Protesting Yerevan Opera Theater performers granted audience with PM over Orbelian sacking
Monday morning began with a drama performance of actors and singers of the Yerevan Opera Theater. But the performance was off stage.
Staff of the Yerevan Opera Theater are protesting outside the Government headquarters in Yerevan against the dismissal of Constantine Orbelian as their General Director.
Orbelian was dismissed as general director by Acting Minister of Culture Nazeni Gharibian. But Orbelian still holds office of artistic director. Gharibian later said Orbelian could not serve in both positions simultaneously by law.
Protesters are demanding audience with personally Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
Pashinyan’s spokesperson Vladimir Karapetyan approached the demonstrating staff of the theater and told them that the prime minister will hold a meeting with them.
Orbelian, a three-time Grammy Award nominated conductor, was appointed artistic director of the Yerevan Opera Theater in 2016. Then, a year later, he also became general director of the theater.
