Modern Armenian Drama: An Anthology - Hardcover

by Nishan Parlakian (Author), S. Peter Cowe (Editor)

Available in English for the first time, Modern Armenian Drama presents seven classic works from the Armenian stage. Spanning over a century (1871-1992), the plays explore such diverse themes science and religion, socioeconomic injustice, women's emancipation, and political reform through the medium of all the major European dramatic genres.

Nishan Parlakian and S. Peter Cowe provide a comprehensive introduction to the history of Armenian drama, giving a valuable overview of its importance and development in Armenia, as well as a brief biography for each playwright. A preface to each play helps in placing the work within the context of historical and cultural issues of the time.

Like the plays of Ibsen and O'Neill, the plays presented in this anthology are considered modern classics. They have an enduring quality and appeal to audiences who see them today. The editors have collected translations of the best examples of Armenian theater from its renaissance in the mid-nineteenth century to the present.

Front Jacket

MODERN ARMENIAN DRAMA presents seven classic works from the armenian stage. Spanning over a century (1871-1992), the plays explore such diverse themes as science and religion, socioeconomic injustice, women's emancipation, and political reform through the medium of all the major European dramatic genres. Highlighting Armenia's most esteemed playwrights, this anthology includes the following plays:
-- Pepo (1871) by Gabriel Sundukian
-- Honorable Beggars (1880) by Hagop Baronian
-- For the Sake of Honor (1904) by Aleksandr Shirvanzade
-- Ancient Gods (1908) by Lewon Shant
-- Nazar the Brave (1923) by Derenik Demirchyan
-- Unfinished Monologue (1981) by Perch Zeytuntsyan
-- Madmen of the World, Unite! (1992) by Anahit Aghasaryan

Nishan Parlakian and S. Peter Cowe provide a comprehensive introduction to the history of Armenian drama, giving a valuable overview of its importance and development in Armenia. A preface to each play provides a brief biography of the author and places the work within the context of historical and cultural issues of the time.

Back Jacket

AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH FOR THE FIRST TIME, COLUMBIA PRESENTS this collection of the best and most representative modern Armenian plays. Like the plays of Ibsen and O'Neill, the plays presented in this anthology are considered modern classics. They have an enduring quality and appeal to audiences who see them today. The editors have collected translations of the best examples of Armenian theater, from its renaissance in the mid-nineteenth century to the present (1871-1992). They have also provided a comprehensive introduction, offering an overview of the genre and its importance in Armenia, as well as biographies of the writers who are represented.

Author Biography

Nishan Parlakian is Professor Emeritus of Drama at John Jay College, City University of New York. He is a playwright, translator, and director who has directed plays in Armenian and in English. He has written extensively on Armenian theater, and is president of the Pirandello Society of America.

S. Peter Cowe is Narekatsi Professor of Armenian Language and Culture at UCLA. He has written, edited, and translated many books on Armenian history and culture.