Arshak's Arioso (from "Arshak II" Opera)

Tigran Tchoukhajian was born in Constantinople. At the age of 15 to 16 he already attracted musical society with his piano plays. He took his professional musical education with Italian pianist C. Manzioni. Following his teacher’s device he studied at Milan between 1861to1864. In 1872 he became the founder of Armenian Musical Theatre. Tchoukhajian founded first “Ottoman Opera Theatre” which was renamed “Armenian Troupe of Turkish Operetta”. He was the musical director of Hakob Vardovyan’s “Eastern Theatre”. In the years of 1891 to 1892 his operas were staged in Paris. Tigran Tchoukhajian wrote his first Armenian opera “Arshak II” in 1868. Starting from 1870 Tchoukhajian worked on musical comedies and operettas. Because of anti-Armenian violence he moved to Izmir (Smyrna) in 1896. On occasion of the conclusion of San Stefano Peace Treaty Tchoukhajian was awarded the Order of St. Stanislav by the Russian Emperor Alexander II. He died in Smyrna and the funeral was carried out with the help of “Union of Needy”. Tchoukhajian is buried in Armenian cemetery of Izmir.