Arus Babalyan

(1883-1982)

Honored Artist of Armenia

Arus Babalyan was born in Tbilisi on June 12, 1883. She was born in the family of photographer Grigoriy Babalyan, who was known for his progressive views, love for music, and Armenian literature. Many representatives of the arts and intelligentsia were warmly welcomed in his house. Having noticed the abilities and love for beauty in his only daughter, Grigoriy Babalyan tried to give her an education in various fields of art (in addition to music, Arus attended dance classes by M. Bauersachs).

Her piano lessons took place at the private school of Hovsep Ter-Davtyan, where she invariably took part in the concerts of his students. Arus’s first performance took place in 1901. The outstanding pianist and teacher Konstantin Igumnov, who was then in Tbilisi, was present at one of the school’s concerts (in 1910). He welcomed the performance of the young talent. In 1911, Arus successfully finished school, performing at her graduation concert Franz Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12, S.244/12, in C-sharp minor and one of the Etudes by Franz Liszt, arranged for two pianos (A. Babalyan and M. Bogdanova), as well as Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “The Marche Slave in B-flat minor, Op. 31” (arranged in eight hands).

One of the dear guests of the Babalyan house was Komitas. Having once heard fourteen-year-old Arus sing, he recommended her to learn vocals. Having gratefully

accepted the advice of the great Komitas, Arus Babalyan first began studying vocals with Lydia Spagnoli, and later continued her studies at the music school in the class of professors Evgeny Ryadnov (vocals) and Ilya Iceberg (piano). Sergei Rachmaninoff, while in Tbilisi, at the invitation of Evgeny Ryadnov, visited the music school. After listening to students — pianists, and vocalists, he noted three of them, among whom was mezzo-soprano Arus Babalyan.

The most desired, but unfulfilled dream of Arus was to become an actress in a drama theater. She studied artistic reading at Nelidov’s acting courses with some famous actors in Tbilisi — S. Mikhailovskaya-Dolukhanova and A. Zakushnyak.

In 1915, Arus Babalyan went to St. Petersburg to enter the conservatory. It is no coincidence that during the entrance exam, after the performance of the first romance, the rector of the conservatory, Alexander Glazunov, asked whether Babalyan was involved in the art of stage speech, and, having received an affirmative answer, said: “Yes, it’s noticeable.”

In November 1917, Soviet power was established in Russia. Arus Babalyan could not remain indifferent to these events. She became a sister of mercy. In the fall of 1918, having been wounded in the leg, she was forced to return to Tbilisi.

Here Arus Babalyan continued her studies in the class of professors B. Korsov and E. Ryadnov. In 1920, she met Spiridon Melikyan and Romanos Melikian. Arus Babalyan took part in the concert of the Armenian Choral Society (04/20/1920), a few days later — in the anniversary evenings of Spiridon Melikyan and Atabek Khnkoyan (Khnko Aper) (April 23 and 28), performing romances of Romanos Melikian to the accompaniment of the author. So her studies proceeded uniquely, combined with concert activities.

In 1921, Arus Babalyan, to get a diploma as a professional singer, gave a solo concert in the Great Hall of the Tbilisi State Conservatory.

On May 20 of the same year, at the invitation of the People’s Commissariat of Education of Armenia, the creative union represented by Romanos Melikian and Arus Babalyan moved to Yerevan, the capital of the young Armenian Soviet Republic. After the establishment of Soviet power in Armenia (11/29/1920), one of the priority tasks was the creation of a University and a Music Studio — the first center of professional music education in Armenia. It was headed by composer and public figure Romanos Melikian. Arus Babalyan became a reliable assistant and founder of the vocal class of the Music Studio.

As a singer, Arus Babalyan participated in all concerts held in the studio, and later in the conservatory. Her permanent accompanist was Alexander Hakobyan.

In 1923, began a two-year creative collaboration between accompanist Arus Babalyan and violinist Avet Ter-Gabrielyan, who had moved from Nakhichevan (The republic, especially the capital city of Nakhchivan, has a long history dating back to about 1500 BC. Nakhijevan was one of the cantons of the historical Armenian province of Vaspurakan in the Kingdom of Armenia). Nineteen solo concerts were played in Yerevan and Alexandropol (now Gyumri, Armenia). Artists constantly participated in so-called group concerts.

On March 15 and 27, 1924, thematic concerts dedicated to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven were held in Yerevan by teachers of the Yerevan State Conservatory. In the first of them, Arus Babalyan performed songs and an aria from the opera “The Magic Flute», K. 620 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (accompanied by Yevgenia Khosrovyan). In a concert of Ludwig van Beethoven’s works, Arus Babalyan and Yevgenia Khosrovian performed “The Coriolan Overture», Op. 62 and The Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 in a four-hand arrangement.

It is impossible not to note another important event in the musical life of Yerevan and the life of Arus Babalyan; this is the first author’s concert of the great Armenian composer Alexander Spendiaryan (Spendiarov), who moved to Yerevan on December 10, 1924, with a mission to serve to his Motherland. For the first time in Yerevan, with piano accompaniment of the author, Arus Babalyan sang two romances (“Mi lar, blbul” and “Ari, im sokhak”), and then with the orchestra under the direction of Alexander Spendiaryan (Spendiarov), “at the insistence of the public, she twice performed the famous “Lullaby”; the extremely tender and lyrical performance of this romance remained in the memory of the listeners as the most vivid part of the evening.”

It should be noted that the vocal and instrumental works performed by Arus Babalyan in those years were the first performances in Yerevan.

In 1925, having accomplished the tasks assigned to them, due to certain circumstances, Romanos Melikian and Arus Babalyan left Yerevan. In 1926, Romanos Melikian was sent to Artsakh (Karabakh) to establish a Music Studio there. As always, Arus Babalyan was beside him. They made this project a reality.

In October 1926, Arus Babalyan accepted an invitation signed by composer Armen Tigranian to work in the musical section of Hayartun (House of Armenian Art) in Tbilisi, where she participated in concerts as a singer (1927-1929).

Since 1927, for about 20 years, Arus Babalyan directed her inexhaustible energy, experience, and knowledge into the field of theatrical activity. She was the head of the music

department of the Stepan Shahumian Armenian Theatre in Tbilisi (1927-1936) (now: Petros Adamian Tbilisi State Armenian Drama Theatre), providing musical design for performances and conducting the theatre’s small orchestra; at the same time, she began working in the same status in the Armenian Youth Theater (1932-1945).

From 1930 to 1935, Babalyan worked as a pianist-accompanist at the Tbilisi State Theater under the direction of Kote Marjanishvili (the theatre was named after him in 1933 — Marjanishvili Theatre).

During the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), Arus Babalyan became the organizer and active participant of more than four hundred patronage concerts for soldiers in hospitals and units of the Red Army.

In 1947, Arus Babalyan again had a chance and opportunity to return to Armenia with her husband, the famous director Alexander Abaryan, who was invited to work at the Drama Theater of Leninakan (now Gyumri State Drama Theater), and she was offered to teach vocals at the Kara-Murza Music College, and later at pedagogical school

The activities of Arus Babalyan are marked by titles and awards. In 1950, Arus Babalyan became a member of the Union of Composers of Georgia. On June 11, 1954, Arus Babalyan was awarded the title of Honored Artist of Armenia.

The life of the prominent artist of Armenia and Georgia ended in 1982 at the age of 99.

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