:30 22:30 Cool Program Cool Program 23:00 20:00 In Reality In Reality In Reality In Reality Big, Fat Armenian Wedding 20:00 23:00 Big, Fat Armenian Wedding Big, Fat Armenian Wedding 23:30 20:30 News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian 20:30 23:30 News in Armenian News in Armenian 00:00 21:00 Express Express Express Express Express 21:00 00:00 The Century Yerevan Time 00:30 21:30 Monte Christo - Serial Monte Christo - Serial Monte Christo - Serial Monte Christo - Serial Monte Christo - Serial 21:30 00:30 Monte Christo - Serial Monte Christo - Serial 1:00 22:00 22:00 1:00 1:30 22:30 Exclusive Exclusive Exclusive Exclusive Exclusive 22:30 1:30 The Making of A Film + IT Express 2:00 23:00 News in English News in English News in English News in English News in English 23:00 2:00 Armenian Film The Week 2:30 23:30 Special Lesson Discovery Journalistic Research Personal Case In Reality 23:30 2:30 Cool Program 3:00 00:00 AntiStress AntiStress AntiStress AntiStress Fathers & Sons 00:00 3:00 News 3:30 00:30 00:30 3:30 Music Videos 4:00 1:00 News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian 1:00 4:00 News in Armenian News in Armenian 4:30 1:30 The Century The Century The Century Music Videos Special Lesson 1:30 4:30 Cool Program The Century 5:00 2:00 Before Sleep Before Sleep Before Sleep Before Sleep The Century 2:00 5:00 Exclusive Discovery 5:30 2:30 Armenia-Diaspora Bleff Our Victory Tempus Big, Fat Armenian Wedding 2:30 5:30 Big, Fat Armenian Wedding Big, Fat Armenian Wedding 6:00 3:00 Cartoon Cartoon Cartoon Cartoon Cartoon 3:00 6:00 Cartoon Cartoon 6:30 3:30 The Week Cool Program Cool Program Cool Program Cool Program 3:30 6:30 Hot Line Hot Line 7:00 4:00 Blitz Blitz Blitz Blitz Blitz 4:00 7:00 Bleff Bleff 7:30 4:30 Norutuynner Norutuynner Norutuynner Norutuynner Norutuynner 4:30 7:30 Armenia-Diaspora Exclusive 8:00 5:00 Express Express Express Express Express 5:00 8:00 Blitz Blitz 8:30 5:30 Belisima - Serial Belisima - Serial Belisima - Serial Belisima - Serial Belisima - Serial 5:30 8:30 Express IT Express 9:00 6:00 6:00 9:00 Furor Furor 9:30 6:30 Monte Christo - Serial Monte Christo - Serial Monte Christo - Serial Monte Christo - Serial Monte Christo - Serial 6:30 9:30 Monte Christo - Serial Monte Christo - Serial 10:00 7:00 7:00 10:00

C20 Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 5/5/2007 Satellite Broadcast Program Grid 7 –13 MAY

7 May 8 May 9 May 10 May 11 May 12 May 13 May EST PST Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday PST EST Saturday Sunday

