Melikset Melkonyan's Interview With Vahram Papazyan

Vahram Papazyan was born in Constantinople. From 1896 to 1907 he studied at local school, then at the Mkhitaryan Primary School, Narekyan gymnasium. In 1902 finished the Yesayan parish school, in 1906 graduated from the Gatygyukh College, from 1905 to 1907 studied at Murad-Rafaelian gymnasium of Venice. His first appearance on stage was in 1904. In 1907 Papazyan went to Paris, then for some years he played in different Armenian theater companies of Baku. From 1908 to 1911 studied at the Milan Academy of Arts, performed with touring theater companies. Papazyan played the role of Othello in Constantinople first in 1908 (played more than 2000 times), from 1909 to 1913 acted in the theatrical groups of Constantinople and Smyrna. Vahram Papazyan performed with Siranush, Hovhannes Abelian and Hovhannes Zarifyan at the Theater of the Artistic Society of Tiflis, at the Armenian Drama Theater in Baku between 1913 to 1917. Starred in a number of Khanzhonkov's films in Moscow, in Yalta with Ernesto Vahram nickname (1917-1920). In 1920 for the last time he returned to Constantinople and till 1922 performed at Armenian dramatic group. In 1922 he was an actor in the Yerevan First State Theater (now Gabriel Sundukyan National Academic Theatre). He played in many performances, staged numerous plays where he played the main roles. Papazyan performed in Armenian theaters of Tiflis and Baku between 1922 to 1926, 1926 to 1927 was the chief director of Armenian Dramatic Theatre of Tiflis, 1929 to 1930 - actor of the Leningrad Theater "Passage", from 1942 to 1944 - actor of Pushkin Theater in Leningrad. From 1932 he performed with troupes of Russian theaters in Riga, Tallinn and Kaunas, then left for Paris, performed with the local Armenian Drama Theater, presented Othello in French with the cast of the Odeon Theater. 1934 to 1941 organized Russian theater troupe and toured in the cities of Caucasus, Russia, Ukraine and Central Asia. During the World War II he stayed in besieged Leningrad with his troupes and played for the soldiers. In 1954 Vahram Papazyan finally settled in Yerevan, acted at the Sundukyan Theatre, starred in films, he also wrote books. The actor was awarded a number of state awards, orders and diplomas. In 1933 he was awarded the title of People's Artist of Armenia and Georgia, in 1935 - Azerbaijan, in 1956 - People's Artist of the USSR. Died in Leningrad (present day Saint Petersburg), is buried in Yerevan.