Armenian anchor, reciter Vera Hakobyan dies at 89

A long-time anchor and reciter of the Public Radio of Armenia, Vera Hakobyan, died on Monday at age 89.

A merited artist of Armenia, Hakobyan received her professional education at the Yerevan State Theatrical Institute (currently State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography), specializing in stage art. After her graduation in 1951, she started her career at the State Committee of Television and Radio.

In the 1980s, she recited poetry by Mushegh Ishkhan, a renowned 20th century Diaspora-Armenian writer. After a 1972 trip to Lebanon with Bella Darbinyan, a popular singer of the 1970s-1980s, Hakobyan periodically appeared with concerts in different Diaspora-Armenian communities to spread the spirit and high performance of the Armenian poetry.

A civil funeral in memory of the artist will take place on Monday evening (address: 3 Aygedzor street, Yerevan). A last farewell ceremony is scheduled at the Komitas Chamber Music House for 12:00-1:00pm Yerevan time.