Tatevik Sazandarian

Sazandarian, Tatevik Tigranovna 

Born Aug. 20 (Sept. 2), 1916, in the village of Khndzoresk, in what is now Goris Raion, Armenian SSR. Soviet Armenian mezzo-soprano; public figure. People’s Artist of the USSR (1956). Member of the CPSU since 1949.

In 1937, Sazandarian became a soloist with the A. Spendiarov Armenian Theater of Opera and Ballet in Yerevan. She was the first to perform the title role in Spendiarov’s Almast and the roles of Parandzem in Chukhadzhian’s Arshak II, Tamar in A. Tigranian’s David-bek, Nazeli in Stepanian’s The Heroine (State Prize of the USSR, 1951), and Anna in Aru-tiunian’s Saiat-Nova. Her best roles have also included Liuba-sha in Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Tsar’s Bride, Konchakovna in Borodin’s Prince Igor, Amneris in Verdi’s Aïda, and Dalila in Saint-Saëns’ Samson et Dalila.

Sazandarian started teaching at the Yerevan Conservatory in 1961, becoming a professor in 1970. In 1972 she also became head of the subdepartment of solo singing at the Yerevan Theatrical Institute. She was a deputy to the fifth convocation of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Sazandarian has been awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor and various medals.