Hazaran Havk
An epic Armenian opera brought back to life — discover the story, the music, and the artists behind Hazaran Havk.
About the opera
About the Opera and the Tale It Tells
Hazaran Havk ("The Thousand-Voiced Nightingale") is an Armenian opera composed by Arthur Aharonian, drawing on centuries-old folk tales of a nightingale whose song could heal the wounded and comfort the grieving.
Aranthev is supporting a new production of the opera, working with musicians, singers, and cultural institutions to bring this rarely performed work back to the stage for a new generation.
"Hazaran Havk carries the voice of a people who have always found hope in song. Bringing it back to the stage is a way of keeping that voice alive."
Arthur Aharonian
Composer, Hazaran Havk
The artist
About the Artist
Arthur Aharonian is a composer and pianist whose work draws on Armenian folk traditions, sacred music, and classical composition.
His scores are known for weaving traditional instrumentation with orchestral arrangements, and Hazaran Havk represents years of research into the oral traditions the opera is based on.
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Donate to support this project and others like it.
Timeline
Where Is It Now and What Are the Next Steps
From early research to opening night, here's how the Hazaran Havk production is progressing.
Phase 1
Our musicologists traced surviving fragments of Arthur Aharonian's original score and libretto across private collections and archives, reconstructing the manuscript note by note and cross-checking every page against historical accounts of the opera's first staging.
Phase 2
With the score reconstructed, we brought in musicians and vocalists for studio sessions to record the opera's key arias and orchestral passages, giving audiences an early listen to the piece long before it reaches the stage.
Phase 3
We're now assembling the full cast and creative team, running rehearsals that bring the score, staging, and design together, refining pacing, blocking, and vocal performance in preparation for a full theatrical run.
Phase 4
The production culminates in opening night: a full staged premiere performance for the public, followed by additional shows, marking the opera's long-awaited return to the stage after decades of silence.
Phase 1
Our musicologists traced surviving fragments of Arthur Aharonian's original score and libretto across private collections and archives, reconstructing the manuscript note by note and cross-checking every page against historical accounts of the opera's first staging.
Phase 2
With the score reconstructed, we brought in musicians and vocalists for studio sessions to record the opera's key arias and orchestral passages, giving audiences an early listen to the piece long before it reaches the stage.
Phase 3
We're now assembling the full cast and creative team, running rehearsals that bring the score, staging, and design together, refining pacing, blocking, and vocal performance in preparation for a full theatrical run.
Phase 4
The production culminates in opening night: a full staged premiere performance for the public, followed by additional shows, marking the opera's long-awaited return to the stage after decades of silence.
Support our work
Donate to support this project and others like it.