Armenia's Pop Diva Mesmerizes Opera House
By Paul Chaderjian
May 31, 2000
Yerevan, Armenia - Thunderous applause filled the regal Opera House in Yerevan on Independence Day as local and Diasporan Armenians celebrated the nation's rebirth through music. The homeland's most popular performer, Nune Yesayan, mesmerized her formally-dressed audience with modern renditions of ancient Armenian songs of village life, stories of patriotism, lessons of pride and tales about love.
On stage with the 30-year-old Armenian diva were some of the most talented young musicians of Yerevan. Under the direction of conductor Areg Arousdanian, the 22-member orchestra brought to life some of the culture's most celebrated melodies using modern and traditional instruments including ancient Armenian string, wind and percussion instruments.
The past and present merged at the beginning of the concert when six drummers in traditional costumes entered the Opera energizing the crowd and setting the beat for "Khorodig Morodig," a beat which was then carried by three young, hip tap dancers dressed in modern costumes. It was then that Nune entered the stage, dressed in the first of five high-fashion outfits, shining in the spotlight and receiving a roaring ovation.
After the first song, Nune welcomed her guests and talked about the importance of holding on to hope. "If we had the choice to be happy today or tomorrow," she said, "we would probably choose be to happy tomorrow; because hope for happiness tomorrow gives us joy and peace today." She then went on to sing the audience "Duy, Duy," a lullaby about a young villager serenading a young woman, asking her to let him open his heart and show her his love.
"I've never seen anything like this," said one young fan who had come to the concert with a photograph of Nune that he wanted autographed. "This is the best show anyone has done in Yerevan." An elderly fan nearby was worried about the svelte, sexy star's figure, telling her companion that Nune need to put on some weight.
"Nune has established a new genre," said a businessman who had brought his family to the concert. "It's pure Armenian music, not influenced by rabeez or popular culture. My children know about Gomidas and Sayat Nova because of her." And credits like this and her phenomenal popularity with young people are a source of pride for Nune, a singer whose hope is to preserve and promote traditional and folk songs.
Before exiting the stage for the first of four costume changes, Nune spoke about the virtues of hard work and gratitude. "The words I'm grateful will inspire the most broken person," she said. "How can you not be healed when you remind yourself how grateful you are for what you have," she asked and went on to tell the audience how grateful and thankful she is to all of them. Her monologue was followed by a folk song sung by villagers at work called "Vooynaren."
The most poignant monologue during the concert referred to the hundreds who are leaving the homeland to find work elsewhere. "There's a joke you hear these days," said Nune, "that the last person to leave the Republic should turn off the lights and shut the door behind them. You may see a lot more tourists and foreigners in Yerevan these days than you see locals, but know that our lights will never go out and our door will never shut." The audience responded with grand applause.
In the audience on the second night of her two Independence Day concerts at the Opera were members of General Dro's family, who had journeyed to the homeland to return the General's body for reburial. "General Dro Kanayan's dying wish was to someday return to the Homeland," explained Nune before the concert. "On his deathbed in Boston, he told his family that he wished he could have seen the homeland once again. Forty years later, the General has returned home and was reburied in Bash Abaran yesterday. Tonight, we remember and honor him and his legacy."
More than 200 delegates from all over the Diaspora accompanied the General's son, daughter, grandchildren and relatives to the concert. "Dro taught Armenians that independence was possible," said Nune. "And for this, we are forever grateful to his leadership and heroic acts which made it possible for Armenians to have a Republic then and again now." Among those in attendance were also military and government dignitaries and some of Nune's role models like singer Raysa Mugerdichian.
Nune's most allegorical monologue was before her performance of her self-titled song from her fourth album - Nune. "Let's talk about gossip," she said. "Gossip is for people who don't respect the person they're talking about." Without reference to critics who wrote that it was not appropriate for a female singer to sing a love song to a woman, Nune told the audience, "If you want to talk to someone about your most personal stories, find a grazing animal in a pasture somewhere. Then tell them your story, being certain that they won't go to another animal and retell it, embellishing it a bit more for drama."
Making his first appearance with Nune was 23-year-old vocalist Arsen Grigorian, who performed an original lyrical duet about love called "Eem Arev Ari." "His voice and style are very unique," said Nune. "I wanted to encourage him and his interest in pursuing authentic Armenian music, not tainted by Turkish or Arabic beats and melodies." Also joining Nune on stage was young jazz singer Aramo, one of Nune's classmates from the Jazz Institute. When Nune talked about the importance of preserving friendships and showing loyalty, Aramo rose up from the audience and fused skat, jazz Armenian melodies to entertain the audience while Nune went offstage for another costume change.
Throughout the night, those in the audience put on their own show of support. In one of the private boxes above the balcony, a group of young men and women stood shoulder-to-shoulder dancing in place throughout the night. Mothers and fathers sent their children on stage with bouquets of flowers, and teenagers lit up their lighters as would be expected at a rock concert in the States.
"I'm also going to the concert in LA," said a teenager visiting from Southern California. The Los Angeles concert at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium is the first of Nune's US tour in September. That tour will include Fresno, San Francisco, Boston, Detroit, New York City and Washington, D.C.
The two-and-half-hour concert featuring traditional and folk songs was for many a bridge between Armenia's past and present, between the Diaspora and the homeland, and between the vastly different realms of political and cultural life. Nune's renditions of songs from Sayat Nova and Gomidas, and her celebrations of modern Armenian music, were welcomed by the thousands in the audience with continuous applause and a standing ovation.
