Gohar Gasparyan

This article is about Armenian opera singer. For Armenian television announcer, see Gohar Gasparyan (television presenter).

Gohar Mikayeli Gasparyan^[a] (14 December 1924 – 16 May 2007, née Khachaturian),^[b] also known as the "Armenian nightingale", was an Armenian opera singer.

Gohar Gasparyan Գոհար Գասպարյան
Background information
Birth name	Gohar Mikayeli Khachaturian
Born	(1924-12-14)14 December 1924 Cairo, Egypt
Died	15 May 2007(2007-05-15) (aged 82) Yerevan, Armenia
Genres	Classical
Occupation	Opera singer
Instrument	Singing

Life

Gasparyan's grave

Born in an Armenian family in Cairo, Egypt, Gasparyan studied at a Music Academy in the city. In 1948, she migrated to Soviet Armenia along with thousands of other Armenians from the Middle East. Gasparyan performed at the Yerevan Opera Theatre in 23 operas during her long career, as well as performing at concerts.^[1] In 1951 she was the soprano in A Heroine by Haro Stepanian [hy] in Yerevan. This opera won one of "Stalin's music prizes".^[2]

She also taught at the Yerevan State Musical Conservatory. Gasparyan was a People's Artist of the USSR, a Hero of Socialist Labour and a Mesrop Mashtots order-bearer.^{[citation needed]}

Gohar Gasparyan died in Yerevan and is buried at Komitas Pantheon.^[3]

Awards

• Hero of Socialist Labour
• Order of Lenin
• Order of Friendship of Peoples
• Order of St. Mesrop Mashtots
• People's Artist of the USSR
• USSR State Prize
• People's Artist of the Armenian SSR

See also

• Armenian opera

Notes

1. • Armenian: Գոհար Միքայելի Գասպարյան, romanized: Gohar Mik’ayeli Gasparyan
   • Western Armenian: Գոհար Գասպարեան, romanized: Kohar Kasbarean
2. • Armenian: Խաչատուրյան, romanized: Xačatowryan
   • Western Armenian: Խաչատրեան, romanized: Khachʻadrean