10:30 7:30 Good Morning, Armenians! Good Morning, Armenians! Good Morning, Armenians! Good Morning, Armenians! Good Morning, Armenians! 7:30 10:30 Armenian Music Armenian Music 11:00 8:00 8:00 11:00 11:30 8:30 News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian 8:30 11:30 News in Armenian News in Armenian 12:00 9:00 The Clone- Serial The Clone- Serial The Clone- Serial The Clone- Serial The Clone- Serial 9:00 12:00 The Clone- Serial The Clone- Serial 12:30 9:30 9:30 12:30 13:00 10:00 In Reality In Reality In Reality In Reality The Making of A Film + 10:00 13:00 Furor Exclusive 13:30 10:30 The Making of A Film + Furor Cool Program Music Videos Armenian Film 10:30 13:30 Discovery Discovery 14:00 11:00 Armenian Film Health Program Discovery Yo-Yo Show 11:00 14:00 Cool Program Cool Program 14:30 11:30 Big, Fat Armenian Wedding Big, Fat Armenian Wedding Big, Fat Armenian Wedding 11:30 14:30 The Century Armenia-Diaspora 15:00 12:00 News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian 12:00 15:00 Armenia-Diaspora Furor 15:30 12:30 The Capital Our Victory Cool Program 12:30 15:30 Express The Century 16:00 13:00 Music Videos Belisima - Serial Belisima - Serial Belisima - Serial Belisima - Serial 13:00 16:00 Belisima - Serial Yo-Yo Show 16:30 13:30 The Week 13:30 16:30 17:00 14:00 Armenia-Diaspora The Century Journalistic Research Journalistic Research Super Duet - rehearsals 14:00 17:00 Super Duet - rehearsals Super Duet - rehearsals 17:30 14:30 News in English News in English News in English News in English News in English 14:30 17:30 News in Armenian VOA (The Voice of America) 18:00 15:00 Cartoon Cartoon Cartoon Cartoon Cartoon 15:00 18:00 Cartoon Cartoon 18:30 15:30 Cool Program Cool Program Cool Program Cool Program Cool Program 15:30 18:30 Hot Line Hot Line 19:00 16:00 The Clone- Serial The Clone- Serial The Clone- Serial The Clone- Serial The Clone- Serial 16:00 19:00 The Clone- Serial The Clone- Serial 19:30 16:30 16:30 19:30 20:00 17:00 Super Duet - Concert (repeat) Exclusive Exclusive Exclusive Exclusive 17:00 20:00 Exclusive Exclusive 20:30 17:30 Norutuynner Norutuynner Super Duet - rehearsals Super Duet - rehearsals 17:30 20:30 Super Duet - rehearsals Blitz 21:00 18:00 Blitz Blitz Blitz Special Lesson 18:00 21:00 Blitz Super Duet - Concert 21:30 18:30 News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian 18:30 21:30 News in Armenian 22:00 19:00 Belisima - Serial Belisima - Serial Belisima - Serial Belisima - Serial Belisima - Serial 19:00 22:00 Furor 22:30 19:30 19:30 22:30 Cool Program Cool Program 23:00 20:00 In Reality In Reality In Reality In Reality Big, Fat Armenian Wedding 20:00 23:00 Big, Fat Armenian Wedding Big, Fat Armenian Wedding 23:30 20:30 News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian 20:30 23:30 News in Armenian News in Armenian 00:00 21:00 Express Express Express Express Express 21:00 00:00 The Century Yerevan Time 00:30 21:30 Monte Christo - Serial Monte Christo - Serial Monte Christo - Serial Monte Christo - Serial Monte Christo - Serial 21:30 00:30 Monte Christo - Serial Monte Christo - Serial 1:00 22:00 22:00 1:00 1:30 22:30 Exclusive Exclusive Exclusive Exclusive Exclusive 22:30 1:30 The Making of A Film + IT Express 2:00 23:00 News in English News in English News in English News in English News in English 23:00 2:00 Armenian Film The Week 2:30 23:30 Special Lesson Discovery Journalistic Research Personal Case In Reality 23:30 2:30 Cool Program 3:00 00:00 AntiStress AntiStress AntiStress AntiStress Fathers & Sons 00:00 3:00 News 3:30 00:30 00:30 3:30 Music Videos 4:00 1:00 News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian News in Armenian 1:00 4:00 News in Armenian News in Armenian 4:30 1:30 The Century The Century The Century Music Videos Special Lesson 1:30 4:30 Cool Program The Century 5:00 2:00 Before Sleep Before Sleep Before Sleep Before Sleep The Century 2:00 5:00 Exclusive Discovery 5:30 2:30 Armenia-Diaspora Bleff Our Victory Tempus Big, Fat Armenian Wedding 2:30 5:30 Big, Fat Armenian Wedding Big, Fat Armenian Wedding Take a journey through history with one of the most respected and best-known television personalities 6:00 3:00 Cartoon Cartoon Cartoon Cartoon Cartoon 3:00 6:00 Cartoon Cartoon in Armenia, Artem Sargsyan. Each week, Mr. Sargsyan leads viewers through corridors of history in his 6:30 3:30 The Week Cool Program Cool Program Cool Program Cool Program 3:30 6:30 Hot Line Hot Line program, “Century.” Venture into lands far away. Meet the heroes, the influentials, and the artists of 7:00 4:00 Blitz Blitz Blitz Blitz Blitz 4:00 7:00 Bleff Bleff Armenian history, its colorful, powerful, and remarkable past. Travel to Armenian communities in the 7:30 4:30 Norutuynner Norutuynner Norutuynner Norutuynner Norutuynner 4:30 7:30 Armenia-Diaspora Exclusive Middle East and Europe and connect with the knowledge of how today’s Armenia and today’s Armenians 8:00 5:00 Express Express Express Express Express 5:00 8:00 Blitz Blitz have been affected by the players of yesteryear. 8:30 5:30 Belisima - Serial Belisima - Serial Belisima - Serial Belisima - Serial Belisima - Serial 5:30 8:30 Express IT Express Connecting the diaspora to Armenia, Armenia TV is now available in the United 9:00 6:00 6:00 9:00 Furor Furor States and in your home on the Dish Network. Call 888-284-7116, ask for a Super 9:30 6:30 Monte Christo - Serial Monte Christo - Serial Monte Christo - Serial Monte Christo - Serial Monte Christo - Serial 6:30 9:30 Monte Christo - Serial Monte Christo - Serial Dish and tune into Armenia TV, the most talked about Armenian network in the 10:00 7:00 7:00 10:00 Republic of Armenia, the Middle East, Russia, Europe, and now the United States.

Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 5/5/2007 C21 “We never spoke about those things...” by Nancy Kricorian houses on our street, six of them The narrative spilled out of were homes to Armenian families. my grandmother as though she In adolescence my main goal was had been waiting for years for There is a line in my novel Zabelle to escape little Armenia with its someone to ask her. I took that when the title character says, re- fractured English, its Armenian fragmented monologue, as I re- ferring to the mass deportations shopkeepers, and waves of Ar- membered it (I made notes, but and killings that came to be called menian immigrants. There was didn’t have the foresight to tape the Armenian Genocide: “We nev- also something downtrodden and record it) and I shaped it into a er spoke about those things, but melancholy about many of the poem that I wrote in her voice a they were like rotting animals be- people in our Armenian Brethren few years later, after she had died. hind the walls of our house.” Church. When they sang “Onward It was with the faint smell of Christian Soldiers” it sounded as This is what I remember: those rotting animals that I grew though it were written in a minor I would make fine stitches up. When I was a child in Water- key. in scraps of cloth and my father town, in a two-family house much I wanted to be a part of cheerful, would look up from his work like the one described in the novel, white bread, upper-middle-class and praise my tiny row of seeds. my grandmother never talked America. So when it came time to I loved to sit among the buttons about what had happened to her go to college I chose a place three and bolts of cloth and hear the rock and her family during what people hours away that looked like a col- of the pedal and sewing machine. in our church, on the rare occasions lege campus from a 50s movie that the topic came up, called “The – the one where the scholarship One winter morning when the snow Deportations” or “The Massacres.” girl working in the library takes drifts stood as high as my head, But I knew from vague references off her glasses and wins the heart my father swung me to his shoulders that Turks had done something of the football captain. and carried me two miles to school bad to Armenians, something hor- It wasn’t until my second year past the white mountains of cedar. rible and unspeakable, something at Dartmouth, by which time I that had caused all the people of had begun to realize that coming I don’t know why it happened. my grandmother’s generation in from an ethnic and working class A notice nailed to the wall our church to have left “the old family gave me some cachet, that in my eighth year and we gathered country” years before. I turned back to look at my family few belongings, and all our people Growing up I wasn’t very much with new eyes. marched and stumbled toward Syria. interested in things Armenian, I guess that’s the moment when My mother fell by the road, probably in part because I lived I became an adult. and we left her there. in a community where there were In a women’s studies course The great dark birds followed us. four Armenian churches, three titled “Mother’s and Daughters The soldiers were dogs, and we became Armenian bakeries, and two Ar- in Literature,” one of the class as- less than nothing in the desert. menian cultural centers. Of the 14 signments was to do an oral histo- ry project with a woman relative. My father died, and my small sisters Novelist Nancy Kricorian is the author So I went home to Watertown and grew thinner to their deaths. of Zabelle (1998) and Dreams of Bread and sat on the second-story back porch There was me and my brother Sarkis, Fire (2003). She lives in New York, where with my grandmother. She had a and the black tent flapping in the she divides her time between writing her couch and a table on the porch, sand. third novel, set amid the Armenian com­ and a grape vine that climbed up munity of Paris during the Nazi occupa­ the back of the house in summer I went on to write a series of po- tion, and her work with the social justice and provided shade to the place ems about my grandmother, and movement CODEPINK Women for Peace. where she sat every afternoon. then wrote some in the voices of This essay is adapted from remarks she From this perch she threw butter- different women in our church, delivered in August 2006 as part of the nuts at the squirrels that had the telling their stories. And I started Helen and Phillip Brecher New Student temerity to climb into her nearby researching what I then knew to

Essay Forum at Brandeis University. pear tree. be called The Armenian Genocide.

