Tigran Chukhajian facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tigran Chukhajian
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| Born | 1837 |
| Died | March 11, 1898 Smyrna, Ottoman Empire
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| Other names | Dikran Chouhajian, Tigran Tchoukhajian, Dikran Çuhacıyan |
| Occupation | Composer, conductor |
Tigran Gevorki Chukhajian (Armenian: Տիգրան Չուխաճեան, Turkish: Dikran Çuhacıyan; 1837 – March 11, 1898) was an Armenian composer and conductor from the Ottoman Empire. He started the first opera group in the Ottoman Empire.
Life and Music
Chukhajian was born in Constantinople, a big city that is now called Istanbul. He learned music from Gabriel Yeranian and later studied in Milan, Italy.
Along with other smart Armenian people, he worked to help Armenian culture grow. He helped create Armenian music groups, theaters, schools, newspapers, and free concerts. In 1862, he started publishing an Armenian music magazine called Armenian Lyre.
Chukhajian mixed European music styles with sounds from Eastern music in his works. He wrote many different types of music. These included pieces for piano, songs, and works for orchestras. He also wrote several operas.
Famous Operas
One of his most popular operas was Leblebici hor-hor agha (1875). It was first shown at the French Theatre in Constantinople. This opera was very successful. It was performed more than 100 times in one season. During the month of Ramadan, it was even performed every single night!
Chukhajian also created the first Armenian opera, called Arshak II (1868). This opera was about a real historical figure, King Arsaces II. At first, Arshak II was not allowed to be performed because of its political ideas. But Chukhajian changed some parts, and it was later performed by an Italian opera group.
For a long time, people thought the music for Arshak II was lost. But it was found in 1942! In 1945, a new version was performed at the Armenian Opera Theater in Yerevan. Arshak II has been a regular part of the Yerevan Opera Theater's shows ever since. In 2001, it was even performed at the San Francisco Opera in the United States.
Chukhajian also wrote what might be the first original opera in Turkish. It was called Arif'in Hilesi (Arif's Deception). This opera was based on a famous story by Nikolai Gogol called The Government Inspector.
Tigran Chukhajian passed away in Smyrna (which is now İzmir). He is buried in the Armenian cemetery there.
Musical Works
Here are some of the musical pieces Tigran Chukhajian composed:
Operas
- Arshak II (opera) (1868)
- Arif'in Hilesi (1874)
- Leblebidji Hor-Hor Agha (1875)
- Zemire (1890)
- Indiana (1897)
Solo Piano Works
- Mouvement Perpetuel
- Cascade de couz
- Illusion
- Apres La Gavotte
- Deux Fantaisies Orientales
- La Lyre Orientale, Laura
- Rapelle-tois
- Romans
- Impromptu in B Flat Minor ‘Cascade De Couz’ (1887)
- Danse Caractéristique in a minor ‘L’orientale’ (1891)
- Grande Valse Fantastique in a minor ‘Illusions’ (1888)
- Tarantelle in b-flat minor (1887)
- Caprice in e minor ‘La Lyre Orientale’ (1894)
- Mazurka De Salon ‘Mignon’ (1887)
- Une Gavotte De Plus in E-flat Major (1883)
- Polka in F Major ‘La Gaité’ (1892)
- Proti Polka in G Major (1892)
- Funeral March in d minor (1884)
- Fantaisie Orientale No. 1 in A Minor ‘Sur des Motifs Turcs’ (1895)
- Fantaisie Orientale No. 2 in A Minor ‘Sur des Motifs Turcs’ (1895)
