Garbis Zobian in Dame de Prague (Ghermann).Above: GarbisZobian (DonJose) and Blanche<strong>The</strong>bom in Carmen(1960).in detail. Contingency is the fruit<strong>of</strong> human ignorance.<strong>The</strong>re are a few factors in thematter at hand. First, there werealready good-quality recordingtools in existence, which couldrecord the natural beauty <strong>of</strong> thehuman voice.Zobian was born one monthafter the <strong>Armenian</strong> Genocide.That unspeakable carnage, to allappearances, was condemned byforemost politicians, intellectualsand artists.God, who had generously endowedthis child, could not accommodateHimself to the loss<strong>of</strong> Garbis; therefore, He savedmother and child from inevitabledeath.It is undeniable that the mother’ssuffering and restless state <strong>of</strong>mind had an effect on the formation<strong>of</strong> the young Zobian’s spiritualworld during the period he wasnursed by her. (So did her subsequentoral histories too.)Garbis Zobian in Othello.Garbis Zobian in Carmen (Don Jose).<strong>The</strong> second factor is that God hadgiven the <strong>Armenian</strong> people such talentedand well-known singers as PietroSacinari, who was <strong>of</strong> <strong>Armenian</strong>background, Armenag Shahmuradianand Arman Tokatian. <strong>The</strong> timehad ripened, and the next peak hadto be born. That was Garbis Zobian.For some, all this may perhaps seemstrange, but, for me, that is in conformitywith universal law. Zobianhad to be born.I’m glad that, in my early youth,I had the opportunity to hear thesinger from the stages <strong>of</strong> the YerevanOpera <strong>The</strong>ater and the largeconcert hall <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Armenian</strong>Philharmonic Orchestra. Subsequently,while working as editor<strong>of</strong> musical programming for theState Committee <strong>of</strong> Radio andTelevision in Yerevan, I becamequite familiar with the performingart <strong>of</strong> not only Zobian but alsoother eminent Diasporan <strong>Armenian</strong>musicians.It is appropriate to note here theconsistent work done by the chiefeditors, Armen Hovhannisian andAndranik Chalgushian, and allthe employees <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Armenian</strong>musical editorial department, inassembling the existing recordings<strong>of</strong> Diasporan <strong>Armenian</strong>s andmaking new ones.<strong>The</strong> writers <strong>of</strong> articles stating thatC12 <strong>Armenian</strong> <strong>Reporter</strong> Arts & Culture 11/10/2007
Zobian acting was so real that itwas uncanny were telling the truth.I can still picture Zobian as Josewith his partner, Sonia Kamernik,a soloist with the S<strong>of</strong>ia Opera whowas <strong>of</strong> <strong>Armenian</strong> extraction. At theend <strong>of</strong> the act, the curtain closedbut it quickly opened to the loudcheers <strong>of</strong> the audience. Carmenwas still in Jose’s arms. <strong>The</strong> singerhad to bring Zobian back to realitywith a deft movement <strong>of</strong> the hand,in order to remind him that the acthad finished.In a performance with the <strong>Armenian</strong>Philharmonic Orchestra,Zobian began with operatic ariasand songs <strong>of</strong> Western Europeancomposers, finishing with theworks <strong>of</strong> <strong>Armenian</strong> composers,demonstrating the capabilitiesand flexibility <strong>of</strong> his voice. His renditions<strong>of</strong> Komitas’s “Kele-Kele”and “Hayastan” were quite impressive.<strong>The</strong> first is a tender lovescene, while the second is a majesticpiece expressing the hopes <strong>of</strong>the <strong>Armenian</strong> people, a source <strong>of</strong>inspiration and the embodiment<strong>of</strong> patriotism. Notwithstandingthe singer’s dramatic voice, lyricismwas present in the first song,grandeur in the second. It was asif the singer was saying that hewas proud to be <strong>Armenian</strong>.Just as Niagara Falls spreadsout and tumbles down, displayingits beauty and might, so too doesthe “panorama” <strong>of</strong> the Zobianphenomenon open up before thelistener.Although opera lovers and distinguishedmusicians <strong>of</strong> EasternEurope and the Soviet Union werefamiliar with Zobian’s art, he wasdestined for the world’s mostprominent stages. What preventedhim from achieving internationalrenown? <strong>The</strong> jealousy <strong>of</strong>mediocrities toward great figures.<strong>The</strong> Metropolitan’s impresario hadsuggested to Zobian to accept hisinvitation to sing at the New YorkMetropolitan Opera. <strong>The</strong> worldfamousconductor Herbert vonKarajan, upon hearing recordings<strong>of</strong> Zobian made by the Czech companySupraphon, invited him for atryout in Vienna. However, sinceGarbis Zobian was not a member<strong>of</strong> the Communist Party, unfortunatelyhe was not allowed to honorany invitation from the West. <strong>The</strong>critics <strong>of</strong> the British Opera andGramophone monthlies spoke withthe highest praise about Zobian,comparing him to Caruso. Afterall this, isn’t it a crime to bury theZobian phenomenon in oblivion?If talents are born relatively <strong>of</strong>ten,then phenomena appear everycouple <strong>of</strong> centuries.Zobian departed from this worldfive years ago, leaving us unforgettablememories. Today, the solewitness to his art are the recordings<strong>of</strong> operatic arias and Italiancanzonets sung by him and producedby the Czech record companySupraphon, as well as those<strong>of</strong> a few Romanian and <strong>Armenian</strong>songs kept in the catalogues <strong>of</strong>Radio Yerevan.<strong>The</strong> Zobian phenomenon was aslap in the face to those who carriedout the <strong>Armenian</strong> Genocideand, generally speaking, despoticregimes.<strong>The</strong> only means <strong>of</strong> preservingthe memory <strong>of</strong> the Zobian phenomenon<strong>of</strong> the second half <strong>of</strong> thetwentieth century is releasing a CD<strong>of</strong> his recordings. Just as the worldknows the Italians through Caruso,Verdi and Paganini, so too must wemake our presence known throughthe likes <strong>of</strong> Zobian, Gohar Gasparian,Jean Ter-Mergerian, ParuyrSevak, Minas Avetisian and AramKhachaturian. <strong>The</strong>se are the greatfigures, whose statues or bustsmust be placed in concert halls,opera theaters and public squares,so that future generations and foreignvisitors may know us.I appeal to all political parties,public and cultural organizations<strong>of</strong> the Diaspora and Armenia alike,as well as individual music loversand persons, in whose veins flowsthe pure <strong>Armenian</strong> blood <strong>of</strong> HaikNahapet, Ara Geghetsik, GevorkMarzpetuni and Davit-Bek, to dowhatever possible to make availableto the public CDs <strong>of</strong> the recordings<strong>of</strong> not only Garbis Zobian butalso the aforementioned artists. Itis my hope that the current employees<strong>of</strong> Radio Yerevan too willnot refuse to <strong>of</strong>fer their assistanceby continuing the worthy traditionestablished years ago. It is time totranslate words into deeds. This isan activity and a policy <strong>of</strong> benefitto the <strong>Armenian</strong> people.<strong>The</strong> author is a former supervisor<strong>of</strong> musical programming forthe State Committee <strong>of</strong> Radio andTelevision in Yerevan. ftranslated by Aris G. SevagFar left: GarbisZobian (DonJose) and Blanche<strong>The</strong>bom in Carmen.Left: GarbisZobian in Pagliacci(Canio).<strong>Armenian</strong> <strong>Reporter</strong> Arts & Culture 11/10/2007C13