Charles Aznavour
Charles Aznavour 
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 Aznavour performs one of his most famous songs, "La Bohème", at the Paris Olympia in 1968. | |
| Birth name | Shahnour Vaghenag Aznavourian |
| Name in Armenian | Շառլ Ազնավուր |
| Birthplace | Paris |
| Birth date | 22 May 1924 |
| Lived in | Paris, Geneva |
| Resides in | Geneva |
| Death place | Mouriès |
| Death date | 2018/10/01 |
| Death year | 2018 |
| Profession | Singer, Actor |
| Positions | Ambassador |
| Languages | Armenian, French, English |
| Ethnicities | Armenian |
| Ancestral villages | Akhaltsikhe, other |
| Major works | La Boheme, Pour toi Arménie |
| Spouses | Ulla Thorsell |
| Children | Seda, Katia, Misha, Nicolas, Patrick |
| http://www.c-aznavour.com | |
Charles Aznavour was a French-Armenian singer and songwriter, often compared to Frank Sinatra.
Aznavour was born Shahnour Varenagh Aznavourian in Paris, the son of Armenian immigrants. At an early age, his artistic parents introduced him to the world of theatre.
One of France's most popular and enduring singers, he began to perform by age nine and soon took the stage name Aznavour. His big break came when the singer Edith Piaf heard him sing and arranged to take him with her on tour in France and to the United States.
Often described as the "Frank Sinatra of France", almost all of Aznavour's songs deal with love. He has written more than a thousand songs as well as musicals, made more than one hundred records, and has played in sixty movies. Aznavour sings in five languages and is the most well-known French singer abroad, performing at Carnegie Hall and other major venues around the world.
In 1996 Charles Aznavour was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
A lover of Quebec, he helped the career of Quebecois chansonnier Lynda Lemay in France, and has a house in Montreal.
Aznavour starred in the 2002 movie Ararat playing Edward Saroyan, a movie director.
Text from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Aznavour
Honors in Armenia
Aznavour Reveals Armenian Job Offer
By Diego Karamanukian
Charles Aznavour, the world-famous French singer of Armenian descent, has revealed that he was offered to become Armenia’s ambassador to Switzerland and nearly agreed to take up the vacant post.
“The president of Armenia once offered me to become Armenia’s ambassador in Geneva,” Aznavour told the Spanish daily El Pais in an interview published at the weekend. “I felt very proud and happy on that day. But then I figured that if I accept the offer I will lose my freedom.”
“If don’t like a decision taken by the Armenian government I will feel bad,” he said. “I can’t lose my freedom for an honorable post.”
President Serzh Sarkisian granted Armenian citizenship to Aznavour in late December. The Swiss-based singer already received Armenia’s highest state award, the title of “national hero,” in 2004 in recognition of his long-standing support for the country of his ancestors. A square in downtown Yerevan was named after him in 2001.
Aznavour, 84, is one of the most renowned members of France’s influential Armenian community. He was at the forefront of the community’s efforts to help victims of the catastrophic 1988 earthquake that devastated much of northern Armenia.
Filmography
- 2002: ARARAT Director Atom Egoyan
- 1989: Charles Aznavour Armenia 1989 Director Levon Mkrtchyan
On Emigration from Armenia
CHARLES AZNAVOUR ACCUSES ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES OF INTERNAL GENOCIDE December, 2011
Gibrahayer e-magazine - Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra - After a concert he held in Moscow, Charles Aznavour confessed to reporters that his country, Armenian, commits "internal genocide" and that the authorities of Armenia don't allow the country to breath and they deprive it of its youth, which leaves the country in despair. Aznavour said that this is not a political problem, but a human one and it needs to be addressed and immediately resolved.
Being Armenia's Ambassador to Switzerland and UNESCO, many thought that he would either resign or be relieved of his duties; however neither of these happened.
YEREVAN (Yerkir Media)—World-renowned singer Charles Aznavour, who is also Armenia’s Ambassador to Switzerland and UNESCO made an unusual comment following a performance at the Kremlin Monday, saying that the current Armenian regime was committing “domestic Genocide.”
In an interview with “Life Showbiz” magazine, Aznavour lamented about the domestic socio-economic situation in Armenia and used the opportunity to blast the Armenian authorities.
“My country is now experiencing domestic genocide. I consider it to be politically unacceptable. “Not letting Armenia breathe, the government is depriving its own country of its youth, forcing them to leave. And in that respect, the issue has ceased to being only political, it has taken on a universal dimension. It has to be solved,” said the 87-year-old singer.
In another interview, this time with Rosiskaya Gazeta, Aznavour was asked about his experience as an ambassador. His response, half-jokingly was that his career was advancing successfully since “Armenia and Switzerland are not preparing for war.”
He also added that he did not like politics since that is not his calling.
“I like the arts,” he declared.
Yerkir Media asked the foreign ministry spokesman Tigran Balayan for a comment on the Armenian Ambassador’s remarks but was turned down.
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YEREVAN (PanArmenian.Net) - Charles Aznavour’s house-museum opened in downtown Yerevan on June 1, in a solemn ceremony attended by the legendary singer, his son Nicolas Aznavour, President Serzh Sargsyan and a number of guests. Minister of Culture Armen Amiryan handed the symbolic keys to the museum to Charles Aznavour.
The ceremony also marked the launch of the Aznavour Foundation aiming to preserve the maestro’s cultural legacy. The foundation will also develop and implement educational and social programs.
“All of our joint efforts should be targeted at the development of Armenia to enable the youth to realize their dreams in the country, surrounded by their loved ones,” Aznavour said.
The singer noted that his decision to establish the foundation was prompted by seeing brilliant educational programs implemented in Armenia, historic monuments restored and new infrastructures created.
President Sargsyan, in turn, stated that “it’s an honor for Yerevan to host Charles Aznavour’s House-Museum.”
“Aznavour is truly a legend, a legend that belongs not only to France and Armenia, but also the humanity at large,” he added.
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