| Great Armenian dramatic actor Country: Armenia |
Vagram Papazyan, a great Armenian dramatic actor, dedicated his entire life to the theater, primarily to Shakespeare. His portrayal of Othello is considered a masterpiece. But he himself was a masterpiece, and his stage characters were embodiments of this masterpiece.
Vagram Papazyan, a world-renowned Armenian dramatic actor, was born in 1888 in Constantinople. As a child, in 1895-1896, he witnessed the destruction of peaceful Armenians in Turkey, and as an adult in 1915, he witnessed the massacre of over half a million Armenians. His life was far from easy.
When World War II began and Germany attacked the Soviet Union, Papazyan was in Leningrad (Saint Petersburg). The city was besieged by German troops, who bombed it every day, but the actor did not leave Leningrad until the end of the war. A military plane often brought him to Moscow, where he addressed all the wise people of Europe through the All-Union Radio in Italian and French. It is said that every time he left the radio studio, the staff would ask if he planned to move to a more peaceful Armenia. And the answer was always negative. He was far from being a coward.
Having received education in Italy (Milan and Venice), Papazyan performed in troupes led by Eleonora Duse, Novella Tsakoni, Grasso, and other famous actors. From 1907 to 1922, with breaks, he worked in the Armenian theater in Constantinople. In 1922, he moved to the Soviet Union and settled there. Vagram Papazyan devoted his entire life to the theater, primarily to Shakespeare. His portrayal of Othello is considered a masterpiece. But he himself was a masterpiece, and his stage characters were embodiments of this masterpiece. The character of Othello created by Vagram Papazyan is truly unique. The role of Hamlet was the biggest and most challenging of his roles. Many, including the actor himself, believe this. By the way, among all the strong aspects of his performance, his monologues should also be mentioned. Papazyan perfected this art. His monologue "To be or not to be" remains unparalleled even in our days.