Anoush's Madness Scene (from "Anoush" Opera)

Armen Tigranyan was born in Alexandrapol (now Gyumri). In 1894 he moved to Tbilisi. In 1902 he graduated from Tbilisi Music College's respective Departments of Flute and Music Theory (under the tuition of N. Kleinovsk). He took lessons of composition from Makar Ekmalyan. In 1902 Tigranyan returned to Alexandrapol and organized a four-voiced folk choir. In 1913 Tigranyan settled in Tbilisi. He was an active contributor to the Armenian Music Company. Tigranyan taught at the Hovnanian School. In the 1930s he began writing the music for the opera "Anush", based on the 1892 poem "Anush" by Hovhannes Tumanyan. The opera recounts the tragedy of a peasant girl, Anoush, who loses her love, Saro, in conflict with her brother. "Anush" was staged for the first time in the Opera and Ballet Theater of Armenia on March 27, 1935 and it was successfully exhibited in Moscow in 1939. Tigranyan was awarded several medals for his work. He was titled People's Artist of Armenia in 1935 and of Georgia in 1936. Tigranyan died in Tbilisi and was buried in Yerevan. "Anush' is considered one of (if not the) most popular work of Armenian music and theater. It was the first opera that was heavily influenced by Armenian folk music and culture, and as such has great significance to Armenia's national character.