Call for Turkish-Armenian peace from theater stage

Call for Turkish-Armenian peace from theater stage

Monday, November 16, 2009

VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

The Gülbenkyan Foundation, an Armenian organization in Lisbon, has given full support to the play ‘Armenian Concert or Turkish Proverb’ to be staged in Turkey. ‘We cannot live by getting stuck in tragedy,’ says the writer and composer of the play, Gerard Torikian. Also, director Serge Avedkiyan, who adapted the play to the stage, talks about the new initiative among the diaspora

The reconciliation process between Turkish and Armenian people has received support from the Armenian diaspora.

The Gülbenkyan Foundation, an Armenian organization in Lisbon, has provided financial support for “Le Concert Armenian ou le Proverbe Turc” (Armenian Concert or Turkish Proverb) to be staged in Turkey. The play is the work of world-renowned Armenian composer and France-based actor Gerard Torikian, who wrote it in collaboration with French playwright Isabelle Guidard. It received full support not only from the Gülbenkyan Foundation but also from Turkey and France.

Anadolu Kültür (Anatolian Culture), which is a civil society organization run by Osman Kavala that supports the Turkish-Armenian reconciliation process by organizing cultural and artistic events, played a leading role in bringing Torikian’s play to Turkey.

In his play Torikian questions historical events and reveals the struggles in his inner world. Directed by France-based Serge Avedikyan, “Armenian Concert” was first performed in 2006 in France and has been performed throughout the world since. Its Turkish première, meanwhile, was Thursday in the southeastern city of Diyarbakır. It will be performed Tuesday at Garajistanbul in Istanbul’s Galatasaray neighborhood at 9 p.m. Though the original language of the 1.5-hour play is French, there will be Turkish and English subtitles.

Facing the past

Torikian and Avedikyan, who came to Istanbul right after the Diyarbakır performance, spoke to the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review. Although Torikian came to Turkey for the first time last year, his roots are in Anatolia. His father’s family is from the northwestern city of Bursa while his mother’s family comes from the Black Sea region. The artist grew up hearing about the painful events of 1915.

Torikian said he had prejudices until he came to Turkey. “I felt myself a part of this land as soon as I came to Turkey because my grandfather and grandmother are part of this land.”

He said he was warmly welcomed during his visit last year. “I returned to France with very nice memories. As a result of this nice experience, I decided to stage the play here.” Torikian defined the painful events in 1915 as “a big tragedy.”

“There was a big tragedy like genocide but it makes no sense to get stuck in the tragedy. The best way to get rid of the pain is to be able to see it from a distance,” he said.

‘We can’t define our identity through genocide’

Even though Torikian and Avedikyan are Armenian, they grew up in different cultures. Avedikyan lived in Armenia until he was 15 while Torikian lived his entire life in France. Discussing the concept of “belonging,” Avedikyan said, “When I am alone, I question where I belong: To France, where I live, or to Armenia, or to Anatolia?”

He said similar questions appeared in his inner world from time to time. “I saw that one cannot survive by getting stuck in the past. As Armenians, if we continue to define our identity through genocide, we won’t be able to proceed. We are Armenian, but we remember that we are human first.”

New trend in diaspora

There are more than 1 million Armenians spread around the world from Anatolia. “The diaspora is finally changing,” said Avedikyan. “Thoughtful artists from the diaspora reject politics and pressure. They stay away from excessive nationalist statements and viewpoints. They never deny the genocide but are more positive about the future.”

As for the reconciliation protocol that was signed between the two countries recently, Avedikyan said, “I prefer the sound echoed in the conscience of people rather than the signatures of politicians. Let’s support the reconciliation of Turkish and Armenian people, let peace be our goal.”

About ‘Armenian Concert’

In the play an Armenian composer is preparing for an Odyssey Suite recital, but inspiration for the suite, the Homer Saga, never sets him free. The past is determined to capture the composer with thousands of ghosts. He is surrounded by these ghosts from the past. The composer fights against the past and the ghosts with all his might. The power of music helps the composer and he succeeds in being freed from the past. As soon as he is free, he looks at the face of the past and realizes the best way to vanquish the past is to make peace with it.