C22 Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 5/5/2007 It was a quest to take my family belle’s grown children are sitting history and link it up to the broad- at the dining room table hours er historical record. I read every- before her wake. Her eldest son, thing from survivor narratives to a Christian minister who will be dry analyses of the root economic delivering his mother’s eulogy, and sociopolitical causes of the de- asks his younger siblings, “So, struction. Sometimes I took it all what was special about Ma?” They in with academic dispassion and can’t think of anything to say. For sometimes I felt as though I were me, writing the novel was a way swimming down into a bottom­ to answer that question about my less well of sadness. grandmother. I also went to visit with my But in hindsight I realize that grandmother’s best friend, Alice what also drove me as a writer to Kharibian, at her home in West choose this topic rather than any- Roxbury. At my grandmother’s thing else was an underlying ob- funeral, Mrs. Kharibian, who be- session with the Armenian Geno- came the model for the Arsinee cide. I was, without being entirely character in the novel, had said to conscious of it, wrestling with the me, “We were girls together. What intergenerational effects of state will I do without her?” violence on the Armenian peo- When I went to interview Mrs. ple. Or to put it another way, my Kharbian I brought with me a tape grandmother’s story felt at once recorder and a bouquet of flowers. like an inheritance and a debt. Alice, in true acerbic form said, The damage, you see, wasn’t “Honey, why’d you bring me flow- done only to the generation of Ar- ers? Don’t you know my son is a menians who lost their lives, their florist? Your father always brings property, their homes and their me meat.” families. The remnants of the Ar- Mrs. Kharibian told me the story menians – the survivors, many of of how she, my grandmother, and them orphans – went on to try my grandmother’s younger broth- to recreate their communities and children of the survivors – who Nancy Kricorian, er had stuck together in the desert their way of life in other places, eventually took up its challenges New York City at Ras-ul-Ain after their families from Beirut to Buenos Aires to and its burdens. coordinator for had died. It was Mrs. Kharibian Boston. But they brought with After writing Zabelle, I didn’t CODEPINK Women who told me the story of the dead them the trauma of their history, feel as though I were done with for Peace, is on and rotting camel that they roast- which, whether articulated or not, the subject. My own identity the board of the ed and sold in the market. She said was transmitted to their children had become linked to my grand­ Armenia Tree to me, “Your grandmother was so and even to their children’s chil- mother’s and I had reconnected Project. wishy-washy. If it weren’t for me dren. to the Armenian community; or she would have been dead in the I don’t think my grandmother rather, I had come into dialogue desert. I had to be jarbig for all of ever entirely got over her expe- with the various and fractious Ar- us.” (Jarbig means “clever.”) rience of near starvation in the menian communities. I had also Then I started writing Zabelle. desert – it shaped the way she begun a complicated journey in My conscious goal was to create a regarded food and the way she which my political understanding fictionalized version of my grand- fed her family. And I think that of the Armenian Genocide had mother’s life as an Armenian losing her parents at a young age started to deepen and spread into Genocide survivor and immigrant in such a gruesome way stunted a broader quest for social justice, bride. Writing the novel, I thought her emotional development so which would continue to inform to myself, was a way of keeping my that as a mother she was needy and inspire my writing. deceased grandmother with me. and overly controlling. I think It is easy, when you are just It was also a means of coming to the individual experience of starting out, to think and talk understand her and the Armenian this trauma was also translated only of your future. But I have women of her generation that I into a communal cult of victim- found life to be a double journey, had known in our church primar- hood that oftentimes made the leading both forward and back. ily as old widows in black sweaters next generation want to flee its The future is meaningful only in- sitting in the front pews. boundaries. And it was the fol- sofar as it shapes itself creatively In the prologue to the novel, Za- lowing generation – the grand- in response to the past. f

Armenian Reporter Arts & Culture 5/5/2007 C23