Cultural life sees very slow progress in Armenia, says opera singer

In an interview with Tert.am, Hasmik Papyan, a world-famous Armenian opera singer who has performed concerts on such stages as the Metropoliten Opera, Carnegie Hall of New York and the Zurich Opera, expressed her concerns over the slowing cultural life in Armenia.

“People seem to be fast asleep here. They move very slowly and think very slowly … or perhaps, they lack the necessary talent. And that’s the general situation in all areas,” she said.

One of the world’s best sopranos, who has given concerts in different world countries for about 25 years, says she notices a lack of professionalism.

Asked whether she doesn’t see objective reasons for that, with many talented professionals leaving abroad and the country occasionally facing armed attacks two decades after the end of the Nagorno-Karabakh war, the singer said she isn’t inclined to link her concerns with the general situation.

"Yes, that’s true. But on the other hand, there are people who all the time change photos on Facebook while a soldier dies on the border; and afterwards, someone else leaves a [comment] saying, “you are very sexy or pretty”. Or the same weddings continue with the same splendor while a soldier is being killed on the border. By and large, it doesn’t have anything to do with that, but the trend really exists. There are also very good young journalists who are fast enough to come in time after making an appointment. So my desire is to be fast in everything," she said. 

The singer further spoke about her experiences upon visiting Yerevan and the things she has grown to dislike most about the capital city.

“I come here as a resident of Yerevan, as we have also kept our house here. What I don’t like most of all is the very few green areas, the air not sufficing at all. And the names on the shop windows make me feel offended very much - nothing in Armenian; only illiterate translations from English. So what impression will a foreign tourist from gain about our city? Would a name in Armenian be shameful? What does Lunch Time or Number One have to do with us? It’s just terrible provincial thinking that has no boundaries. That must be banned.

Asked about her concert programs, the singer did not elaborate much on her plans.

“There are many plans but I wouldn’t like to enumerate them. I am going from here to sing in the performances I am supposed to,” she replied.