YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The premiere of the opera "Arshak II" will take place at the Alexander Spendiarian National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet on February 25, with famous singers Hasmik Hatsagortian and Anahit Mkhitarian performing the major parts. The artistic director of the theatre Gegham Grigorian stated this at the February 15 press conference. According to him, they now are working on the last episodes of the performance. The premiere of another opera - "Davit Bek" will take place on May 8 on the occasion of Shushi liberation. The artistic director said that funds have been allocated from the state budget for staging three operas for the first time in the last seven years. Besides, new wind instruments will be purchased with state budgetary allocations for the orchestra (the old wind instruments were purchased as long ago as the 1960s). In April the theatre will go on tour to the Egiptian cities of Alexandria and Cairo to show the ballet "Gayane". G. Grigorian noted that with the aim of arousing interest in opera performances among children and young people, the theatre requested young composers to write operas for children.

---