New Year Speech 2000-2001

Born in the town of Stepanavan (RA). In 1948 he moved to Yerevan. In 1949-51 he worked as an actor at the Yerevan State Theatre for Young Spectators. In 1954 he graduated from the acting faculty of the Yerevan Fine Arts and Theatre Institute. In 1954-91 he was an actor of the Gabriel Sundukyan National Academic Theatre in Yerevan. He created numerous stage characters in a number of productions and appeared in many films. He also performed as a reciter. He toured in Lebanon, Syria, the USA, Canada and elsewhere. In 1989-91 he was a deputy of the Supreme Council of Armenia. In 1991 he founded the Hamazgayin Theatre of Yerevan, of which he was artistic director. From 1992 he taught at the Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinema, where in 1998-2005 he was rector (professor from 2003). He was awarded the Mesrop Mashtots Order of the RA in 1996, the Order of Saint Sahak and Saint Mesrop of the Armenian Church in 2001, and the Mkhitar Gosh Medal of Artsakh. In 2000 he was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Yerevan, and in 2012 the Special Prize of “Hayak”, the first annual Armenian film award. From 2008 he was a member of the Public Council of Armenia. In 1975, 1979 and 1988 he received the State Prize of the RA; in 1972 he was awarded the title of People's Artist of Armenia, and in 1985 that of People's Artist of the USSR. He died in Yerevan.