Tbilisi pays memory tribute to great Armenian actor

The Georgian National Library hosted on Tuesday a commemoration evening to honor Mher (Frunzik) Mkrtchyan, a talented Armenian movie actor of the Soviet era.

The event, entitled “Frunzik Mkrtchyan: 20 Years Later” was organized by the joint efforts of the Armenian Embassy in Tbilisi and the cultural center Caucasian House. It was dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the great actor’s death, says a statement by the Embassy.

Armenian ambassador Hovhannes Manukyan delivered a speech at the event, praising the actor and his heritage. “The twentieth year since the [day] that Frunze Mkrtchyan is no longer with us was marked quite recently, on December 29. But thanks to his big talent and the brilliant roles played, Frunze Mkrtchyan will always remain in our hearts. It was due to the big talent that Frunze managed to display the etalon of the Armenian-Georgian friendship in the film Mimino, together with the topless [Georgian actor] Vakhtang Kikabidze. In that respect, Frunze Mkrtchyan can be fully considered our cultural, and what’s even more - people’s ambassador to Georgia,” he said.

Georgian Minister of Reintegration Paata Zakareashvili later greeted the guests, expressing his respect and love for the merited Armenian actor and his art.

In his speech Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Georgia Yermukhamet Yertsabaev said, “When one is a genius actor, he does not have nationality. As the actor himself would say, everything is temporary in life, with only art remaining immortal. ”
 

A concert program that followed the speeches included performances by Armenian and Georgian national song and dance ensembles and solo performers.