YEREVAN, DECEMBER 2, NOYAN TAPAN. On December 2 the world-renowned Spanish tenor Placido Domingo being in Armenia within the framework of Yerevan Perspectives 11th International Music Festival visited RA National Assembly. On December 3 in Karen Demirchyan Sport-Concert Complex the concert of the Spanish tenor Placido Domingo will be held. The Yerevan Perspectives 11th International Music Festival is held under the patronage of RA President Serzh Sargsyan. The concert will be held with the support of RA NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan within the framework of the NA Open Doors programme. In the NA Gilded Hall by the order of the NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan the well-renowned Spanish tenor Placido Domingo was awarded NA Medal of Honour on the occasion of his being in the Republic of Armenia with the concert. The NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan said: “Honourable Mr Domingo, It’s a great honour for us to host the star of world fame like you in the National Assembly of Armenia. Dear maestro, the National Assembly of the Republic Armenia awards the Medal of Honour individuals having great contribution in different spheres activity. You are the first person being handed this high award of the Armenian Parliament in the sphere of singing for the big service rendered to the mankind. I would like to hope that next to your high titles and awards the Medal of Honour of the National Assembly of Armenia will have its special place, taking into account that it bears in itself our warm feeling and gratitude towards our art. Dear friend, Your art admires the listeners of many countries of the world for more than 40 years. Though you are first time in Armenia but you have scores of fans of your high art and powerful voice in our country, too. Your 128 opera voice parts, and of course, within the framework of well-known Three Tenors project your singing with Luciano Pavarotti and Jose Careras are unforgettable from our memory. We have followed them on television, however, today, we succeeded to be directly in touch with your great art. I am thankful that in your full programme of your concert tours you’ll sing on the Armenian stage. I would like to ensure that the Armenian listener knows how to assess the high art and I am convinced that you’ll be pleased with the pleasant response. And your Yerevan concert I can say with confidence is one of the turning events of our cultural life.” Expressing his gratitude for being awarded Mr Domingo noted that his visit to Armenia was delayed, as for a long time he wanted to visit Armenia. He expressed hope that the first concert would lay a basis for future continuous and wonderful new projects. The world-renowned tenor noted that his relation with the Armenians and Armenia had been from childhood because his parents had been singers, and his mother took lessons of singing from Madame Babayan. “Hence, my first acquaintance, in general, with the outer world, has been Armenia. After Spain I have known of Armenia,” he underlined. Mr Domingo gladly noted that among his friends were the great Charles Aznavour, Levon Sayan, Alain Prost, Lily Chugaszian, Barseg Tumanian and other famous Armenians. He is a great fan of Aram Khachaturian. Being the President of the Europa Nostra/Together in Europe Association being created for conservation of the cultural heritage of Europe he urged the Armenian people having ancient cultural heritage to consistently preserve that wealth. “In the name of the Association and me I would like to express hope that the Caucasus Region, which is at the crossroads of the Eastern Europe and Western Asia, will be a center of peace and prosperity, will be able to preserve its heritage of millennia old and transfer to the next generations. I thank you very much and I hope that one day you’ll become my old friends,” the world-renowned tenor Placido Domingo ended his word .

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