Ovanes Zarifian

Zarifian, Ovanes Gevorkovich 

Born Mar. 23 (Apr. 4), 1879, in Aleksandropol’ (present-day Leninakan); died July 29, 1937, in Boston, USA. Armenian actor, director, and man of the theater.

In 1897, Zarifian performed in Aleksandropol’ and subsequently in the cities of Transcaucasia, the Northern Caucasus, Russia, and Turkey; he went abroad in 1920. He performed in Armenian companies in the USA, France, Egypt, Rumania, and Bulgaria. Zarifian ‘s art was notable for its originality and his ability to skillfully transform himself. Among his best roles were Hamlet and Othello in Shakespeare ‘§ Hamlet and Othello, the title characters in Gutzkow’s Uriel Acosta and Sophocles’Oedipus Tyrannus, Dr. Stock-mann in Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People, Uncle Bagdasar in Paronian’s play of the same name, Daniel in Shirvanzade’s Evil Spirit, Father Igumen in Shant’s Old Gods, and Neznamov in Ostrovskii’s Guilty Though Guiltless.