Complete Hakob Oshakan: issues and solutions


Both during the Soviet years and during the period of independence, Hakob Oshakan's books were rarely published in Armenia. The "Diaspora" scientific and educational center has undertaken the publication of his complete works. Two volumes have already been published. Literary critics Hayk Hambardzumyan, Arkmenik Nikoghosyan and Knarik Abrahamyan talk about Hakob Oshakan's literature and this initiative in the "Parallel Readings" program.

Honored Ballet Artist Suzanna Pirumyan


Ballet dancer Syuzanna Pirumyan has been an artist of the Alexander Spendiaryan Opera and Ballet Theater since the age of 18. She has been the theater's leading soloist for about twenty years. For years, she has been involved in the development of Armenian ballet and the education of a new generation. Art critic Anahit Margaryan's guest at "Artfocus" is Honored Artist, ballet dancer Syuzanna Pirumyan.

Vardan Grigoryan's historical novels and the modernity of the genre


September 5 marks the 75th anniversary of the talented historical novelist Vardan Grigoryan. He lived only 38 years, but his historical novels “Eternal Return”, “The Century of Destruction” and especially “Manya Ayrk” changed the description of the genre in our country and determined its further developments. What innovations did he bring and are his historical novels and the genre in general relevant? These questions are discussed in the “Parallel Readings” program with literary critics Hayk Hambardzumyan and Arkmenik Nikoghosyan.

Hayrik Muradyan 120


Hayrik Muradyan bridged time with his life and work, forming a living connection between generations and transmitting values ​​that shape our identity. A concert dedicated to the 120th anniversary of Hayrik Muradyan, a connoisseur of Armenian song, performer of traditional songs, folklorist and ethnographer, will be held at the National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet. Anahit Margaryan's guest at "Artfocus" is the president of the "Hayrik Muradyan" NGO, violinist, Narine Delalyan.

Does the city continue to read modernity?


The 8th Yerevan Book Festival is underway. The issues of books, book publishing, and reading have become especially relevant these days. These issues were discussed in “Parallel Readings” by literary critics Hayk Hambardzumyan, Arkmenik Nikoghosyan, and the director of the Yerevan Book Festival, Ani Ghazaryan.

Henrik Edoyan: Why poetry?


From "Reflections" published in 1977 to the latest collection "A View from Nowhere" published in 2024, the creative process of poet Henrik Edoyan stretches. How does the perception of poetry change over time, how does the poet change over time and does he change at all? On the occasion of the poet's 85th birthday, literary critics Hayk Hambardzumyan, Arkmenik Nikoghosyan and Henrik Edoyan talk about these issues in the "Parallel Readings" program.

Birth and Farewell according to Hovhannes Grigoryan


The humor and self-irony characteristic of his poetry are always mixed with tragedy. His poems are loved by different generations of readers. On the occasion of Hovhannes Grigoryan's 80th birthday, his birthday and farewell poems are discussed in parallel by Hayk Hambardzumyan and Arkmenik Nikoghosyan.

Armenia in the spotlight at the Design Biennale


Painting, graphics, photography, industrial, graphic and museum design. These are the directions where Kamo Nigaryan has left his mark. Armenia was in the spotlight at the Saint-Etienne International Design Biennale, held in France from May 22 to July 6. Curator, museologist, scientific secretary of the Museum of Literature and Art Marine Haroyan and one of the curators of the Armenian pavilion at the 13th Saint-Etienne International Design Biennale, founder of the “AHA” collective, art critic Nayiri Khachaturyan spoke about the exhibition and Kamo Nigaryan’s revolutionary approaches to art and museum design at “Artfocus”. The program was hosted by Anahit Margaryan.

"Golden Apricot" 2025


For more than 20 years, the Golden Apricot has been the region's most influential and internationally recognized film festival. It screens films that represent the emotions, actions, and lives of people of different nations and faiths. Art critic Anahit Margaryan spoke with Karen Avetisyan, the artistic director of the Golden Apricot Film Festival, in Artfocus.

The messages of the epic "Sasna Tsrer"


What messages does the most significant work of Armenian folklore, “The Sasna Tsrer,” convey? How does the perception of the epic change over time? What did the people who created it encode in the epic, and how does it encode us today? Hayk Hambardzumyan and Arkmenik Nikoghosyan debate these topics on the “Parallel Readings” program.

Samvel Safaryan


Samvel Safaryan was wounded three times in one day. Samvel was serving in the military in the village of Shekher, Martuni region of Artsakh, his birthplace, when the war began. The young commander was in positions with 4 snipers under his command. He was wounded for the first time while observing an enemy trench, when Azerbaijani soldiers attacked his trench and threw grenades. At that time, Samvel's right hand was wounded, the second time on the way to the hospital, and the third time in the head.

The Transient and the Permanent in Gabriel Sundukyan's Dramaturgy


The themes addressed in Gabriel Sundukyan’s plays, although they may seem outdated today, continue to be one of the most staged Armenian playwrights. On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Gabriel Sundukyan’s birth, literary critics Hayk Hambardzumyan and Arkmenik Nikoghosyan discuss the peculiarities of G. Sundukyan’s dramaturgy in the program “Parallel Readings.”